UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon cast doubt on the credibility of Israeli and Palestinian investigations into UN accusations of war crimes during the 2008-2009 war in the Gaza Strip. In a cautiously worded message to the UN General Assembly, Ban acknowledged Israel and the Palestinian Authority were looking into the behaviour of Israeli soldiers and Palestinian activists as demanded by a resolution the 192-nation Assembly approved in November. But Ban withheld judgment on whether the probes were "independent, credible and in conformity with international standards." "No determination can be made on the implementation of the resolution by the parties concerned," Ban said in the letter that accompanied the documents given to him by the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority about their investigations. One senior Western diplomat described Ban's letter as "deadpan and procedural." It was not immediately clear what, if anything, the General Assembly would do in response. More than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis died after Israel launched Operation Cast Lead against Gaza to try to end rocket fire against its cities. Critics charged that Israel used excessive and indiscriminate firepower but Israel blamed the activists for hiding among civilians. The General Assembly resolution was a response to a UN report issued last September by an investigative panel headed by South African jurist Richard Goldstone. The Goldstone report said the Israeli army and Palestinian activists committed war crimes during the conflict from late December 2008 to mid-January 2009 but focused more on Israel. It also said that if Israel and the Palestinians failed to carry out credible investigations, the matter should be referred to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Both the Jewish state and the group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, have rejected the suggestion they might have been responsible for war crimes. "I have called upon all of the parties to carry out credible domestic investigations," Ban said in the letter. "I hope that such steps will be taken wherever there are credible allegations of human rights abuses." Last week, Ban received a document from Israel defending its handling of complaints over its conduct in the Gaza war. The Palestinian Authority gave the United Nations details of a commission of inquiry it had set up, along with preliminary findings.
