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Israeli Diplomats to Sue Ahmadinejad at International Court of Justice in The Hague

(Ynet News) Ronen Bergman - * A group of Israeli diplomats plans to turn to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague and demand that it launch legal proceedings against Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for conspiring to commit crimes against humanity. The legal file against Ahmadinejad is almost ready for submission. * Among the forum members are former Israeli Ambassador to the United States and France Meir Rosen, former Foreign Ministry Director-General Eytan Bentsur, and former Minister Dan Naveh. The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, headed by former Israeli Ambassador to the UN Dore Gold, is providing logistic assistance in preparing the lawsuit. * The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 1948 as the international community's response to the revelations on the Holocaust. The Convention defined genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The acts for which countries can be punished as part of the Convention include "direct and public incitement to commit genocide." * Rosen and Gold write that "Ahmadinejad's remarks constitute without a doubt a 'direct and public incitement' to commit genocide. The Iranian regime supports terror organizations, such as the Islamic Jihad, which continuously carries out murderous terror attacks against innocent Israeli citizens. However, the gravity of Ahmadinejad's remarks is particularly outstanding in light of Iran's attempts to develop mass destruction weapons." * The document also stated that "the State of Israel must act against Iran through clause 9 of the Convention. According to this clause, disagreements between states that signed the Convention regarding its implementation must be solved by turning to the International Court of Justice in The Hague." Both Israel and Iran signed and approved the treaty in the 1950s. * The forum plans to take additional steps against Ahmadinejad in European countries with legislation against Holocaust denial.
2006-05-22 00:00:00
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