NEW YORK -- A war against Iraq could have devastating consequences not only for the Iraqi people but for the course of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians as well. A statement by 187 Israeli academics -- later joined by several hundred from overseas -- calls attention to the possible "transfer" of Palestinian civilians once war with Iraq erupts. In the context of the Middle East, "transfer" is the euphemism for the forced expulsion of Palestinians from the Occupied Territories to other countries. Unless the Western democracies make Israel understand that this is unacceptable behavior under any circumstance, the possibility exists the Israeli Defense Forces, or IDF, will perpetrate a new war crime.
According to international law, expulsions are illegal and constitute a serious breach of article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. In their statement, the Israeli academics warn, "We are deeply worried by indications that the 'fog of war' could be exploited by the Israeli government to commit further crimes against the Palestinian people, up to full-fledged ethnic cleansing."
In a recent interview with the Ha'aretz newspaper, Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon described the Palestinians as a "cancerous manifestation." Ya'alon, who calls himself "a humanist, a liberal, a democrat and a seeker of peace and security," equated military actions in the Occupied Territories with "chemotherapy," and suggested that a more radical treatment could be necessary. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon backed Ya'alon's "assessment of reality."