Israel and Hamas have failed to conduct credible investigations of alleged war crimes during last year's Gaza war, Human Rights Watch said in a 62-page review of those efforts Sunday.
The New York-based group urged the international community to pressure both sides to launch independent investigations before a July deadline set by the United Nations. Earlier this year, the UN warned of "further action" if the deadline is ignored, though it is not clear if Israel and Hamas could end up before an international tribunal.
"We want to encourage serious investigations in Israel and Gaza that look honestly at the many allegations of violations during the conflict," said Human Rights Watch researcher Fred Abrahams. "To date, Israel'sinvestigations have fallen way short of international standards, and Hamas has not conducted any serious investigations at all."
The Israeli government has rejected demands to set up an independent inquiry into IDF Operation Cast Lead outside the military.
Both Israel and Hamas have denied committing war crimes.
Israel launched its 22-day offensive on Hamas-ruled Gaza on Dec. 27, 2008, after years of rocket fire from Gaza on Israeli border communities. Hundreds of Palestinians, most of them armed terrorists or those who harbored them, were killed, as were thirteen IDF soldiers.
UN investigators headed by former war crimes prosecutor Justice Richard Goldstone wrote in a report last year that they found evidence that both sides committed war crimes. Hamas was cited for indiscriminate rocket fire on Israeli civilians, while Israel was accused of using disproportionate force and intentionally harming civilians.
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=172828
All rights reserved © The Jerusalem Post 1995 - 2010
