UN Report Blasts Israel on Gaza War

U.N. Inquiry Finds Israel Purposely Fired on School in Gaza Washington Post — A United Nations inquiry into the Gaza conflict earlier this year concluded that Israel intentionally struck a U.N.-run elementary school, killing three young men seeking shelter from the fighting, according to a summary released Tuesday. The incident was one of eight in which the Israel Defense Forces fired on U.N. personnel or facilities that drew scrutiny from a three-member U.N. board of inquiry. The board found that Israel had repeatedly breached the inviolability of U.N. premises and that, in attacking another elementary school, it exhibited "reckless disregard for the lives and safety" of civilians. Two children were killed and 13 others injured in that attack. click to read complete article

Israeli President Calls UN Gaza Report 'Outrageous' Voice of America News — Israel's President on Wednesday rejected as "outrageous" a U.N. inquiry that blamed Israel for six serious attacks on U.N. premises during its recent Gaza offensive. Israeli President Shimon Peres said his government does not accept "one word" of the report, calling it "one-sided" and "unfair." click to read complete article

UN to examine Israel's torture record Jerusalem Post — There has been a 15 percent rise in the number of Palestinian patients whom Israel has interrogated and forced to provide information on Hamas or to serve as spies as a precondition to leaving Gaza for medical care, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel plans to tell the UN in Geneva on Monday. According to the NGO, the proportions of applicants interrogated at the Erez crossing to northern Gaza rose from 1.45% in January 2008 to 17% in January 2009. click to read complete article