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Israeli settlers held for attacking mosque

Posted on: Mon January 18, 2010

GAZA CITY/OPCCUPIED-AL-QUDS: Eleven Palestinian human rights groups on Monday called on authorities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Palestinians during last year s Gaza war. The groups sent identical letters to the Western-backed president Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh asking them to follow the recommendations of a UN inquiry into alleged war crimes during the conflict. The so-called Goldstone report accused both Israel and Palestinians of committing war crimes during the 22-day genocidal war that ended exactly one year ago, and demanded both sides conduct independent probes.  Although a large part of the report deals with violations committed by Israel, it also touches on violations committed by armed Palestinian groups and the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza, the letter says. As international and Palestinian non-governmental associations, we call on Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to immediately launch credible internal investigations.  The letters were signed by several leading Palestinian human rights groups, including the West Bank-based Al-Haq and the Gaza-based Al-Dameer and Al-Mezan organisations. In November the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution endorsing the report and calling on both sides to probe alleged war crimes. The report accused Israel of using disproportionate force and deliberately attacking civilians during its offensive, which was aimed at halting Palestinian rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled territory.The UN resolution endorsing the report carried out by the respected former war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone called on both sides to complete their inquiries by early February.Meanwhile, five Israeli settlers have been arrested in connection with an arson attack on a Palestinian mosque in the West Bank in December, army radio reported on Monday.  The five were arrested during a raid by Israeli police and the Shin Bet domestic security agency in Yitzhar, a bastion of hard-line settlers in the northern West Bank. Five other people wanted by police were also detained in Sunday night s raid. Police had previously arrested a 17-year-old from another West Bank settlement in connection with the mosque attack, but he has since been released. 

Courtesy : The News