Colorado’s Attorney General John Suthers – along with Nine Other State Attorney Generals – Defends Israel’s War in Gaza

It is a curious letter addressed to Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, expressing `strong support’ for `the state of Israel’s actions in Gaza’. The letter, dated March 30, 2009 is signed by ten attorney generals from different states, tries to do the impossible: give legal cover for the recent Israeli military offensive in Gaza. `Israel’s actions in Gaza’…now that is a wonderfully sanitized term if ever there was one!

Among the signatories is the Colorado attorney general, John Suthers. Suthers’ signature comes not long after the Colorado State Senate passed a similar non-binding resolution more or less along the same lines. Suther’s letter does not seem to have been widely publicized. I found out about it only today – some six weeks later – from a friend in Washington state who noticed that Colorado’s attorney general had fixed his signature to it along with ag’s from Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington

Trying to turn the tables on reality, the letter puts the responsibility for Israel’s war on Gaza on Hamas’, claiming that the Palestinian organization and not Israel is `guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of a war crime’. `Israel’s acts were justified’, the letter continues, `and in our view, met international legal standards required of a modern state.

The letter comes at a time when international calls for a war crimes tribunal investigation against Israel grow louder, when Israeli politicians and military leaders have been warned to avoid certain countries for fear of indictment.

Emails and letters of protest can be directed to: attorney.general@state.co.us
If you do decide to contact the attorney general’s office, I would appreciate a copy

For text of Suther’s letter, please click here.