Ban Ki-Moon, Tuto, Goldstone, Amnesty International Call for Criminal Investigation into Israeli War Crimes in Gaza

International figures call for a criminal investigation into Israeli war crimes in Gaza

Tuesday March 17, 2009 09:40 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

A group of 16 prominent international figures, including investigators and judges, called on Monday for initiating an investigation into Israel's violations of international law and war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

The figures said that during Israel's latest 22-day war in Gaza, at least 7,000 Palestinians were hurt, as the Israeli Army shelled civilian areas and used internationally banned weapons against the civilians.

The figures, including Richard Goldstone, who was the prosecutor in two criminal courts for war crimes in Yugoslavia and Rawadna, and Archbishop Dismond Tuto, stated in a letter signed by them and a number of other officials, that the events in Gaza call for an investigation to reveal the truth and achieve justice to the victims.

The letter was endorsed by AMNESTY International, and was sent to UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, and the UN Security Council.

In their letter, the officials stated that a criminal investigation should be initiated due to the gross Israeli violations of international law and the principles of human rights, outlined in the Geneva Conventions.

The letter also states that justice must be achieved for the residents of the Gaza Strip before moving towards peace in the Middle East.

International galaxy calls for probe into war crimes in Gaza

[ 17/03/2009 - 08:17 AM ]

GENEVA, (PIC)--

A group of the world's most experienced judges and human rights investigators called Monday on the UN to open investigations into war crimes and violations of international law committed during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

In an open letter supported by the organization of amnesty international, the group including Richard Goldstone, the former chief prosecutor of the international criminal tribunals, stressed the need for investigations into all serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by Israel.

The signatories to the letter, who have led investigations of crimes committed in many parts of the world, said they were "shocked to the core" by the atrocities in Gaza.

They stressed the importance of investigating the truth and delivering justice for the war victims as a precondition for moving forward and achieving peace in the Middle East.

Many international organizations had charged Israeli leaders with committing massive and disproportionate violence against Gaza people in blatant violation of international law.

Israeli politician and member of the Winograd committee Yehezkel Dror stated Monday that Israeli premier Ehud Olmert along with his ministers of war and foreign affairs failed in the last war on Gaza.

Dror added that Olmert would leave office after he had achieved two failures in Lebanon and Gaza.

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