The PCHR and the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign urge you to act immediately:

Stop support for Israel’s war crimes!

Former Israel Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon was spared arrest or any proper prosecution process in New Zealand this past Tuesday, despite a decision the day before, by His Honour Judge Avinash Deobhakta in the District Court at Auckland to issue warrants for his arrest on suspicion of committing a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949.

Ya’alon’s escape from justice was facilitated by the intervention by the New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Attorney General, Michael Cullen.

Moshe Ya’alon was Chief of Staff of the Israeli Occupation Forces from 9 July 2002 to 1 June 2005. Under his command the Israeli Occupation Forces were responsible for a countless variety of extensive human rights violations and war crimes inside the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank.

However, the arrest warrant was extinguished by the Attorney General directing the District Court to stay the prosecution permanently. The Attorney General has given no reasons for crushing the warrant in time for the lawyers to appeal, despite the ruling of the judge that there were ‘good and sufficient reasons’ to justify the arrest of Moshe Ya’alon. Only after Ya’alon had been permitted to leave the country, he gave untenable motivations such as “unreliable materials” brought as evidence by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Hickman & Rose and the local lawyers.

Michael Cullen is not a lawyer. Instead he has accumulated an enormous amount of power being Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney-General, Justice Minister, the Finance Minister and Leader of the House at the same time. A highly politicized but not legally competent figure that has put all his influence against the legal prosecution of war crimes committed by Israel.

Raji Sourani, head of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has stated:

“We will not forget nor forgive, instead we will continue to do our best to bring the Israeli perpetrators of crimes against our people to justice – with all our professionalism and the support of a global network of lawyers. If international law is to serve, then it needs to be implemented.”

This has been an authentic act of impeding legal prosecution of war crimes!

Apartheid Israel needs to be held accountable!

The PCHR and the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign urge you to act immediately:

Please support this urgent call and alert the media and the responsible authorities in NZ about your outrage!

(See sample letters and contact info below. Please cc pchr@pghr.org and global@stopthewall.org in your letters.)

Michael Cullen must give a detailed account to the victims and his own public as to why the judge’s orders for Ya’alon to be arrested were not complied with. He needs to answer on what basis and powers did he instruct the police NOT to act on a legitimately issued warrant for arrest.

Justice for Palestine is needed NOW!

ENDS

***

For further information on the case see: www.pchrgaza.ps/files/PressR/English/2006/127-2006.htm

Or contact:

In New Zealand:

Lawyer for the complainant, Davey Salmon, Partner, LeeSalmonLong

Phone: + 64 9 912 7102;

Mobile : + 64 21 974 873

Website: www.leesalmonlong.com/

OR

Tuma Hazou, spokesperson for the Palestine Human Rights Campaign (PHRC):

+ 64 9 427 6527

OR

Don Carson, +64 274 530 565

In Palestine:

Raji Sourani, Lawyer and Director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (GMT + 2 hours).

Phone: 00 972 (0)599608811

E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org Website: www.pchrgaza.org

In London, UK:

Daniel Machover, Partner, Mobile: 00 +44 (0)7773 341096 OR

Kate Maynard, solicitor, Mobile: 00 +44 (0)7899 982977

Hickman & Rose solicitors Website: www.hickmanandrose.co.uk

***

Sample Letters

Media contacts:

TV New Zealand

for the feedback form, go to: tvnz.co.nz/view/page/816462/869443

Tel: +64 9 916 7000

Radio New Zealand

news@radionz.co.nz - Telephone: +64 9 367 9300 - Facsimile +64 9 367 9330

NewsTalk Radio

for the feedback form, go to: www.newstalkzb.co.nz/# - Talkback 0800 80 10 80, Overseas +64 9 307 1080

Dear editor,

I am addressing you to express my outrage about the latest scandal of obstruction in the implementation of international law and the prosecution of war crimes committed by Israel. The reason for the escape of Moshe Ya’alon from justice was the undue interference of Mr. Michel Cullen in his function as Attorney – General.

We urge you to give this grave incident due coverage and to ensure transparent and fair enquiries in the issue will happen.

You will be aware that Moshe Ya’alon was spared arrest or any proper prosecution process in New Zealand on 28 November, despite a decision on 27 November 2006 by His Honour Judge Avinash Deobhakta in the District Court at Auckland to issue warrants for his arrest on suspicion of committing a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949.

Moshe Ya’alon was Chief of Staff of the Israeli military from 9 July 2002 to 1 June 2005. Under his command the Israeli Occupation Forces were responsible for a countless variety of extensive human rights violations and war crimes inside the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank.

However, the arrest warrant was extinguished by the Attorney General directing the District Court to stay the prosecution permanently. The Attorney General has given no formal reasons for crushing the warrant in time for the lawyers to appeal, despite the ruling of the judge that there were ‘good and sufficient reasons’ to justify the arrest of Moshe Ya’alon. Only after Ya’alon had been permitted to leave the country, he gave untenable motivations such as “unreliable materials” brought as evidence.

The Attorney – General (Mr. Michael Cullen) is not lawyer, instead he has accumulated an enormous amount of power being the Deputy Prime Minister, the Finance Minister and Leader of the House at the same time. A highly politicized but not legally competent figure that has put all his influence against the legal prosecution of war crimes committed by Israel.

Michael Cullen must give a detailed account to the victims and his own public as to why the judge’s orders for Ya’alon to be arrested were not complied with. He needs to answer on what basis and powers did he instruct the police NOT to act on a legitimately issued warrant for arrest.

This has been a blatant impeding of proper legal prosecution of war crimes. Apartheid Israel needs to be held accountable to bring justice to Palestine.

This grave case of obstructionism and bad governance in New Zealand resounds widely across the globe among all those interested in justice as such work jeopardizes the mere relevance of international law towards the right of the might. We urge you thus to play a part in uncovering the facts and ensuring justice is upheld in New Zealand.

Sincerely,

Email: mcullen@ministers.govt.nz

Phone: +64 (0)4 470 6551
Fax: +64 (0)4 495 8442

Dear Mr. Michael Cullen,

I am addressing you in your function as Attorney General and Minister of Justice of New Zealand to express my outrage about the way you have obstructed the implementation of international law and the prosecution of war crimes committed by Israel.

I am aware that it was your action to ensure Moshe Ya’alon was spared arrest or any proper prosecution process in New Zealand on 28 November, despite a decision on 27 November 2006 by His Honour Judge Avinash Deobhakta in the District Court at Auckland to issue warrants for his arrest on suspicion of committing a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949.

Moshe Ya’alon was Chief of Staff of the Israeli military from 9 July 2002 to 1 June 2005. Under his command the Israeli Occupation Forces were responsible for a countless variety of extensive human rights violations and war crimes inside the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank.

After the Judge had decided that there were ‘good and sufficient reasons’ to justify the arrest of Moshe Ya’alon you have ensured the arrest warrant was to be extinguished by the Attorney-General. You have given no reasons for crushing the warrant in time for the lawyers to appeal. Only after Ya’alon had been permitted to leave the country, you gave untenable motivations such as “unreliable materials” brought as evidence.

I am urging you to give a detailed account to the victims and your own public as to why the judge’s orders for Ya’alon to be arrested were not complied with. On what basis did you – not having the legal expertise to do so - advise the police NOT to arrest in the face of the warrants?

This has been an authentic act of impeding legal prosecution of war crimes. Apartheid Israel needs to be held accountable to bring justice to Palestine.

This grave case of obstructionism and bad governance in New Zealand resounds widely across the globe among all those interested in justice as such work jeopardizes the mere relevance of international law towards the right of the might.

I urge you to publicly and fully apologize to the people of Palestine and Lebanon for making this grave error of judgment and to likewise publicly inform the government of the state of Israel that the government of New Zealand will in future strictly uphold the full force of its legislation on international human rights and humanitarian law and that this intention covers Israelis for whom prima facie evidence exists that that they have committed war crimes.

Sincerely,

To find the contacts for the New Zealand embassy in your country, go to: www.mfat.govt.nz/Embassies/NZ-Embassies/index.php

Dear Ambassador,

I am addressing you to express my outrage about the latest scandal of obstruction in the implementation of international law and the prosecution of war crimes committed by Israel. Reason for this was the unduly interference of Mr. Michel Cullen in his function as Attorney General.

We urge you to give to ensure transparent and fair enquiries in the issue will happen.

You will be aware that Moshe Ya’alon was spared arrest or any proper prosecution process in New Zealand on 28 November, despite a decision on 27 November 2006 by His Honour Judge Avinash Deobhakta in the District Court at Auckland to issue warrants for his arrest on suspicion of committing a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949.

Moshe Ya’alon was Chief of Staff of the Israeli military from 9 July 2002 to 1 June 2005. Under his command the Israeli Occupation Forces were responsible for a countless variety of extensive human rights violations and war crimes inside the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank.

However, the arrest warrant was extinguished by the Attorney General directing the District Court to stay the prosecution permanently. The Attorney General has given no reasons for crushing the warrant in time for the lawyers to appeal, despite the ruling of the judge that there were ‘good and sufficient reasons’ to justify the arrest of Moshe Ya’alon. Only after Ya’alon had been permitted to leave the country, he gave untenable motivations such as “unreliable materials” brought as evidence.

The Attorney – General (Mr. Michael Cullen) is no lawyer, instead he has accumulated an enormous amount of power being the deputy prime minister of New Zealand, the Finance Minister and Leader of the House at the same time. A highly politicized but not legally competent figure that has put all his influence against the legal prosecution of war crimes committed by Israel.

Michael Cullen must give a detailed account to the victims and his own public as to why the judge’s orders for Ya’alon to be arrested were not complied with. He needs to answer to what basis did the AG advise the police NOT to arrest in the face of the warrants?

This has been an authentic act of impeding legal prosecution of war crimes. Apartheid Israel needs to be held accountable to bring Justice to Palestine.

This grave case of obstructionism and bad governance in New Zealand resounds widely across the globe among all those interested in Justice as such work jeopardizes the mere relevance of international law towards the right of the might. We urge you thus to play a part in uncovering the facts and ensuring Justice is upheld in New Zealand.

Sincerely,