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UN debates divisive Gaza report Wide support for UN Gaza report
(about 4 hours later)
The United Nations general assembly is deciding whether to endorse a controversial report alleging war crimes by Israel and Hamas. Dozens of nations at the UN have backed a resolution calling for independent inquiries by Israel and the Palestinians on war crimes in Gaza.
The report, compiled by Judge Richard Goldstone, urged both Israel and the Palestinians to set up investigations. The UN General Assembly is holding a two-day debate on a report by former war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone.
The UN debate comes a day after the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to condemn the report. The report condemns the conduct of both sides last December and January, after Israel launched an offensive in Gaza.
The US lawmakers approved a non-binding resolution calling the report "irredeemably biased". It also urged both sides to set up independent investigations.
A General Assembly draft resolution, introduced by Arab states and the Non-Aligned Movement, calls for independent investigations of alleged war crimes to be set up within three months and for possible Security Council action if Israel and the Palestinians fail to do so. However, the report is harsher towards Israel which has rejected it as politicised and with predetermined conclusions.
General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding - unlike Security Council resolutions. More than 1,000 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the conflict.
The Goldstone report accuses both Israel and Hamas militants of committing war crimes. The General Assembly draft resolution has been introduced by Arab states and the Non-Aligned Movement, which represents 118 nations.
It calls for independent investigations of alleged war crimes to be set up within three months and for possible Security Council action if Israel and the Palestinians fail to do so.
The report accuses Israel of using "disproportionate force" in Gaza UN seeks close Gaza scrutiny Key extracts from UN statement Full UN report on Gaza warThe report accuses Israel of using "disproportionate force" in Gaza UN seeks close Gaza scrutiny Key extracts from UN statement Full UN report on Gaza war
Addressing the General Assembly, Egypt's ambassador Maged Abdelaziz said all parties "must seriously and collectively confront the realities highlighted in the Goldstone report and act accordingly". General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding - unlike Security Council resolutions.
The Palestinian UN observer Riyad Mansour said: "We are determined to follow up this report and its recommendations in all relevant international forums, including the Security Council and the International Criminal Court, until the realisation of justice." Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN observer, backed the resolution but also insisted that Israel's "aggressions and crimes" cannot be equated "with actions committed in response by the Palestinian side".
Israel, which refused to co-operate with Judge Goldstone's probe, has rejected his findings, but has been under pressure to set up an independent investigation into the allegations. Israel's UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev warned that the report and the debate "do not promote peace - they damage any effort to revitalise negotiations in our region".
Its UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev criticised the meeting. "Rather than confronting terrorism, the General Assembly chose again to detach itself from reality," she said. The US, as a key ally of Israel, was one of a small number of countries expected to vote against the resolution.
"Rather than discuss to how better stop terrorist groups who deliberately target civilians, this body launches yet another campaign against the victims of terrorism - the people of Israel." For the EU, Sweden's UN Ambassador Anders Liden urged Israel and the Palestinians to "launch appropriate, credible and independent investigations into possible violations".
The draft text endorses a UN Human Rights Council resolution, which last month was backed by 25 member states; six voted against it. He described the report as "serious" and said the EU was "committed to assessing it seriously".
Both Israel and the US said endorsing the report would set back Middle East peace efforts. The General Assembly is expected to vote on Thursday.
'White flags' Inquiries criticised
Palestinians and human rights groups say more than 1,400 Gazans were killed in the 22-day conflict that ended in January, but Israel puts the figure at 1,166. Thirteen Israelis, including three civilians, were killed.
The UN debate also comes as an Israeli human rights organisation criticised investigations being carried out by the Israeli military.The UN debate also comes as an Israeli human rights organisation criticised investigations being carried out by the Israeli military.
B'tselem said 13 of 23 military police investigations under way were based on information it and two other rights organisations had gathered.B'tselem said 13 of 23 military police investigations under way were based on information it and two other rights organisations had gathered.
Three of the cases concerned civilians allegedly killed while holding white flags, and four were cases where Gazans were said to have been used as human shields.Three of the cases concerned civilians allegedly killed while holding white flags, and four were cases where Gazans were said to have been used as human shields.
B'tselem said the investigations were not sufficient because they "only relate to isolated incidents in which a suspicion exists that soldiers breached military orders".B'tselem said the investigations were not sufficient because they "only relate to isolated incidents in which a suspicion exists that soldiers breached military orders".
"To date, not one investigation has been opened regarding Israel's policy during the operation, on matters such as the selection of targets, the open-fire orders given to soldiers, the legality of the weapons used, the balance between injury to civilians and military advantage, and so forth," it said."To date, not one investigation has been opened regarding Israel's policy during the operation, on matters such as the selection of targets, the open-fire orders given to soldiers, the legality of the weapons used, the balance between injury to civilians and military advantage, and so forth," it said.