The complete idiot’s guide to Mideast peace – part 265

PA ‘ready’ to take Israel to international court | The Times of Israel  ‘ Palestinian official says ‘documents are ready’; Gaza reconstruction to cost $7.8 billion’

Is this just another bluff, one we’ve all heard so many times before? Or could it actually be the real deal for once, even after so much toing and froing?

Let’s make the assumption that this is all going down at long last. And then let’s entertain the possibility that the final verdict will not be in Israel’s favour.

What then?

Israel rejects any and all such adverse outcomes and refuses to be bound by the findings of the court.

A predictable reaction and for the usual reasons. There is too much bias operating within the system; the facts have been distorted, taken out of context and no allowance has been made for extenuating circumstances

Would these be valid arguments or just ‘sour grapes’ that the world has concluded there is a case to answer and judgement has been rendered?

In retrospect, it would appear that, no matter what evidence and assessments might be considered, any international investigation would soon become fatally flawed in various ways. Thus, whatever strictures or recommendations were forthcoming, the end result would be dismissed by one side or the other as an example of blatant propaganda or an ineffective critique of a situation far too complex for impartial analysis.

So, how to remedy this sad state of affairs?

Obviously, any system of international justice must have its jurisdiction broadly acceptable to all parties involved and its verdicts agreed and enforced thereafter by a forthright and universally endorsed procedure.

www.laxiankey.com  – ‘ for those of us with better things to do.’

And, if a better technique is available, then 66 years of conflict have managed to keep it remarkably well hidden.