Thursday, February 10, 2011

Near-Close Diplomatic Incident

Invited to a seminar with Judge Amnon Straschnov, currently president of the Israeli Institute of Commercial Arbitration, who served as the Military Advocate General (Chief Legal Officer) of the Israel Defense Forces (1986-1991) at the JCPA (here's a paper by him) on Israel and International Law, I did not expect that it turn into a near-diplomatic incident.

It seems that present was a Press Attache at the Turkish Embassy and when Strashnov touched on the Flotilla episode, a question-and-answer duel ensued.  It was touch-and-go for awhile as the Turkish diplomat attempted to score points, intimating Israel's assumed criminality.

Judge Strashnov is on the left in the picture below.  To his immediate left is Alan Baker and Ambassador Dore Gold is at the right:


The Kenya Ambassador to Israel, former head of its Armed Forces, presented a point of view that displayed an understanding of Israel's predicament. 


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