IRELAND is unusual among western democracies in its continuing fight to have the plight of the Palestinians addressed.

THE Israeli military said yesterday it has reprimanded two high-ranking officers for approving the firing of artillery shells toward a UN compound during the Gaza Strip war last year – the first admission of any high-level wrongdoing during the offensive.

Israel has reprimanded two high-ranking officers over the firing of artillery shells at a UN compound during the Gaza war last year – the first admission of any high-level wrongdoing.

The United Nations' most powerful body will meet next week to discuss a report that accused both Israeli forces and Palestinian militants of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel could face calls by the United Nations Security Council to refer alleged war crimes to the International Criminal Court in The Hague after a UN council backed a controversial report.

THE UN Human Rights Council voted yesterday to endorse a Gaza war crimes report and send it to the Security Council, possibly setting up international prosecution of Israelis and Palestinians for war crimes.

Israel’s prime minister warned the United Nations that backing war crimes accusations against the Jewish state and the Palestinians could destroy Middle East peace efforts.

THE Palestinians and their allies called on UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon to monitor the Gaza war crimes investigations.

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave no ground on peace with the Palestinians in a speech yesterday, reasserting they must recognise Israel as a Jewish state if they wanted a deal for a state of their own.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today vowed never to allow Israeli leaders or soldiers to stand trial for war crimes over their actions during last winter’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip, furiously denouncing a recent UN report in a keynote address to parliament.

Israel rejected UN calls to open an independent inquiry into its conduct in last winter’s Gaza Strip war and said it would launch a diplomatic offensive to block any attempt to bring its soldiers before an international war crimes tribunal.

Israel said today it would not conduct an independent inquiry into its conduct in the Gaza Strip war, rejecting a key recommendation from an explosive UN report that accused the Jewish state of war crimes.

A UN war crimes investigation into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza has found evidence that both sides committed “war crimes”.

A UN war crimes investigation into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza has found evidence that both sides committed “war crimes,” the global body said today.

A VETERAN UN war crimes investigator acknowledged his probe of possible war crimes by Israel and Hamas – which included interviewing dozens of victims and poring through the files of human rights groups – is unlikely to lead to prosecutions.

Saddam Hussein’s lawyer blamed US-led “occupation forces” today for the killing of a second colleague in the trial and urged Arab leaders to “shoulder their responsibility” to combat disorder here that threatens the proceeding.

Three gunmen in a speeding car killed a defence lawyer in the Saddam Hussein trial and wounded another today in Western Baghdad.