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Last update - 00:59 02/10/2009
Goldstone's Gaza probe did Israel a favor
By Gideon Levy
Tags: Goldstone Gaza Report 
It's a pity Israel waited for Goldstone to probe Gaza war, a pity we take a hard look at ourselves only when personal harm looms.

Click here for more on the Goldstone commission report on the Gaza conflict

Israel should thank Judge Richard Goldstone and his commission's important report. After subjecting him to useless, automatic mudslinging, Israel suddenly realized that it should finally investigate the events of Operation Cast Lead. Why? What happened? The ground has started to tremble under the feet of a number of Israeli statesmen and officers.

That, it turns out, is the only way to teach us a lesson. Goldstone held up a mirror to us; we tried to smash it, as is our wont, but this time, as opposed to earlier reports, smashing it did not work. Suddenly it was reported (and denied) that Defense Minister Ehud Barak has asked former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak to head an investigative committee, suddenly the head of Military Intelligence is calling for the adoption of the "ethics code" composed by Prof. Asa Kasher, and suddenly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an urgent meeting to discuss establishing an investigative committee.
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What happened? Again, it turns out, everything is personal. It is also too little, too late: An "investigative committee" is not enough, nor is the ethics code written by Kasher, who told Maariv a few days ago that the Gazan doctor Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish was responsible for the deaths of his daughters. And yet it's good the ground has started to quake under our feet.

Are Ehud Barak and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi sweating? That's the only way Israel will learn. Not only if it is proved that there were war crimes in Gaza, but if people also have to pay for their actions. That is good news for Israel: Thanks to Goldstone, people in Israel will think twice and perhaps even three times before they bring down another barrage of cast lead on a helpless civilian population.

From now on, Israel's only consideration will not be minimum losses on its side. From now on, the international and personal implications of every brutal attack will be taken into account. That's exactly the function of international bodies: to prevent more unbridled attacks like Cast Lead. Thus Goldstone fulfilled his task, and in so doing proved he is a Zionist and friend of Israel. Thanks to him, Israel may change its belligerent ways and look at them in the future through the prism of international law and the personal cost involved in breaking it. If up to now we thought only how to kill without being killed, from now on we will think about the price tag attached to mass killing of the other side.

It's a pity we waited for Goldstone, a pity that we are so dependent on pressure by foreigners to fashion our own image and that only when personal harm appears imminent are we prepared to take a good hard look at ourselves. If ever there were a war that should be investigated on our own initiative, and immediately, it is Cast Lead. While it caused us few losses, and therefore no one thought to investigate it, what happened in Gaza cannot remain suspended in space, and those responsible cannot act as if nothing happened.

The wounds of Gaza have not yet healed, the debris has not yet been cleared and the housing there has not yet been rehabilitated. Israel has also not been rehabilitated. It still insists that everything went as it should have. But cracks are now appearing. There is something cynical and depressing about the fact that it is happening only after Israeli leaders started to fear for their personal fates. Now it may be hoped that Goldstone, the United Nations and the world will not give in. No Israeli would want to see Barak arrested in London, but every fair Israeli should hope that if war crimes were committed in his name, those responsible will pay the price, and better that it be in Israel.

The hollow, demagogic argument many Israelis use that Israel did in Gaza what everyone does might be true, but it is morally distorted. No traffic violator or any other criminal can excuse his actions by saying "everybody is doing it."

Is the world hard on Israel? Perhaps. But Israel also enjoys endless preferential treatment. The world acts differently toward us, turns a blind eye to Dimona and is silent about the occupation, and now it no longer wants to keep silent about Gaza. Why? Because this time we went too far. That is not only the world's right, it is its duty.

Goldstone began the work, Israel should continue it. In the end, the image that looks out from Goldstone's mirror is our image, not his.
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  1.   " a helpless civilian population. " 17:04  |  Agatha Foster 01/10/09
  2.   Take this Opportunity to Change 17:08  |  Stephen 01/10/09
  3.   Gideion`s usual idiocy 17:11  |  judith 01/10/09
  4.   this time we went too far 17:11  |  ptr 01/10/09
  5.   Pass on to Gideon Levy 17:19  |  Edifice 01/10/09
  6.   Levy is Correct 17:27  |  Vladek 01/10/09
  7.   Gaza 17:28  |  Sam 01/10/09
  8.   This wasn`t a war, Judith 17:32  |  sh 01/10/09
  9.   Indeed they are, Ms Fix, indeed they are 17:38  |  Yaakov Sullivan 01/10/09
  10.   Goldstone`s Gaza probe 18:24  |  Moses Weitzman 01/10/09
  11.   Ms. Fix et al 18:31  |  bob 01/10/09
  12.   Thank you Gideon 18:31  |  Marilyn 01/10/09
  13.   Well said Gideon 18:40  |  Peacefull Observer 01/10/09
  14.   ISRAEL WILL DESCEND FURTHER 18:41  |  Avi 01/10/09
  15.   Goldstone`s Gaza probe did Israel a favor 18:48  |  Michael 01/10/09
  16.   Sarcastic 18:59  |  Joe 01/10/09
  17.   Moses Weitzman of Sun City West 19:02  |  sh 01/10/09
  18.   Really, nobody should even expect the posibility of a "mea culpa" 19:11  |  Kris Lazar 01/10/09
  19.   Gaza II On the way? 19:15  |  FOX 01/10/09
  20.   Yaaov your lament is empty 19:18  |  FOX 01/10/09
  21.   An "unbridled attack" would have been to carpet bomb Gaza 19:19  |  Jason 01/10/09
  22.   #9 Yaakov Sulivan & #11 Bob, Ms Fix # 5 is 100% RIGHT 19:20  |  S 01/10/09
  23.   sh #8 (2nd try) 19:26  |  S 01/10/09
  24.   Its a pity every country holds Israel to a higher standard 19:37  |  Jon 01/10/09
  25.   S on the Economist 19:39  |  Yaakov Sullivan 01/10/09
  26.   Gideons and goldstones solution to rockets! 19:40  |  ben 01/10/09
  27.   FOX on rocket fire 19:41  |  Yaakov Sullivan 01/10/09
  28.   Goldstone`s Gaza probe did Israel a favor 19:45  |  edu 01/10/09
  29.   How to fight Gaza "Gideon Levy" style? 19:56  |  Rick 01/10/09
  30.   What basic facts Edifice #5 should have known... 19:58  |  Esther 01/10/09
  31.   goldstone actually did Israel a favor 20:03  |  dudi 01/10/09
  32.   Goldstone`s Gaza probe did Israel a favor 20:07  |  Esther Sherman 01/10/09
  33.   #29 Rick, about going too far 20:15  |  Giora 01/10/09
  34.   A miscalculation 20:17  |  Natallie Durson 01/10/09
  35.   Its about time...except he just happen to leave out 20:19  |  Sean 01/10/09
  36.   #25 Yaakov Sullivan 20:20  |  S 01/10/09
  37.   Yeah, but who`s read it? 20:47  |  Mark Lincoln 01/10/09
  38.   #34 Natalie Durson diatribe 22:32  |  Vladimir 01/10/09
  39.   Gideon Levy - running for the prophet of Israel chair. 22:35  |  Vladimir 01/10/09
  40.   gaza report 22:35  |  sonicgumel 01/10/09
  41.   #37 Mark Lincoln I have 22:48  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/10/09
  42.   # 23 you`re confusing things, "S" (2nd try) 01:35  |  eric 02/10/09
  43.   Its always the ends, never the means! 03:02  |  Barry 02/10/09
  44.   eric, 25,000 is on the high side... 03:37  |  BBSNews 02/10/09
  45.   #34 Nattalie Durson..she`s back 04:00  |  Alan-NYC 02/10/09
  46.   Esther 06:43  |  Connie 02/10/09
  47.   Gideon leading the way! 06:44  |  Michael 02/10/09
  48.   #42 eric - about "confusions"... 10:26  |  S 02/10/09
  49.   So, the next war are powder puffs allowed? 11:42  |  petra 02/10/09
  50.   Israel moral recovery... 11:49  |  Pablo Luis 02/10/09
  51.   the importance of Goldstone 13:14  |  Jim 02/10/09
  52.   Mr.gideon Levy 13:30  |  Bashaar salem Awaad 02/10/09
  53.   #18 Kris Lazar 13:55  |  Jim 02/10/09
  54.   #24 Jon 14:17  |  Jim 02/10/09
  55.   #46 Connie`s problem 14:24  |  Naser 02/10/09
  56.   #41 Chris Linthwaite 14:35  |  Jim 02/10/09
  57.   Michael from Pardes Hana - the issue is not 15:31  |  r cummings 02/10/09
  58.   Endless preferntial treatment is right. look where it`s got us. 16:49  |  Tcherkessi 02/10/09
  59.   Do you think the soldiers, pilots of other countries in the west 16:56  |  Tcherkessi 02/10/09
  60.   The Faust report 18:51  |  Miche Norman Hod Has 02/10/09
  61.   Natallie - what drivel 18:55  |  Miche Norman Hod Has 02/10/09
  62.   #42 eric - about "confusions"...2nd try 20:13  |  S 02/10/09
  63.   International Law 22:48  |  Bryan 02/10/09
  64.   Miche Norman, you`ve stolen enough water already... 22:58  |  BBSNews 02/10/09
  65.   Talkbackers provide proof of Levy`s contention 23:52  |  hollingsworth 02/10/09
  66.   Israel has duty to protect her citizens,not to please Levy 02:00  |  Settler 03/10/09
  67.   change 03:04  |  David Reuben 03/10/09
  68.   # 62 regretfully, "S" (2nd try) 10:54  |  eric 03/10/09
  69.   Vladimir #38 11:05  |  Omar Palestine 03/10/09
  70.   Human Shields?? HUH 11:08  |  Omar Palestine 03/10/09
  71.   #66 how is it that settlers are israeli citizens, settler; 11:17  |  eric 03/10/09
  72.   It`s terrible people don`t have more of a moral sense to act ... 12:10  |  Dutch 03/10/09
  73.   # Agatha Foster, Israel and Jews realized at the end of 1945 13:22  |  IAF Veteran 03/10/09
  74.   to Bryan #63 13:23  |  zeev 03/10/09
  75.   Goldstone`s Gaza probe did Israel a favour 13:24  |  Gish 03/10/09
  76.   to Settler #66 13:50  |  zeev, Beersheva 03/10/09
  77.   David Reuben can say it. I can`t 14:15  |  hollingsworth 03/10/09
  78.   Finally, some objectivity! 15:21  |  Tim 03/10/09
  79.   Isarel had the easy part but the hardship is looming 15:47  |  sami abu ismail 03/10/09
  80.   Yes, the truth is hard to digest isn`t it !? 19:30  |  David 03/10/09
  81.   Guilty until proven innocent 22:02  |  Yonatan 03/10/09
  82.   Strange logic by Levy 23:53  |  concerned 03/10/09
  83.   Goldstone report was specifically invited as it is 00:15  |  Carlos 04/10/09
  84.   Goldstone was just a replacement not a serious candidate 07:59  |  Roman 04/10/09
  85.   66 Settler , Re: Israel has a duty to protect her citizens 13:11  |  Dutch 04/10/09
  86.   It`s awful the whip has to be crack before Israelis act... 16:20  |  Dutch 04/10/09
  87.   Dutch I beg you pardon? 21:15  |  Settler 04/10/09
  88.   Gaza warcrimes? 23:13  |  Mo Rosen 04/10/09
  89.   The more things change.... 23:28  |  J Thomas 04/10/09
  90.   Goldstome Report 06:35  |  Eric 05/10/09
  91.   GOLDSTONE 06:49  |  PERRY 05/10/09
  92.   Dutch I beg your pardon? @Settler 11:19  |  Corinna 05/10/09
  93.   Its a pity every country holds Israel to a higher standard 20:42  |  Nick 05/10/09
  94.   Re. Human Shields?? HUH 21:11  |  Terbar 05/10/09
  95.   92, Settler, your end is a foregone conclusion 21:14  |  Dutch 05/10/09
  96.   Palestinian victimhood and lust for death 11:05  |  Gish 06/10/09
  97.   Crime or not... to Eric 07:24  |  EW 07/10/09
  98.   Goldstone 18:12  |  norman 07/10/09
  99.   66 to Setler 18:12  |  laith 07/10/09
  100.   to EW #97 - 6th try 20:29  |  zeev 11/10/09
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