© www.islamtimes.orgSummit of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Tehran.
"The NAM [member] states...are expected to once again stand in unison against these [Israeli] crimes and lay the groundwork for the punishment of the masterminds and the perpetrators of these crimes," Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi wrote in a letter to NAM justice ministers on Wednesday.
He added that continuation of the Zionist regime's crimes against Palestinians calls into question "international justice and the rule of law."
He noted that Israel's ongoing strikes against the Palestinians are "flagrant manifestations of war crimes" necessitating punitive action."Doubtlessly, the Zionist regime's crimes, which are threatening international peace and security today, stem from the condoning of the crimes this regime has been committing against defenseless Palestinians over the past 66 years," Pour-Mohammadi said.
NAM, whose rotating presidency is held by Iran, is an international organization with 120 member states, which is not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. Nearly two-thirds of the member states of the United Nations are NAM members.
About 1,300 people have been killed in the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip since July 8, and 7,200 have been injured.
Over 80 percent of the Palestinian fatalities have been civilians, including nearly 300 children.
Gaza has been under Israel's blockade since June 2007, a situation that has caused a decline in the standards of living and poverty.
Comment: The countries of NAM contain 55% of the world population, with concentration in countries considered to be developing or part of the Third World. Iran will lead NAM for the period of 2012-2015. The movement stems from a desire not to be aligned within a geopolitical/military structure and is unified by its commitment to world peace and security. Nelson Mandela was a former secretary general. Core beliefs coincide with those of the UN. The U.S. has been criticized by Nam for the invasion of Iraq, the War on Terrorism, attempts to stifle Iran and North Korea's nuclear plans and roughshodding the sovereignty of smaller nations.