U.N. report faults Israel in Gaza attacks

UNITED NATIONS - A U.N. investigation yesterday concluded that Israel made false statements about its attacks on U.N. schools and other facilities during its Gaza military campaign - including one reported to have killed 40 people - and formally demanded compensation.

The investigation ordered by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon found conclusively that Israeli weaponry - some containing white phosphorus - was "the undisputed cause" of attacks on several schools, a health clinic, and the world body's Gaza headquarters.

Put on the defensive against widespread international criticism and accusations of possible war crimes in Gaza, Israel denies that it intentionally struck the compounds, and says it was forced to act against extremists using the buildings and other civilian areas for cover.

Israel said the material its government presented to the United Nations was largely ignored in the final report, which it called "biased."

Ban, whose release of the investigative report coincided with a monthly news conference, said he commissioned the investigation by a five-member board in January to look at the nine most serious incidents involving U.N. personnel and facilities.

The Israeli military has said that several internal investigations into its conduct during the war in Gaza found that it acted according to international law.

The first of 11 recommendations calls for the United Nations to seek "formal acknowledgment by the government of Israel that its public statements alleging that Palestinians fired" from within the U.N.'s school in Jabaliya on Jan. 6 and within the U.N.'s field office compound on Jan. 15 "were untrue and are regretted."

Another says the United Nations should "take appropriate action to seek accountability and pursue claims to secure reparation or reimbursement for all expenses incurred and payment made by the United Nations" because of deaths and injuries involving U.N. personnel and property.

In his presentation, Ban took pains to point out, however, that Israeli citizens in southern Israel "faced and continue to face indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas and other militant groups."

He also mitigated the conclusions by attaching a letter at Israel's request saying that the board he appointed to conduct the investigation "is not a judicial body or court of law: it does not make legal findings and does not consider questions of legal liability."

The board was headed by Ian Martin of Britain, who recently stepped down as the U.N. envoy to Nepal.

Ban also commended Israel for its cooperation and said there would be no inquiry beyond the U.N.-related casualties and damage in Gaza. He said the board's full report would remain confidential.

Israel's deputy U.N. ambassador, Daniel Carmon, called the report "one-sided."

Further, he said the commission was "betraying" Israel's confidence by going beyond the scope of what it was supposed to investigate.

"For us it was quite a shock to see the report," Carmon said. "Not because we were surprised there was criticism - I mean, we were ready to receive criticism - but the scope and especially the issues that are tackled in this report."

Ban said the purpose of the inquiry, which he described as "completely independent" from his staff, was to establish a record of what happened.

He also denied that the report was "watered down" in any way to please Israel's main supporter, the United States. "I do not have any authority to edit or change conclusions on this," he said.

Israel launched the offensive in Gaza on Dec. 27 to weaken Gaza's Hamas government and end years of rocket attacks by the Islamic extremist group.

The three-week war killed 1,400 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials and human-rights groups. Israel says that the number was lower and that a majority of the dead were extremists. Thirteen Israelis were killed.

Vice President Biden urged Israel to work "toward a two-state solution" with the Palestinians and halt its construction of new settlements. He called on Arab states to respond with "meaningful gestures."

"You're not going to like my saying this, but do not build more settlements,"

he told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington. "Dismantle existing outposts and

allow the Palestinians freedom of movement."

Biden told the pro-Israel lobbying group that the White House was "intensely focused" on preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and if diplomacy fails, the United States has "international support to consider other options."

While newly elected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stopped short of endorsing Palestinian statehood, Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon said in an interview Sunday that "long-term peace and stability" involved the two-state solution.

President Obama, who backs the creation of a Palestinian state, met with Israeli President Shimon Peres yesterday at the White House. Afterward, Peres said Israel would "abide

by the commitments of the previous government," referring to the U.S.-backed "road map" to peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

- Bloomberg News

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