GENEVA: South African judge Richard Goldstone urged Israeli and Palestinian authorities yesterday to cooperate with a UN investigation he is heading to examine alleged war crimes in their recent conflict.
The former war crimes prosecutor said, after it was announced he would head the probe, that the fact-finding mission would review the conduct of both sides “before, during and after” the Israeli offensive in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip from Dec. 27 to Jan. 18.
Possible Palestinian violations in southern Israel will also be assessed, Goldstone said, telling a news conference that his four-member team expects to travel to the region in a few weeks and issue a report to the UN Human Rights Council in July.
“There are substantial allegations of war crimes having been committed before, during and after the military operations in Gaza,” Goldstone said.
“I would request the cooperation of the relevant authorities to enable members of the mission to visit and meet victims both in Israel and in Gaza and in the occupied territories,” he said.
According to a Palestinian rights group, 1,417 people including 926 civilians were killed in the conflict. Thirteen Israelis were killed.
Israel has accused Hamas fighters in Gaza of using civilians as human shields during the fighting. Rights groups have also criticized Hamas for firing rockets at civilian targets in southern Israel.
The team’s mandate stems from a resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council at a special session on Jan. 12. The other members of the inquiry are Pakistani human rights lawyer Hina Jilani, British international law professor Christine Chinkin, and retired Irish Col. Desmond Travers.
