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Israel may face war-crimes case for alleged atrocities

As the people of Gaza assess the horrendous pounding Israel inflicted on them - leaving aside the loss of life and injury - calls are growing for Israel to be prosecuted for war crimes. Absent compelling evidence to the contrary, there seems more than strong prima facie evidence that Israel should be brought to account for its actions.

The SMH reports in what doesn't make for "pretty" reading but serves to show the brutality of Israel's actions:

"The sight of her dead four-year-old son's blood splashed on a breeze-block wall was enough to start Zinad Samouni sobbing.

But the 35-year-old Palestinian mother of eight then composed herself to give the most complete allegation yet of atrocities committed by Israeli forces when they occupied the village of Zeitoun on the outskirts of Gaza City.

Standing in the wreckage of her home, she described the cold-blooded shooting of her 46-year-old husband, Atiyeh, and her son, Ahmed, in an incident that could form the core of a war crimes investigation against Israel.

The United Nations commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, has already said Israel should be investigated for what happened in Zeitoun on January 4 and 5."

Continue to read a horrifying tale of wanton violence here.

Even the mostly mild-mannered and seemingly ineffective UN General Secretary has spoken out, as the TimesOnLine reports:

"Ban Ki-moon today called for those responsible for bombing UN-run buildings and schools in Gaza to be held accountable following Israel’s 22-day war on Hamas.

Clearly angry, the United Nations Secretary-General was speaking outside the still-smouldering main UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound in Gaza City that was hit during shelling by Israeli artillery last Thursday, setting fire to the building and to the food aid stored inside.

Other UN buildings were hit during the fighting, and a number of Palestinian refugees allowed by the UN to take shelter inside its schools were killed.

“It is an outrageous and totally unacceptable attack on the United Nations,” said Mr Ban."

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