Geneva (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The United Nations Commission on Human Rights continues its debate today on the Goldstone report that accuses Hamas of Israel and war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war in Gaza last winter.

The UN body, which started the debate yesterday, could vote today to present the report to the Security Council. In turn, the Security Council could lead to charges before the international criminal court, if the two parties do not initiate investigations within six months.

The in-depth report by the South African judge Richard Goldstone, accuses Israel of disproportionate use of force in the “molten lead” operation, of deliberately targeting civilians, and of using Palestinians as human shields. At the same time it accuses Hamas and the Palestinian organizations in Gaza of indiscriminately striking at civilians and spreading terror among the population with missile launches on Israel's southern cities. Both sides have denied the allegations.

Yesterday, at the opening of the debate, the UN Commissioner, Navi Pillay called on all States to support the report because "in the occupied territories and Israel in culture of impunity continues to prevail."

The UN commission had already decided to delay the discussion until next March, thanks to pressure from the United States, and the support of the Palestinian Authority. But criticism and demonstrations in Gaza and the West Bank against the "servility" of Mahmoud Abbas, forced him to back-track.

According to the newspaper Haaretz, in recent days Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to persuade European allies and the same UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon to block the report.

Netanyahu defines the report "ridiculous" and capable of pushing the Palestinians to “harden their positions, refusing negotiations".  Even the UN ambassador in Geneva, Aharon Leshno Yaar, said that support for the Goldstone report "slows down the hopes of peace."