State says it sees no legal obstacle to cutting Gaza fuel

By JPOST.COM STAFF
The State Attorney's Office informed the High Court of Justice on Friday that it sees no legal obstacles to cutting back fuel to the Gaza Strip as long as it causes no humanitarian crisis. Several appeals have been submitted to the court against Defense Minister Ehud Barak's decision to reduce the flow of fuel to Gaza in response to Kassam rocket attacks. In an initial response to the appeals, the State Attorney's Office said the plan does not constitute collective punishment, as it is part of an armed conflict with a hostile entity that is hurting and causing damage to civilians. The state added that the alternative to the plan is a large-scale military operation which would cause deaths and casualties. The State Attorney's Office noted that Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz had decided to freeze plans for electricity disruptions until further notice.