Investigation Of Human Rights Violation In Gaza

Under the leadership of Judge Richard Goldstone of South Africa, the 15 member-team has just completed its fact-finding mission to assess the damage inflicted by the Israeli on the Gazans during the latest crisis in Ghaza. The 15-member team met and talked with many victims and witnesses, members of the non-governmental organizations and United Nations staff to ask them questions about what happened during the military operations and the possible violation of human rights during the 22-day war ended in January 2009. The team also investigated the effect of bombing and shelling done to the people living in Gaza by the Israeli Army that sent war planes and tanks into the populated areas to chase after the Hamas leaders, destroying public buildings, schools, hospitals and homes of the their families that ended up killing 1,417 Palestinians, 926 civilians, the majority of which were women and children. Hamas government cooperated with the investigation team, but the Israeli government did not. The Israeli government refused to give visas to team members to cross from Israel into Gaza. The team had to enter Gaza through Egypt for this mission. In fact, they were against any investigation by outside team. Israeli authority did their own internal investigation, especially on the international accusation that the Israel Army used artillery shells containing white phosphorous that produced severe burned to the people as seen in many press/media reports and photos, which they denied. Judge Goldstone said that he will hold two days public hearings this month in Gaza. He also wants to hold similar hearings in Israel, if the government agrees to it. I am waiting to read the final report of the mission which will be presented to the United Nations in August. (Judge Goldstone is former Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda).