UN watchdog condemns war on Gaza

A resolution condemning Israel's military offensive in Gaza has been adopted by the UN Human Rights Council.

The non-binding resolution, approved in Geneva on Monday, said Israel's operation had "resulted in massive violations of human rights of the Palestinian people".

More than 900 Palestinians have died during the fighting, many of them women and children, and a further 4,100 have been wounded.

At least 25,000 have been displaced due to the ongoing bombardment, but are unable to flee the overcrowded territory as crossing points remain closed.

The resolution, drafted by Arab, Asian and African countries, called for an international mission to be sent immediately to the Gaza Strip to investigate Israel's actions.

It also called for an immediate end to the "launching of the crude rockets against Israeli civilians" by the Palestinian factions.
Israel launched its operation on December 27 after a ceasefire with Hamas ended a week earlier, stating its objective was to target the Palestinian faction's infrastructure and bring an end to the firing of homemade rockets into southern Israel.

'Fairytale world'

Fewer states than expected supported the resolution, which passed by 33 votes to one, with 13 abstentions. The US, not a member of the council, took no part in the debate.

Israel dismissed it as one-sided and reflecting the "fairytale world" of the 47-member council.

The text of the document said the council "strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli military operations ... which have resulted in massive violations of human rights of the Palestinian people and systematic destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure".

The resolution was opposed by Canada while European countries, Japan and South Korea abstained.

The resolution was backed by, among others, Russia, China, Argentina and Brazil.

During a debate on the resolution, Pakistan, speaking for the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), denounced what it called Israel's "unrestrained use of force, killing of innocent civilians" and violation of UN havens.

At least 40 people died last Tuesday when the UN-run school they were sheltering in was hit by Israeli fire.

'Massive violations'

All European Union countries abstained and Canada voted against the resolution.

Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told Al Jazeera: "In the end they [the UN] passed the resolution, it was not unanimous. I would not say it was that heated, at the end of the day there were still differences of opinion.
"Many states praised the Palestinian delegation for the flexibility they had shown in the negotiations, but they could not quite reach a consensus."

Speaking in the Gaza Strip, John Ging, head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) operations in Gaza, repeated his call for an immediate end to the fighting.

"I say now, to all politicians, here in Israel and internationally, you have an obligation to the ordinary people in the name of humanity and all that is civilised, we need to stop this now. Those who help will never be forgotten.

"Israel is responsible for its own actions and it is very clear to us that there are a lot of actions in this conflict that will need to be fully investigated independently and internationally.

"Those who have been killed and injured, those who are innocent, deserve accountability."

Peter Splinter, Amnesty International's representative at the United Nations in Geneva, backed the call for an investigation, saying "there must be a full accountability for war crimes".

"Evidence of war crimes is presenting itself each day," he told Al Jazeera.

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a former UN secretary-general, added his perspective on the situation, saying the assault on Gaza "is a present the Israelis gave to the fundamentalists".

"It will reinforce extremists, fundamentalists, all over Arab countries and even inside Israel," he said.

Boutros-Ghali was headed the UN from 1992 to 1997.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Children of Gaza, run to the angels

By Suzanne Baroud
Ironically, it was in Palestine, 20 years ago, I concluded that there is no God. For how God is said that all the love that the impartiality and treat all the horrors, as happened in Palestine?
Paganism is growing stronger every day with the night, each strike of mourning over the death of a martyr, was forced by beheading in the middle of the shot square in the bright afternoon he Ramallah a few years ago. However cemented day I have to tell my students to one of the five years that his brother has just done by the army of Israel. His sentence, he was limp, the fear of the shoulder as she cried with classmates ... This is what eventually happened.

Almost 20 years have passed since that day, and I have been married to the family in Gaza. I am a wife and mother, sister and aunt of a large number of children who lived the horror of what has become the Gaza Strip. If we see the images attack Israel, I hear yourself murmuring when I see children tortured to death, "Run Run .... thrilled." After many years so this is a dream is to promote a desire to once again believe in the Hereafter.

Cage, starved, sniped, smothered. They were slaughtered like sheep, but the leaders of the free world can not find the time to comment. Golf vacation, Obama, Bush, the European Union, they were not important enough. I have become a gallop mutters. I call this a little broken and torn bodies, honestly have never known life lost. The only entertainment for the rest of death.

A crowd gathered, dressed in gas, smoke and dust. In the future, there are eight children's father, each holding a white wrapped all have a son, daughter. For some time, no yelling, crying, or do not sing, but when the peace and stillness that hangs over a network that has requested the favor, bringing the ball Toddler sniper or a young father, who will find a way to live now?

A boy sitting on a sidewalk next to his mother. It was placed against the wall of the building collapsed and his life is bleeding from all parts of the road. He splashed on his face and shirt color. Using the last of his strength to lift the arms and hands in relation to play and then they left. That is located in the head and hands cries. He was alone.

The camera zooms in the new building, a civilian house. Some of the girls brown hair covered with dust and eyes wide open, which can be found. His mother, the wall and taken her hair, while his father, powerful search through the rubble for the rest to the girls, where they will be? Whispered me back, "you again in heaven. Run to the angels."

What a lot of faith. How strong the father lost his father, mother, wife and eight children, that this person can say something, "God is great, thank God for everything." He holds his son, and even gray, he stifles kissed him, then take back with two bullets in the chest. Placing child care, in addition to his brother and once again, take back the skin of young people is to a sniper bullet in the chest. He almost can not calm himself and moans about the camera man sympathizers, "God is Great, thank God for everything."

Imam old and wrinkled like a little girl is in love with the place that lifeless body, such as the wrong approach may cause more pain, thanks to the soft and Mumbles than she is my sister and brothers in the pit. I try to comfort him saying: "Finally, a safe place. Stay close with my sister. Your brother. Put your fears to rest and to respond to your beloved prophet and many of your friends is dead before you."

Hospitals, schools, mosques, civil buildings, where the United Nations, all worthy goals. Doctors, medicines, food and water, the exemption of trucks from all over the world online for miles on the border of Egypt, but they refused. Security is high, food is scarce, water is completely lost.

Faith in the water when it seems strange. For me, it seems the circle of despair and fear death, because of snow and white blood dismembered many innocent lives Gaza.

Workers of the United Nations in coordination with the Israelis, to get people to safety in a school of the United Nations. Hundreds of people sheltered in the harbor mutually agreed safe. Immediately after school, Israel falls under the fire. Bruised and battered refugee Satan see the face, dressed in fatigues. Hundreds injured, dozens of deaths, the victims and relaxed.

Government to negotiate with the cease-fire. Rumors of plots buzz. The U. S. The President is elected forever silent. Parents in the collapse of the wall that is still their children. Shattered concrete, random arms and legs, broken glass, thrown into bloody-podge laborer. But in my mind, I see all their little body quickly swept in Heaven, and I called them, "Run!"

- Suzanne Baroud is the editor of PalestineChronicle.com.

Source: AJP