Reported for war crimes - by Swedish lawyers

Gaza

Swedish lawyers report Israel for war crimes  

 

Anna Sjögren, 

 

Give Zangana  

 

Published 11.30 

 

News

 

Two Swedish lawyers report Israel for war crimes and crimes against humanity.  

 

The reason is the total blockade against Gaza and the thousands of Palestinian civilians who died in the airstrikes against the area. 

 

- It is innocent civilians who are affected and it must be investigated, says Behrang Eslami to Aftonbladet. 

 

The report to the National Unit against International and Organized Crime was submitted during the morning. 

 

- The reason is the horrific news that comes from Palestine with pictures and videos that are spread where civilians are affected and die, says Behrang Beslami.  

 

In it, they write that "there is reason to assume" that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "jointly and in concert with others have committed war crimes" by the decision on a total blockade of Gaza.

 

"As a result of the act, neither supplies, food nor water have been able to reach the victims in Gaza. There is reason to assume that Yoav Gallant and Benjamin Netanyahu intentionally caused the Gaza population severe suffering because of this," they write in the report.  

 

The charge: Attacking civilian targets with intent  

 

They also highlight the large number of civilian casualties resulting from Israeli military airstrikes. According to Palestinian health authorities, at least 3,000 have died. Close to 12,500 people are said to be injured. 

 

The lawyers write in the report that there is reason to assume that Israel deliberately directed armed attacks on humanitarian facilities, civilians and civilian property, and thus committed crimes against humanity. However, 

 

Israel believes that it is attacking Hamas' military infrastructure, but that the terrorist group is in residential buildings, mosques and hospitals.  

 

Sweden can initiate a preliminary investigation concerning crimes abroad and citizens of other countries when it comes to war crimes. Eslami hopes that a decision will be made to open one.  

 

- It is innocent civilians who are affected and it must be investigated, he says. 

Smoke rises from Gaza. Photo: Ariel Schalit / AP  

Can issue arrest warrants  

 

If the defense minister and the prime minister were suspected of war crimes, an arrest warrant could be issued, which would mean they would be arrested if they entered the EU, according to Behrang Eslami.  

 

When it comes to Hamas' actions in Israel, Eslami believes that it could rather be a terrorist crime, something that is then investigated by the own country.  

 

- It is not something Sweden has jurisdiction over, he says and continues:  

 

- We take it for granted that people who are connected to or have leading positions in the terrorist organization Hamas will be arrested for the cases they travel into the EU due to the crimes they committed. 

 

Over 500 people died when a house of seven in Gaza was bombed. Photo: Abed Khaled / AP