Israel’s Gaza War: UN Rights Chief Deplores “Entrenched Impunity”

The UN’s top human rights official on Friday made a strong call for accountability for serious violations committed by all parties in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. In a new report, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) noted a broad range of concerns, including unlawful killings, hostage-taking, destruction of civilian property, collective punishment, forced displacement, incitement to hatred and violence, sexual assault, and torture. These acts are all prohibited by international human rights and humanitarian laws. “The entrenched impunity reported by our Office for decades cannot be permitted to continue. There must be accountability on all sides for violations seen over 56 years of occupation and the 16 years of blockade of Gaza, and up to today,” said Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. “Justice is a pre-requisite for ending cycles of violence and for Palestinians and Israelis to be able to take meaningful steps towards peace.” The report covered the 12-month period up to 31 October 2023. It also noted that further investigations are needed to establish the full extent of crimes committed under international law. Call for fair trials High Commissioner Türk urged all parties to...