A panel of three experts on human rights released a 56-page report on Wednesday accusing Israel of war crimes stemming from willful killing, unnecessary brutality, and torture in what was deemed a “clearly unlawful” assault on a ship that was attempting to break the blockade of Gaza on May 31, 2010 during which nine Turkish activists were killed.
|
| Demonstrators protest against Israeli military actions outside the White House in Washington June 1, 2010. The demonstration was held in response to the Israeli marine storming of a Turkish-backed aid flotilla destined for Gaza, a confrontation that left nine people dead. REUTERS |
The report also stated that the treatment of the passengers and crew aboard the ship during the raid was “brutal and disproportionate.”
In addition, the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip was deemed illegal by the panel of experts, who cited the massive scale of the humanitarian crisis, echoing sentiments of numerous human rights groups around the world despite denials by Israeli officials.
“There is clear evidence to support prosecutions of the following crimes within the terms of article 147 of the fourth Geneva convention: willful killing; torture or inhuman treatment; willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health,” the report said regarding the attacks against and treatment of the activists.
While Israel called the accusations “politicized and extremist,” Turkish President Abdullah Gul reportedly said he was satisfied with the report and also called for an official apology from Israel for the flotilla incident.
The report was compiled by former UN war crimes prosecutor Desmond de Silva, a former UN war crimes prosecutor,Trinidadian judge Karl Hudson-Phillips, and Mary Shanthi Dairiam, a Malaysian women’s rights advocate. It accuses Israeli forces of various crimes including violating the right to life, liberty, and freedom of expression, and of failing to treat captured crew members and passengers in a humane way.
The findings of the report are expected to be brought before the UN security council and debated on Monday, September 27.
“The conduct of the Israeli military and other personnel toward the flotilla passengers was not only disproportionate to the occasion,” the report said, “but (also) demonstrated levels of totally unnecessary and incredible violence. It betrayed an unacceptable level of brutality.”
The findings of the report are expected to bring further embarrassment to Israel following the attacks on the ships, which were met with a massive outpouring of condemnations internationally. Israel’s relations with Turkey became breached following the attacks as well.
Israel is working with another UN inquiry led by former leaders of New Zealand and Columbia, Geoffrey Palmer and Alvaro Uribe, respectively, that is still being conducted along with its own inquiry.
Following the flotilla raids, a renewed focus was brought to the plight of the approximately 1.5 million residents of Gaza who are subject to a military blockade that many groups have deemed inhumane.
British Prime Minister David Cameron called Gaza a “prison camp” and urged Israel to lift the blockade immediately following the flotilla attacks.
The report also said that such incidents could be repeated in the future by Israel without a major change in its policies.
A chief of staff with the Israeli army, Gabi Ashkenazi, recently warned that more casualties could result in future raids on aid flotillas that have or are expected to set sail for Gaza soon according to reports.
Another ship from Britain dubbed “Viva Palestina” which includes Mavi Marmara survivor Kevin Ovenden reportedly is en route to Gaza as part of what could be the largest flotilla to date. The flotilla includes ships from Qatar and Morocco as well.
Aid convoys from the ships plan to enter Gaza by land, however, through the Rafah Crossing in Egypt.
Leave a Reply