NEWS RELEASE - Gaza aid convoy killings: “Those responsible must be held criminally accountable” ~ Window Into Palestine

NEWS RELEASE - Gaza aid convoy killings: "Those responsible must be held
criminally accountable" - UN expert

News Release
31 May 2010

Gaza aid convoy killings: "Those responsible must be held criminally
accountable" - UN expert

GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, Richard Falk, urged Monday the international community to
bring to justice those responsible for the killing of some 16 unarmed
peace activist, when Israeli armed commandos stormed a convoy of ships
carrying aid to Gaza.

"Israel is guilty of shocking behavior by using deadly weapons against
unarmed civilians on ships that were situated in the high seas where
freedom of navigation exists, according to the law of the seas," Mr. Falk
said. "It is essential that those Israelis responsible for this lawless
and murderous behavior, including political leaders who issued the orders,
be held criminally accountable for their wrongful acts."

There are confirmed reports of lethal interference by Israeli military
units on the high seas with the Freedom Flotilla of six ships carrying
some 10,000 tons of medicine, food, and building materials to the civilian
population of Gaza. Preliminary reports suggest as many as 16 unarmed
activists were killed, and dozens more wounded.

"This peaceful humanitarian initiative by citizens from 50 countries is an
urgent response to the continuation of an unlawful blockade that has been
maintained for almost three years causing great physical and mental harm
to the whole of the 1.5 million people entrapped within Gaza," the UN
independent expert said. "Such a massive form of collective punishment is
a crime against humanity, as well as a gross violation of the prohibition
on collective punishment in Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention."

"As Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, familiar
with the suffering of the people of Gaza, I find this latest instance of
Israeli military lawlessness to create a situation of regional and global
emergency. Unless prompt and decisive action is taken to challenge the
Israeli approach to Gaza all of us will be complicit in criminal policies
that are challenging the survival of an entire beleaguered community."

Mr. Falk urged the world community "to take urgent action in response to
this flagrant flouting of international law. It is time to insist on the
end of the blockade of Gaza. The worldwide campaign of boycott,
divestment, and sanctions against Israel is now a moral and political
imperative, and needs to be supported and strengthened everywhere."

ENDS

Learn more about the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/countries/ps/mandate/index.htm

OHCHR Country Page – Israel:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/MENARegion/Pages/ILIndex.aspx

OHCHR Country Page – Occupied Palestinian Territories:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/MENARegion/Pages/PSIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact Kevin Turner (Tel:
+41 22 928 9603 / email: kturner@ohchr.org)

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