Report of UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza conflict – GA President press conference (excerpts)

General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki of Libya, in his first press conference since the close of the Assembly’s annual general debate earlier this week, said this year’s gathering, had drawn more than 100 world leaders who had demonstrated their sustained interest in the United Nations and a wide array of crucial issues — from climate change to the financial crisis to human rights.

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And concerning a query on the Palestinian observer’s request that the upcoming report on the investigation led by former South African Judge Richard Goldstone into the events in Gaza at the beginning of the year not be referred to the Assembly or Security Council, Mr. Treki said he would not comment unless he received the report officially or word from the Human Rights Council.

Human rights violations were a matter that concerned all humanity and was a subject the Assembly would discuss during its upcoming session, he continued.  Such violations should be handled by the competent authorities, like the Human Rights Council or the International Criminal Court.

[The 575-page report issued by a four-person United Nations fact-finding mission headed by Judge Goldstone cites evidence that, during the Gaza crisis at the beginning of the year, both Israeli forces and Palestinian militants committed serious war crimes and breaches of humanitarian laws, which may amount to crimes against humanity.]

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For information media • not an official record