Israel's attacks on Gaza may constitute 'war crimes'

  • The United Nation's top human rights body will launch an international investigation into potential "war crimes" committed during an 11- day conflict between Israel and militant group Hamas in Gaza. 
  • The resolution calls for the creation of a "Commission of Inquiry" to report on rights violations in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.
  • The commission will also investigate "underlying root causes" for recurring tensions in the region.
  • China and Russia supported the resolution while some Western and African countries voted against it.

UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

  • The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is a department of the Secretariat of the United Nations.
  • It works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. 
  • The office was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 December 1993 in the wake of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights.
  • The office is headed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who co-ordinates human rights activities throughout the United Nations System and acts as the secretariat of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • The current head is Michelle Bachelet.

WHAT IS WAR CRIMES?

  • War crimes are considered to be among the most serious international crimes.
  • According to the United Nations, a war crime is a serious breach of international law committed against civilians or “enemy combatants” during an international or domestic armed conflict. 
  • In contrast with genocide and crimes against humanity, war crimes have to occur in the context of armed conflict.

GENEVA CONVENTIONS

  • The meaning of war crimes was clarified in the four 1949 Geneva Conventions. 
  • Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention defines war crimes as “wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including … Wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health… Taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly”.



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