Geneva, October 17: The UN Human Rights Council endorsed, a report accusing Israel of committing war crimes against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.
“The Palestinian Authority welcomes the decision of the UN Human Rights Council,” chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told.
“We hope this will be followed up in the UN Security Council to ensure such Israeli crimes are not repeated.”
In a special session, 25 of the council’s 49 members voted in favour of the report by international prosecutor Richard Goldstone accusing Israel of committing war crimes during its 22-day offensive in Gaza in January.
Six countries, including the United States, voted against the report, while 16 abstained.
The council’s resolution calls for the endorsement of “the recommendations contained in the report”.
It also “calls upon all concerned parties including United Nations bodies, to ensure their implementation.”
The Goldstone report recommends referring its conclusions to the International Criminal Court to examine the charges, unless progress was made in investigations in Israel and the Palestinian territories within six months.
Israeli troops killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, during a deadly assault in the Gaza Strip in January.
The onslaught wrecked havoc on the Gaza infrastructure, destroying thousands of homes and buildings across the impoverished territory.
The Goldstone report was originally set to be voted earlier this month, but was delayed until March 1010, sparking outcry inside the Palestinian territories, forcing the Palestinian Authority to put the report for vote again.
Blow
The report approval drew mixed reaction from the Palestinians and Israel.
“The Palestinian government welcomes the endorsement on the Goldstone report and thanks the friendly countries which voted in favour of the report,” Hamas government spokesman Taher al-Nono said.
“We hope that the vote may be the beginning of the prosecution of the leaders of the occupation.”
But Israel and its chief ally the United States criticized the UN approval.
“The adoption of this resolution by the UNHRC impairs both the effort to protect human rights in accordance with international law, and the effort to promote peace in Middle East,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Interior Minister Eli Yishai described the resolution as “anti-Israel”.
“The committee’s decision is a diplomatic farce,” said Yishai, who is also deputy premier.
He said that “the Israeli army acted with silk gloves towards innocent (civilians).”
Friday’s approval dealt a stunning blow to the Israeli government, which has warned that the report approval would abort efforts to advance the peace process.
-Agencies