You will remember that one of the crucial questions in the Goldstone Report was whether the policemen killed on the first day of conflict were “civilian” or “military” in nature. Goldstone concluded that, although the police force had emerged from the paramilitary ‘Executive Force’ in late 2007, by late 2008 there was a proper division between military and civilian functions.
Part of his reasoning was premised on evidence, which Goldstone apparently accepted, that although police officers were ordered to “face the enemy”, this only meant that they should perform ordinary, non military duties:
Police officers received clear orders from the leadership to face the enemy, if the Gaza Strip were to be invaded.”278 Confirming to the Mission that he had been correctly quoted, Mr. Shahwan stated that the instructions given at that meeting were to the effect that in the event of a ground invasion, and particularly if the Israeli armed forces were to enter urban settlements in Gaza, the police was to continue its work of ensuring that basic food stuffs reached the population, of directing the population to safe places, and of upholding public order in the face of the invasion. Mr. Shahwan further stated that not a single policeman had been killed in combat during the armed operations, proving that the instructions had been strictly obeyed by the policemen.
Mr Islam Shahwan is a pretty good Hamas spokesman. Judge Goldstone found him a credible witness.
It is a great pity that Judge Goldstone didn’t take this opportunity to condemn the latest human rights abuse, which Shahwan also pinned on Israel:
A Hamas police spokesman in the Gaza Strip Islam Shahwan claimed Monday that Israeli intelligence operatives are attempting to “destroy” the young generation by distributing such materials in the coastal enclave.
Shahwan said that the police got their hands on gum that increases sexual desire that, according to him, reaches merchants in the Strip by way of the border crossings. According to him, a Palestinian drug dealer admitted that he sold products that increase sex drive. The dealer said that he received the materials from Israeli sources by way of the Karni crossing.
A number of suspects have been arrested.
The affair was exposed when a Palestinian filed a complaint that his daughter chewed the aforementioned gum and experienced the dubious side effects.
Shahwan even claimed that Israeli intelligence operatives encourage dealers in Gaza to distribute the gum for free.
“The Israelis seek to destroy the Palestinians’ social infrastructure with these products and to hurt the young generation by distributing drugs and sex stimulants,” said Shahwan.
(via Elder of Ziyon)
