UN Inquiry Accuses Israel Of War Crimes In Gaza

Submitted by Yardbroom

Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel

A United Nation inquiry has made the claim that Israel engaged in:

…a deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate and terrorise a civilian population in Gaza.

It further asserted that some individuals should face:

…individual criminal responsibility and both Hamas and the Israeli committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity…

Although the inquiry subjected Hamas to censure it was not as severe as that on Israel. The conflict Dec 2008 – Jan 2009 – debated on BU ( Barbados Underground)  – was as a result of tunnels built by Hamas to circumvent the Israeli blockade being bombed by Israel.  Hamas intensified their belligerence and fired rockets into Southern Israel in retaliation, causing panic in the civilian population.  In the resultant war when the Israeli Military crossed into Gaza, in excess of 1,300 Palestinians were killed including 320 children, official figures gave the Israeli death toll as 20.

Due to the high number of Palestinians who lost their lives and the disproportionate force used by Israel with consequent civilian damage in Gaza, pressure was put on the UN to conduct an inquiry. The UN chose the  experienced and respected South African Judge Richard Goldstein, he came with a background  suited to the task.  “He was the Chief Prosecutor for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunals for the Yugoslavia and Rwanda from 15 August 1994 to September 1996. He was a member of the International Panel of the Commission of Enquiry into the Activities of Nazism in Argentina ( CEANA ) established in 1997 to identify Nazi war criminals who had emigrated to Argentina.”

The UN inquiry has called for an independent investigation, if this is not done the matter should be referred to the International Criminal Court.

Israel has been robust in their defence of the military action taken in Gaza.  Saying their accusers are against Israel, this is not surprising as the allegations against Israel are serious indeed: the inquiry noted  “Grave breaches” of the fourth Geneva Convention and of a war crime for using Palestinians as human shields.”

It is difficult to understand the reasoning behind Israel’s claim that the accusers are against Israel.  Richard Goldstein – chairman of the UN inquiry – is Jewish and a very experienced Judge, with close ties to Israel.

Mark Regev the Israeli government spokesman has said:…”the Israeli Government is conducting its own investigation into the conflict”.  However, Judge Goldstein responded that ” the Israeli investigations are being conducted behind closed doors and as such are not to an “acceptable standard”.

Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu condemned the report as a “kangaroo court”, a charge which does not carry much credence because the Israeli Government refused to participate in the UN investigations…thus having no  input.

Judge Richard Goldstein’s daughter with less hyperbolic language is reported to have said:

“My father is a Zionist who loves Israel.”

“I know better than anyone else that he thought however hard it was to accept it, he was doing the best thing for everyone, including Israel,…”He is honest, tells things how he sees them and wants to uncover the truth.”