Yemen Observer: http://www.yobserver.com
Posted in:
Local News
Written By: Abdul-Aziz Oudah
Article Date: Jan 13, 2009 - 2:23:48 AM
The Yemeni Lawyers Union intends to file a formal case with the International Criminal Court against Israeli officials on charges of genocide for their attacks against innocent civilians in Gaza.
A statement signed by 11 lawyers, mostly human rights activists and law experts, including the head of the Yemeni Lawyers Association Abdullah Rahjeh, will seek to indict seven Israeli officials involved in the killing of children, the elderly and the handicapped.
The statement explained that the Zionist Prime minister, Ehud Olmert, the Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and the army Chief of Staff Ehud Barrack are directly responsible for the massacre.
In a related issue, the civil society coordinator for Palestinian support welcomed this initiative by lawyers. Deputy Coordinator for the lawyers Dr. Amen al-Atrash said that the lawyers initiative is a qualitative step, and a practical call for the trial of Zionist war criminals. He added in a press release that the Yemeni lawyers’ stance supports Yemen’s steady support of the Palestinian cause.
On the other hand, a source at the Foreign Ministry denied Israeli allegations that Yemen provides Hamas with long range Chinese missiles, adding that it is illogical to think that Yemen could smuggle these missiles across the borders of several countries.
The source questioned Israel’s groundless allegations against Yemen, including that it provides missiles, saying perhaps they are using it as a justification to commit massacres against the Palestinians. He argues that their allegations result from Yemen’s clear stance against Zionist aggression in Gaza.
The Zionist newspaper the Jerusalem Post mentioned in its latest report that weapons smuggled to Gaza come from Yemen, passing through Eritrea, Sudan, northern Egypt and finally to Gaza.
The newspaper quoted a security spokesman as saying that the grad katiocha missiles launched from Birr Saba’ last Wednesday were Chinese made, and smuggled through the Sinai. The paper said that Defense Ministry officials have claimed the missiles have a 40 km. range. They are similar to the Soviet 122mm rocket; however they are also more complex weapons than the Iranian grad katiocha rockets. The source did not mention if they were widely used during the second Lebanese war.
A defense source told the paper that the missiles were smuggled to Gaza through an opening in the border between Egypt and Gaza, adding that despite the border closure, Hamas continued to smuggle long range missiles through a tunnel under the Delphi crossing. The source added that the missiles were bought by either Iran or Hizbullah, and shipped through the Sinai.