“What the Israeli government has just done is illegal with respect to international law,” said Monday on RMC-BFMTV Manon Aubry, an Eurodiputa from France Rebelde. The reason for his indignation: the confusion of the Israeli army of a humanitarian boat in the direction of Gaza, with several French on board, including the Eurodiputada Rima Hassan.
“The intervention of Israeli forces in Madleen’s ship (…) while sailing in international waters is a flagrant violation of international law,” Turkey also said, according to who is an “hateful attack” by the government of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The boat under the British pavilion, which went to Italy, was to transport the Gaza Strip occupied with humanitarian equipment, and in particular food, while “100% of the population is threatened” of the famine according to the UN. But on Sunday night on Monday, June 9, after several warnings, Tsahal “organized” the ship towards its probabilities.
According to an online tracker, Freedom Flotilla was at that time in international waters. “Passengers are expected to return to their countries,” said Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The boat was confused to the port of Ahsdod, a large commercial port in southern Israel not far from Gaza, where they must be landed, said the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Can we say that the recession is in contradiction with international law? Without the shadow of a doubt, as explained in BFMTV.com Benjamin Fiorini, general secretary of the Association of “Lawyers for Respect for International Law” and the teacher.
“This confusion is not at all in line with international law, two reasons justify it,” he explains. The first is the absence of Israeli sovereignty in the area where interception took place, in an international area.
“Israel has no sovereignty about these waters, so this arrest, by definition, cannot be legal,” said the specialist, based on the 4th Geneva Convention (1949).
Second point, the obligation of the Hebrew State, in a position to “occupy the power of the Gaza Strip”, to guarantee access to gazaouis for humanitarian aid. “Israel himself evades this obligation to respect for the law of the civil population of having their humanitarian resources to simply preserve their right to life, their right to dignity, its right to health. At this point, this point also, this deviation from the humanitarian ship is completely illegal,” said Benjamin Fiorini.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “crimes against humanity and war crimes,” says in particular retained due to the blockade made for humanitarian aid denounced by various associations and organizations such as the UN.
Not complying with diplomatic immunity?
Another problem, the concept of arrest, which could increase other irregularities. Are activists handcuffed? Under army surveillance? Army communication simply showed images that show them grouped during a distribution of sandwiches and water bottles.
Finally, the situation can also be characterized by a crime to the diplomatic immunity of Rima Hassan, chosen from the European Parliament. Therefore, it depends on France and Europe to talk to request respect for this immunity.
“As soon as the ship will stop, we ask to be able to exercise our consular protection towards them. Our consulate requested to visit them as soon as they have joined the port of Ashdod, to guarantee their situation and facilitate its rapid return to France. France calls the Israeli government to allow, immediately, massive and without advancing in humanitarian aid in the Gaza”.
The Benjamin Netanyahu government faces strong international pressure to end the war, which pumps daily, and where, according to the UN, the population is threatened with the famine due to the siege imposed by Israel and high limitations in humanitarian aid, according to the UN.
The October 7 attack led to the death of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count of official data. Of the 251 people kidnapped that day, 55 remain held in Gaza, including at least 31 dead, according to Israeli authorities.
More than 54,880 Palestinians, mainly civil, were killed in the Israeli military campaign for reprisals in Gaza, according to data from the Hamas Ministry of Health, considered reliable by the UN.
Source: BFM TV
