GENEVA: United Nations investigators on Tuesday (Sep 16) accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza in a bid to “destroy the Palestinians”, accusing Israel’s prime minister and other top officials of incitement.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which does not speak on behalf of the world body, found that “genocide is occurring in Gaza”, commission chief Navi Pillay told AFP.
“The responsibility lies with the State of Israel.”
The bombshell report, immediately slammed by Israel, marks the first time a UN-mandated investigative body has concluded the country is committing genocide.
Israel has since the start of the war in Gaza faced genocide accusations from NGOs and independent UN experts.
The UN itself has not labelled the situation in Gaza a genocide, but Pillay said she believed the facts presented by the commission should prompt “high-level leaders at the United Nations also to call this what it is, the genocide”.
After the report was published, UN rights chief Volker Turk said it was up to the courts to determine whether genocide was taking place, but warned: “We see the evidence mounting.”
Israel “categorically” rejected Tuesday’s report, with the foreign ministry describing it as “distorted and false” and calling “for the immediate abolition of this Commission of Inquiry”.
