Logo
Site-Logo
Site Navigation

99 Israeli and International Feminist Organizations to the British Government: Enable Prosecution of Israeli War Criminals


26. December 2009

99 feminist peace organizations, from 25 countries, among them 20 Israeli and Palestinian organizations, sent a letter this morning (Tuesday, December 22, 2009) to the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and to the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, demanding that they not restrict the principle of universal jurisdiction in the UK.  Universal Jurisdiction enables national courts to prosecute foreign war criminals – among them Ehud Olmet, Ehud Barak, Tzipi Livni and other high ranking Israeli officials – who are responsible for the war in Gaza last year.
 

 

The letter was initiated by the Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP), an Israeli feminist organization that was founded in 2000 and is a leading voice in the Israeli anti-occupation movement. The letter was sent following Gordon and Miliband’s recent declarations that they will restrict universal jurisdiction in the UK – following an arrest warrant issued last week by a London court against Tzipi Livni, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs during the war in Gaza.
 

 

The signatories claim that the Goldstone Report raises serious suspicions regarding systematic and intentional execution of war crimes during the war in Gaza (Opearting Cast Lead). The letter asks Brown and Miliband to “defend and maintain the important principle of universal jurisdiction, despite political pressures by war criminals and their allies.”

 

The organizations further claim that restricting universal jurisdiction sets a dangerous precedent in the prosecution of war criminals from around the world. They stated: “As feminist organizations, we regard this as an act of collaboration with violence against women, since women and girls are particularly susceptible to poverty, displacement and marginalization in times of war, and are more frequently subjected to domestic violence, sexual abuse and rape.”
 

 

Eilat Maoz, CWP General Coordinator, said: “We reach out to the international community aiming to protect the people of our region, Palestinians and Israelis alike, from war criminals that still walk freely among us. As Israelis, we have an important role in supporting the international pressure on Israel. The vast response to our call demonstrates that the international community has lost its patience to the Israeli occupation.”

 

Lana Khaskia, CWP General Coordinator, said: “We all witness the growing international public pressure, which influences governments around the world to act. This was the case in the recent decision to label settlement produce in the UK, and in recent successes of the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. We see ourselves as a part of this international movement, which calls upon Israel to end the occupation at once.”  
 

 

The letter with the full list of signatories is attached
 

 

For further information:

Yoana Gonen, CWP International Relations Coordinator, Tel:

+972-50-5809656

yoana@coalitionofwomen.org

Eilat Maoz, CWP General Coordinator, Tel: +972-50-8575729

eilat@coalitionofwomen.org

 

————————————————–
 

 

December 22, 2009                

Prime Minister Gordon Brown

Foreign Secretary David Miliband
 

 

Re: Maintain Universal Jurisdiction and Enable the Prosecution of War Criminals        
 

 

We, international feminist peace and human rights organizations, are writing to you following recent reports regarding your government’s intention to undermine the principle of universal jurisdiction, a decision that will diminish the power of the international community to intervene in situations of severe human rights violations and crimes against humanity.
 

 

Universal jurisdiction is an essential legal device, symbolizing the responsibility of the global community to prevent crimes against humanity wherever they occur, to bring justice to the victims and to protect the citizens of the world from tyranny, persecution and institutionalized violence. The United Kingdom played an instrumental role in establishing these principles in the aftermath of the Second World War, and should commit itself to protecting and maintaining them. The British government’s intent to undermine universal jurisdiction sets a dangerous precedent in defending criminal government officials rather than the victims of their crimes.
 

 

As feminist organizations, we regard your attempt to undermine universal jurisdiction as an act of collaboration with violence against women. Socially disadvantaged groups, such as women and ethnic minorities, are more severely affected in situations of war and conflict. Women and girls are particularly susceptible to poverty, displacement and marginalization in times of war, and are more frequently subjected to domestic violence, sexual abuse and rape.
 

 

 

As Palestinian, Israeli and international women, we call on the international community to pressure Israel to follow the recommendations of the Goldstone Report. Today, one year after the Israeli assault on Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, Israel has yet to conduct a thorough, independent and reliable investigation of the war crimes it has committed. The international community is obligated to act in order to ensure that Israel will comply with international human rights and humanitarian law. Issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials responsible for war crimes against the Palestinian people, among them Ehud Olmert, Ehud Barak and Tzipi Livni, is an important means to this end.
 

 

The right of national courts to prosecute foreign war criminals for atrocities committed abroad is a central enforcement mechanism in international law. Undermining their ability to do so will be a devastating blow to international human rights and will hinder attempts to bring just peace to the Middle East and to other conflict regions around the world.
 

 

We urge you to maintain and secure the important principle of universal jurisdiction, despite political pressures by war criminals and their allies.

 

99 Signatories:
 

Palestine/Israel
 

Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP) – Israel

http://coalitionofwomen.org
 

 

Addameer – Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association –

Ramallah, Palestine

http://www.addameer.org
 

 

AlDeer Association, Palestinian Women of Wadi Ara – Israel
 

 

Al-Haq – Ramallah, Palestine

http://www.alhaq.org
 

 

Assiwar – Arab Feminist Movement in Support of Victims of Sexual Abuse – Israel

http://new.assiwar.org
 

 

BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within – Israel

http://boycottisrael.info
 

 

International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS) – Palestine

http://www.iwps-pal.org
 

 

Movement of Democratic Women in Israel (TANDI) – Israel

http://www.mdwii.com
 

 

New Profile – Israel

http://www.newprofile.org
 

 

Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy – Ramallah, Palestine

http://www.pcpd.org
 

 

Palestinian Union of Progressive Women, Balad (National Democratic Assembly) – Israel
 

 

Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development – Ramallah, Palestine

http://www.pwwsd.org
 

 

Social TV – Israel

http://www.TV.social.org.il
 

 

The Israeli Committee for a Middle East Free of Atomic, Biological and Chemical Weapons – Israel
 

 

The Raging Grannies – Israel
 

Women in Black – Israel

 

Women in Black of Tel Aviv – Israel
 

 

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Israel Section – Israel
 

 

Yesh Gvul – Israeli Support Group for Refuseniks of the Occupation and War Crimes – Israel

http://www.yeshgvul.org.il
 

 

Zochrot (“Remembering”) – Israel

http://www.zochrot.org
 

International
 

Ain o Salish kendra (ASK) – Bangladesh

http://www.askbd.org
 

 

Association pour la Reconnaissance des Droits et Libertés à la Femme Musulmane (ARDLFM) – France

http://ardlfm.centerblog.net
 

 

Associazione federativa femminista internazionale – Casa internazionale delle donne – Rome, Italy
 

 

Autonomous Women’s Center – Belgrade, Serbia

http://www.womenngo.org.rs
 

 

Canadian Voice of Women for Peace – Toronto, Canada

http://home.ca.inter.net/~vow
 

 

Casa Baltimore/Limay, Baltimore Committee – Maryland, USA

http://www.casabaltimorelimay.org
 

 

CODEPINK Women for Peace – USA

http://www.codepinkalert.org

 

CODEPINK Greater Boston – Massachusetts, USA
 

Collectif des féministes pour l’égalité (CFPE) – France
 

Collectif Judéo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Paix – Strasbourg, France
 

 

Djazairouna – des Familles Victimes du Terrorisme Islamiste – Alegeria
 

 

European Feminist Initiative (IFE-EFI) – International Network

http://www.ife-efi.org
 

 

Fairchance Consultancy – UK
 

 

French Jewish Union for Peace (UJFP) – France

http://www.ujfp.org
 

 

Global Sisterhood Network – International Network

http://www.global-sisterhood-network.org
 

 

Global Women’s Strike – International Network

 

Global Women’s Strike – Ireland

 

Global Women’s Strike – USA
 

 

Gramya Resource Center for Women – Hyderabad, India

http://www.gramya.org
 

 

Institute for Feminism and Religion – Dublin, Ireland

http://instituteforfeminismandreligion.org
 

 

International Civilian Missions to Palestine (CCIPP) – France

http://protection-palestine.org
 

 

International Prostitutes Collective – International Network

http://www.prostitutescollective.net
 

 

International Wages Due Lesbians – International Network

http://www.allwomencount.net/EWC LesbianBi/IWDL.htm
 

 

International Wages for Housework Campaign – International Network

 

Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East – Austria
 

 

Jewish Voice for Peace – USA

http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org
 

 

Jüdische Stimme für Gerechten Frieden in Nahost (Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East – EJJP) – Germany

http://www.juedische-stimme.de/js-ejjp.html
 

 

l’Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS) Paris Centre – Paris, France
 

 

Legal Action for Women – UK and USA

http://www.allwomencount.net/EWC LAW/womenagainstlaw.htm
 

 

Marea – Feminist Quarterly – Italy

http://www.mareaonline.it
 

 

Mersinia Art Center – Ayia Napa, Cyprus
 

 

MRAP – Movement Against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples – Paris, France

http://www.mrap.fr
 

 

News from Nowhere Co-operative – Liverpool, UK

http://www.newsfromnowhere.org.uk
 

 

Nijera Kori (“We Do It Ourselves”) – Bangladesh

http://www.nijerakori.org
 

 

Office of the Americas, Los Angeles, California – USA

http://www.officeoftheamericas.org
 

 

Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) – UK

http://palestinecampaign.org
 

Rural Women’s Movement (RWM) in the province of KwaZulu Natal – South Africa

http://www.ruralwomensmovement.org
 

Saheli Women’s Resource Centre – New Delhi, India
 

 

Scottish Women Against Pornography – Scotland, UK
 

 

Secularism Is A Women’s Issue (SIAWI) – International network

http://www.siawi.org
 

 

Sheffield Palestine Women’s Scholarship Fund – Sheffield, UK
 

 

Senza Paura – Restiamo Umani – Genova, Italy
 

 

Single Mothers Self Defence – UK
 

 

South Asians for Human Rights – Colombo, Sri Lanka

http://www.southasianrights.org
 

 

Southall Black Sisters – UK

http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk
 

 

The Kolo: Women’s Cross Cultural Collaboration – Olympia, Washington, USA

http://www.kolocollaboration.org
 

 

The Network Against Honour-Related Violence – Sweden

http://www.minheder.nu
 

 

Women Against Fundamentalism (WAF) – UK

http://www.womenagainstfundamentalism.org.uk
 

 

Women for Justice – Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
 

 

Women for Palestine – Australia

http://www.womenforpalestine.org
 

 

Women for Peace – Switzerland

http://www.frauenfuerdenfrieden.ch
 

 

Women in Black of Caen – France

 

Women in Black of Lyon – France

 

Women in Black (Les femmes en noir) of Paris – France

 

Women in Black of Strasbourg – France
 

Women in Black – Italy

 

Women in Black of Rome – Italy

 

Women in Black of Turin – Italy

 

Women in Black of Venice – Italy
 

Women in Black of Belgrade – Serbia

http://www.zeneucrnom.org
 

 

Women in Black of Mallorca – Spain
 

 

Women in Black (Vrouwen in het zwart) of Maastricht – The Netherlands

http://vrouweninhetzwart.nl
 

 

Women in Black of London – UK

 

Women in Black of Sheffield – UK
 

 

Bay Area Women in Black – California, USA

http://www.bayareawomeninblack.org

 

Women in Black of Amherst – Massachusetts, USA

 

Women in Black of Union Square, New York City – New York, USA

 

Women in Black of Seattle – Washington, USA
 

 

Women in Solidarity with Palestine (WSP) – Toronto, Canada
 

 

Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) – International Network

http://www.wluml.org
 

 

Women of Colour in the Global Women’s Strike – Guyana
 

 

Women of Colour in the Global Women’s Strike – USA
 

 

Women Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq – UK

http://solidarityiraq.blogspot.com
 

 

Women Will Association (WWA) – Baghdad, Iraq

http://iraqiwomenswill.blogspot.com
 

 

Women’s Commission of the Socialist Party –  USA
 

 

Women’s Initiative for Citizenship and Universal Rights (WICUR) – Paris, France
 

 

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) – International Network

http://www.wilpf.ch
 

 

Women’s Welfare Center – Pune, India
 

 

World March of Women, International Secretariat – International Network

http://www.worldmarchofwomen.org