The United Nations’ top human rights body has voted to send a team of international war crimes investigators to probe the deadly shootings of Gaza protesters by Israeli forces.
A resolution calling on the UN Human Rights Council to “urgently dispatch an independent, international commission of inquiry” was backed on Friday by 29 members.
The UN has voted to conduct an investigation into the killing of 60 Palestinians in occupied Gaza on Monday. For the fourth time in a row, the United States voted against the investigations. https://t.co/jj1FReAeEY pic.twitter.com/aMTlCqF3io
— The IMEU (@theIMEU) May 18, 2018
The members – United States and Australia – voted against and 14 abstained.
Investigators must “investigate all alleged violations and abuses … in the context of the military assaults on large-scale civilian protests that began on 30 March 2018”, the approved resolution said.
UN Human Rights Council has just voted 29-2 (with 14 abstentions) to create Commission of Inquiry into Israel's lethal crackdown on Palestinian demonstrators in the occupied Gaza Strip. (via @JohnFisher_hrw)https://t.co/r73c7eob8X pic.twitter.com/XU3uirNPU4
— Ben White (@benabyad) May 18, 2018
The commission of inquiry will be asked to produce a final report next March.
The draft Resolution has been adopted by 29 votes in favor, 2 against, 14 abstentions.
Earlier on Friday, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the UN human rights chief, had backed calls for an international probe.
#UN Rights Chief Backs Calls for Inquiry over #Gaza Killings https://t.co/Qx5l2FXdjS @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/gr0Pwf7s6l
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 18, 2018
He heavily criticized Israel’s response to the weeks-long mass protests in the Gaza Strip as “wholly disproportionate”.
Israel was an occupying power and under international law, it was obliged to protect the people of Gaza and ensure their welfare, he said. But instead, Gaza residents were “caged in a toxic slum from birth to death”, added Zeid.
As UN Human Rights Council convenes Friday to examine Israeli snipers' killing of 58 Palestinians at Gaza border protest, recall that their orders came from the top. Indeed, senior officials still defend the killing. That's where accountability should focus. Lesson for ICC, too. pic.twitter.com/CldYTFaq8f
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) May 17, 2018
At least 62 Palestinians were killed and thousands were wounded in a single day of protests on Monday, but Zeid pointed out that “on the Israeli side, one soldier was reportedly wounded, slightly, by a stone”.
“There is little evidence of any attempt to minimize casualties on Monday,” said Zeid.
Since protests began on March 30, Israeli forces have killed 106 Palestinians, including 15 children. More than 12,000 have been wounded, at least 3,500 by live ammunition.
Speaking to the session via a video recording, Michael Lynk, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Palestine, said Israel’s use of force may amount to “a war crime”.
#Belgium today voted in favor of the decision by the Human Rights Council @UN_HRC to launch an international & independent investigation into the excessive and disproportionate violence in #Gaza. Accountability is key to reach the path of dialogue. pic.twitter.com/1jphmLgiyH
— Belgium UN Geneva (@BelgiumUNGeneva) May 18, 2018
Both Israel and the United States rejected the council’s resolution, saying Hamas, which rules Gaza, instigated the violence – an allegation the group denies.
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters in the Gaza Strip continued rallying near the fence with Israel on Friday.
(AJE, PC, Social Media)
