UN rights council: Experts to monitor Goldstone report

Mar 25, 2010, 11:54 GMT

Geneva - The United Nations Human Rights Council voted Thursday to establish a committee to monitor investigations by Israel and the Palestinians into allegations of human rights violations and war crimes.

The council adopted a resolution to 'establish a committee of independent experts in international humanitarian and human rights laws to monitor and assess any domestic, legal or other proceedings undertaken by both the Government of Israel and the Palestinian side.'

The United States and some European Union countries, including Italy and the Netherlands, voted against the resolution tabled by Arab and Islamic nations. Britain, France, Japan, Norway and seven other states abstained, while the remaining members of the 47-state council voted in favour.

The fact-finding mission of Justice Richard Goldstone last year recommended that the sides conduct independent investigations into his report, which charged that war crimes may have taken place during the 2008-2009 conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was tasked was appointing the experts.

Pillay's most recent report on Israel and the Palestinian territories found that both sides were failing to adequately investigate human rights violations committed during the period of intense fighting.

Palestinian rights groups say over 1,400 people in Gaza were killed, mostly civilians, though Israel rejects this figure. Thirteen Israelis also died.