United Nations Radio

Security Council meeting

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on both Israel and the Palestinians to conduct, credible investigations into allegations of war crimes that may have been committed during the Gaza conflict.

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs made the appeal at the monthly Security Council debate on the Middle East, where many states used the occasion to focus on the recent report looking into what happened in the Gaza conflict. Diane Bailey has more.

PRES: The recent fact-finding mission into the Gaza conflict earlier this year featured prominently at the Security Council's monthly debate on the situation of the Middle East. Head of UN Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe said the deferral by the UN Human Rights Council of the report by the mission headed by South African Justice Richard Goldstone had heightened tensions among Palestinians.

PASCOE: This deferral led to severe criticism among a wide range of Palestinian institutions and factions, the public, including the affected populations and organizations in the region; heavy incitement against President Abbas from Hamas leaders and public demonstrations of discontent.

PRES: The Goldstone report found that both sides in the three-week war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in December and January had committed serious war crimes and breaches of international humanitarian law. The Palestinian National Authority's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Riad Al-Malki, said evidence of Israeli military aggression was still visible.

PALESTINE: The widespread destruction deliberately wreaked by the occupying forces on the Gaza Strip shockingly remains in full view as Israel continues to obstruct the reconstruction of the thousands of homes, vital infrastructure, hospitals, schools, mosques, economic, industrial and agricultural facilities and even the UN facilities damaged and destroyed in the onslaught.

PRES: Despite extensive discussions, Israel has yet to approve the UN's Gaza recovery proposals. Israel believes the Goldstone Report is one-sided, biased and therefore wrong. What's more, Israel's ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev told the Council, the debate on the report belongs elsewhere.

ISRAEL: The report favors and legitimizes terrorism. It is a prize for terrorist organizations. It denies Israel's right to defend its citizens. It falls directly into the pitfall strategically laid down by terrorist organizations around the world. It prevents democratic member states from defending themselves against terrorism. It permits terrorists to victimize civilians, target the innocent, and use as human shields those it claims to defend.

PRES: Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Lynn Pascoe told the Council that the Secretary-General believes that international humanitarian law needs to be fully respected and civilians protected in all situations and circumstance.

PASCOE: The Secretary-General calls upon all of the parties to carry out credible domestic investigations into the conduct of the conflict without delay. He hopes that such steps will be taken wherever there are credible allegations of human rights abuses throughout the world

PRES: But for Israel, the report is a diversion from the reality in the Middle East and destructive to the peace process.

ISRAEL: For those of us who seek to resume the peace process in the Middle East, debating the Goldstone Report in the Security Council is but a tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. If Israel is asked to take further risks for peace, the international community must recognize our right to self-defense.

PRES: Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Dr. Riad Al-Malki said he hoped the UN Human Rights Council would endorse the Goldstone Report and convey it to the respective UN bodies when it convenes a special session on Thursday in Geneva.

PALESTINE: The credibility and foundations of international human rights and humanitarian law, as well as of the UN as a whole, is at stake. The world has for too long witnessed Israel's impunity, knowing well that this has been repeatedly fueled by the lack of punishment and accountability.

PRES: Dr. Riad Al-Malki, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian National Authority.

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