Hakan Copur
30 March 2024•Update: 30 March 2024
WASHINGTON
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller rejected "unfounded" allegations Friday of genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Miller commented on the report released Wednesday by the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, which said Israel's actions against Palestinians in Gaza have “crossed the threshold of committing 'genocide' against Palestinians in Gaza.”
He said Washington fully supports Tel Aviv on the issue without entering into a discussion of possible war crimes that Israel may have committed.
Miller also accused Albanese of making "antisemitic statements."
"We have made clear that we believe that allegations of genocide are unfounded. But at the same time, we are deeply concerned by the number of civilian casualties in Gaza, and that’s why we have pressed the government of Israel on multiple occasions to do everything it can to minimize those civilian casualties," he added.
Albanese's report
Albanese held a news conference at the UN Geneva Office on her report which addressed Israel's attacks on Gaza.
Albanese noted that she prepared the report after monitoring and analyzing Israel's attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7.
"The report presents compelling reasons to believe that Israel has crossed the threshold of committing 'genocide' against Palestinians in Gaza," she said.
The "chilling" intent of Israel to systematically eradicate all or a "significant portion of people" in Gaza.
She accused Israeli soldiers and officials of distorting legal principles by engaging in violence, genocide and attempted extermination against the Palestinian people, and added: "Israel is implementing a policy of genocidal violence against Palestinians in Gaza."
