UN: Israeli attacks on Gaza could constitute “war crimes”

The Human Rights Council of United States decided today (27/05) to conduct an international investigation into human rights violations committed during the 11-day conflict between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.

The investigation will look at human rights abuses in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel since April, as well as the “deeper causes” of the tensions.

The resolution was adopted by 24 votes to 9 with 14 abstentions during an emergency meeting of the 47-member Council, convened at the request of Pakistan, to coordinate the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Palestinian delegation to the UN.

“The draft resolution… is therefore approved,” said Nazhat Samim Khan, Fiji’s ambassador to the Geneva Forum, following an all-day special meeting.

“The recent barrage of bloody attacks by the Israeli Army in Gaza may recommend war crimes “, warns UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.

She added that she had not seen any evidence that the attacks on a number of buildings took place because they were used for military purposes. “Despite Israeli claims that these buildings were used by armed groups or for military use, we have not seen any evidence of this,” he said.

Israel rejects UN decision, Hamas welcomes it

Naturally, after all this, there would be reactions. Israel rejected and Hamas welcomed the decision of the UN Human Rights Council to conduct an international inquiry into crimes that may have been committed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

His Ministry of Foreign Affairs Israel announced that the country would not cooperate with the investigation, considering this an attempt to “wash away the crimes committed by the terrorist organization Hamas”.

Its representative Palestinian armed organization, on the other hand, called Hamas’ actions “legitimate resistance” and called for “immediate measures to punish” Israel.

The United States regrets the Agency’s decision

The United States has also expressed deep regret over the UN Human Rights Council’s decision. “Action today instead threatens to jeopardize the progress that has been made,” the US mission in Geneva said in a statement, according to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency.

The United States, which has an observer status and does not vote in the Geneva forum, did not speak during the all-day special session at which the draft resolution of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Palestinian Delegation to the UN was approved.

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