UN says Israel’s raid on flotilla broke law

Sep 24, 2010 |

Sept. 23: A report by three UN appointed human rights experts has found that Israeli forces violated international law when they raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla killing nine activists earlier this year.

The UN Human Rights Council’s fact-finding mission concluded, in a report published on Wednesday, that Israel’s naval blockade of the Palestinian territory was unlawful because of the humanitarian crisis there, and described the military raid on the flotilla as brutal and disproportionate.

The Israeli foreign ministry responded late ON Wednesday by saying the Human Rights Council, which commissioned the report, had a “biased, politicized and extremist approach.” The Islamic militant group Hamas that controls Gaza, meanwhile, praised the report and called for those involved in the raid to be punished.

The 56-page document lists a series of alleged crimes committed by the Israeli forces during the raid including willful killing and torture, and claims there is “clear evidence to support prosecutions.”

“A series of violations of international law, were committed by the Israeli forces during the interception of the flotilla,” the report said.

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