UN Gaza inquiry will continue even without Israeli cooperation

Thursday May 21, 2009 06:03 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

The United Nations Gaza Inquiry team announced Tuesday that they will move forward with the investigation of the January Israeli terrorist forces invasion of Gaza, despite Israel's refusal to cooperate.

Richard Goldstone, who heads the inquiry team, said that he was “disappointed” by Israel's refusal to even issue the team visas, but said that this will not hinder the group from moving forward with their investigation. Goldstone said that if they are unable to enter the Gaza Strip through Israel, they will enter through the Egyptian side instead.

The United Nations investigation is meant to determine whether Israel or Hamas committed war crimes during Israel's 3-week long assault on Gaza in January.

Goldstone, the chief prosecutor of the inquiry team, was a former prosecutor of South African war criminals. He said the team had planned to visit towns in southern Israel that were hit by Palestinian homemade shells, but since Israel will not allow them to enter, they may be forced to examine only the situation in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli ambassador stated that the UN Human Rights Council, of which the investigative team is a part, treats Israel "unfairly", adding that "justice cannot be the outcome of this mission".

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