UN to probe US drone attacks

The United Nations has announced it will investigate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs], otherwise known as drones, by the US, Britain and Israel. However, unlike its two allies, Israel has refused to cooperate with the probe. United Nations expert experts will launch an independent investigation into use of unmanned aerial vehicles for targeted killings following pressure by Russia, China and Pakistan. British lawyer Ben Emmerson will probe the use of lethal force where the US, British and Israeli armies are active. Emmerson said the investigation followed complaints by a number of UN members regarded civilian casualties from drone deaths. “The plain fact is that this technology is here to stay, and its use in theatres of conflict is a reality with which the world must contend,” he said. “It is therefore imperative that appropriate legal and operational structures are urgently put in place to regulate its use in a manner that complies with the requirements of international law.” The main focus of the investigation will be 25 reported drone strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen and the Palestinian Territories, he said. According to international media, Israel has previously used drones in strikes on the Gaza Strip. However the country does not admit to employing UAVs in military operations and is not expected to cooperate, according to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The Euro-Mid Observer for Human Rights, based in Geneva called for documentation of alleged Israeli crimes in the last attack on Gaza Strip and explained in a press release that it will work through the international legal mechanisms in order to do so. Since the attack on Gaza, the Observer has documented alleged Israeli crimes against civilians in the Gaza Strip by collecting audio and video evidences in addition to eyewitness testimonies.