Israel approached the International Red Cross today with a new request that the Red Cross intervene with “the greatest urgency” on behalf of some 10 Israelis still detained in Syrian jails. Israel had approached the organization earlier this week with a request that Red Cross medical personnel examine the Israelis who returned to Israel from Syrian jails last Saturday in a prisoner exchange.
The second request, like the first, was submitted by Moshe Bartur, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations office in Geneva. Today’s request followed a reply yesterday by the international agency that it could not, under the Geneva convention and its own regulations, accede to such requests unless both parties would recognize the Red Cross as a “neutral and objective party.”
Diplomatic sources here said it was “highly unlikely” that Syria would accept a neutral and impartial investigation which would expose to international public opinion the “inhuman practices” which Syria has used in the handling of prisoners.
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