Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., April 17, 2009 Nisan 23, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:08 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

Israel to give UN's Gaza probe cold shoulder By Amos Harel and Yoav Stern Israel does not intend to cooperate with the United Nations delegation that is to be sent to the region to examine claims of war crimes carried out in the course of Operation Cast Lead, government officials told press agencies yesterday. The delegation, headed by South African judge Richard Goldstone, was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council last month. Advertisement Goldstone had served as the chief prosecutor of the United Nations international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda. He has many Israeli friends and has relatives living in the country. The delegation, which in addition to Goldstone has three other members, is supposed to check claims of war crimes carried out by Israeli forces against civilians in the Gaza Strip as well as alleged war crimes on the part of Palestinian terror organizations against residents of southern Israel. Hamas has already announced that it would cooperate with the delegation, however Israeli officials say they fears it will be an anti-Israeli body, whose conclusions have already been drawn. A senior official in the Foreign Ministry said that Israel will not allow the members of the delegation to enter the country, as the mandate given to it by the UN organization was "one-sided" and made no mention of the missile launches and other Hamas activity preceding and during the Israeli operation. "This is not principled and sweeping lack of cooperation with the UNHRC, and when the sun dawns again over that council we'll cooperate," the official said. The decision means the committee will only be able to enter the Gaza Strip via Egypt, if the local authorities allow it through. Banned entry Israel has banned entry to UN personnel in the past, most recently with UN inspector Richard Falk, when similar reasons were given for the ban. Despite this, Israel is cooperating with another UN investigation, that of the numerous occasions during which the IDF hit organization facilities during the fighting in the Gaza strip. Most of these were United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) buildings. Former head of strategy in the planning division of the Israel Defense Forces General Staff, Udi Dekel, had been tasked to communicate between this investigation and the IDF. The army is expected to release in the coming days the results of several of its own investigations of its own conduct in Operation Cast Lead, regarding claims of violating international law. These investigations include that of house demolitions during the operation and the use of white phosphorus. Some of these issues drew sharp and critical reports from human rights and left-wing organizations over the last two months. The IDF reports are expected to be released before Israeli Independence day. next month. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Hebrew harmony Watch American Idol star Adam Lambert singing in Hebrew Top recipes exposed Try the cheap way to eat in some of Tel Aviv's top restaurants

Read & React BBC panel finds broadcaster breached guidelines on Israel Responses: 64 Livni to Mitchell: We don't gain from stagnant peace process Responses: 41 Egyptian FM: Lieberman not welcome in Egypt Responses: 35 Peres: Talk of IDF attack on Iran is 'not true' Responses: 30 More Headlines 22:55 Netanyahu demands Palestinians recognize 'Jewish state' 22:43 IAF destroys booby-trapped Gaza building near Israel border 22:59 Barak urges Russia not to sell Iran anti-aircraft system 22:48 'Hezbollah planned huge terror attacks in Tel Aviv' 20:44 Livni to Mitchell: We don't gain from stagnant peace process 20:02 Court: Dichter cannot be sued in U.S. over 2002 Gaza bombing 00:55 N.Y. street corner named for Pole who brought news of Holocaust to West 10:47 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 01:08 Israel's beaches hit by a tsunami of bathers 23:08 Israeli conductor Barenboim gets Egyptian ovation 14:21 Peres: Talk of IDF attack on Iran is 'not true' 18:14 Egypt detains nine Bedouin over smuggling to Israel, arms trade 18:23 Hamas murals depict abducted IDF soldier Shalit in 30 years 19:06 U.S. immigration panel denies Demjanjuk request to reopen case 22:10 Restaurant recipes exposed: Make the dishes the experts make Previous Editions Select Day 16 apr 15 apr 14 apr 13 apr 12 apr 10 apr 09 apr 08 apr 07 apr 06 apr 05 apr 03 apr

Special Offers Advertisement Spring Specials-Dan Hotels Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$ The Meier on Rothschild Tower Masterpiece Residence in the Heart of Tel Aviv Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Camp Kimama Israel 2009 The best place for your children this summer Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results

Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved