Wide support for UN Gaza report
Dozens of nations at the UN have backed a non-binding resolution calling for independent inquiries by Israel and the Palestinians into war crimes in Gaza. The UN General Assembly is set to vote on the resolution at the end of a two-day debate on a report by former war crimes prosecutor, Richard Goldstone. The report condemns the conduct of both sides last December and January, after Israel launched an offensive in Gaza. The Palestinians support the debate, but Israel says it does not promote peace. Goldstone's report concluded Israel had "committed actions amounting to war crimes, possibly crimes against humanity" by using disproportionate force, deliberately targeting civilians, using Palestinians as human shields and destroying civilian infrastructure during its Gaza offensive. It also found evidence that Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas, which controls Gaza, had committed war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity, in their repeated rocket and mortars attacks on southern Israel. The report demanded that, unless the parties in the Gaza war investigated the allegations of war crimes within six months, the cases should be referred to the International Criminal Court. The resolution also asks Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to report to the General Assembly within three months on implementation "with a view to considering further action, if necessary, by the relevant UN organs and bodies", and to send the report to the Security Council. Read more: BBC,
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