Ban releases rival, independent reports on Gaza conflict

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UNITED NATIONS: Secretary General Ban Ki-moon late Wednesday released the results of Israeli and Palestinian investigations into alleged war crimes during the conflict in Gaza in the winter of 2008-2009 which did not appear to include any input from Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

Ban introduced the 247-page report with brief observations that made no comment on the submissions by Israel or the Palestinians that were requested by the General Assembly.

He said it was important to respect international human rights and humanitarian law and voiced hope that “steps will be taken wherever there are credible allegations of violations.”

Last November, the UN gave Israel and the Palestinians three months to undertake “independent, credible investigations” into the findings of a UN-appointed expert panel, chaired by South African Judge Richard Goldstone.

In February, it gave both sides an additional five months to conduct their inquiries.

The 575-page Goldstone report concluded that both sides committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during the Gaza war, in which 13 Israelis and almost 1,400 Palestinians were killed, including many civilians.

It said Israel used disproportionate force, deliberately targeted civilians, used Palestinians as human shields, and destroyed civilian infrastructure during its three-week incursion into the Gaza Strip from December 27, 2008, to January 18, 2009, to root out Palestinian rocket squads. It accused Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, of deliberately targeting civilians and trying to spread terror through rocket attacks on southern Israel.

Both sides rejected the charges when the Goldstone report was issued, and their positions remained unchanged in the newly released reports.


The General Assembly resolution warned of possible “further action” by UN bodies, including the Security Council, if both sides didn’t conduct independent and credible investigations. Whether the assembly plans any follow-up to Wednesday’s report remains to be seen.

Human Rights Watch called on governments and the UN to maintain pressure on Israel and Hamas to conduct thorough and impartial investigations, and to provide justice to victims of abuses.

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