Israeli internal investigation concludes that the during the Gaza offensive the army ‘maintained a high professional and moral level’.

Al Jazeera reports that ‘Israel defends army's Gaza conduct’.

An internal Israeli investigation has concluded that the country's military acted in accordance with international law during the recent war in Gaza.  […]

The army "maintained a high professional and moral level while facing an enemy that aimed to terrorise Israeli civilians", the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), as the military in Israel is called, said in a statement.

It said it conducted five separate investigations into some of its actions during the war, including attacks on and near UN and international facilities and the use in densely populated areas of white phosphorous, a chemical agent that causes severe burns. […]

Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland, reporting from Jerusalem, said both Israeli and international human rights groups have criticised the internal investigation.

"They said a couple of weeks ago that it was completely inappropriate that an army should be investigating itself," she said.

 

"The other question is how these findings will be received by the Israeli public ... and they as a whole have been lulled into this narrative according to which the Israeli army is the most moral army in the world.

 

"So in a way, this report will be falling on very willing ears - it will be telling the Israeli public a version of events that they want to hear."

Up to 1,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed during the 22-day assault on the Gaza Strip.

Thirteen Israelis, 10 of them soldiers, were killed during the same period.

Meanwhile, in the US, Hilary Clinton has been in discussion with the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, has reiterated the US position that it will not deal with or fund a Palestinian government that includes Hamas until certain conditions are met.

 

Clinton told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that Hamas must renounce violence, recognise Israel and agreed to "previous obligations" of the Palestinian Authority.

She said it appeared that Hamas had "no intention" that this would happen but said the US wanted to "leave open the door". […] 

Clinton also had heavy criticism for the Pakistani government, saying it was "basically abdicating to the Taliban" in agreeing to the imposition of sharia law in parts of the country.The comments on Pakistan come in the wake of suspected US military attacks in Pakistan.  

The comments on Pakistan come in the wake of suspected US military attacks in Pakistan.  

UPDATE

Al Jazeera is now giving greater prominence to the comments on Pakistan.