Michelle Bachelet. File
| Photo Credit: AP
UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said that Hamas’ indiscriminate rocketing during the conflict was also a clear violation of the rules of war. The UN rights chief said on Thursday that Israeli forces may have committed war crimes in the latest, 11-day war with the militant group Hamas that rules the Gaza Strip. The remarks by Michelle Bachelet came as the UN’s top human rights body opened a one-day special session to discuss the plight faced by Palestinians in the fighting this month. She said that Hamas’ indiscriminate rocketing during the conflict was also a clear violation of the rules of war.
“As currently drafted, the Bill would make it substantially less likely that UK service members on overseas operations would be held accountable for serious human rights violations amounting to international crimes”, the High Commissioner said.
Shielded from probes
The Bill could shield military personnel operating abroad “from due accountability for acts of torture or other serious international crimes”, she maintained.
In its present form, the UN rights chief also said that the legislation potentially put it at odds with the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Convention against Torture.
And quoting from the UK Government’s background to the Bill, Ms. Bachelet highlighted that the purpose of the Bill was “to provide greater certainty for Service personnel and veterans in relation to claims and potential prosecution for historical events that occurred in the complex environment of armed conflict overseas”.
Governments have demonstrated a lack of credible commitment to banning torture and other cruel treatment, according to an independent expert mandated by.