State Comptroller to probe if Israel violated international law during Gaza operation

State Comptroller Joseph Shapira announced Wednesday that he is opening a probe into the decision-making process at both the military and political levels during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza.Shapira said the decision to open the probe came as a result of claims that the State of Israel violated international law in Gaza and does not properly check that IDF activity is lawful.In addition, Shapira said he would expand a probe that was opened into Israel's handling of the infiltration tunnel threat from Gaza to include other aspects of protecting the home front, including availability of bomb shelters and the effectiveness of the rocket alert siren system. Shapira's probe comes in addition to an investigation into the operation being carried out by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.The announcement came as Israel was deliberating whether or not to cooperate with a UN Human Rights Council investigation into the legality of the IDF's operations in Gaza during the recent conflict.Canadian professor Wiliam Schabas, who Israel says has expressed anti-Israel opinions in the past, was chosen to head the UNHRC committee earlier this week.Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Wednesday that “Israel should not cooperate with the committee. We must deal with them, but not cooperate or give legitimization to haters of Israel.”Herb Keinon contributed to this report.