The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Thursday for an international investigation into “extremely serious allegations” of violations of international law in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Volker Türk also expressed concern about the “potentially explosive” situation in the occupied West Bank, during a meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva with member states about his recent trip to the Middle East.
“I am deeply concerned about the intensification of violence and serious discrimination against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem”Turk said.
The ongoing war was sparked by an attack by the Palestinian extremist group Hamas in southern Israel, which authorities say left 1,200 dead.
An Israeli military operation followed against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which, according to local authorities, left more than 11,000 dead under the control of the Islamist group.
“An outbreak of violence has broken out in the occupied Palestinian territories, in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in Israel.”said the person in charge of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
After visiting the region, Volker Turk said an international investigation was necessary.
“Extremely serious allegations of multiple and serious violations of international humanitarian law, regardless of who the perpetrators are, require rigorous investigation and accountability.”he claimed.
Türk warned that violations of international humanitarian law, even war crimes, committed by one side “never exempt” the other side from adhering to the principles of the law of war.
‘No one is above the law, and international humanitarian law is clear’says the Austrian lawyer who has headed the OHCHR since October 2022.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva denounced Volker Türk’s criticism of alleged violations in the war against Hamas and stated that international law is not a “suicide treaty”.
If a state cannot defend itself “or if it is criticized for doing so in accordance with international law, terrorist organizations will inevitably feel more emboldened and continue to use their methods, in the confidence of continued international support,” he said.
The Palestinian ambassador called on countries to become aware of the Israeli army’s operations in the Gaza Strip.
“It’s a massacre, it’s a genocide. And we see it on television. This cannot continue”Ibrahim Khraishi told representatives of United Nations member states, quoted by the French agency AFP.
Source: DN
