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Last update - 04:21 07/07/2009
Noam Shalit to UN: My son's abduction was a war crime
By Jack Khoury and Yanir Yagna, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Israel News, Gilad Shalit 

Noam Shalit, the father of the soldier held by Hamas, testified Monday before the Goldstone Committee, which is investigating illegal conduct by combatants during Operation Cast Lead on behalf of the United Nations.

Shalit asked that the committee include in its final report that the Hamas operation that led to the abduction of his son, Gilad Shalit, was a war crime according to the definitions of the Geneva Convention, and that he must be released immediately. He told the UN Committee that the abduction of his son preceded all the other events in the Gaza Strip - the IDF siege on the territory, the launching of rockets by Palestinian groups, and finally the Israeli offensive - and argued that that action had resulted in the subsequent actions.

"The committee is meant to relate to human rights, and he [Gilad] has lived without human rights for three years. No one knows what happened to him, and not even the Red Cross has paid him a visit," Shalit told the committee.
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Shalit also expressed his view that Hamas should be held responsible for the abduction and all its implications. In an unusual move he also noted the specific responsibility of Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal, and asked that "the committee determine that Hamas and Khaled Meshal are responsible for the war crime of taking hostages."

Ashkelon Mayor Benny Vaknin also testified before the committee, as did Ophir Shinar of the Sapir College in Sderot, Dr. Mirlo Sidrer, who was injured during a rocket attack on a medical facility at the Ashkelon mall, and a resident of Sderot, Noam Bedein, who heads a public relations group on behalf of the city.

Bedein showed the committee short films on the lives of the people of Sderot during the eight years under the threat of Qassam rockets. "We showed them films that highlight the reality for the residents of Sderot during the years under Qassams," Bedein said. "We documented the residents running for cover and the horror of their lives in recent years. We presented statistics and findings of research, so that they could understand what the residents of the Negev went through."

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      1.   FATHER DEAR 13:11  |  RAVI 06/07/09
      2.   Israel recognises nothing but whats recognition from all 13:24  |  zed 06/07/09
      3.   Can one imagine if it was Israel that refused to allow any visit 14:01  |  amen 06/07/09
      4.   Leftists encouraged Hamas` takeover of Gaza and the continuing 17:37  |  Pales. 06/07/09
      5.   Hang tough Noam Shalit 17:52  |  Mark Lincoln 06/07/09
      6.   How about the 11, 000 Palestinian detainees.? 18:05  |  Palestinian 06/07/09
      7.   To Amen, Israel has secret jails 18:09  |  Frederik 06/07/09
      8.   to Fredrick and many of those prisoners are children and women 19:17  |  Tony Silver 06/07/09
      9.   Why is Noam acting as a cheerleader for Israel? 19:19  |  Michael 06/07/09
      10.   preaching to the quire 19:38  |  sam 06/07/09
      11.   Noam, you should be talking to Hamas, not the UN. 19:44  |  Michael 06/07/09
      12.   RAVI.....do you understand he is not responsible 20:08  |  Lynn 06/07/09
      13.   Ravi, stop lying 20:16  |  Ben 06/07/09
      14.   Secret jails 20:20  |  Ben 06/07/09
      15.   To Tony and Frederick 21:24  |  Bilbi 06/07/09
      16.   Zed thats very strange 21:31  |  Bilbi 06/07/09
      17.   12,000 Palestinian fathers also testifying ? 23:57  |  Jan Elshout 06/07/09
      18.   Noam Shalit 00:15  |  Ghada 07/07/09
      19.   Dear Ravi 00:17  |  Brad 07/07/09
      20.   Tony 00:20  |  Brad 07/07/09
      21.   amen #3: Who are you trying to fool? 02:32  |  BruceM 07/07/09
      22.   IF TRUE , Israel is even more obtuse than one could think 02:59  |  jim the mechanic 07/07/09
      23.   Let`s Get It Right! 03:28  |  Cool B 07/07/09
      24.   # 8 Bilbi 05:23  |  maoriboy 07/07/09
      25.   Put it in context Noam 06:41  |  Natallie Durson 07/07/09
      26.   As much as we all want Gilad Shalit returned alive and well 07:13  |  Jon 07/07/09
      27.   Sorry, Timing is Wrong 07:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/07/09
      28.   that may be so 07:46  |  rm 07/07/09
      29.   Noam 08:12  |  jay 07/07/09
      30.   THE UN is not interested in Hamas violations of POW rules 08:18  |  PETER SM 07/07/09
      31.   SILVER Where did Hamas say they only wanted women& children? 08:21  |  PETER SM 07/07/09
      32.   RAVI 600 CHILDREN ? Did you include the Hamas police chief 08:25  |  PETER SM 07/07/09
      33.   # 8 Bilbi 09:09  |  maoriboy 07/07/09
      34.   Noam Shalit on war crimes 09:10  |  Natallie Durson 07/07/09
      35.   RAVI 10:07  |  Nicole 07/07/09
      36.   Frederik if the jails were secret you wouldn`t know about them 10:17  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/07/09
      37.   Natallie Durson what rubbish 10:34  |  ChanahS 07/07/09
      38.   Noam Shalit`s remarks. 10:44  |  David Nigel Braham 07/07/09
      39.   No it wasn`t. 12:27  |  Constantine 07/07/09
      40.   Occupation Crime 12:28  |  Shadi 07/07/09
      41.   # 23 David Nigel Braham 12:49  |  maoriboy 07/07/09
      42.   #22 Channah S--thanks for the hillarious claim 12:58  |  Labhras 07/07/09
      43.   Israels secret prisons 13:15  |  maoriboy 07/07/09
      44.   to Labhras#42 16:53  |  Ilya 07/07/09
      45.   If capturing Shalit is a war crime... 00:44  |  Roo 08/07/09
      46.   Margie in Tel Aviv #36 `secret jails` facility 1391 01:34  |  Roo 08/07/09
      47.   peter sm 30 01:37  |  potobac 08/07/09
      48.   Shalit`s abduction 04:06  |  Rigoletto 08/07/09
      49.   Red Cross visit 04:11  |  Rigoletto 08/07/09
      50.   #14 How does anyone know about secret jails, Ben? 05:08  |  Johnboy 08/07/09
      51.   #36 The best-kept secrets can spring a leak, Margie 05:11  |  Johnboy 08/07/09
      52.   An interesting aside about secret prisons 05:22  |  Johnboy 08/07/09
      53.   What about them? 06:28  |  Mark Lincoln 08/07/09
      54.   MAORIBOY Prison(S) How secret is it when inmates appear in court 07:27  |  PETER SM 08/07/09
      55.   it is not a war crime 07:42  |  Rasmuncher 08/07/09
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