Israel downplays UN report suggesting war crimes against Palestinians

Israel rejected as a "theatre of the absurd" on Thursday a U.N. report that accused its forces of possible war crimes in killing scores of Palestinians during Gaza border protests last year.

Acting Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that the U.N. Human Rights Council had "produced another hostile, mendacious and slanted report against the State of Israel ... No one can deny Israel the right of self-defence and the obligation to defend its citizens and borders from violent attacks."