There were probably talking about war crimes and crimes against humanity, as israeli soldiers last year shot and killed several palestinian demonstrators on the border between Israel and the Gaza strip.
So tough is the assessment of the commission under the UN Human rights council, which was set up in the wake of clashes between israeli soldiers and demonstrators in Gaza last year.
the Commission was set up in may 2018, to examine the israeli soldiers ‘ actions during the demonstrations, which started 30. march. The demonstrations were held marking the 70th anniversary of that around 800,000 people had to leave Israel, and the demonstration was called ‘The Great Returmarch’. Thousands of people marched toward the fence between Gaza and Israel.
Israel had previously declared that it was prepared to protect its borders by use of force and, if necessary, shoot at the demonstrators, but their approach to meetings far from the backing of the united nations.
the Commission has good reason to believe that the israeli soldiers during The Great Returmarch committed violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Some of these violations can probably be characterized as war crimes or crimes against humanity and they must immediately be examined by Israel, saith the argentine Santiago Canton, who sits at the head of the commission.
Santiago Canton has on Thursday submitted the commission’s report. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Ritzau Scanpix
a total Of 189 palestinians were killed in connection with the demonstrations in the period between 30. march 31. december, of which 183 according to the commission, was killed by the shot. 35 of those killed were children, while three deaths were clearly marked first aid team and two were clearly marked journalists.
Further 6106 palestinians were wounded by shots, while 3098 others were injured by patronfragmenter, rubber bullets, or by being hit by gasgranater.
The many skudafgivelser came from the snipers who were positioned along the fence, and that shot against the demonstrators ‘week after week’.
Four israeli soldiers were wounded in connection with the demonstrations, and a single soldier was killed, but it was not in connection with a demonstration.
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And the UN, criticising in the strongest terms, that Israel used violent force against the demonstrators.
– There is nothing that can justify killing and hurting the journalists, doctors and persons who pose no imminent danger of death or serious harm to people around them. Particularly alarming is it to be aimed at children and persons with disabilities.
– Many young people’s lives have been changed forever. 122 people have amputated limbs, ago 30. march of last year. 20 of them are children, ” says Sara Hossain from Bangladesh, who is also a part of the commission.
A journalist is helped away by colleagues after being hit by the shot. Photo: Said Khatib/AFP/Ritzau Scanpix
the members of the Commission believe that the israeli snipers shot at the journalists, first aid team, children and people with disabilities, even though they could see that it was it that was talking about.
the Commission stresses that it is a war crime to shoot directly at civilians, without there is talk about self-defense. They believe that the soldiers shot at the civilians, though it was clear that they did not constitute a danger.
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Israel has for the commission’s defence that the civil protests masked ’terrorist activity’, but it believes the commission is not sufficient.
the Commission has in the course of the investigation uncovered that some of the protesters were members of armed groups or political parties, but they stress that international law prohibits the use of force against someone solely because of their connections to a given group.
Photo: Said Khatib/AFP/Ritzau Scanpix
the Commission is now calling on both Israel and those responsible in Gaza, including Hamas, to stop the violence, so there is no similar event on the anniversary of the demonstrations, 30. march.
the Commission will place the relevant information in a confidential file, which will be handed over to the Højommissæren for human Rights to ensure access to this information for national and international lovmekanismer. The International Criminal court is already engaged with the situation, says commissioner Betty Murungi from Kenya.
Israel will also be encouraged to self-initiate an investigation and identify those responsible for the many killings.
Israel, however, does not much for the criticism, the country will be subjected to in the report, and they have therefore not immediately going to follow the report’s calls, since they flatly reject it.
– the UN Human rights council has produced even a hostile, deceitful and biased report toward the state of Israel, says the acting foreign minister, Israel Katz.
He says at the same time, that ‘no one can deny the israelis the right to self-defense and the right to protect their citizens and borders against attack’.
the Commission’s interim report is 22 pages long, but a longer report will be published 18. march 2019, when the human rights Council meets in Geneva.
