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What we all knew already but it is always good to see it ratified by an international institution such as the UN Human Rights Council.
The report also said that there was clear evidence to prosecute Israeli criminals under article 174 of the Geneva Convention for the charges of: willful killing, torture or inhuman treatment and willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health.
The Mission considers that several violations and offences have been committed. It is not satisfied that, in the time available, it can say that it has been able to compile a comprehensive list of all offences. However, there is clear evidence to support prosecutions of the following crimes within the terms of article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention:
The Mission also considers that a series of violations of Israel’s obligations under international human rights law have taken place, including:
- wilful killing;
- torture or inhuman treatment;
- wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health.
- right to life (article 6, ICCPR);
- torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (article 7, ICCPR; CAT);
- right to liberty and security of the person and freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention (article 9, ICCPR)
- right of detainees to be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person (article 10, ICCPR);
- freedom of expression (article 19, ICCPR).
The right to an effective remedy should be guaranteed to all victims. The mission must not be understood to be saying that this is a comprehensive list by any means.
266. The Mission notes that the retention by the Israeli authorities of unlawfully seized property remains a continuing offence and Israel is called upon to return such property forthwith.
The report also hopes that Israel will cooperate in handing the perpetrators of these crimes and compensating the victims adequately and promptly. But they regret the lack of cooperation by Israel.
They also state that:
All the passengers on board the ships comprising the flotilla who appeared before the Mission impressed the members as persons genuinely committed to the spirit of humanitarianism and imbued with a deep and genuine concern for the welfare of the inhabitants of Gaza.
2 comments:
I note that Israel has dismissed the report. I understand that the investigation was led by Geoffrey Palmer, a lawyer (not much of a testimonial I realise) and an ex-prime minister of New Zealand. I'll grant he was leader of the left-of-centre NZ Labour party but I'd hardly describe him as a raving lefty. But if Geoffrey Palmer accuses Israel of war crimes I'd certainly take the accustaion seriously. Information about the appointment:
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/palmer-nz-chosen-un-because-detached-3682226
Yes, I'm pretty sure that this result is as objective as it can get. Israel is always playing the same game: they said the same about the Goldstone Report, even if Goldstone is a Zionist. Everything that is not their one-sided lies is "biased" for them.
Israel is a rogue state but as long as the West tolerates and even protects it, it will get away in practical terms. And as long as they get away in practical terms they don't care what UN reports say, no matter how objective they are.
It is important to make Israel pay for its crimes. The boycott campaign is a beginning.
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