www.innercitypress.com/banrep1gaza050509.html
UNITED NATIONS, May 5 -- The UN's report on attacks on its premises in the Gaza Strip, a closely held secret for weeks, has been leaked to Inner City Press, a 27-page summary now placed online here. In a four page cover letter to the Security Council president for May, Russia's Vitaly Churkin, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon states that "as with all UN Boards of Inquiry, the Board's report is an internal document and is not for public release." Then follows a 27-page summary of the report analyzing nine separate incidents between December 27, 2008 and January 19, 2009.
For example, of the January 17 deaths and injuries at UNRWA's Beit Lahia Elementary School, the summary states that "the Board found that the undisputed cause of the deaths, injuries and damage was the artillery firing by the IDF, specifically, the firing of 155mm M825A1, smoke projectiles, containing white phosphorous impregnated felt wedges."
The summary continues, "The Board concluded that there was a breach of the inviolability of UN premises and a failure to accord the property and assets of the Organization immunity from any interference."
Reportedly, Ban has since issued a memo that the Report's conclusions are not legally binding, and condemning Hamas' use of rockets. However, the now-leaked summary of the report is sure to give rise to many questions, both in UN Headquarters on Tuesday, in the region and worldwide.
Background: Inner City Press reported on use of white phosphorous on January 15, click here.
On January 20, Ban traveled to Gaza and viewed ruins, click here for Inner City Press story.
On February 9, Ban named as head of the Board of Inquiry Ian Martin, previously the UN's envoy to Nepal. (Click here for Inner City Press story.)
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