MID: UN rights chief calls for investigation of Gaza violations
09 Jan 2009 11:28 PM
GENEVA, Jan 9 AFP - United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay has called for an independent investigation into violence in the Gaza Strip and Israel and warned that some reported violations may constitute war crimes.
Pillay told a special session of the UN Human Rights Council on Friday that Israel and Palestinian militants had an obligation under international humanitarian law to care for the wounded and to protect ambulances, hospitals and health workers.
The former South African judge also slammed rocket attacks by Palestinian militants from Gaza on Israel as unacceptable.
Schools, hospitals, power and water supplies in the Gaza Strip had been driven to breaking point and must not be jeopardised by continued attacks, while civilians must be spared under international humanitarian law, she added.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights underlined that the conditions for civilians in the Gaza Strip "constitute egregious violations of human rights".
"Accountability must be ensured for violations of international law. As a first step credible, independent and transparent investigations must be carried out to identify violations and establish responsibilities," Pillay said.
"I remind this Council that violations of international humanitarian law may constitute war crimes for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked," she added.
Pillay called for the deployment of human rights monitors in both Israel and the Palestinian territory to independently document any violations.
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday accused Israeli forces of failing to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law after it found unattended wounded people alongside corpses near a military post.
Pillay also joined UN condemnation of "totally unacceptable" air strikes by Israel against a clearly marked UN facility, killing dozens of people who had taken shelter there.
She said the locations of all such UN facilities were communicated to Israeli authorities. "Despite such knowledge, Israel defied the UN request for protection."
