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The United Nations special reporter on human rights in the Palestinian territories has said Israel's military offensive on Gaza "would seem to constitute a war crime of the greatest magnitude under international law".
Richard Falk called the 22-day bombardment a "massive assault on a densely populated urbanized setting", with the civilian population subjected to "an inhumane form of warfare that kills, maims and inflicts mental harm".
His findings were written in a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday.
Islamic and African countries backed by China, Cuba and Russia have a majority in the 47-member forum.
Neither Israel nor US, its principal ally, are members.
Falk said the Geneva Convention required forces at war to be able to distinguish between military targets and civilians.
If that is not possible, then "launching the attacks is inherently unlawful".
Israel launched its offensive on the Gaza Strip in December saying it aimed to stop rocket fire by Hamas into southern Israel.
A ceasefire was declared on January 18 after the offensive left more than 1,300 Palestinians dead, many of them women and children.
Blockade 'a crime'
Falk said that the Gaza border blockade also was not legally justified and may represent a "crime against peace", a principle established at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals.
Sealing the border, denying people the right to flee the war zone as refugees, may also be a crime against humanity, his report said.
He said Israel's violations included alleged "targeting of schools, mosques and ambulances" during the offensive, and its use of weapons including white phosphorus, as well as Hamas firing rockets at civilian targets in southern Israel.
PHOTO CAPTION
An Israeli air strike on the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah on January 13, 2008.
Agencies
