Abbas Accuses Israel of War Crimes in Gaza
Palestinian president adds to calls for prosecution
Attempts to subject Israel to legal action for its military conduct during last month's Gaza campaign have gathered pace after Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, accused it of "crimes of war" and the Palestinian Authority recognised the jurisdiction of the international criminal court (ICC).
The moves came as human rights groups continued to investigate whether Israel and Hamas violated the laws of war during the recent fighting, a charge both parties reject.
Abbas added his voice to those accusing Israel of violations as he addressed the European parliament today. "There are crimes and people who committed those crimes have to be held responsible so that these crimes cannot be repeated," he said.
"We are stretching out our hand for peace with Israel but what was done is regretfully crimes of war."
He also denounced Hamas's rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, which triggered the Israeli offensive.
"I have condemned such rocket attacks for years, and I still condemn them," he said. "They do not go in the direction of peace."
Abbas also criticized Hamas for endangering Gaza and said the movement's leader, Khaled Mashaal, could be taken to court in another country for "drawing his people to this destruction".
The Palestinian Authority's decision yesterday to recognise the ICC's jurisdiction is designed to clear the way for a full investigation into alleged war crimes.
However, the court can investigate only if asked by the UN security council or an involved state that has recognised the court. Israel has never recognised its jurisdiction, and because only states can recognise the court, it is unclear whether the Palestinians can do so.
Israel is preparing for potential legal action, barring the media from publishing pictures of officers' faces and their names for fear of investigations. Last week, Israel's cabinet promised legal and financial support for any officers facing trial, despite the difficulty of prosecuting Israelis.
Israel says its army took great care to avoid harming civilians in Gaza, but acknowledges loosening its rules of engagement for the Gaza war to lessen military casualties. As a result, ground troops moved under heavy covering fire from tanks and artillery which destroyed entire neighborhoods.
Israel has blamed the high civilian death toll on Hamas militiamen fighting from civilian areas.
Rights activists say Gaza's Hamas rulers and other Palestinian groups committed war crimes by targeting Israeli civilians with rockets. They also say Hamas's use of human shields, as alleged by Israel, would constitute war crimes.
Groups including the Israeli human rights centre B'Tselem, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch emphasize that investigations will take months and concede few venues exist for any trials.
Given that Hamas admits firing rockets, the activists are focusing more on Israeli actions, the facts of which they say are harder to establish.
"The Israeli authorities deny everything, so one has to prove what happened in a way that you don't need to do with the Palestinian rockets," said Donatella Rovera, of Amnesty International.
Among the questions being raised are whether Israel used disproportionate force and failed to protect civilians.
In one case, Israeli artillery fire was directed close to a UN school where hundreds of Gazans had sought refuge, killing 42 people. Israel said its troops were responding to fire from militants near the school.
In another instance, Gazans allege Israeli soldiers ordered 110 civilians into a warehouse, then shelled it the next day, killing 30. Israel denies the army targeted the warehouse, saying the building was hit during intense combat with militants in that area.
The UN, the EU and other organizations accuse Israel of using indiscriminate force, particularly in hits on UN buildings and Gaza's civilian infrastructure. Israel has also been criticized for using white phosphorus weapons, which can be legitimately used in war to create smoke screens or provide illumination, but which Fred Abrahams of Human Rights Watch said can indiscriminately burn civilians and constitute a war crime.
Doctors reported phosphorus burns throughout the war.
"The suspected war crimes make for a very long list," said Jessica Montell, head of B'Tselem.
Although the groups admit that trials may not take place, they insist that their investigations encourage accountability.
"As long as there is no mechanism that can enforce accountability, this cycle will just continue again and again," said Rovera.
The moves came as human rights groups continued to investigate whether Israel and Hamas violated the laws of war during the recent fighting, a charge both parties reject.
Abbas added his voice to those accusing Israel of violations as he addressed the European parliament today. "There are crimes and people who committed those crimes have to be held responsible so that these crimes cannot be repeated," he said.
"We are stretching out our hand for peace with Israel but what was done is regretfully crimes of war."
He also denounced Hamas's rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, which triggered the Israeli offensive.
"I have condemned such rocket attacks for years, and I still condemn them," he said. "They do not go in the direction of peace."
Abbas also criticized Hamas for endangering Gaza and said the movement's leader, Khaled Mashaal, could be taken to court in another country for "drawing his people to this destruction".
The Palestinian Authority's decision yesterday to recognise the ICC's jurisdiction is designed to clear the way for a full investigation into alleged war crimes.
However, the court can investigate only if asked by the UN security council or an involved state that has recognised the court. Israel has never recognised its jurisdiction, and because only states can recognise the court, it is unclear whether the Palestinians can do so.
Israel is preparing for potential legal action, barring the media from publishing pictures of officers' faces and their names for fear of investigations. Last week, Israel's cabinet promised legal and financial support for any officers facing trial, despite the difficulty of prosecuting Israelis.
Israel says its army took great care to avoid harming civilians in Gaza, but acknowledges loosening its rules of engagement for the Gaza war to lessen military casualties. As a result, ground troops moved under heavy covering fire from tanks and artillery which destroyed entire neighborhoods.
Israel has blamed the high civilian death toll on Hamas militiamen fighting from civilian areas.
Rights activists say Gaza's Hamas rulers and other Palestinian groups committed war crimes by targeting Israeli civilians with rockets. They also say Hamas's use of human shields, as alleged by Israel, would constitute war crimes.
Groups including the Israeli human rights centre B'Tselem, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch emphasize that investigations will take months and concede few venues exist for any trials.
Given that Hamas admits firing rockets, the activists are focusing more on Israeli actions, the facts of which they say are harder to establish.
"The Israeli authorities deny everything, so one has to prove what happened in a way that you don't need to do with the Palestinian rockets," said Donatella Rovera, of Amnesty International.
Among the questions being raised are whether Israel used disproportionate force and failed to protect civilians.
In one case, Israeli artillery fire was directed close to a UN school where hundreds of Gazans had sought refuge, killing 42 people. Israel said its troops were responding to fire from militants near the school.
In another instance, Gazans allege Israeli soldiers ordered 110 civilians into a warehouse, then shelled it the next day, killing 30. Israel denies the army targeted the warehouse, saying the building was hit during intense combat with militants in that area.
The UN, the EU and other organizations accuse Israel of using indiscriminate force, particularly in hits on UN buildings and Gaza's civilian infrastructure. Israel has also been criticized for using white phosphorus weapons, which can be legitimately used in war to create smoke screens or provide illumination, but which Fred Abrahams of Human Rights Watch said can indiscriminately burn civilians and constitute a war crime.
Doctors reported phosphorus burns throughout the war.
"The suspected war crimes make for a very long list," said Jessica Montell, head of B'Tselem.
Although the groups admit that trials may not take place, they insist that their investigations encourage accountability.
"As long as there is no mechanism that can enforce accountability, this cycle will just continue again and again," said Rovera.
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