LOC22:50
19:50 GMT
LONDON, May 21 (KUNA) -- Britain said Monday it abstained from a UN Human Rights Council's resolution to send a fact-finding mission to probe Israeli killing of Palestinians in Gaza, because the text was "biased and not balanced."
British could not support an investigation that refuses to shed light on activities of Hamas in Gaza, Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt said.
This investigation, he told the House of Commons, would not result in an objective assessment to determine who was responsible for the fatalities, which would thus distance all parties from the two-state solution.
Britain, affirmed Burt, was committed to a clear and independent investigation into the events in Gaza, calling on Israel to investigate the action of its soldiers at the Gaza borders.
Burt said Britain believed the fact-finding commission should include independent international experts and the results should punish whoever violated human rights.
UN Human Rights Council voted last Friday in favor of a resolution calling for sending an international team to investigate the crimes in Gaza.
The US and Australia voted against the resolution which was approved by 29 members. Fourteen members abstained, including Switzerland, Germany and Britain. (end)
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