Conference to examine Israel's Gaza role

TEHRAN, March 2 (UPI) -- Representatives from dozens of countries will gather in Iran this week to review Israel's incursion into Gaza, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said the international conference in support of the Palestinians Wednesday and Thursday will examine Interpol documents regarding the three-week Israeli military action that ended in January, Press TV reported.

"We predict 16 to 20 parliamentary delegates will participate in the international conference, while many other high-ranking figures from 80 other countries will also attend the conference," he said.

He said "around 50 legal and international experts" from Amnesty International, Red Cross, UNICEF and the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, will be at the conference, which will be headed by Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijan. They will "study the documents related to Israel's atrocities," Qashqavi added.

Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad and the head of the Palestinian national assembly also will be on hand, he said.

Iran also is taking steps to set up a war crimes court to prosecute Israeli leaders, including President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

Israeli leaders said the military attacks were necessary to defend the country and force Palestinian militants to refrain from firing rockets and mortars into Israel. Hundreds of Palestinians died in the offensive.