After a warrant was issued for his arrest for alleged war crimes (the charges subsequently being dropped), former IDF chief of general staff Moshe Ya’alon is standing firm in New Zealand.
Despite reports to the contrary, former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Lieutenant General (res.) Moshe Ya’alon remained in New Zealand after a warrant was issued for his arrest for alleged war crimes, he said Friday. The charges have since been dropped.
“I am continuing to travel in New Zealand,” Ya’alon told Army Radio on Friday. “I did not run away from anywhere and I don’t intend to run away.”
The New Zealand Justice Ministry issued the warrant on Tuesday, several days after a request by a New Zealand resident that was co-signed by various local and international human rights organizations. Officials at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said they had received confirmation from the embassy in New Zealand that the charges have been dropped.
The alleged war crimes? Going after a terrorist shielding himself amongst the civilian population, the result being 13 civilians killed.
The warrant names Ya’alon for ordering an Israel Air Force attack on the home of senior Hamas official Salah Shehada in the Gaza Strip in 2002. Shahada, the founder of Hamas’ military wing, and one of his aides were killed in the attack along with 13 civilians.
People forget that in war, civilians die. And make no mistake about it, we are at war. Mind you, many in Israel are not willing to admit it, but we are under attack from a particularly callous enemy. The terrorists may not be operating out of a recognized state, but they are still waging war against us.
If palestinian terrorists were not firing rockets, shooting guns, and otherwise conducting terrorist attacks from palestinian civilian areas, the instances of palestinian civilian deaths caused by IDF actions would be rare. The reason being that the IDF are not deliberately targeting civilians. That is the forte of the terrorists. New Zealand should be going after them, but somehow I don’t think that is going to happen.
Another thing to bear in mind: Israel is accused of war crimes also when we avoid air operations and instead opt to risk troops in ground operations. It’s a no-win situation, and sometimes I think Israelis would be accused of war crimes for anything that doesn’t involve dropping dead.
Update: For those in a masochist mood, here is some New Zealand radio coverage of this matter. It is painful stuff, and not just because they talk funny.
Update: NeoZionoid points to a Jerusalem Post article on this, which includes the following statement from Ya’alon.
“I am continuing to hike in New Zealand after a week in which I conducted public relations activities for the Jewish National Fund and for the State of Israel.”
NeoZionoid’s blog post title? Ya’alon to NZ Arrest Warrants: Take a Hike.
