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Comments (0)Israel refuted allegations of war crimes in a paper detailing its process of investigating its military’s actions during the Gaza war.
The Foreign Ministry last Friday released the 46-page document describing Israel’s procedures for probing allegations of violations of the Law of Armed Conflict.
The paper refuted four of the 36 allegations against Israel of war crimes enumerated in the United Nations’ Goldstone Commission report, which accused Israel and the Palestinians of committing war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during the war.
The document focuses on investigations, legal proceedings and lessons learned in relation to Israeli army actions during Operation Cast Lead from Dec. 27, 2008 through Jan. 18, 2009.
The United Nations set a Feb. 5 deadline for the Israel and the Palestinians to provide independent investigations into the report’s findings.
According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, “Israel’s investigative system, like that of many states, includes a range of checks and balances and multiple layers of review to ensure impartiality and independence.”
The document reports that “The IDF has launched investigations into 150 separate incidents arising from the Gaza Operation. Of the 150 incidents, so far 36 have been referred for criminal investigation. Criminal investigators have taken statements from almost 100 Palestinian complainants and witnesses, along with approximately 500 IDF soldiers and commanders. In locating Palestinian witnesses and making arrangements for them to give evidence, the IDF works together with local NGOs.”
The Israel Defense Forces reportedly will submit a 1,000-page point-by-point rebuttal of the Goldstone report to the United Nations by the deadline.
Hamas Pins Top Operative’s Slaying on Israel
Hamas blamed Israel for the assassination of a top Hamas commander in a Dubai hotel room.
The body of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was discovered Jan. 20 in a luxury hotel. Though it looked like he had died of a heart attack, blood samples reportedly showed poison in his body.
Hamas announced last Friday that it blamed Israel for his death.
Al-Mabhouh was the official responsible for arranging arms supplies from Iran to Gaza, and was a founder of the Hamas military wing, Izzadin Kassam. He also was involved in the kidnappings and murders of two Israeli soldiers, Avi Sasportas and Ilan Sa’adon, in 1989.
Hamas leaders claimed that an alleged Israeli assassination team entered Dubai using forged passports as part of the entourage of Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau, who visited the United Arab Emirates for a regional conference.
Other reports say that al-Mabhouh died from a massive electric shock administered to the head, and that doctors found evidence of strangulation.
Israel has not taken responsibility for al-Mabhouh’s murder, and Landau has denied his entourage had anything to do with the alleged terrorist’s death.
“My entourage went to an international conference,” he said. “What we are witnessing is the wild eastern imagination going hand-in-hand with Palestinian anger about an Israeli flag flying over Abu Dhabi.”
Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip, in an interview with Al-Jazeera accused Israel of “moving the battlefield abroad.” Hamas also accused Israel of “breaking the rules of the game” by attacking a Hamas operative in a foreign country and has threatened to seek revenge with attacks on Israeli targets abroad.
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal also vowed to avenge Mabhouh’s death, the Jerusalem Post reported.
“We will avenge the blood of this giant. If today you [Israelis] are happy about his death, your joy will be short-lived because we will avenge his blessed blood,” Mashaal reportedly said at al-Mabhouh’s funeral.
“If you think that we will abandon the option of resistance, you are under an illusion. Our resistance won’t be weakened by settlements, occupation, killings, walls or starvation.”
No Indictments in Protester Anderson Case
Israel will not charge anyone in the case of an American protester who has been in a coma since being hit by a tear gas canister during a demonstration.
The investigation, opened in May and closed several weeks ago, according to the Associated Press, found that there was no criminal intent involved in the injury to Tristan Anderson, 38, of California.
Anderson was hit in the head and went into a coma during a Palestinian protest against the security barrier in the West Bank village of Na’alin last March. He remains in a coma in Tel Hashomer Hospital in Tel Aviv, according to reports.