“As the Commission of Inquiry, we consider that our task is to investigate human rights violations. And we understand that this task is the mandate that the UN has given us.”
The Commission of Inquiry, one of the main investigative mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, was created by the forum’s 47 member states in May 2021.
In November last year, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2803 welcoming the establishment of the Peace Board as a “transitional administration” and to oversee the redevelopment of Gaza.
In November last year, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2803 welcoming the establishment of the Peace Board to oversee the redevelopment of Gaza.
Genocide claim
Last September, the Commission’s then-president, former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay, declared that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in response to Hamas-led terrorist attacks that killed some 1,200 people in Israel in October 2023, triggering the war. Israel strongly denied that claim.
“We need to investigate the human rights violations committed by all those responsible and in both territories,” said Muralidhar, who expressed hope that the Commission’s earlier findings “will be incorporated into some judicial system that will provide lasting justice to the people of these two territories.”
On this year’s agenda, the Commission plans to investigate “attacks by armed Palestinian militias against others within these two territories,” he continued, before underscoring the independent nature of the panel.
Responding to questions about the Peace Junta, the chief investigator said he hoped the peace plan he was carrying out “would be accommodate the interests of all people in the conflict zone”.
At a news conference in Geneva, the panel of independent human rights experts – who do not work for the UN and are not paid for their work – also condemned the alleged murder of three Palestinian journalists in central Gaza in an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday.
“When you kill a journalist, it means you have something to hide,” said Commissioner Florence Mumba.
UNRWA approach
The panel also reacted to the dramatic destruction of the headquarters of the UN Palestine relief agency, UNRWA, in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday, highlighting its key role in supporting the Palestinians for decades.
“Israel needs to think very carefully before rejecting the work that UNRWA has done, the important work that has freed Israel from its obligations,” said Chris Sidoti. “Of course, there will be human rights consequences… children have the right to education, everyone has the right to the highest possible level of physical and mental health.”
Ms Pillay retired last October at the age of 83, followed by fellow commissioners Chris Sidoti and Miloon Kothari.
Last November, the Human Rights Council appointed a new panel – reinstating Mr. Sidoti – along with his legal colleagues Mr. Muralidhar of India and Ms. Mumba of Zambia.
The Commission president noted that funding shortages had prevented the panel from investigating arms supply and settler violence, even though this was part of its mandate from the Human Rights Council.
“Due to shortage of funds, we could not go to those areas,” Muralidhar told reporters.