-Caveat Lector- w w w . h a a r e t z d a i l y . c o m http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/280760.html
Last update - 22:09 04/04/2003 Amendment to Belgian war crimes law delayed; suit against Sharon stands By Sharon Sadeh, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service The ruling coalition in Belgium has failed to pass amendments that would have curtailed the controversial law seeking to prosecute war crimes and genocide perpetrators from around the world, Israel Radio reported Friday. The amendments were expected to bring an end to the lawsuit against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. On Wednesday the Belgian House of Representatives approved the amendments to the law that were expected to be ratified by the Belgian Senate, but the process has been delayed. The amendments to the law, which has turned into a serious diplomatic liability for Belgium, were to be effective retroactively on a series of lawsuits presented in Belgium against many leaders, as well as IDF officers, for their involvement in the slaughter at the Sabra and Chatila refugee camps in 1982. Aside from Sharon, cases are also pending under the Belgian law against U.S. President George Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Palestinian Authority Chair Yasser Arafat, Iraq's Saddam Hussein and Cuban President Fidel Castro. According to the amendments, the Belgian court would only be permitted to try people suspected of committing war crimes in states that are not democratic and do not grant the right to a fair trial. The amendments were passed before dawn Wednesday in a stormy session which broke up the Belgian coalition. The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Guy Verhofstatd announced its intention to support the amendments with the opposition parties, against the position of its coalition partners, the Greens and Socialists. Under the impression that the amendment would pass, the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem commented that this was "a positive development" and was to decide whether to send the Israeli ambassador back to Brussels. /hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=280760 close window Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many genera- tions. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of teachers, elders or wise men. Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all. Then accept it and live up to it." The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sutra <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
