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International Justice Day
July 17, 2008
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International Justice Day commemorates the day in 1998 when the international
community adopted the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The seven countries that voted against the treaty were Iraq, Israel, Libya, the People's Republic of China, Qatar, the United States, and Yemen.
The International Criminal Court
(ICC) is an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of
international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The ICC is based on a treaty, joined by 106 countries.
When Bush took office, he withdrew the United States’ support from the ICC, and began pressuring other countries
to sign agreements not to cooperate with the Court.
The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
objects
to many key aspects of the ICC, such as its reliance on the Geneva Convention, which
defines as a war crime to "transfer, directly or indirectly,
by the occupying power of parts of its own civilian
population into the territory it occupies".
Financial incentives from the Israeli government and exhortations by Jewish
religious extremists have motivated hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens
to move onto Palestinian land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, creating apartheid.
Israel signed the Rome Treaty on the International Criminal Court in December 2000,
but its motivations seemed mixed.
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In May 2007, New Mexico Governor and then Democratic presidential candidate, Bill Richardson said in an interview : "If we want others to respect human rights and obey
international law, we also must do so. And our own behavior should be impeccable: there
shall be no torture, prisoner abuse, secret prisons, or evasions of international law
including the Geneva Conventions under my administration. I strongly support the
International Criminal Court and will propose that the United States join my first DAY in
office. Every square inch of the planet should be free of human rights abuse, and under the
jurisdiction of the ICC. This includes the US. Only those who trample human rights have
anything to fear from the ICC."
However, Bill Richardson does not seem consistent in his application
of international law.
Bill Richardson, when serving as UN Ambassador,
vetoed a Security Council Resolution condemning Israeli settlements in March 1997.
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Support the International Criminal Court! Justice First!
Past Event: The play My Name is Rachel Corrie
Sat February 16, Sunday February 17, 2 pm both shows
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Justice First! was founded in the memory of Rachel Corrie, a non-violent peace activist who was
killed when an Israeli soldier bulldozed her. She was trying to stop the demolition of a
physician's family home in Gaza. She was murdered March 16, 2003 at the age of 23.
Justice First! partnered with the Denver theater collective Count Down to Zero to
bring the play based on her writings, My Name is Rachel Corrie , to Albuquerque for a limited engagement.
The play was sold out! Read more about the play at
www.RachelABQ.com
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Past Event: US response to the nuclear programs of Israel and Iran
Mon Jan 28, 2008
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In the past several years, Israeli leaders have compared Iran to Nazi Germany and stridently warned of the dangers of Iran's nuclear ambitions. But what about the US response to Israel's nuclear programs?
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In a newly declassified 1969 memo about the Israeli nuclear program, Henry Kissinger wrote to Nixon: "The Israelis are probably more likely than almost any other country to actually use their nuclear weapons. .... There is circumstantial evidence that fissionable material for Israel's weapons development was illegally obtained from the US about 1965. ... This is one program on which the Israeli's have persistently deceived us".
Although Kissinger wanted, as a minimum, for Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, another option set forth was to simply pretend, publicly, that the US did not know about Israel's nuclear program.
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Subsequent US administrations have taken the easy way out, not confronting the dangers of Israel's nuclear weapons.
In this context, is the US response to Iran just? Or just warmongering?
A clip of Vicki Johnson's interview in Jerusalem with Mordecai Vanunu will also be shown. Vanunu was imprisoned by Israel for 18 years, 11 in solitary, for disclosing Israel's nuclear program.
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Past Event: Comedians take on American attitudes about the middle east
Tues Dec 18 2007
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Arab comedians, mostly Palestinian, take on Bush and American attitudes about the middle east, in a video compilation.
"The best revenge we can take on Bush is for Arabs to marry his daughters. Better yet, let one Muslim Arab marry them both."
"I'd like to go to the mall and yell really loud for my children, "Ahmed! Jihad! Mostafa! Where are you? Come here! Did you leave your backpacks?"
"After Bush was elected, all my friends said this is great, you'll have so much more material for your jokes! I said, oh yeah, I'll be the funniest person in the internment camp."
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Past Event: Discussion of Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid
Tues Nov 20 2007
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Discussion of Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter.
Let's examine the controversial issues of international law and foreign policy raised in this provocative book,
through summaries of opposing views and open discussion.
Did Carter go too far branding Israeli policies in the Occupied Territories as apartheid?
Did Carter concede too much by declaring Arab-Israelis and Jewish-Israelis in Israel are
treated equally under law? Do you think the book has had an impact?
Flyer
Followup: handouts and contents of video to be posted soon.
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Past Event: The Israel Lobby: European Documentary and Discussion,
Tues Oct 16 2007
End the Israeli Occupation, June 10 and 11th, Washington DC
Interview with Dr. Uri Davis, May 2007
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As an academic critically concerned with the subjects of
citizenship, democracy and human rights,
Dr. Uri Davis was one the first Jewish citizens of the
State of Israel to have identified and referenced
the core of Israeli apartheid.
A Justice First interview with Dr. Davis covers the future of Israel, nuclear weapons, possible
attack on Iran, divestment, Exeter and New Mexico.
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New Mexico Invests $15 Million in Israel Bonds, April 2007
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New Mexico Gov. and presidential candidate Bill Richardson announced $15 million total investment by the State of New Mexico in State of Israel bonds.
In a May 2007 interview with the Jerusalem Post, Gov. Richardson cites investment
in these bonds as a sign he will support Israel, should he be elected president in 2008.
In May 2007 the NM State Treasurer James Lewis was honored at a State of Israel Bonds Award Dinner.
Read letters to the Albuquerque Journal on both sides of the issue and
learn more.
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