NAM calls on ICC to prosecute Israeli leaders for war crimes

(With POL-IRAN-KUWAIT-NAM) TEHRAN, Aug 4 (KUNA) -- The ministerial emergency meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Monday called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring the Israeli officials to justice for the war crimes in Gaza.
In the final statement of the NAM Committee on Palestine meeting, the movement's FMs expressed indignation at the bloodbath in Gaza and urged the UNSC to stop the Israeli crimes against humanity.
They requested the international community, the UN and other international organizations and NGOs, to help provide the victims of the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip with humanitarian assistance on an urgent basis, according to the statement carried by Iranian media. The statement recognized the vital role of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza, including in addressing emergency needs during this period of crisis.
The ministers urged the international community to provide the necessary support to the Agency as well as to other UN agencies delivering humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people at this time of need, including the more than 180,000 Palestinians displaced in the recent period.
In addition, the meeting called upon the UNSC "to uphold its Charter duties and live up to the expectation of the international community to act forthwith to address this crisis situation in Occupied Palestine, which clearly constitutes a threat to regional and international peace and security." The UNSC has also been called to adopt measures "to compel Israel, the occupying power, to cease its military aggression against the Palestinian people and to comply forthwith with all of its obligations under international law, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention and the relevant United Nations resolutions." The ministerial meeting strongly condemned "the lethal, indiscriminate and excessive use of force by Israel, the occupying Power, against Palestinian civilians and vital civilian infrastructure, including water and sanitation networks, electrical power plants and numerous hospitals and medical centers, as well as against humanitarian and emergency personnel and journalists." Moreover, the NAM foreign ministers condemned "the abuse and physical and psychological mistreatment, including torture, of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including children, women and elected officials, among them members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, including more than 800 people detained since 13 June 2014demanded their immediate and unconditional release." In the meantime, the FMs welcomed the decision by the Human Rights Council "to launch an official international, independent inquiry into all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law resulting from the recent Israeli military aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip." The statement "stressed the need to continue meeting and consulting within the NAM Committee on Palestine, as well as the larger Coordinating Bureau of the Movement, with a view, inter alia, to drafting a plan of action for the NAM in order to follow up on all of these critical issues at the United Nations and in all other appropriate political, legal and judicial forums." Finally, the NAM foreign ministers reaffirmed their "unwavering support for the just cause of Palestine and solidarity with the Palestinian people." They also reaffirmed their "principled and longstanding support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the achievement of their legitimate national aspirations, including for freedom, independence, justice, peace and dignity in their homeland." (end) mw.msa