Palestinians seen extension of UN Gaza mission

The Palestinian Authority urged the U.N. Monday to extend a human rights mission pressing for "credible" action by Israel and Hamas on violations during the Israeli military offensive on Gaza.

The experts appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council said in a report earlier this month that both sides had failed so far to carry out adequate probes into allegations of war crimes committed during the conflict in the tiny Palestinian territory nearly two years ago.

In a debate on the report at the 47-member Council, the Palestinian Authority said it intended to lodge a resolution seeking to extend the experts' mission.

"We feel we will be submitting a draft resolution to this council asking for the fact finding mission's mandate to be extended in order to... monitor the internal investigations requested (from) both the Israeli and Palestinian side," the Palestinian Authority's representative Ibrahim Khraishi said.

He also asked U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay "to continue following up the recommendations contained in the fact-finding missions in the Gaza conflict."

The experts' mission was set up in March after a UN-mandated report by South African judge Richard Goldstone accused both Israel and Palestinian groups of war crimes during the three-week conflict which erupted in late December 2008.

Goldstone had asked for a follow-up to ensure both sides held "credible" investigations.

We feel we will be submitting a draft resolution to this council asking for the fact finding mission's mandate to be extended in order to... monitor the internal investigations requested (from) both the Israeli and Palestinian side

Palestinian Authority representative Ibrahim Khraishi

ISrael call for an end to investigations

Israel insisted that it was responding to both foreign and domestic pressure and had made "significant efforts" to expand its own inquiries but called on Monday for an end to United Nations Human Rights Council investigations, insisting that the body was "obsessively biased" against it.

"Israel calls on members of this Council who act in good faith... those members should reject any further action on this matter by the Council," added Israeli ambassador Aharon Leshno Yaar.

But the stance of the council, he declared, "has continually been one-sided and obsessively biased....It did not matter that steps were taken by Israel to protect its citizens while limiting damage whenever possible to Palestinian civilians."

However, several Arab and Muslim majority countries, which carry telling weight in the 47-nation body, backed the Palestinian call.

"Israel must put an end to its culture of violence....and show a new face to the world," Turkey told the rights body.

Speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Conference, Pakistan recommended the committee carry on with its work, while Egypt, representing the Non-Aligned Movement, said the mission should continue "until justice is done."

Diplomatic sources said a resolution should be submitted before the end of the council's current session on October 1.

During the Gaza fighting, more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis died after Israel sent troops into the enclave between Israel and Egypt in what it said was an attempt to halt Hamas rocket fire on its towns near the border.

Israel calls on members of this Council who act in good faith... those members should reject any further action on this matter by the Council

Israeli ambassador Aharon Leshno Yaar