For nearly three years, Hamas has refused to return the corpses of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, two IDF soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war—one of whom was killed several hours after a cease-fire went into effect. Richard Kemp, Jim Molan, and Arsen Ostrovsky mark the absence of any international outcry over this manipulative use of the dead:
Holding the bodies of soldiers killed in action and refusing their return to their next of kin for burial is a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law. As is using the soldiers’ bodies as bargaining chips, which Hamas continues to do. Only last week, the terrorist group released a morbid video including a song in Hebrew, taunting the families of Goldin and Shaul, again in breach of international law. To this day, almost three years since their abduction, Hamas refuses even to grant the International Committee of the Red Cross access.
That Hamas, a fanatical Iran-funded Islamist terrorist organization, does not abide by even a modicum of international law and basic human decency is beyond dispute. But where is the international outcry? Only last week, the international community was up in arms [against Israel] over a large group of Palestinian prisoners on a hunger strike. These, however, were violent murderers convicted of terrorism-related offenses. Moreover, Israel affords these prisoners full rights under international law, including access to ICRC, and returns bodies of terrorists killed attacking Israelis. . . .
Where is the Red Cross? Virtual silence. Where is the UN, under whose auspices the cease-fire during which Hadar Goldin was killed and kidnapped was brokered? Silence. Awaking only occasionally to condemn Israel in New York or Geneva, but turning a blind eye to Palestinian terrorism.
Where are self-professed human-rights groups like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch? Silence again. Perhaps to them the human rights of Jews and Israelis are not worthy? What about Mahmoud Abbas? The Palestinian Authority president claims he wants peace, yet instead seeks to embrace Hamas and glorify those who kill Israelis.
Read more on Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Where-is-world-outrage-over-Hadar-Goldin-and-Oron-Shaul-489415