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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| UN criticises Israelis over Gaza | UN criticises Israelis over Gaza |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A UN human rights investigator, Richard Falk, has questioned the legality of Israel's Gaza incursion in a new report to the UN Human Rights Council. | A UN human rights investigator, Richard Falk, has questioned the legality of Israel's Gaza incursion in a new report to the UN Human Rights Council. |
| Many international organisations have raised concerns of war crimes during Israel's recent Gaza operation. | Many international organisations have raised concerns of war crimes during Israel's recent Gaza operation. |
| Mr Falk has been highly critical of Israel in the past and Israel has repeated accusations that he is biased. | Mr Falk has been highly critical of Israel in the past and Israel has repeated accusations that he is biased. |
| It comes as an Israeli rights group criticised Israel for hitting medics and impeding medical evacuations. | It comes as an Israeli rights group criticised Israel for hitting medics and impeding medical evacuations. |
| The Israeli military says it is investigating specific claims of abuses and that it did its utmost to protect civilians during a conflict in which militants operated from populated civilian areas. | |
| Israeli authorities denied entry to Mr Falk, a former Princeton University international law professor, last December, when he attempted to conduct his regular investigative mission to the Palestinian territories. | Israeli authorities denied entry to Mr Falk, a former Princeton University international law professor, last December, when he attempted to conduct his regular investigative mission to the Palestinian territories. |
| Israel was angered by a series of comments he had made accusing it of war crimes and comparing its actions in Gaza to Nazi Germany in World War II. | |
| Legality question | Legality question |
| Because Mr Falk was unable to enter the Palestinian territories, his latest report focuses on the legality of Israel's January operation in Gaza in general, rather than on specific cases or claims that disproportionate force was used. | |
| Mr Falk said that in order to determine if the war was legal, it was necessary to assess whether Israeli forces could differentiate between civilian and military targets in Gaza. | |
| "If it is not possible to do so, then launching the attacks is inherently unlawful, and would seem to constitute a war crime of the greatest magnitude under international law," Mr Falk's report says. | "If it is not possible to do so, then launching the attacks is inherently unlawful, and would seem to constitute a war crime of the greatest magnitude under international law," Mr Falk's report says. |
| Israel placed numerous obstacles in the course of the operation that impeded emergency medical evacuation of the sick and wounded and also caused families to be trapped for days without food, water and medications Physicians for Human Rights Israel troops admit Gaza abusesWho can probe Gaza war crimes claims?Gaza conflict: Who is a civilian? | |
| He also points to the fact that Gaza's borders were closed, so civilians were unable to flee the fighting. | He also points to the fact that Gaza's borders were closed, so civilians were unable to flee the fighting. |
| Mr Falk is calling for an independent inquiry to examine possible war crimes committed by both Israel and Hamas. | |
| Further, he suggests that the Israeli blockade of Gaza is in violation of the Geneva Conventions and must be lifted. | Further, he suggests that the Israeli blockade of Gaza is in violation of the Geneva Conventions and must be lifted. |
| The report is certain to anger Israel, which has long complained of bias by Mr Falk. | The report is certain to anger Israel, which has long complained of bias by Mr Falk. |
| The UN Human Rights Council was formed by the UN General Assembly, as a successor to the UN Commission on Human Rights, which was widely criticised for the inclusion of countries such as Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia and China with poor records on human rights. | The UN Human Rights Council was formed by the UN General Assembly, as a successor to the UN Commission on Human Rights, which was widely criticised for the inclusion of countries such as Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia and China with poor records on human rights. |
| 'Attacks on medics' | 'Attacks on medics' |
| Mr Falk's report comes amid mounting concerns that Israel may have committed war crimes in Gaza. | Mr Falk's report comes amid mounting concerns that Israel may have committed war crimes in Gaza. |
| On Monday, the Israeli organisation Physicians for Human Rights released a report saying Israel had violated international law and ethics codes during the Gaza operation. | On Monday, the Israeli organisation Physicians for Human Rights released a report saying Israel had violated international law and ethics codes during the Gaza operation. |
| It accused Israeli forces of "attacks on medical personnel; damage to medical facilities and indiscriminate attacks on civilians not involved in the fighting". | It accused Israeli forces of "attacks on medical personnel; damage to medical facilities and indiscriminate attacks on civilians not involved in the fighting". |
| "Israel placed numerous obstacles in the course of the operation that impeded emergency medical evacuation of the sick and wounded and also caused families to be trapped for days without food, water and medications," the report said. | "Israel placed numerous obstacles in the course of the operation that impeded emergency medical evacuation of the sick and wounded and also caused families to be trapped for days without food, water and medications," the report said. |
| The International Committee of the Red Cross has also said Israel failed to honour its obligation to treat civilians wounded in the conflict. | The International Committee of the Red Cross has also said Israel failed to honour its obligation to treat civilians wounded in the conflict. |
| Last week rights group Amnesty International, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and prominent investigators who had worked in Kosovo, Darfur, Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia, called for a UN commission of inquiry into the actions of Israel and Hamas during the conflict. | |
| They said they had been "shocked to the core" by events in Gaza. | They said they had been "shocked to the core" by events in Gaza. |
| Also last week, testimonies emerged from Israel soldiers describing cases where civilians were knowingly killed and questioning the rules of engagement during the conflict. | Also last week, testimonies emerged from Israel soldiers describing cases where civilians were knowingly killed and questioning the rules of engagement during the conflict. |
| Defence Minister Ehud Barak told Israel Radio that the findings would be examined seriously, but said: "I still say we have the most moral army in the world." |