Israel/Gaza – Goldstone report

UN body endorses report accusing Israel of war crimes

Article published on the 2009-10-16 Latest update 2009-10-17 08:05 TU

Richard Goldstone.
(Photo: Reuters)

The United Nations Human Rights Council voted Friday to endorse the Goldstone report, which accuses both Israeli forces and Hamas fighters of committing war crimes during last year’s Isreali offensive into the Gaza Strip.

The resolution, which passed with 25 states voting for, six against and 11 abstaining, endorses the report’s recommendations, which include inviting the International Criminal Court to get involved, if Israel and Hamas fail to conduct credible investigations within six months.

Israel has been pushing hard to have the report’s UN endorsement delayed or cancelled. Late Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Human Rights Council to reject the resolution.

"Responsible nations have to vote against this decision that supports terror and harms peace," Netanyahu told reporters.

Goldstone himself criticised the UN Council resolution for targeting only Israel and failing to include Hamas.

The UN resolution makes several references to "recent Israeli violations of human rights in occupied east Jerusalem" but fails to mention Hamas.

"This draft resolution saddens me as it includes only allegations against Isreal. There is not a single phrase condemning Hamas as we have done in the report. I hope that the council can modify the text," Goldstone said in remarks published in Swiss newspaper Le Temps.

Ahmed Tibi, an Arab member of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, accepted the council's decision and said that the adoption of the report's findings is an important ethical and legal decision.

"It is wrong to leave an entire population without the protection of the UN and the international community, who have now regained their honour," Tibi, who is Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, said.

Israel Interior Minister Eli Yishai condemned the move, calling it an anti-Israel decision based on an anti-Israel report.