UN chief names retired Dutch general to head Gaza war inquiry

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday named a retired Dutch general to head an inquiry into attacks on United Nations facilities during Israel's recent war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip and the use of UN sites to store weapons.


UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters the investigation would be "an internal and independent United Nations Headquarters Board of Inquiry into certain incidents that occurred in the Gaza Strip between July 8 and August 26, 2014."

The world body has said that tens of thousands of dwellings were damaged or destroyed in 50 days of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants, and 108,000 people were left homeless in an impoverished, isolated territory.

In one incident, more than a dozen people were killed at a UN school during Israeli shelling. Israel has cited militants' use of UN facilities to store rockets as a reason for targeting them.

Haq said Patrick Cammaert, a retired Dutch general and former force commander of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, will head the investigation.

Other inquiry members will be Maria Vicien-Milburn of Argentina, Lee O'Brien of the United States, Pierre Lemelin of Canada and K.C. Reddy of India.
[jpost.com by Reuters]
10/11/14
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• There is little doubt that Israeli artillery killed 19 civilians at a UN school in Gaza, according to the White House.

• Israel denies responsibility for deaths in Gaza school attack

• ‘Appalled by disgraceful shelling’: US urges Israel to "meet standards", avoid civilian casualties

• In Cairo, Ban urges parties to Gaza conflict to end "cycle of building and destroying"

• UN chief in Gaza to launch reconstruction process. (Constructions raw-material will be allowed to the Gaza Strip)

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• Gaza: Ban Ki-moon forms independent panel to investigate recent conflict...

UN,  10 November 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the formation of an internal inquiry aimed at reviewing “certain incidents” reported at United Nations facilities in the Gaza Strip during the recent summer conflict there between Palestinian factions and the State of Israel.

During his visit last month to the war-ravaged enclave, the Secretary-General called for a thorough investigation into incidents where UN facilities – including schools run by the UN agency tasked with assisting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) – sustained hits resulting in the deaths of numerous innocent civilians and UN staff members.

In a statement attributable to his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, the Secretary-General declared that he had established the “internal and independent” UN Headquarters Board of Inquiry to review and investigate “a number of specific incidents in which death or injuries occurred at, and/or damage was done to United Nations premises.”

In addition, added Mr. Dujarric, the Board will also “review and investigate incidents in which weapons were found to be present on United Nations premises.”

The fighting – which raged from 8 July to 26 August – saw entire neighbourhoods in the Strip flattened, and almost one-third of Gaza’s population uprooted. The violence killed more than 2,100 Palestinians, including more than 500 children, and more than 70 Israelis while also damaging or destroying over 100,000 homes.

While in Gaza last month, Mr. Ban voiced horror at the extent of the destruction, stating that “nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed.”

The Board of Inquiry will be led by Patrick Cammaert of The Netherlands and will include Maria Vicien-Milburn of Argentina, Lee O’Brien of the United States, Pierre Lemelin of Canada and K.C. Reddy of India.
[un.org]
10/11/14