Palestinian/American
Lawsuit To Be Expanded To Include The Victims Of Israel'S Latest
War Crime In Gaza
PRESS RELEASE FROM STANLEY L. COHEN
July 25, 2002
Attorney Stanley L. Cohen, lead counsel in a case filed in United
States District Court in Washington, D.C. last week on behalf of
a group of Palestinian/Americans announced today that the suit will
be expanded to include a number of children who were killed and
others who were injured during Israel's bombing of a civilian neighborhood
in Gaza during the middle of the night earlier this week.
In announcing that the suit will be enlarged to include additional
victims and at least one new defendant the arms manufacturer
of the F-16 jet used in the attack- Cohen challenged Israel's assertion
that the operation was either a mistake or isolated. Describing
the bombing as an offense to all international law and standards
of decency, Cohen stated that the latest attack was but another
deplorable example of Israel's long standing policy of collective
punishment in which it targets all Palestinians for the deeds of
a few,
In the lawsuit which was brought last week against some three
dozen defendants including Israel and Prime Minister Sharon, President
Bush and Secretary of State Powell, several arms manufacturers in
the United States and a number of U.S. based churches and
synagogues that have supported settlements in the West Bank, the
plaintiffs seek damages and injunctive relief for genocide, crimes
against humanity, war crimes and racketeering dating back as far
as the massacre at Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon, through the current
Intifada. The plaintiffs include Palestinian Americans who
have been killed, injured, and tortured; who have been denied medical
treatment; whose businesses and homes have been destroyed and whose
lands have been taken to establish illegal settlements in Palestine.
In response to Mr. Cohen's argument that the plaintiffs had a well
founded fear of retaliation at the hands of the IDF if their identities
were made known, the Court ruled late last week that they could
proceed with the suit using pseudonyms instead of their real names.
For further information contact the Law Offices of Stanley Cohen.
351 Broadway, Suite 300
New York, N.Y. 10013
(212) 979-7572
Fax (212) 995-5574
E-Mail: burnnloot@aol.com
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