By NNN-APP,
United Nations : Arab and non-aligned countries on Wednesday slammed Israel for the massive destruction and high casualties inflicted on the Palestinians during its deadly bombing of the Gaza Strip earlier this year.
They clashed with Israel’s UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev, who was alone in defending her country’s conduct during the UN General Assembly’s debate on a UN report dealing with the Gaza fighting.
The report heavily criticized Israel’s aggressive actions but accused both the Jewish state and the Hamas of committing war crimes.
The report was drawn up by a four-member commission headed by respected Judge Richard Goldstone, a South African Jew. Arab and Non-Aligned Movement countries urged adoption of the Goldstone report.
They introduced a draft resolution to that effect. The report blamed both Israel and Hamas for the deaths of 1,400 Palestinians and 10 Israelis during the December-January conflict.
The UN debate in New York was held after the US House of Representatives late Tuesday adopted a resolution with a 344-36 vote condemning the Goldstone report as one-sided.
It called on the US government to oppose any further consideration of the report in multilateral fora.
Egyptian Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz, chairman of the 119-nation Non- Aligned Movement at UN headquarters in New York, condemned the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in the conflict.
“Nothing justifies a policy of collective punishment of a people under occupation, destroying their means to live a dignified life,” Abdelaziz said.
The Organization of Islamic Countries, represented by Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, complained that the humanitarian and human rights situation in Gaza has worsened for the Palestinians “living under illegitimate occupation … under terror and fear.”
“The UN inability to bring Israel under the umbrella of international law has, unfortunately, harmed the image of the UN in the Islamic world, especially with the daily desecration of our holy places in al-Qud al-Sharif (Jerusalem),” he said.
Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour told the assembly that the situation in Gaza for its 1.5 million inhabitants remains “untenable and unacceptable” because of the continuing Israeli blockade.
Israel and the United States have strongly rejected the Goldstone report, branding it biased against Israel and deeply flawed.
The Israeli ambassador denounced the 192-nation assembly for staging an unrealistic debate. “Rather than discuss how to better stop terrorist groups who deliberately target civilians, this body launches yet another campaign against the victims of terrorism, the people of Israel,” she said.
The debate was to hear more than 45 speakers and end with the Arab and non-aligned countries pushing for the adoption of the draft.
Israel and the United States have strongly rejected the Goldstone report, branding it biased against Israel and deeply flawed.
UN spokesman Jean-Victor Nkolo said the assembly may continue the debate on Thursday because of the high number of speakers.