U.N. picks new Gaza war inquiry chief

The president of the U.N. Human Rights Council appointed on Tuesday U.S. judge Mary McGowan Davis as the new head of the U.N. inquiry into the Gaza war. The appointment came after Professor William Schabas quit on Monday, following Israeli allegations of bias. Israel allegedly provided information that revealed Schabas had served as a paid consultant for the Palestinian Authority in 2012. Davis joined the U.N. committee after Amal Clooney (formerly Alamuddin) decided not to accept the position, and was already a member of three person committee that was headed by Schabas and included former U.N. racism investigator Doudou Diene of Senegal. The U.N. Council on Human Rights announced it would continue forward with the inquiry, despite Schabas' resignation, and publish its findings on March 23 as determined by the committee's mandate. David has served as a judge for the Supreme Court of the State of New York and had a 25-year-long career as a federal criminal prosecutor in the state of New York. She has extensive experience in international human rights law – Davis is a member of the board of the American Society of International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the International Law Academy, and an executive member of the International Association of Justices. AP/Reuters