Maldives supports recommendation in Goldstone’s report on Gaza Conflict

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

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Ms. Shazra Abdul Sattar, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the Maldives Mission to the UN in Geneva has welcomed the report compiled by Justice Richard Goldstone on recent Gaza Conflict and its findings. She also noted that the Maldives “supports the recommendation, contained in the Goldstone report, that all alleged violations by both sides in the conflict be independently investigated and that those investigations together with any subsequent prosecutions, be monitored by the Security Council”.

The Maldives also used its statement during the Special Session to express concern at the rapid expansion in Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and at reports of settler violence against the Palestinian population – violence which usually takes place with impunity. “The Maldives believes that settler activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory not only represents a flagrant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, but also represents a key obstacle to the achievement of long-term peace and security in the region. The Maldives therefore takes this opportunity to call for an immediate freeze in all settlement activity, as a vital precursor to the resumption of comprehensive peace talks” concluded Ms. Abdul Sattar.

The United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday ended a Special Session on the situation of human rights in Palestine by adopting a Resolution welcoming the recent report of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, and fully endorsing the recommendations contained therein including that all alleged violations by both sides in the conflict be independently investigated and that those investigations together with any subsequent prosecutions, be monitored by the Security Council.

The United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, led by Justice Richard Goldstone, was tasked by the Council “to investigate all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law that might have been committed at any time in the context of the military operations that were conducted in Gaza during the period from 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009, whether before, during or after”. The conflict led to over 1,400 deaths – mainly civilian.

The Goldstone report concluded that serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law were committed by both Israel and Palestinian armed groups during the Gaza conflict and that there is also evidence that both parties committed war crimes, as well as possibly crimes against humanity.

Responding to the report, Palestine, with the support of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, and the Non-Aligned Movement, both of which include the Maldives as a member, convened a Special Session in order to agree next steps. The resolution tabled: “condemns the non-cooperation by the occupying power, Israel, with the independent international fact-finding mission; welcomes the report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission; fully endorses the recommendations contained in the report, and calls upon all concerned parties including UN bodies, to ensure their immediate implementation in accordance with their respective mandates”. The resolution was adopted by the Council with 25 in favour, 6 against and 11 abstentions.

Earlier this month, the President of the Maldives, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Nasheed, was asked by the President of the Palestinian National Authority, H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, to use the Maldives influence to call for a freeze in settlement activity.

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