UNITED NATIONS – The UN General Assembly late Thursday, November 5, overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution calling for investigations into Israeli war crimes in the Gaza Strip. "This is a victory for justice and accountability," said Yahya Mahmassani, the permanent observer of the 22-member Arab League, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The 192-member assembly approved an Arab-sponsored resolution that endorsed a report by UN investigator Richard Goldstone accusing Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza.
The resolution was adopted by 114-18 votes, with 44 abstentions.
A simple majority was needed for adoption.
The non-binding resolution calls on Israel to conduct, within a period of three months, independent and credible investigations into allegations of committing war crimes in Gaza during its three-week offensive in Gaza in January.
Killed by Israel, Eaten by Dogs "Dad, I'm Dying" Palestinian Holocaust Museum It also asks the Palestinians to launch investigations into the allegations. Israeli troops killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, during a deadly assault in the Gaza Strip in January.
The onslaught wrecked havoc on the Gaza infrastructure, destroying thousands of homes and buildings across the impoverished territory.
The Goldstone report recommends referring its conclusions to the International Criminal Court to examine the charges, unless progress was made in the investigations.
Victory
Praising the resolution, the Palestinians said they would implement its conclusions.
“(This is) an important night in the history of the General Assembly and the history of fighting impunity and seeking accountability," said Palestinian observer to the UN Ryad Mansour.
He urged the international community to bring Israeli officials, who committed war crimes against the Palestinians, to justice.
“Israeli criminals who have committed crimes against Palestinian civilians get the punishment they deserve,” he said.
"We will continue to knock on the door of the Security Council to (force it) to shoulder its responsibilities."
He said the Palestinians are ready to implement a recommendation in the resolution urging Switzerland to convene a conference on enforcement of the Geneva Conventions in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem).
But the Israeli government rejected the UN resolution.
"Israel rejects the resolution of the UN General Assembly, which is completely detached from realities on the ground that Israel must face," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
It said the Israeli military "demonstrated higher military and moral standards than each and every one of this resolution's instigators."
The US, Israel’s chief ally, blasted the resolution as “unbalanced”.
“(Washington) strongly supports accountability for human rights and humanitarian law violations in relation to the Gaza conflict," said Deputy UN Ambassador Alejandro Wolff.
"Our goal is to achieve genuine accountability in a way that respects internal processes and the ongoing efforts to restart permanent status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians."
The Obama administration has backtracked from demanding Israel to freeze settlement activities in the occupied West Bank to help kickstart the moribund peace talks.
There are more than 164 Jewish settlements in the West Bank, eating up more than 40 percent of the occupied territory.
The international community considers all Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land illegal.
Source: IslamOnline
The 192-member assembly approved an Arab-sponsored resolution that endorsed a report by UN investigator Richard Goldstone accusing Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza.
The resolution was adopted by 114-18 votes, with 44 abstentions.
A simple majority was needed for adoption.
The non-binding resolution calls on Israel to conduct, within a period of three months, independent and credible investigations into allegations of committing war crimes in Gaza during its three-week offensive in Gaza in January.
Killed by Israel, Eaten by Dogs "Dad, I'm Dying" Palestinian Holocaust Museum It also asks the Palestinians to launch investigations into the allegations. Israeli troops killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, during a deadly assault in the Gaza Strip in January.
The onslaught wrecked havoc on the Gaza infrastructure, destroying thousands of homes and buildings across the impoverished territory.
The Goldstone report recommends referring its conclusions to the International Criminal Court to examine the charges, unless progress was made in the investigations.
Victory
Praising the resolution, the Palestinians said they would implement its conclusions.
“(This is) an important night in the history of the General Assembly and the history of fighting impunity and seeking accountability," said Palestinian observer to the UN Ryad Mansour.
He urged the international community to bring Israeli officials, who committed war crimes against the Palestinians, to justice.
“Israeli criminals who have committed crimes against Palestinian civilians get the punishment they deserve,” he said.
"We will continue to knock on the door of the Security Council to (force it) to shoulder its responsibilities."
He said the Palestinians are ready to implement a recommendation in the resolution urging Switzerland to convene a conference on enforcement of the Geneva Conventions in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem).
But the Israeli government rejected the UN resolution.
"Israel rejects the resolution of the UN General Assembly, which is completely detached from realities on the ground that Israel must face," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
It said the Israeli military "demonstrated higher military and moral standards than each and every one of this resolution's instigators."
The US, Israel’s chief ally, blasted the resolution as “unbalanced”.
“(Washington) strongly supports accountability for human rights and humanitarian law violations in relation to the Gaza conflict," said Deputy UN Ambassador Alejandro Wolff.
"Our goal is to achieve genuine accountability in a way that respects internal processes and the ongoing efforts to restart permanent status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians."
The Obama administration has backtracked from demanding Israel to freeze settlement activities in the occupied West Bank to help kickstart the moribund peace talks.
There are more than 164 Jewish settlements in the West Bank, eating up more than 40 percent of the occupied territory.
The international community considers all Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land illegal.
Source: IslamOnline
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