Military investigation results published April 22 refer to dozens of innocent Palestinian civilians killed by “rare mishaps” in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead. However, data collected by Israeli human rights organization shows that many civilians were killed in Gaza not due to “mishaps”, but as a direct result of the ,ilitary’s chosen policy implemented throughout the fighting. The only way to investigate violations of human rights committed in Gaza is by establishing an external, extra-military investigation mechanism.
If the military claims that there were no major deficiencies in its conduct in Gaza, it is not clear why Israel refuses to cooperate with the UN investigation team, led by the South African judge Richard Goldstone, which requests an investigation of alleged violations of international law by both Israel and Hamas.
Israeli human rights organizations: B’Tselem, Physicians for Human Rights, Gisha, Adalah, Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Yesh Din, Hamoked, Public Committee Against Torture, Bimkom, Rabbis for Human Rights.
ACRI Attorney Limor Yehuda’s letter to Attorney-General Mazuz March 19, 2009
