Dmitry Litvinovich: Will Sharon be tried?

The cornerstone of democracy is the idea that all people are equal before the law. However, not everybody can agree with this. Israeli Foreign Ministry Shimon Peres appeared on Tuesday in Brussels with critics of the action brought in Belgium against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Several months ago, some private people of Lebanese and Palestinian origin living in Belgium brought an action against Sharon, charging him with being responsible for attacks on camps of Palestinian refugees from Sabr and Shatil in Lebanon in 1982. At that time, sub-divisions headed by the hawk committed a massacre, as a result of which many people died, including women and children.

The Nazis’ crimes during WWII still terrify people. Americans still cannot right themselves for the massacre in Songmi. Most of perpetrators of these crimes have appeared before trial or are still wanted by Interpol. Yugoslavian leader Slobodan Milosevic is being tried by the Hague Tribunal; Augusto Pinochet was almost imprisoned in Great Britain, while only Ariel Sharon is independent on Femida. Though everything could change if the Belgian court considers Sharon’s case. According to Belgian legislation, local legal bodies can bring actions in crimes against humanity independently on citizenship and location of the accused person.

Shimon Peres, while commenting on the Belgian court’s decision, said in particular, “Even respecting Belgium, I cannot help asking how can one country judge another one? Does Belgium has the same troubles as Israel has?” According to the Israeli minister, a Belgian judge has no notion of the acts of suicide terrorists. Europeans are not aware of this phenomenon, Peres stated. He also stressed from an international point of view that there are no reasons to bring such an action.

Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2001/11/08/33546.html