AL appeals for UN investigation on Israeli ‘war crimes’ in Gaza

EGYPT: The permanent representatives of the Cairo-based Arab League(AL) decided on Monday to file an investigation request to the United Nations(UN) on the alleged Israeli “war crimes” in its attacks on Gaza.

The delegates from 22 Arab nations agreed at the extraordinary session to ask the UN General Assembly to “form an international committee to investigate Israeli crimes in the Gaza Strip and to set up a criminal court to try Israeli war criminals,” the Egyptian MENA news agency said.

The pan-Arab bloc also decided to send a fact-finding committee to Gaza to present a report on the so-called war crimes, including the use of white phosphorus and depleted uranium munitions, it added.

Moreover, AL Secretary General Amr Moussa said that he had informed International Criminal Court’s(ICC) chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of the matter, noting that it will be discussed at the international level.

The ICC, which started to run in 2002, is the world’s first permanent war crimes court.

The court embarked on Monday its first war crimes trial against Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga on training child soldiers. Israel is not a member state of the court.

Meanwhile, the AL also decided that it will set up an organ for the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza using the Arab donations, which, according to Moussa, have amounted to 1.55 billion U.S. dollars.

The Israeli army were suspected of using shells containing white phosphorus and depleted uranium, which is banned by international community, in the 22-day Gaza war.

It has claimed more than 1,300 lives and wounded at least 5,500 others including children.

But the Jewish states denied the accusation, saying that it acted “in accordance with what is permitted by international law.”

Cairo, Tuesday, Xinhua