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| Amal Alamuddin |
George Clooney's barrister fiancee has turned down an offer from the United Nations to become one of three experts called in to investigate alleged human rights violations and war crimes in Gaza.
British-Lebanese lawyer Amal Alamuddin, 36, was named as part of an independent team observing alleged crimes by both sides during Israel's military offensive on Monday morning, but within hours she issued a statement saying she had turned the offer down, citing prior work commitments.
‘I am honored to have received the offer, but given existing commitments - including eight ongoing cases - unfortunately could not accept this role,’ said Alamuddin.
‘I wish my colleagues who will serve on the commission courage and strength in their endeavors.'
William Schabas, a Canadian professor of international law, was also announced on Monday as the head of the panel along with Doudou Diene, a veteran U.N. human rights expert from Senegal.
The team will investigate 'all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law ... in the context of the military operations conducted since 13 June 2014,' the U.N. statement said.
A month of war, marked by Israeli air strikes on Gaza and rockets fired by Hamas militants into Israel, has killed 1,938 Palestinians and 67 Israelis while devastating wide tracts of densely populated Gaza.
The panel is due to report by March 2015 to the U.N. Human Rights Council. Israel has long accused the 47-member state forum of bias against it.
Navi Pillay, the top U.N. human rights official, said on July 31 she believed Israel was deliberately defying international law in its military offensive in Gaza and that world powers should hold it accountable for possible war crimes.
There are no plans as of this writing for the UN to investigate, Hamas, ISIS, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah etc.
