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Last update - 10:52 04/03/2009 U.K. minister: Gaza war crimes claims against Israel should be probed By Adar Primor Tags: gaza, war crime, hamas  Britain's secretary of state for international development, Douglas Alexander, visited the Gaza Strip this week, thereby becoming the first British minister to visit Gaza since Hamas seized control of it in 2007. Alexander, 41, went to Gaza to see the effects of Operation Cast Lead "with his own eyes." He met with a father whose children were killed, saw the ruined houses, spoke with businessmen whose factories were destroyed and was "horrified" by the scale of suffering of Gaza residents. Then, en route to Israel via the Erez Checkpoint, he witnessed a Palestinian rocket attack, and thus saw "the ever-present threat to Israel's population by those who continue to defy the common sense, international law and the interests of both peoples." Advertisement Two weeks ago, an American delegation headed by Sen. John Kerry was shocked to discover that Israel's embargo on Gaza includes products such as pasta, lentils and tomato paste. A member of the delegation asked when was the last time a lentil bomb went off? Alexander complained that this policy makes it harder for him and his colleagues to contend with Israel's critics in Britain. "They remind us that Israel is preventing UNRWA from bringing paper into Gaza," he said in an interview with Haaretz at the end of his trip here. "Is it really possible to build missiles out of paper? They also ask us why Israel bothers distinguishing between rice [which is defined as humanitarian aid] and pasta [which has been banned from the Strip]. This type of charge does not make it easier for those of us who seek to defeat fundamentalism and extremism and who are working in all sincerity for a secure Israel." Alexander is willing to accept Israel's view that it had no choice but to launch its Gaza operation. "I condemned the missile attacks prior to December 27 - which unfortunately still continue today - in the clearest possible manner," he said. But he does not rule out various European initiatives to try Israeli politicians and army officers for alleged war crimes in Gaza: There have been serious allegations made against these people, he said, "and it would be right to investigate these allegations." Alexander prefers to focus on humanitarian aid. In Gaza, he announced a 30 million pound sterling aid package for the Strip, and urged Israel to make it easier for aid to enter Gaza. Despite a recent meeting between British parliamentarians and Hamas representatives in Beirut, Alexander insisted that Britain is committed to boycotting Hamas unless it meets the Quartet's conditions. He declined to speculate about the next Israeli government, but stressed that any formula for peace must be based on two crucial elements: a secure Israel and a viable Palestinian state. Related articles: Yoel Marcus / Don't you have anything new, Hillary Israel to present Clinton with 'red lines' on talks with Iran Gaza rocket hits Ashkelon, Israel files complaint with UN Bookmark to del.icio.us   Katsav rape trial Katsav's brother attacks decision to indict former president for rape. Covering up Assad says alleged nuclear site hit by IAF has been built over.   1.   unbalanced 08:48  |  sadeq 03/03/09   2.   Brits should boycott Durban II, then talk about 2 states. 09:18  |  ruth 03/03/09   3.   If you boycott Hamas, you have to boycott Likud 11:51  |  Michael 04/03/09   4.   Dresden 12:05  |  NP 04/03/09   5.   war crimes of U.K. official 12:14  |  Moishaleh 04/03/09   6.   War crimes in Iraq? 13:51  |  Mister Fied 04/03/09   7.   # 1 Sadeq - Of course, but you know the Palestinians 14:11  |  Magpie 04/03/09   8.   Mary Robinson,UN Human Rights Repr. accused NATO of war crimes in 14:27  |  Absolute Sweden 04/03/09   9.   Belgrade 14:27  |  sam 04/03/09   10.   #4 Dresden 14:30  |  peter 04/03/09   11.   Pointless Boviation 14:35  |  Mark Lincoln 04/03/09   12.   #4 NP re Dresden 14:39  |  Chris Linthwaite 04/03/09   13.   #5 Moishalah 14:41  |  Chris Linthwaite 04/03/09   14.   So we`re all the same then? 15:09  |  Brian 04/03/09   15.   Fair trials or lynching? 15:09  |  Yonatan 04/03/09   16.   U.K.. MINISTER`S COMMENTS. 15:40  |  David Nigel Braham 04/03/09   17.   Does Secretary Alexander Realise 15:55  |  Yaakov Sullivan 04/03/09   18.   Michael: 16:06  |  Brad 04/03/09   19.   Iraq and Afganistan 16:07  |  leo 04/03/09   20.   Moishaleh 16:12  |  Brad 04/03/09   21.   Diverting attention 16:33  |  Adam 04/03/09   22.   blair ex PM of England WAR CRIMINAL in Serbia 16:42  |  Victor_The_Egyptian 04/03/09   23.   Chris Linthwaite - Why not... Why doesn`t the world try 17:19  |  D 04/03/09   24.   Michael #3, Hamas does not equal Likud 17:44  |  Ben 04/03/09   25.   to #5 18:28  |  Jake 04/03/09   26.   #11 get your facts right 08:35  |  Robins 05/03/09   27.   ONE CRIMINAL AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER 17:24  |  indrajaya 05/03/09   28.   #23 D 11:46  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/03/09   29.   #23 D 11:48  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/03/09   30.   Investigation necessary as well as desirable 00:52  |  Fair 10/03/09

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