Futile to deny that Israel violates human rights

CHARLOTTE Caine’s response (Weekend Argus, March 24) to my letter ignores Israel’s atrocious human rights track record.

Contrary to her view, my prior letter was not based on indoctrinated lies and distortions, but on truth and facts. The four letters written in response to me two weeks ago did not disprove any of my claims. They were simply personal views expressed by four ardent supporters of Israel.

Caine’s claims that Israel upholds human rights flies in the face of facts. How can we ever forget Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old American activist, who was run over by a military bulldozer while trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home, in Rafah refugee camp in 2003?

Rachel’s family’s appeal to hold the Israel military liable for her death was rejected by Israel’s supreme court in 2012. The Corrie family was disappointed but not surprised and stated “it was clear that this decision amounts to judicial sanction of immunity for Israeli military forces when they commit injustices and human rights violations”.

I am not surprised Palestinian teenager, Ahed Tamimi – who slapped an Israeli soldier in December, after discovering soldiers had seriously wounded her 15-year-old cousin and who was herself only 16 years old – received eight months in prison. Tamimi told reporters in court “there is no justice under occupation and we are in an illegal court”.

Human Rights Watch stated:

“Israel controls the West Bank and Gaza strip through repression, institutionalised discrimination and systematic abuses of the Palestinian population’s rights”.

These statements prove my claims indisputably.

Do respected people such as Prof Noam Chomsky, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and renowned journalist John Pilger all spew out baseless anti-Israel propaganda?

The Israeli propaganda spewed out by Caine dwarfs that of the maestro of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, who served in Adolf Hitler’s cabinet.

Caine’s arguments remind me of those of the architect of apartheid, Hendrik Verwoerd, who would never have conceded apartheid was violating any human rights.

It will be futile to continue this debate with any reader who does not want to acknowledge the atrocious human rights violations of Israel.