Sponsored Links:
AP
Former Judge Richard Goldstone
Israel demanded yesterday that former South African judge Richard Goldstone apologise for his UN report into the Gaza war two years ago and that the UN should rescind the report, after Goldstone reversed his original conclusion that Israel had intentionally targeted civilians.
“If I had known then what I know now, the Goldstone report would have been a different document,” Goldstone wrote in an opinion article published in The Washington Post on Friday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Goldstone’s report “should be thrown into the wastebin of history”, and yesterday Israeli President Shimon Peres demanded an apology from Goldstone, who headed a UN fact-finding mission into the Gaza war.
Goldstone himself declined to comment on the controversy yesterday, apart from suggesting that his article should be read carefully.
His defenders have pointed out that a careful reading shows he has not retracted his original report in the article and nor has he exonerated the Israel Defence Forces for all its conduct in the war.
What he has done is to say that if the Israeli government had co-operated with his inquiry, he would have discovered facts which have only subsequently come to light in the Israel Defence Forces’ own investigations.
In the article, Goldstone said that although he still believed there had been some incidents of human rights violations involving individual Israeli soldiers, investigations conducted by the Israeli military, and recognised by the UN, “indicate that civilians were not intentionally targeted as a matter of policy”.
For example, the most serious attack the Goldstone report focused on was the killing of 29 members of the al-Simouni family, but the shelling of their home “was apparently the consequence of an Israeli commander’s erroneous interpretation of a drone image”.
Goldstone explained in a Stanford University address earlier this year that the Israel Defence Forces had investigated this incident and found that an Israeli soldier analysing a drone image had concluded that someone was carrying a rocket-launcher into the al-Simouni house, whereas this had turned out to be firewood.
If the Israel Defence Forces had provided him with that information before, it would probably have influenced his report, he said.
But Goldstone’s defenders have also pointed out that he has never said he believes the Israel Defence Forces’ internal investigations are adequate.
And they referred to a recent TV interview in which he said he hoped that Israel would launch an independent judicial investigation of the Gaza war.
Goldstone then cited the precedent of the judicial inquiry into the Sabra and Shatila massacres in Lebanon in 1983, where the government overruled defence minister Ariel Sharon, who wanted only an internal inquiry.
The Goldstone report, published in September 2009, said it had found strong evidence indicating that both Israel and the Gaza governing authority Hamas had committed potential “war crimes”, and possibly “crimes against humanity”, during their three-week conflict.
It called on both sides to investigate the allegations, and if they failed to do so, to be brought before the international court in The Hague.
The report provoked a firestorm of criticism from Israelis and from Jews everywhere, especially in South Africa, where Goldstone, himself Jewish, was ostracised by some members of the Jewish community who condemned him as a traitor to his religion.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called Goldstone’s about-turn “very odd”.
“It is very odd that Goldstone suddenly backtracks on the content of his fact-finding report and says he accepts the Israeli narration.
“It is really very strange to see this,” he said. - Pretoria News
|
|
Hypocritical!, wrote
Disgusting!!! I've lost all respect for this 'judge'. Now of course you will get your pro Isreali apologists as seen here, but the fact remains is that Israel is a murderous apartheid state that makes the old SA look like a beacon of human rights. Violence begets violence and what the Zionists are doing to the occupied people is an absolute disgrace to the humanity. In the end no matter how many people they pressue the Truth will prevail. The zionists need to realise that Israel cannot and will not continue to exist in its present oppressive state.
GFM, wrote
What ekse could one expect from a latent Zionuist - suddenly has a change of heart because "Israel Defence force conducted its OWBN ivestigation" - did you for a moment Goldstone think that they would find themselves guilty of ANY charge - you know their history and how they "investigate" themselves.. How HONORABLE O "HONORABLE" JUDGE - VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTING INDEED!!!
Justin, wrote
Israel is held to a higher standard than the people comprising the opposition Palestinian political groupings. Israel is also forced to defend its borders because of the widespread rejection of a two state solution and the vows of militants to destroy Israel. This is a propaganda war that Israel cannot win, historical justifications for their presence in the Middle East or not. The right of return is also a matter of concern because there is no standard by which returnees can be evaluated. This means that all the palestinians who are kept under heel in Jordan can theoretically claim the right of return. If this was delimited to the people who were evicted in 1948 and their direct families, it might alleviate some of the pressure but that would mean that militants would be living next door and this would be the end of Israel. Most people do not understand the complexities of this situation and most always side with the faction that paints itself as a victim of organised violence. The truth is that both must use violence: one for survival and one to delegitimate the other. If we hate Jews and hate Israel, we must see it destroyed. If we love God and peace, we must see a peaceful solution. This means that everyone,Jew and Muslim, must see the necessity in preserving the life of the other. Since Islamic teachers justify killing for so many reasons, from personal insult to being an infidel, I do not see this happening unless there is a miracle.
R.C., wrote
I'm constantly amazed at the very short memories of the Zionists who claim to be victims in their own land...how do they expect a peaceful existence when they've perpetuated violence since the very inception of the country, Israel. The rise of Islamist extremism goes back to the inception of Israel. Violence begets violence. The killings will never end.
rose, wrote
I heard Alan Dershoqitz on e-tv the other night, smearing Tutu as 'a rabid anti-semite.' Dershowitz also uttered words which I later cross-checked as lies. Seldom have I heard such a bilious, aggressive defence of Israel's human rights violations from anyone. The bitter, combative Dershowitz was brought to SA by the SA Zionist Federation last week. Did his visitpresence have anything to do with Goldstone's u-turn on principle - a shocking backdown from a man of stature.
pung, wrote
Allahu Akbar!!!!
Truth, wrote
All you have to do is watch youtube to see the injustice and inhumane treatment of the Israeli army. I've seen videos of Israeli snipers shooting at medics trying to retrieve bodies. The irony of it all is that Israel is bearing down on Palestinians much like the Nazi's did, and have created an Apartheid much like the old SA did. Doesn't say much for the Jewish religion. I'm not saying the other side is blameless.
Anonymous, wrote
Yip, as you grow older those things that you did to cause harm, come to haunt you... If only he was willing to listen to all the stake holders. So it is a bit silly to say "if the IDF had provided me with the info..." Goldstone refused to listen to a few stakeholders. Remember Col. Richard Kemp, which Goldstone refused to listen to...
Barak Marco, wrote
You are not only a traitor to the the Jewish religion, I would hate to receive an impartial trial in any court that you preside. If there is no jutice in this world, I hope you will be condemned in the next world for your lies and half-truths. I personally curse you.
Steven, wrote
If the papers a forced to apologise to the Monkey Malema then I think Goldstone should be forced to Apologise to Israel.
Anonymous, wrote
To think that goldstone had the gall to implicate Israel in the first place when all she is doing is defending herself against murderous Islamic terrorists bent on her destruction. Long Live Israel
David Shaw, wrote
Unfortunately the article failed to mention that one of the main reasons why he retracted his report was because Hamas has not made an effort to investigate ANY of the allegations made against them, while Israel has investigated ALL 400 claims against it
Anonymous, wrote
Very Very Interesting !!
MSMGathoo, wrote
Yip, Israeli pressure at its best. Who cares what the truth is. They need to continue feeding the myth that Palestine is their promised land.
Showing items 1 - 14 of 14
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Services
Buying a car has never been easy. Motoring.co.za contains a large database of car listings with a user friendly search.
Start searching today »
Business Directory
We like to make your life easier
Mobile
Browse IOL on your phone at m.iol.co.za.
Newsletters
Subscribe to our newsletters. News delivered to your inbox!
