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13:50 GMT
GENEVA, Sept 29 (KUNA) -- Reacting to the Goldstone report on the Gaza war,
the Palestinian representative Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi said Tuesday that
this was a professional and unbiased report, which related to facts that could
not be denied.
"At the same time, it was a report that contained elements of violations of
all parties based on the mandate given to this Mission by the former President
of the Council. The result was an objective result. Palestine did not intend,
unlike others, to use this forum to make a political statement," he added.
Khraishi noted that the main mission of the Human Rights Council was to
promote and protect human rights and to defend them all over the world.
"This report was important; what bothered some parties was that the report
simply monitored international law, international humanitarian law and all
relevant international instruments. This was not a political instrument that
supported Palestine or Israel," he said.
He added that the report was important because for the first time there was
monitoring and documentation of the massacres the Palestinian peoples had
suffered, indeed were suffering from genocide.
"Whilst there was not enough time to recall all the massacres, he mentioned
but some, among them one that alone led to the killing of 3,500 Palestinian
people. As for the last massacre that had taken place at the end of the last
year and the beginning of this year, the Human Rights Council had decided to
send a Fact-Finding Mission with regard to this," said Ambassador Khraishi.
Khraishi added that when he says massacres, he meant killings, killings of
civilians, and not of combatants or armed groups.
"This report should not be another report to simply archive; his people
would not forgive if the criminals were left without punishment," said the
Palestinian ambassador.
On behalf of the Arab group, Tunisian Ambassador AbdelWaheb Jamal said that
the Arab Group welcomed the Goldstone report and thanked the Mission for their
enormous efforts to prepare this very important, objective and neutral report.
"The Arab Group recalled that the resolution of the Special Session of last
December had included a request to the President of the Council to establish
an international Fact-Finding mission and thanked the President for his
efforts that had led to the establishment of this international and
professional group of experts that were specialists in their fields," he
added.
He said the Arab Group condemned the fact that Israel continued to refuse to
cooperate with fact finding missions and Special Procedures, such as the
Special Rapporteur Richard Falk, and called on Israel to comply with Human
Rights Council and Security Council resolutions.
The Arab Group, he said, insisted that it was necessary to bring to an end
the Israeli occupation and that Israel had to respect international law.
Nobody was above the law.
On behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Pakistani
Ambassador Zamir Akram said that the OIC welcomed the fact-finding mission,
and thanked them for presenting an objective, impartial and most comprehensive
account of violations of international human rights law and international
humanitarian law throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory including East
Jerusalem.
"The Special Session rightly asked for a series of reports, which confirmed
fears and concerns expressed during this session on the violation of the human
rights of defenceless Palestinians, in complete disregard of all international
human rights and humanitarian norms," he said.
Akram noted that an important facet of the report was its findings on the
casual effects of the conflict, and it also confirmed the worst fears of the
international community about Israeli violations that amounted to war crimes
and possible crimes against humanity.
The OIC, he said, wished to remind the Council members of the pledges and
promises made by all to make this body a truly impartial and objective on that
strive to protect and promote the universal human rights for all in a
non-politicised manner.
"It was now the time for action; words needed to be converted into deeds,"
he stressed.
On behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Egyptian Ambassador Hisham Badr
said that the NAM Movement welcomed the report submitted today, and would
actively engage in the discussion in this regard, and the draft resolution
submitted concerning the implementation of the recommendations contained
therein.
"Serious consideration of the report was of the utmost importance to
ensuring the credibility of the Council through taking concrete follow-up
steps aiming at holding accountable the perpetrators of such crimes, and
bringing an end to the persistent situation of impunity and defiance of the
law," he added.
Nigerian Ambassador Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi on behalf of the African
group said that the group commended the Judge Godstone as the leader of the
Fact-Finding Mission, and members of his team, who, in spite of all odds,
undertook the mission requested by the Council.
"The report was comprehensive and balanced. Although their work was
difficult, and their mandate complex, they had discharged their responsibility
with tremendous courage and commitment, which should encourage the
international community to work further to resolve the situation in the
affected regions," he added.
He added that the African Group welcomed the report, and commended in
particular the transparent and impartial manner in which the Fact-Finding
Mission undertook its work, expending effort to obtain the cooperation of both
sides, list the concerns of all, and undertake public consultations.
"Similar enquiries requested by the Council in future should follow this
exemplary lead. The impartiality and balance demonstrated in the findings of
the report were welcomed, as it listed all violations of international
humanitarian law and international law that occurred during the period. The
violations were comprehensively reflected in the report," he added.
He stressed that this Council would be mistaken if it presumed that this
important report could be treated lightly.
"The Group believed that the issues were grave, the report credible, and the
moment to act auspicious, with a positive commitment to resolve the
long-standing human rights situation in the affected region," he said.
The Nigerian Ambassador said that the Council should not dilute its efforts
by vilifying the Fact-Finding Mission members and parts of the report - no
useful purpose would be served by compounding the human rights situation in
the region through sheer rhetoric or failure to act.
"The implementation of the report was crucial to addressing the pernicious
issues of impunity and accountability which were critical to the improvement
of global human rights standards. Faithful implementation of the
recommendations would contribute immensely to the quest for peace in the
entire region," stressed the African group. (end)
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