Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., February 22, 2009 Shvat 28, 5769 | | Israel Time: 16:00 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 00:08 30/01/2009
U.S. envoy to UN calls on Israel to investigate Gaza war crimes claims
By Reuters
Tags: UN, Hamas, Israel News, Gaza

Israel must investigate allegations that its army violated international law during its three-week war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, the new U.S. envoy to the United Nations said on Thursday.

"We expect Israel will meet its international obligations to investigate and we also call upon all members of the international community to refrain from politicizing these important issues," Ambassador Susan Rice said in her debut speech before the UN Security Council.

Rice said that Hamas had been guilty of violating international law "through its rocket attacks against Israeli civilians in southern Israel and the use of civilian facilities to provide protection for its terrorist attacks."
Advertisement
"There have also been numerous allegations made against Israel some of which are deliberately designed to inflame," she told the council during a meeting on international humanitarian law.

Some 1,300 Palestinians, including at least 700 civilians, were killed during Israel's Gaza offensive, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the territory. Israel put its losses at 10 soldiers and three civilians.

During the campaign, Israel fired on several UN installations in Gaza, including schools, where hundreds of Palestinians had been seeking shelter from the fighting. Israel rejects allegations that its army was guilty of war crimes.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said there would also be a UN investigation of the deadly attacks on United Nations sites in the Gaza Strip.

Rice made it clear that the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama had a very different view of the role of the United Nations from George W. Bush's government, whose officials were often suspicious of the world body and occasionally spoke of it with disdain.

She said Obama's long-term goals included enhancing global peace and security, fighting terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, dealing with climate change, alleviating poverty and improving respect for human rights worldwide.

"The United Nations is indispensable for advancing these goals and making our world a better, safer place," she said.

She also hinted that Obama had a different attitude towards The Hague-based International Criminal Court, the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal.

President Bill Clinton's administration had signed the ICC treaty, which was never ratified by Congress. Bush later rejected the idea of ever joining the court.

"The International Criminal Court, which has started its first trial this week, looks to become an important and credible instrument for trying to hold accountable the senior leadership responsible for atrocities committed in the Congo, Uganda and Darfur," Rice said.

Related articles:
  • Israel fears wave of war crimes lawsuits over Gaza offensive
  • Jurists tell Barak: Don't shell Gaza population centers
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    North under fire
    Hezbollah denies firing Katyusha into north Israel.
    Drama in Dubai
    Venus Williams hails 'brave' Peer after winning Dubai tourney.
      1.   My What "Balance": Here is the problem 00:16  |  Brad 30/01/09
      2.   The US should act first 00:21  |  Mark Lincoln 30/01/09
      3.   Spain, US... everybody is anti-semitic??? 00:24  |  Keith Tomas 30/01/09
      4.   A Real Investigation 00:26  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/01/09
      5.   Hold accountable the senior leadership 00:35  |  EstEuropeanSpaniard 30/01/09
      6.   #1 Mark Lincoln...if they don`t prosecute 00:54  |  Lynn 30/01/09
      7.   to EstEuropeanSpaniard 00:57  |  Dave 30/01/09
      8.   This is What We Can Expect from Obama 01:07  |  Tod Zuckerman 30/01/09
      9.   Wait a minut Mark Lincoln.Just one question 01:13  |  ME 30/01/09
      10.   Who gives a rat`s butt!! 01:33  |  janet 30/01/09
      11.   Weigh these words 01:35  |  Chris Linthwaite 30/01/09
      12.   East European Spaniard 01:53  |  Magpie 30/01/09
      13.   Gutless Spaniards 02:15  |  Mordechai 30/01/09
      14.   video evidence 02:15  |  vik 30/01/09
      15.   Israel did not break international law 02:26  |  Ron 30/01/09
      16.   300+ dead children! Israel really wants peace?? 04:07  |  Miguel 30/01/09
      17.   Foxes and Chicken 05:21  |  Bazmann 30/01/09
      18.   Those from Britain should Shut Up!! 05:32  |  Greg 30/01/09
      19.   To 16- Miguel 05:34  |  Johann 30/01/09
      20.   Miguel it`s not Israel`s fault how Gazans live. 05:37  |  ME 30/01/09
      21.   US moving in right direction 05:38  |  Isaac Singer 30/01/09
      22.   To # 16 05:46  |  Hans 30/01/09
      23.   To: Brad #1 05:47  |  John 30/01/09
      24.   the U.N. was devised with the veto power of the 5 super powers 13:04  |  Susanna/Shoshana 30/01/09
     Haaretz Hot Topics
    Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
    Israel goes to the polls
    Conflict in Gaza
    Israel vs. Hamas
    Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
    More Headlines
    14:50 Netanyahu: I won't be bullied on unity coalition
    15:18 Iran to begin operation of first nuclear power plant
    14:41 Gaza militants fire Qassam, mortar rounds at Israel
    14:43 Qaida founder blasts successor bin Laden for 'immoral terror'
    14:50 Olmert apologizes for Virgin Mary television spoof
    12:10 Will 'Waltz with Bashir' win Israel's first Oscar?
    15:14 Five Palestinians found dead in Gaza-Egypt smuggling tunnel
    08:48 Ex-spymaster: First Lebanon War was Mossad success, despite Sabra and Chatila
    13:51 IDF confirms army dog bit Palestinian during West Bank raid
    12:43 Amira Hass / Gazans fear Fatah-Hamas split could sabotage Gaza reconstruction
    11:23 Heavy winds and rain batter Israel as winter makes late appearance
    16:00 Man given six years in prison for stabbing doctor with screwdriver
    14:21 Egypt opens Gaza border crossing to students, medical patients
    11:20 Crash on Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road leaves 15 hurt, traffic backed up
    11:22 German politicians, Jewish leaders slam Schroeder for Ahmadinejad meet
    14:41 France to send envoy to Iran for nuclear talks
    04:28 Dutch Jews slam Christian 'peace by conversion' group
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
    Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
    Dead Sea Skin Care
    Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
    Summer in Israel
    Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
    Passover Vacations
    The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida
    Camp Kimama Israel 2009
    The best place for your children this summer
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
    Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved