U.N.: Israel and Gaza Share Blame

A report from the United Nations released Tuesday accuses both Israel and Gaza of numerous war crimes in their most recent conflict, which lasted only three weeks. The U.N. also found evidence of violence that may amount to crimes against humanity. Israel, which criticized the U.N. investigation from its inception, said in a statement that numerous investigations of their own had found no wrongdoing. The report directly contradicted this claim, saying there is “a justice crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory that warrants action.” The New York Times notes that while the report does acknowledge the rocket attacks fired by Hamas into Israel, the bulk of the findings center on Israel’s “continuing policy aimed at punishing the Gaza population.” The report cites specific incidents that seem difficult to justify: In one case, Israeli bulldozers demolished a major chicken farm in Gaza. In another, they blew up the wall of a sewage plant, flooding the surrounding area with waste for no apparent reason.