Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., February 02, 2008 Shvat 26, 5768 | | Israel Time: 00:19 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch. (Jini) Last update - 17:13 30/01/2008 High Court okays reducing fuel and power supply to Gaza Strip By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Gaza, Qassam rockets, Israel The High Court of Justice on Wednesday gave the state a green light to reduce the supply of power and fuel to the Gaza Strip, ruling that the reductions are legal as they still meet the humanitarian needs of the population. Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved the plan to reduce electricity, gasoline and diesel fuel supplies in late October last year, thereby accepting the defense establishment's recommendation to impose economic sanctions on the Gaza Strip in response to continued Qassam rocket attacks by Palestinian militants on southern Israel. In Wednesday's ruling, the court denied petitions presented by several human rights organizations seeking to stop the government's plans to scale back the supply of fuel and electricity to the Strip. Advertisement Several human rights groups had challenged the sanctions, but Wednesday's ruling denied their petitions. Palestinian officials say the cutbacks have harmed Gaza's already impoverished residents by causing power shortages and crippling crucial utilities. Israel supplies all of Gaza's fuel and more than two-thirds of its electricity. As militants have continued to hit Israeli towns near Gaza with near-daily rocket barrages, Israel has reduced fuel shipments but not the electricity it directly supplies. That stood to change after the court ruling Wednesday. Israel blames the Hamas militant group, which violently seized control of Gaza last June, for the rocket fire. "We emphasize that the Gaza Strip is controlled by a murderous terror group that operates incessantly to strike the state of Israel and its citizens, and violates every precept of international law with its violent actions," Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch wrote. The three-judge panel presiding over the case ruled that "during wartime, the civilian population is the first and central victim of the fighting, even when efforts are made to minimize the damage. Even within Israeli territory, in the age of terror attacks that has been going on for many years, the immediate and main victim is the civilian population. However, in the case of the attacks against Israel, the damage is not accidental, but rather a result of deliberate and frequent assaults on civilian populations which are aimed at harming innocent civilians. This is the difference between Israel - a democracy fighting for its life within the confines of the law - and the terrorist organizations trying to destroy it." The Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, a leading opponent of the Gaza cuts slammed the court decision as a "dangerous precedent." "This is a dangerous legal precedent that allows Israel to continue to violate the rights of Gaza residents and deprive them of basic humanitarian needs in violation of international law, the groups said in a statement," the group said in a statement. Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said Wednesday's decision reflects the "criminal, ugly face of the occupation." Related articles: Gaza power plant shuts down due to fuel blockade Hamas, Egypt cooperate in resealing Gaza border; U.S. peace envoy arrives State: Israel to restore supply of industrial-use fuel to Gaza Strip Bookmark to del.icio.us   'British Oskar Schindler' Nicholas Winton, who saved 669 Jewish children during the Holocaust, is up for the Nobel. Pride of Israel Tennis: Shahar Peer beats Russia's Dinara Safina to give Israel 1-0 lead in the Fed Cup.   1.   Israel`s leadership 15:12  |  Peter SM 30/01/08   2.   Jews should similarly reduce donations to Israel charities 15:18  |  Chanalau, Tova 30/01/08   3.   They Can Always Burn Their Qassams 15:22  |  Yishai Kohen 30/01/08   4.   Peter SM - save it for the Kenyans please 15:26  |  Ariel 30/01/08   5.   Legalizing Crimes against Humanity 15:32  |  Mike 30/01/08   6.   Hurry to Rafah... 15:32  |  nina 30/01/08   7.   at last the court sees sense, can olmert act? 15:33  |  v hardman 30/01/08   8.   Are you happy? 15:36  |  jj burke 30/01/08   9.   Israeli judiciary as bent as Israeli politicians 15:37  |  Clickfool 30/01/08   10.   Clickfool confirms WW2 lasted so long because GB supplied Nazis 15:49  |  Absolute Sweden 30/01/08   11.   to peter ben hamid boubessas 15:50  |  baba lalou 30/01/08   12.   Certainly proportional 15:50  |  Christopher Wilken 30/01/08   13.   Israel is not obliged to provide anything to Gaza 15:57  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 30/01/08   14.   just because the High court okays it 16:02  |  rm 30/01/08   15.   An interesting question 16:08  |  Murray 30/01/08   16.   PETER SM 16:18  |  mike 30/01/08   17.   G-d must be weeping, unjustfied madness. 16:19  |  Stephen. 30/01/08   18.   To all who criticize this decision 16:20  |  fresh air 30/01/08   19.   high court is HIGH 16:28  |  sam i am 30/01/08   20.   #1 Peter with a bullet 16:34  |  Robert 30/01/08   21.   to jj burke 16:40  |  Robert 30/01/08   22.   Clikfool aptly named 16:45  |  Robert 30/01/08   23.   jj burke #8: You ask "Are you happy?".I answer:"Partially". 16:46  |  Vittorio 30/01/08   24.   Re: "An interesting question" 16:47  |  I eat animals for bk 30/01/08   25.   Bravo fresh air 16:49  |  Robert 30/01/08   26.   HIGH COURT? JUSTICE? SURPRISE? ALL ZIONIST INSTITUTIONS SAME. 17:06  |  JACKAL 30/01/08   27.   The same "High Court" that okays 17:09  |  Joe 30/01/08   28.   Good, then we all know how important to keep Rafah open 17:19  |  Scott Hunter 30/01/08   29.   fuel cuts 17:22  |  klm 30/01/08   30.   this can most likely be attributed to Friedman! 17:27  |  redmike 30/01/08   31.   Did she really study law? 17:29  |  Tony 30/01/08   32.   Nothing to do with Nazism, we don`t use gas 17:31  |  Benji 30/01/08   33.   Ariel (#4) is right! 17:36  |  Gili 30/01/08   34.   Here is the ruling, believe it or not 17:38  |  Franco Biltner 30/01/08   35.   The Low Court of Israel 17:42  |  Laura Heintze 30/01/08   36.   A banana republic 17:43  |  Stig 30/01/08   37.   #32 Benji: Don`t worry. We know that you are not a Zionist.You... 17:44  |  Vittorio 30/01/08   38.   Gaza Strip is controlled by a murderous terror group... 17:44  |  maurice 30/01/08   39.   This is why Jews don`t move to Israel 17:46  |  Jadwiga Westrup 30/01/08   40.   Bravo High court, Hamas is an islamofascist group 17:47  |  maurice 30/01/08   41.   # 8 jjburke....yes, extremely 17:53  |  Joy 30/01/08   42.   Boycott Israel 17:59  |  Chris Linthwaite 30/01/08   43.   Nice try, but no cigar 18:11  |  Marween 30/01/08   44.   BOYCOTT israel 18:13  |  Hakim 30/01/08   45.   #34 franco would prefer the military solution ? 18:16  |  v hardman 30/01/08   46.   benji look algeria 18:22  |  baba lalou 30/01/08   47.   Collective punishments constitue a crime 18:24  |  Kris 30/01/08   48.   The Legal Center for Jewish Minority Rights in Gaza 18:44  |  B 30/01/08   49.   The World 18:46  |  BRL 30/01/08   50.   BRL 19:07  |  Murray 30/01/08   51.   linthwaite 19:14  |  Iz Ray Leigh 30/01/08   52.   Outraged Israel bashers 19:24  |  Stephen in New York 30/01/08   53.   Dorit Beinisch, do you have grand children? 19:26  |  Johanes Franzen 30/01/08   54.   Murry 19:26  |  BRL 30/01/08   55.   Laura Heintze Hmmmm 19:29  |  Robert 30/01/08   56.   Hakim #44 Please boycott Israel 19:34  |  Robert 30/01/08   57.   Self defense, BRL? 19:35  |  Murray 30/01/08   58.   Let Them Eat Rockets 19:39  |  Chopper 30/01/08   59.   Finally we have smartened up! 19:48  |  Yossi 30/01/08   60.   POLICY BANKRUPTSY 20:07  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/01/08   61.   Murry 20:09  |  BRL 30/01/08   62.   Nice Description Of Hamas 20:09  |  Jeff Northridge 30/01/08   63.   US/Israeli Occupiers to Gaza: LET THEM EAT CAKE! 20:09  |  Norma 30/01/08   64.   for baba lalou in miami 20:16  |  Stanley 30/01/08   65.   Great expectations 20:39  |  Yonatan 30/01/08   66.   62 Jeff Northridge - Irrational Policy 20:40  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/01/08   67.   What the @#$% are you talking? 20:41  |  Taszilo 30/01/08   68.   #60 Mark of Lewiston - I agree 20:52  |  Yonatan 30/01/08   69.   #1 Fake Peter SM 20:57  |  Yonatan 30/01/08   70.   Murray, nobody is starving in Gaza 21:00  |  Stephen in New York 30/01/08   71.   Stop the whining! 21:01  |  Figaro 30/01/08   72.   To Mark of Lewiston 21:03  |  Stanley 30/01/08   73.   peoples court 1944 21:30  |  sev 30/01/08   74.   Standard tactics of the Zionists here 21:52  |  Murray 30/01/08   75.   by definition not intended as humanitarian 21:56  |  Paul Freedman 30/01/08   76.   Hamas leaders learning to save their heads, live on a short leash 21:56  |  Umm Kulthum 30/01/08   77.   68 Yonatan - Good 22:04  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/01/08   78.   Out of phase 22:05  |  Jan Elshout 30/01/08   79.   For Stephen in New York, on starvation # 70 22:14  |  Clickfool 30/01/08   80.   re #1- the real Peter SM is not present on this TB. Imposter is. 22:15  |  avigdor 30/01/08   81.   While Israel is thinking, let Abbas waste everybody`s time 22:15  |  Tosefta 30/01/08   82.   High Court all-time low 22:46  |  sh 30/01/08   83.   Cut it Faster 22:54  |  Efox 30/01/08   84.   re: Jadwiga Westrup 22:56  |  Efox 30/01/08   85.   "Light onto Nations" 23:03  |  Roger Bannister 30/01/08   86.   fuel and power 23:03  |  mark 30/01/08   87.   Free Barabas 23:05  |  Daniel 30/01/08   88.   # 79 I`ll take peters place 23:06  |  Stanley 30/01/08   89.   Israeli suffering from Hypothermia should have power cut too.... 23:08  |  POP 30/01/08   90.   re 9 23:15  |  mark 30/01/08   91.   #78 Clickfool 23:21  |  Chris Linthwaite 30/01/08   92.   # 80 Tosefta. I agree ...............that.. 23:24  |  Stephen. 30/01/08   93.   Mark of Lewiston #66 P1 23:27  |  TonyL 30/01/08   94.   Mark of Lewiston #66 P2 23:28  |  TonyL 30/01/08   95.   Mark of Lewiston #66 P3 23:30  |  TonyL 30/01/08   96.   Mark of Lewiston 23:43  |  sh 30/01/08   97.   Clickfool, Linthewaite 23:52  |  Stephen in New York 30/01/08   98.   Justice is blind. 23:58  |  Maki 30/01/08   99.   Insanity definition 00:04  |  T A Sheppard 31/01/08   100.   Palestinians have the right to 00:08  |  Jewish V for Peace 31/01/08   101.   Moral parity with Hamas? 00:41  |  Aaron Levitt 31/01/08   102.   #22 00:47  |  Moshe 31/01/08   103.   I needed a laugh 00:52  |  Mark Lincoln 31/01/08   104.   #31 Tony 00:57  |  Moshe 31/01/08   105.   Mark of Lewiston #66 01:01  |  TonyL 31/01/08   106.   #85 01:03  |  Moshe 31/01/08   107.   #85 01:03  |  Moshe 31/01/08   108.   #42 Chris 01:18  |  Moshe 31/01/08   109.   If you START with your "desired" assumptions 01:30  |  Johnboy 31/01/08   110.   Fool #79 02:46  |  Gee 31/01/08   111.   The israeli legal system is a sham! But,ofcourse,despite Hamas`s 03:12  |  lakshmi 31/01/08   112.   Figaro #71 & maybe a lugh for Mark 05:09  |  MaryRose 31/01/08   113.   Criminal judges in Israel 06:23  |  Marilyn 31/01/08   114.   96 Sh & 105 TonyL 06:51  |  Mark of Lewiston 31/01/08   115.   Dorit Beinisch, get out of the Middle East 07:28  |  hala 31/01/08   116.   the face that sank a thousand ships 07:45  |  kapo2 31/01/08   117.   #111 joke of the week from lacking 08:25  |  v hardman 31/01/08   118.   Stephen of New York replies to malnutrition claims # 97 09:35  |  Clickfool 31/01/08   119.   Maybe Clickfool should talk to his EU buds 09:45  |  MaryRose 31/01/08   120.   #42 Palsymp Diva 10:12  |  MaryRose 31/01/08   121.   Re #79, 85 Sources? 10:17  |  DJStahl 31/01/08   122.   RE #18 nice try fresh air 10:33  |  MaryRose 31/01/08   123.   High court decision 16:48  |  Afifee Kayaleh 02/02/08   124.   Judge`s ugly face 23:01  |  Karin Friedemann 02/02/08

Today Online Report: Mauritania arrests three in Israel embassy shooting Responses: 339 Colette Avital: Evangelical donations to Israel are disturbing Responses: 179 U.K. Jewish group slams Gaza blocakde, sparks controversy Responses: 251 Gadi BenMark: Israel needs an Arabic version of 'Hatikva' Responses: 125 Amnesty Int'l: Israel's war crimes ignored by Winograd report Responses: 189 Rosner's Domain Not despite Iraq - because of Iraq Super Tuesday: Counting the Jewish votes (WTR) Poll: Is there a "constant virulent campaign" against Obama? The campaign for Darfur has achieved all its goals - but one Rosner's Guest: Anti-Israel activities often turn anti-Semitic More Headlines 23:57 J'lem said to favor Hamas bid to cut Israel-Gaza ties 23:10 Egypt arrests 17 Palestinian militants in Sinai over weekend 22:50 Ex-IDF General Udi Shani: IDF failed in Second Lebanon War 19:20 Four Qassam rockets fired from Gaza strike the western Negev 18:05 MK Zahalka: PFLP's George Habash should be buried in Lod 16:00 'British Oskar Schindler' in running for Nobel Peace Prize 20:58 French Pres. Sarkozy and model Carla Bruni marry at Elysee Palace 21:01 Hadash petition calls for 'neutral' panel to probe Oct. 2000 riots 22:32 Police arrest T.A. man suspected of stabbing to death brother, 44 04:17 Canadian probe blames IDF for UN observer deaths in Lebanon 16:18 Report: Mauritania arrests three in Israeli Embassy shooting 14:05 Tennis: Peer beats Russia's Safina to give Israel 1-0 lead in Fed Cup Previous Editions Select Day 01 feb 31 jan 30 jan 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan 25 jan 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan

Special Offers Advertisement ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer Inbal Jerusalem Hotel Unbeatable rates at the Finest hotel in Jerusalem Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations SUPER-TUESDAY U.S. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY U.S. citizen in Israel vote Democrats-Abroad Global Primary online, in-person. Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved