Diplomats in New York said several heavyweight countries are now pressing the Geneva-based HRC to cancel its probe and leave the issue to the committee set up by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, English-language daily Haaretz reported yesterday in a report filed from New York.
If the UN HRC fails to accede to this request, it will be setting itself up for humiliation because the conclusions of Ban’s panel will be deemed more credible than those of the HRC panel, the same diplomats told the daily.
As of Monday Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gabriela Shalev, told Haaretz that “from the standpoint of the level and quality of the people participating in it, the secretary-general’s committee will obviate any need for the investigation by the council in Geneva.”
Last week the president of the UNHRC, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, denied that the body’s investigation of the May 31 raid which led to killing of nine civilians had been made redundant by the announcement of the higher-profile UN probe.
“There’s a clear distinction between the two missions and the mandates given,” Phuangketkeow told reporters, dismissing suggestions that the 47-nation council’s probe was now superfluous.
