The United Nations General Assembly has called on Israel and the Palestinian Authority to conduct "independent, credible" probes into alleged war crimes committed during Israel's invasion of Gaza 14 months ago.

A non-binding resolution, sponsored by the Palestinian delegation with several Arab and African countries, was adopted by 98 votes in favour, seven against and 31 abstentions.

The UN gave Israel and the Palestinians another five months "to conduct investigations that are independent, credible and in conformity with international standards".

In the wake of the 22-day Israeli onslaught on Gaza launched in late December 2008, a UN inquiry panel accused both Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.

Some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed during the Israeli offensive in response to ongoing rocket-fire into Israel from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Israel and the United States were among the seven members who voted against the resolution, along with Canada, Micronesia, Nauru, Panama and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

China and many European delegations, including Britain and France, voted in favor. Germany and Russia abstained.

In November, the General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a similar resolution calling for credible, independent investigations of the war crime charges by 5 February.

Last year, a UN report by South African judge Richard Goldstone recommended that both sides face possible prosecution before the International Criminal Court in The Hague if they failed to conduct credible, independent investigations within six months.

On 4 February, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a report in which he said he could not determine whether the two sides had complied with the assembly's demands.