Israel has revealed it has disciplined two senior officers in its defence forces for using white phosphorus shells during an offensive in Gaza.The admission is contained in the Israeli response to the Goldstone report, which concluded both Israel and Hamas had committed war crimes.
The identities of the officers and their punishment is not yet clear.
During the 22-day conflict last year media pictures showed incendiary shells raining down on a UN compound.
The officers' ranks have been confirmed as a brigadier-general and a colonel.
"Several artillery shells were fired in violation of the rules of engagement prohibiting use of such artillery near populated areas," the report says.
Buried
The BBC's Paul Wood in Jerusalem says it is the first time Israel has revealed it disciplined any officer for their actions during the offensive, named by the Israeli military as Operation Cast Lead.
Our correspondent says the admission was buried in the document handed to the United Nations on Friday.
The UN General Assembly has demanded that both Israel and Hamas launch independent investigations into their conduct during the Israeli operation which began in December 2008.
An Israeli official said the submission to the UN was not intended to respond in detail to the allegations and incidents outlined in the Goldstone report, but to explain why the Israeli justice system was "reliable" and "independent".
The Islamist movement Hamas has denied that its forces deliberately targeted civilians with rockets.
White phosphorus, which is used to lay smokescreens, is legal for use on open ground but its use in built-up areas where civilians are found is banned under international conventions.
'Repeated use'
TV pictures showed chunks of brightly burning phosphorus, streaming white smoke, landing in the courtyard of a UN compound in Beit Lahiya on 17 January 2009.
The UN compound, which included a school, was severely damaged and people sheltering there were killed.
Human Rights Watch, the New York-based rights group said Israel's use of phosphorescence weapons was more widespread.
It concluded that the Israeli military "repeatedly exploded white phosphorus munitions in the air over populated areas, killing and injuring civilians and damaging civilian structures, including a school, a market, a humanitarian aid warehouse and a hospital".
In March the Israeli Defence Force issued a written statement in response to the HRW report.
"Based on the findings at this stage, it is already possible to conclude that the IDF's use of smoke shells was in accordance with international law. The claim that smoke shells were used indiscriminately, or to threaten the civilian population, is baseless," it said.
