French writer accuses US and Israel of ignoring international law

During a speech in Beirut on Thursday, on the 30th anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacre, the French writer and legal activist Alain Gresh accused the United States and Israel of ignoring international law. He added that the scope of international law that Israel, the US and the West will deal with is limited to the old notion which says that they are the only civilised nations for whom special rules apply; it’s the discredited “imperialism theory”.

“This is what led to the bombardment of civilians because they believe that uncivilised nations do not understand anything except the language of force,” Gresh said. “Under the same pretext, Israel bombarded civilians in Gaza in late 2008 and the beginning of 2009.”

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The speech was delivered during a meeting organised jointly by the Arabic Centre for Research and Political Studies and the Sabra and Shatila Memorial Committee. The title of Gresh’s session was “Israel’s impunity from the international law”. Beside the large number of Lebanese citizens and Palestinian refugees, many activists from around the world attended the meeting.

Gresh, who is the editor of Le Monde Diplomatique, said that adherence to the standards of international law started to deviate after 9/11. “America started to violated the laws which it had helped to establish,” he said. “Guantanamo is clear evidence for that, as are the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Israel’s behaviour also includes clear violations of international law, especially with its massacres in Lebanon and Palestine. “Benjamin Netanyahu has reinforced this kind of violation,” he said.

The French writer, who announced the publication of his book “What is called Palestine?” said: “I am here to announce solidarity with the victims and the families of victims of the Sabra and Shatila massacre, and to defend Palestine as well.” To defend Palestine, Gresh insisted, is to defend international law and humanitarian principles.