The Palestinian Authority on Monday slammed an Israeli investigation which found the killing of 13 civilians in Gaza during an assassination was not a disciplinary offense.
In July 2002, Israeli forces dropped a one-ton bomb on the Gaza City home of Hamas leader Salah Shehadeh, killing 13 civilians including his wife, daughter and eight other children.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appointed a committee of military generals to probe the killings after a rights group petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court demanding an investigation.
Reporting to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the commission said the conduct of those involved in the attack did not constitute a disciplinary offense, instead praising all those involved in the attack for their "awareness and sensitivity" to their duty to avoid civilian deaths.
The report cited several reasons why no individuals should be held criminally accountable for the killings. The report states that "the decision-makers foresaw proportionate harm to uninvolved civilians."
The commission said an "intelligence failure" was responsible for the gap between the expected "proportionate harm" and the outcome of the strike, in which 13 civilians were killed and dozens more injured.
The report also notes that "many years have passed" since the attack as another reason not to pursue criminal charges.
In a statement, the Palestinian Authority insisted that a country which calls itself a democracy should hold its citizens to account under the rule of law "instead of making excuses for murder."
A PA government spokesman said the commission's decision revealed to the world "that Israel regards itself as above international law and has no respect for the moral responsibility on any military force to act proportionately and to safeguard the lives of civilians."
The commission's report stated that the killings were carried out according to the "the principles and rules set out by Israeli and international law and the ethical and moral norms on which they are based."
The PA described the claim as "outrageous."
"There is no law nor ethical or moral code which justifies an act so careless of human life, whether in respect neither of targeted assassination nor in respect of killing civilians," the statement said.
The PA urged the International community and Human Rights organizations to "hold Israel to account by whatever legal and other means, and to show Israel it cannot act with impunity."
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