US, EU at Odds Over UN Freedom Flotilla Probe Results

[ 29/09/2010 - 10:37 AM ]

NEW YORK, (PIC)--

Worldwide news agencies said on Tuesday that the United States and the European Union are at odds over the results of a UN Human Rights Council investigation into Israel’s deadly attack on the Freedom Flotilla late last May.

The report found that the Israeli navy committed “serious violations of human rights” against the Gaza-bound human aid flotilla, and showed evidence supporting the prosecution of Israel.

U.S. spokeswoman Eilene Chamberlain said before the 47-member committee that she was concerned over the tones and ideas of the report.

Chamberlain said the report should not be used so as not to sprout movements that may disrupt the current negotiations between Israel and the PA in Ramallah.

But the European Union suggested that the Human Rights Council submit the report to the committee of experts formed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York.

The UNHRC fact-finding mission said that the International Criminal Court can consider prosecution for the naval attack as it has the legal capacity to do so.

The international experts concluded in the report that there is evidence that supports prosecution of Israel for deliberate crimes, torture, and inhumane treatment.

At least six of the passengers on board the Mavi Marmara ship were believed to have been killed “in a manner consistent with an extra-legal, arbitrary and summary execution.”

De Silva, one of the committee's experts and former chief prosecutor of the Sierra Leone court in 2005, said the report did not contain concrete recommendations addressed to the Criminal Court or any other country because the Human Rights Council did not request that.

The Human Rights Council passed a vote on June 2 to form an independent international committee to investigate the attacks launched by Israeli forces on the humanitarian convoy that left nine dead and dozens injured.

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.