What Are We Waiting For?
Now this is actually not a bad idea:
Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni has given directives to enable Israeli victims of Palestinian attacks to sue the Palestinian Authority in Israeli courts in order to claim financial reimbursement.
Israeli sources said that Livni will contact Israeli courts asking them to comply with her suggestion.
These new directives will pave the way for dozens of cases to be filed against the Palestinian Authority by victims, or families of victims, seeking financial compensation for their casualties.
And since this is a palestinian report, here’s the mandatory dig at Israel:
The pretext given is that the Palestinian Authority failed to prevent military attacks against Israelis from its territories.
However, the individual responsible for last weeks shooting in Jerusalem was a resident in the city and a holder of an Israeli ID card.
And lauded by Fatah as a “Shahid – Holy Islamic Martyr.” So nice try, Ma’an.
The ministry of foreign affairs has signed a message to be sent to the central court in Jerusalem on behalf of 55 Israeli families who have filed cases demanding huge financial reimbursement from the Palestinian Authority. This message is expected to remove all impediments which have so far prevented suing the Palestinian Authority before Israeli courts.
A high-ranking Israeli political source said that despite the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Livni wanted to explain that whilst Israel wants to reach a historic compromise with the Palestinians, “terrorism will not be accepted.”
The source added that the Palestinian Authority must take part in the war against terror.
As I said, not a bad idea.
But here’s a better idea: stop negotiating with the PA, and start treating them as the terrorists they are. After all, if we consider them culpable enough to sue, why do we consider them to be serious and worthy peace partners?
Update: Yet another reason to cut off ties with the PA:
The moderate Palestinian government will rebuild the home of a West Bank militant leader who was killed by Israel Defense Forces last week, an official said Sunday, in an apparent response to similar offers from the Lebanese Hezbollah and Hamas.
Mohammed Shehadeh, the Islamic Jihad leader in Bethlehem, was killed along with three other militants in an IDF raid there last week. His house was demolished by Israeli forces a week earlier.
Salah Haniyeh, spokesman for the Palestinian ministry of public works, said the death of Shehadeh shook Palestinian society. He said rebuilding the family’s home must be a priority.
It’s a wonder even the Associated Press doesn’t realize how ridiculous the words “moderate Palestinian government” sound in light of this story.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: Uncategorized
knowing israeli justice, if I was an israeli victim I’d be afraid to end up in jail heh
And what is the realistic expectation of suing them going to be?
‘Governments’ get sued all the time but in my experience very few ever pay out.
The only chance anyone would have is if it came out of the money that other governments gift them.
Don’t know what you’re waiting for. You should expel all arabs out of Israel, all close the border to any arab, regardless. And Gaza and the West Bank are Israel.
Don’t you think that Palestinian families in which innocents had died due to Israeli attacks, will also ask for compensation from the Israeli government?
If Israel is prepared to compensate, I hope that this will not mean an increase of families willing to sacrifice their children by letting them protect houses or by letting them collect left behind weaponry.
You understand what I’m trying to say?
@Steve, you are right, after all, the PA is in debt by the Israeli government already. But perhaps this money can be given through international bodies (World bank, e.g.).
@Jorge, I hope you are not being serious.
Suzanne, why don’t you work on obtaining compensation for the poor innocent German families whose property was destroyed in WWII? They’ve been on your waiting list much longer. Or they should be. After all, fair is fair.
@Shy Guy, I’m not sure why you are posing this question to me. After all, it was not my idea.
But anyway, even though it’s often not sufficient, (some) claims have been repaid indeed.
Which is a pity since evil should never be funded.
@suzanne I was always made to believe that the PA keeps several bank accounts in Switzerland for that purpose…. which carrys on a bit of a tradition there really.
Would be very easy to freeze their assets because the PA is a legally not a nation.
Which hotel in Paris does Suha currently rent her imperial suite at?
Suzanne, I dedicate this clip to you.