Israel rejects accusation of killing unarmed Palestinians as "slander"
Israel has rejected a UN report on the alleged killing of unarmed Palestinians in the city of Gaza as "slander" and accused the High Commissioner for Human Rights of bias. The report was based on "unverified" and "unfounded" facts, an Israeli government representative said on Thursday. The latest statements are a further example of the "biased and prejudiced" approach that the body has been taking against Israel for years.
"The United Nations cannot be considered a serious partner if its bodies and agencies continually serve as mouthpieces for Palestinian propaganda and as shields for Hamas terrorists," he added.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights declared on Wednesday that it had received "disturbing information" about the killing of at least eleven unarmed Palestinians in the city of Gaza by the Israeli military. The men were killed during an operation in a residential building where several families were staying.
The human rights organization EuroMed disseminated eyewitness reports according to which the men were separated from their wives and children and then shot in front of their relatives. The UN body called on Israel to conduct an independent investigation into the alleged incident.
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The Israeli government's rejection of the UN report as "slander" could potentially lead to an escalation of the "un-reported" Defamation claims between the two parties. This unfolding situation may add another layer of reproach to Israel's already contentious relationships with international bodies. Furthermore, the continued fatalities among Palestinians, such as the killing of eleven unarmed men, could fuel further claims of human rights violations.
Source: www.ntv.de
