Russell Tribunal on Palestine

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Deconstructing the Russell Tribunal on Palestine

Judge Richard Goldstone, in The New York Times (October 31, 2011): "In Cape Town starting on Saturday, a London-based nongovernmental organization called the Russell Tribunal on Palestine will hold a “hearing” on whether Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid. It is not a “tribunal.” The “evidence” is going to be one-sided and the members of the “jury” are critics whose harsh views of Israel are well known."

kangaroos The Russell Tribunal on Palestine (RTOP) held its third session at the District Six Museum in Cape Town, South Africa, on November 5-6, 2011. Its "findings" were published on Nov 7, 2011.

The stated aim of the Cape Town Session of the RToP was to

“Consider whether Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people fits the international legal definitions of the crime of apartheid.”

The RToP has no official judicial capacity, but rather styles itself as an “International people’s tribunal” – consisting of “jurists,” hearing “expert witnesses,” and at the conclusion of each session, publishing a “report” of the jurists’ conclusions. But the trial framework is merely a facade. The tendentious conclusions are predetermined. For instance, Russell Tribunal jurist Michael Mansfield describes the Cape Town session’s aim as follows:

"What we are examining is how much worse the situation in Israel is to the situation in South Africa that was – namely apartheid. A state of Apartheid.” (Speaking to a Middle East monitor conference at 18:40 mark.)

In addition during its Barcelona sitting the RToP has already stated its opinion that Israel is an apartheid state:

Given the discriminatory nature of these measures, since they are
Based, inter alia, on the nationality of the persons to whom they are
Applied, the Tribunal finds that they present features comparable to
apartheid, (Barcelona Findings Paragraph 19.4, emphasis added)

Please see the “Is the Russell Tribunal Objective?” page for further details.

Listen to a radio interview debate with Prof. Gerald Steinberg and RTOP Witness John Dugard, with calls from the listening audience. (November 4, 2011) (Be patient while it is loading)