Israel rejects UN resolution on Gaza

Israel on Friday rejected a UN resolution that called on it and the Palestinians to probe suspected war crimes committed during the Gaza war at the turn of the year while the Palestinian leaders have accepted the resolution. "Israel rejects the resolution of the UN General Assembly, which is completely detached from realities on the ground that Israel must face," the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement. The statement said that during the 22-day war, which killed some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis, the Israeli military "demonstrated higher military and moral standards than each and every one of this resolution's instigators." On Thursday, the 192-member assembly overwhelmingly approved an Arab-sponsored resolution that endorsed a UN report accusing both Israel and Palestinians of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during the war. The vote was 114 in favour and 18 against, with 44 abstentions. From the outset, Israel rejected the report as biased.