Mary McGowan Davis appointed as new head UNHRC Gaza probe

Former US judge Mary McGowan Davis was appointed as the new head of United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC’s) Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict.
She will replace William Schabas who had resigned after Israel accused him of a conflict of interest for the consultancy work he done for the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in October, 2012.
Earlier, McGowan Davis had served as a justice on New York’s Supreme Court, and chaired the UN follow-up committee to probe into the 2008-2009 war between Israel and Hamas.
Background
Earlier in August 2014, UNHRC had appointed three members Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict. This commission was tasked to probe possible war crimes and human rights violations during a month long conflict in Gaza in July 2014.
In this month long conflict more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, 67 Israeli soldiers and 6 civilians in Israel were killed.
It was headed by William Schabas and included Amal Alamuddin and Doudou Diene as members.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2015