Any Truce With Israel Must Also Lead To Blockade Lift: ˈKayhan Internationalˈ

Tehran, Aug 13, IRNA - ˈKayhan Internationalˈ on Wednesday commented on UNˈs appointed panel to investigate Israelˈs crimes against humanity in the month-long onslaught on besieged Gaza Strip. The panel will submit its report to the UN Human Rights Council by March 2015. Gaza has been under Israel’s blockade since June 2007, a situation that has caused a decline in the standards of living and poverty. This means the UN not only has a duty to bring to justice those who committed crimes during the war on Gaza, but also take the necessary steps to lift the illegal Israeli blockade once and for all. Any truce with the Zionist regime must also lead to the lifting of the blockade, highlighted the English-language paper in its Viewpoint column. The UN’s top rights and refugee officials have condemned Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, calling for lifting the blockade. Navi Pillay, the UN human rights commissioner, says Israel attacked homes, schools, hospitals, and UN premises in apparent violation of the Geneva Conventions. During this attack on Gaza – and previous assaults – a consensus among human rights groups has also emerged that Israel committed war crimes. Since the start of Israel’s ˈOperation Protective Edge,” Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and United Nations officials have all issued reports and statements against the Zionist regime. They have dismissed many of Israel’s claims as well. In response to Israel’s ˈroof knocking” and warning policies, Amnesty International says, ˈThere is no way that firing a missile at a civilian home can constitute an effective warning. Amnesty International has documented cases of civilians killed or injured by such missiles in previous Israeli military operations on the Gaza Strip.” Human Rights Watch has also published the results of their investigation into separate strikes in Gaza that they say amount to war crimes. The report states, ˈAttacks targeting civilians or civilian property are unlawful, as are attacks that do not or cannot discriminate between civilians and combatants.” Israel claims that these attacks on civilian homes occur because they were used as ˈcommand and control” centers by Hamas and other groups – but Human Rights Watch has dismissed those claims, saying there was no evidence to justify them. Under the circumstances, the imprisoned people of Gaza have the right to continue to resist against Israel’s brutality. The biggest prison in the world will not carry on as a prison, and its residents will not remain cut off forever. Indeed, under international law, the people of Gaza have every right to want freedom from Zionist occupation/blockade, and one way or another, they will realize it through resistance and self-determination. And yes, they will also establish the unity government with Fatah – even if Washington refuses to accept their deal, or votes against Palestinian statehood at the UN Security Council.