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Demands grow for Gaza war crimes investigation

Most Israelis may be behind what their country is doing, but the rest of the civilised world is outraged - not only for the carnage which has been wrought on the people of Gaza, but also what seem to be flagrant violations of international law by the IDF and the Israeli leadership.

Taking IDF personnel or Israeli officials or politicians to court won't bring back the dead or help the injured and maimed, or those dispossessed of their homes, but there are moves afoot to investigate whether prosecutions for commiting war crimes might not be open. The Guardian reports in "Demands grow for Gaza war crimes investigation":

"Israel is facing growing demands from senior UN officials and human rights groups for an international war crimes investigation in Gaza over allegations such as the "reckless and indiscriminate" shelling of residential areas and use of Palestinian families as human shields by soldiers.

With the death toll from the 17-day Israeli assault on Gaza climbing above 900, pressure is increasing for an independent inquiry into specific incidents, such as the shelling of a UN school turned refugee centre where about 40 people died, as well as the question of whether the military tactics used by Israel systematically breached humanitarian law.

The UN's senior human rights body approved a resolution yesterday condemning the Israeli offensive for "massive violations of human rights". A senior UN source said the body's humanitarian agencies were compiling evidence of war crimes and passing it on to the "highest levels" to be used as seen fit."

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