As World Condemns ‘Appalling’ Crimes, US Praises Israel’s “Restraint” and Blocks Call for UN Probe Into the Killing of 61 Civilians in Gaza

By Jake Johnson | Common Dreams

After making the widely condemned and erroneous assertion that responsibility for Israel’s massacre of more than 50 Palestinians “rests squarely with Hamas,” the Trump administration on Monday unilaterally blocked a United Nations statement that expressed “outrage” at Israel’s killings and demanded “an independent and transparent” investigation.

“The rules on the use of force under international law have been repeated many times but appear to have been ignored again and again.”
—Rupert Colville, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights

While the U.S. refused to even permit an investigation into Israel’s murderous behavior—let alone denounce it—during an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley took the further step of applauding Israel forces during her speech for showing admirable “restraint” as it mowed down dozens of peaceful demonstrators, and attempted to blame Iran for stoking “violence throughout the Middle East.”

In sharp contrast to Haley’s “disgusting” and fact-free speech, Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, directly condemned Israel’s actions in a statement on Tuesday, repeating the call for an independent probe and saying “enough is enough.”

“We condemn the appalling, deadly violence in Gaza yesterday during which 58 Palestinians were killed and almost 1,360 demonstrators were injured with live ammunition by Israeli security forces,” Colville said. “The rules on the use of force under international law have been repeated many times but appear to have been ignored again and again. It seems anyone is liable to be shot dead or injured: women, children, press personnel, first responders, bystanders, and at almost any point up to 700 meters from the fence.”