UN renews calls for both sides to launch 'credible' war-crimes probes

AFP - The UN General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly approved a resolution renewing a demand that Israel and the Palestinians conduct "independent, credible" probes of alleged war crimes during the Gaza conflict 14 months ago.
   
The vote in the 192-member body was 98 in favor, seven against and 31 abstentions.
   
As they did in a November assembly vote on a similar resolution, Israel and its staunch US ally cast "no" votes.
   
The non-binding resolution, sponsored by the Palestinian delegation along with several Arab and African countries, again calls on the Israelis and the Palestinians "to conduct investigations that are independent, credible and in conformity with international standards."
   
In the wake of the 22-day Israeli onslaught on Gaza that began in late December 2008, a UN enquiry panel accused both Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas, which rules the Palestinian coastal enclave, of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
   
Some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed during the Israeli military blitz in response to unrelenting rocket-fire into Israel from Gaza.
   
Friday's resolution asks UN chief Ban Ki-moon to report back to the assembly "within a period of five months on the implementation of the present resolution, with a view to the consideration of further action, if necessary, by the relevant UN organs and bodies, including the Security Council."