Israel blasts 'biased' UN agency over Gaza war report

Israel denounced the UN rights council Monday as biased after a United Nations report found that both Israel and Palestinian militants may have committed war crimes during last year's Gaza war.

"It is well known that the entire process that led to the production of this report was politically motivated and morally flawed from the outset," a foreign ministry statement said.

"This report was commissioned by a notoriously biased institution," it added, referring to the UN Human Rights Council, which commissioned the report.

The statement said "Israel will consider the report in light of these essential failings. It would encourage all fair-minded observers to do the same."
The Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza conflict announced Monday it had gathered "credible allegations" that both sides had committed war crimes during the conflict, which killed more than 2,140 Palestinians, most of them civilians, and 73 people on the Israeli side, mostly soldiers.

The report decried the "huge firepower" used in Gaza, with Israel launching more than 6,000 airstrikes and firing 50,000 artillery shells during the 51-day operation.

It also criticised the "indiscriminate" firing of thousands of rockets and mortars at Israel, which it said appeared to be have been intended to "spread terror" among Israeli civilians.

Israel's foreign ministry reiterated Monday that it believed its military acted appropriately.

"In defending itself against attacks, Israel's military acted according to the highest international standards," it said.
"This was confirmed by a comprehensive examination by Israeli military and legal experts, as well as reports produced by internationally renowned military professionals."

Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules Gaza, has not reacted to the report.
Source: AFP