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Amnesty International Calls on the U.N. Security Council to Establish Full Accountability for Crimes Committed in the Gaza War and to Deploy Human Rights Monitors

Sunday, January 11, 2009
Posted in Peace | Tagged Peace

As fighting continues in violation of the U.N. Security Council’s near unanimous adoption last night (Jan. of resolution 1860 calling for an immediate and durable ceasefire in Gaza, Amnesty International calls on the Security Council to take firm action to ensure full accountability for war crimes and other serious abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law.

In an open letter sent today to the Security Council, Amnesty International also urged the Council to ensure that international human rights monitors are immediately dispatched to Gaza and southern Israel to investigate and report on continuing abuses by all parties to the
conflict.

Israeli forces continue to carry out attacks directed at civilians or civilian buildings in the Gaza Strip, which are disproportionate. Palestinian armed groups continue to carry out rocket attacks directed at Israeli population centers. The toll of civilian casualties continues to rise alarmingly.

U.N. Security Council resolution 1860 calls for an “immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire,” for unimpeded provision of humanitarian assistance and the reopening of crossing points into Gaza. However, the resolution failed to state that parties must stop violations of
international humanitarian and human rights law. Nor does the resolution address the mounting evidence of war crimes and other serious abuses of international law, or provide for an investigation and for those responsible to be held to account.

The Security Council must ensure that there is full accountability for all such crimes committed during the conflict. Amnesty International urges the Security Council to immediately establish a full, independent and impartial enquiry to investigate all alleged abuses of international human
rights and humanitarian law by the parties to the conflict.

Amnesty International also urges all states to be ready to initiate criminal investigations and carry out prosecutions before their own courts if the evidence warrants it.

Background
After prolonged debate, the U.N. Security Council adopted resolution 1860 on Thursday, Jan. 8, calling for an “immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.” The resolution was adopted by a vote of 14 in favor. The United
States abstained. The resolution also calls for the unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance, including food, fuel and medical treatment, and calls for the sustained reopening of crossing points on the basis of the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.2 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and digity are denied.

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Please visit www.amnestyusa.org for more information.