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Last update - 21:38 17/10/2009
PA 'won't oppose war crimes trials for Hamas militants'
By Jack Khoury and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies
Tags: Netanyahu, Israel News 

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

The Palestinian Authority would not oppose the prosecution of Hamas militants on war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court, Israel Radio on Saturday quoted the PA's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva as saying.

Ibrahim Khraishi reportedly made the comments after the UN Human Rights Council's voted in favor of his motion to endorse a report accusing both Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes during the December-January hostilities in Gaza.
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Speaking in an interview with Israel Radio, Khraishi said he had no problem in saying that legal proceedings against Israel over alleged human rights abuses should also be instigated against Palestinians. But he was quoted as adding that occupiers must not be confused with the occupied.
The envoy's remarks came in the wake of scathing Hamas criticism of the PA for initially withdrawing Palestinian support for a vote in the council to have the report sent to the UN General Assembly for possible action.

Fatah, the Palestinian movement that runs the PA, has been a bitter rival of Hamas ever since the Islamist group seized control of the Gaza Strip in a bloody 2007 coup.

Khraishi further said that Israeli soldiers who killed children or prevented Palestinians from receiving medical treatment should be tried at the court, in The Hague, Israel Radio reported.

Goldstone slams UN council for ignoring Hamas war crimes

South African jurist Richard Goldstone, who headed the United Nations investigation over the Gaza offensive, criticized on Friday the Human Rights Council's decision to endorse the report his commission had compiled.

Goldstone told the Swiss newspaper Le Temps before the vote that the wording of the resolution was unfortunate because it included only censure of Israel. He voiced hope that the Human Rights Council would alter the wording of the draft.


In a special session Friday, 25 of the Human Rights Council's members voted in favor of the resolution that chastised Israel for failing to cooperate with the UN mission led by Goldstone. Another six voted against and 11 abstained.

The resolution agreed to in Geneva calls for the UN General Assembly to consider the Goldstone report and for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report back to the Human Rights Council on Israel's adherence to it.

The report calls for the UN Security Council to refer the matter to the International Criminal Court in the Hague if the Israelis or Palestinians fail to investigate the alleged abuses perpetrated.

The countries that voted against the report included the U.S., Italy, Holland, Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine.

China, Russia, Egypt, India, Jordan, Pakistan, South Africa, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ghana, Indonesia, Djibouti, Liberia, Qatar, Senegal, Brazil, Mauritius, Nicaragua and Nigeria voted in favor of the report.

The abstaining countries included Bosnia, Burkina-Faso, Cameron, Gabon, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Belgium, South Korea, Slovenia and Uruguay.
Madagascar and Kyrgyzstan were not present during the vote.

"This resolution goes far beyond even the initial scope of the Goldstone report into a discussion of elements that should be resolved in the context of permanent status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis," U.S. envoy to the UN Douglas Griffiths said, when explaining why his country was voting against the document.

The U.S. has said the report was unfair toward Israel, something Goldstone repeatedly denied, noting he investigated all sides of the conflict.

France called on Friday to delay the UN Human Rights Council vote in Geneva regarding the adoption of the Goldstone Gaza report by half an hour in a last-minute attempt to lobby allies to reject the report's findings.

The French delegates joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent diplomatic attempts to lobby European counterparts, including Holland, Spain and Denmark, to back Israel's rejection of the report's findings.

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      1.   BRAVO! Accountability For War Crimes/Human Rights Abuses PREVAILS 13:40  |  U.S. Pal Defender 16/10/09
      2.   The lost justice 13:48  |  Palestinian 16/10/09
      3.   un adops the report 13:48  |  zoe 16/10/09
      4.   "6 voted No" a Victory for Israel 13:51  |  Sarahgit 16/10/09
      5.   A good and responsible move by the UN 13:52  |  jensd 16/10/09
      6.   WHAT ABOUT EGYPT????? 13:52  |  yona 16/10/09
      7.   This is the direct result of our avoidance techniques... 13:52  |  Esther 16/10/09
      8.   its about time israel is held accountable 13:52  |  sam i am 16/10/09
      9.   Banking on France 13:56  |  B.Morris 16/10/09
      10.   laughable 13:58  |  yechiel 16/10/09
      11.   UN body 14:00  |  Shame american 16/10/09
      12.   GAZA REPORT 14:04  |  MICHAEL 16/10/09
      13.   and how did France vote? 14:04  |  Singer 16/10/09
      14.   Symbolic Vote 14:07  |  Olais@hotmail.com 16/10/09
      15.   UN OK of Goldstone Report 14:08  |  Lee Lipman 16/10/09
      16.   ok so now what? 14:14  |  Welshman 16/10/09
      17.   This Is Very Good News 14:26  |  Yaakov Sullivan 16/10/09
      18.   France, The UK, China and Russia 14:26  |  Henry White 16/10/09
      19.   It is a shame that the US votes against the report. America knows 14:37  |  American 16/10/09
      20.   I wonder if Russia and China 14:40  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/10/09
      21.   it is about time... 14:43  |  ClearCut 16/10/09
      22.   do you feel `put in your place` yet? 14:44  |  more to come 16/10/09
      23.   SND NOW? 14:46  |  CESARE 16/10/09
      24.   Another UN kangaroo court 14:48  |  Petra 16/10/09
      25.   Time to file resolutions of our own 14:49  |  Gil 16/10/09
      26.   The UN is a joke 14:56  |  Jeff 16/10/09
      27.   beginning of the end of impuity? 15:03  |  Jim 16/10/09
      28.   so all countries have now new rules of engagement 15:09  |  JO 16/10/09
      29.   Petra, his name is Richard Goldstone and... 15:10  |  David James Vickery 16/10/09
      30.   Re: Lindwaithe 15:14  |  Apa 16/10/09
      31.   Orwellian Nightmare care of Goldstone & the UN 15:17  |  David P. 16/10/09
      32.   Will Russia and China will investigate their own war crimes? 15:18  |  IW 16/10/09
      33.   Right-wing Europe sticks to right-wing Israel....... 15:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/10/09
      34.   I wonder why it passed? 15:25  |  Antony 16/10/09
      35.   The UN has OCD when it comes to Israel. 15:29  |  David 16/10/09
      36.   WHO CARES? THIS WILL RESULT IN NOTHING 15:31  |  Leor 16/10/09
      37.   #1, Chris Linthwaite 15:34  |  Bruce 16/10/09
      38.   un 15:37  |  michelle 16/10/09
      39.   war crimes 15:39  |  oz 16/10/09
      40.   annex area c 15:42  |  jon 16/10/09
      41.   Goldstone seems based more about anti Israel propoganda than fact 15:42  |  zionist forever 16/10/09
      42.   Joining the world community on equal terms? 15:53  |  Annon 16/10/09
      43.   Bravo To Human Rights Council 15:53  |  Lance 16/10/09
      44.   Excellent. How will HAMAS react to being charged with warcrimes? 15:59  |  Dan 16/10/09
      45.   Israel`s only real crime. 16:02  |  B. Gold 16/10/09
      46.   It was always going to happen. The UNHRC is a disgrace 16:10  |  Paul 16/10/09
      47.   the judges 16:11  |  Yaron 16/10/09
      48.   Israel on war crimes 16:13  |  Ehud Ashkenazi 16/10/09
      49.   who are the judges? 16:18  |  miki 16/10/09
      50.   Wow, talk about war criminal Arab states against innocent Israel 16:21  |  David 16/10/09
      51.   Linthwaite wonders... 16:24  |  SDHD 16/10/09
      52.   #2 16:27  |  N 16/10/09
      53.   goldstone 16:27  |  doubter 16/10/09
      54.   A great victory for the victims of war and the rule of law. 16:31  |  Johan Odin 16/10/09
      55.   #1 I ALSO WONDER IF RUSSIA AND CHINA... 16:33  |  Ian 16/10/09
      56.   Ultimately this will fail 16:37  |  Ron 16/10/09
      57.   Now they are officially war criminals 16:39  |  Pal 16/10/09
      58.   Victory against Jewish extremism 16:42  |  Jethro 16/10/09
      59.   The UN is a paper tiger! 16:49  |  Giora 16/10/09
      60.   To #7 this report is going nowhere nothing but a waste of time 16:55  |  dan 16/10/09
      61.   a joke? 17:00  |  me again 16/10/09
      62.   human rights comission 17:02  |  janet 16/10/09
      63.   WHERE WERE YOU . 17:11  |  SAMUEL ABBO V. 16/10/09
      64.   Human rights violation by Israel in East Jerusalem/West Bank... 17:16  |  Maureen Ann 16/10/09
      65.   Maan News Has Good Coverage of This, Interesting Points Arise 17:16  |  Eli 16/10/09
      66.   Just about when you lose all hope, a glimpse of light appears 17:17  |  Melissa 16/10/09
      67.   russian and china hypocrites 17:23  |  ross 16/10/09
      68.   Who cares about UNAI 17:24  |  Leon 16/10/09
      69.   Great result 17:32  |  r cummings 16/10/09
      70.   Maan News Has Good Coverage of This, Interesting Points Arise 17:33  |  Eli 16/10/09
      71.   Wouldn`t it be smarter to just comply and investigate? 17:53  |  David 16/10/09
      72.   Anything less would have been unconscionable... 17:57  |  Dutch 16/10/09
      73.   I am not so sure 21:11  |  Gene 16/10/09
      74.   UN=Useless Organization 21:18  |  Najeeb 16/10/09
      75.   Boker Tov, mar Golsdstein 21:58  |  17 16/10/09
      76.   Goldstone Report 22:00  |  harold 16/10/09
      77.   As a Dutchman I am ashamed... 22:03  |  Ben Alofs 16/10/09
      78.   Egypt?! 22:05  |  Nathan 16/10/09
      79.   damage 22:08  |  Arieka 16/10/09
      80.   #8 22:09  |  Harold 16/10/09
      81.   If that`s the choice, Chris... 22:09  |  Miransky 16/10/09
      82.   Chosen, More to Come? 22:13  |  Miransky 16/10/09
      83.   UN body okays Goldstone Gaza report 22:13  |  Harold 16/10/09
      84.   Goldstone - A naive Jew seeking for understanding 22:25  |  Mike 16/10/09
      85.   Said day for justice ... 22:26  |  kibishi 16/10/09
      86.   #14 victory???? 22:42  |  VS 16/10/09
      87.   And now Goldstone will show the UN for the farce that it is 22:45  |  Murray of Montreal 16/10/09
      88.   Goldstone Was Born Yesterday 22:52  |  mike 16/10/09
      89.   Goldstone outraged? 23:01  |  Mr. Marty 16/10/09
      90.   I live in South Africa and this country makes me puke! 23:09  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 16/10/09
      91.   What did Goldstone expect? 23:15  |  Aharon 16/10/09
      92.   Re #16 23:23  |  Get Bent 16/10/09
      93.   Ashamed for my country 23:37  |  Anne de Jong 16/10/09
      94.   that`s what happens, Mr Goldstone, when you lend your services to 23:54  |  ivo 16/10/09
      95.   Now he realizes 23:59  |  utagawa 16/10/09
      96.   3rd world countries / human rights 00:10  |  Arnold 17/10/09
      97.   Nero too wept for Rome after he himself burned it. 00:16  |  Fortuna Benmayor 17/10/09
      98.   Goldstone Report to UN 00:38  |  Egon 17/10/09
      99.   Flawed Methodology 00:39  |  Daniel Abrams 17/10/09
      100.   Your Honour, You should have known! 01:00  |  Adam 17/10/09
      101.   Johan: Your talking through your nose 01:08  |  Brad 17/10/09
      102.   Oh Goldstone what did you expect 01:21  |  Gil 17/10/09
      103.   HUMAN RIGHTS- AMNESTY INT`L- shalit 01:26  |  Arnold 17/10/09
      104.   Goldstone`s Frankenstein Palestine Report 01:57  |  Michael J 17/10/09
      105.   remorse? 02:05  |  Shmuelshachor 17/10/09
      106.   if accused might as well 02:06  |  todd 17/10/09
      107.   Goldstone did not prepare a report yet about 02:09  |  Canadian Observer 17/10/09
      108.   Too Late, Mr. Goldstone - You`ve Served Your Purpose 02:10  |  massaraksh 17/10/09
      109.   What did you think Mr Goldstone? 02:21  |  Lola 17/10/09
      110.   UN body okays Goldstone Gaza report 02:30  |  sfg 17/10/09
      111.   Lamenting the report, sorry I told you so. 02:41  |  Stephen. 17/10/09
      112.   Mr Goldstone, may your remaining night sleeps be restless 02:49  |  Richard S 17/10/09
      113.   Report 03:15  |  Marc 17/10/09
      114.   No sympathy 03:47  |  zon moy 17/10/09
      115.   No sane person would have taken this job; what was he thinking? 03:52  |  Israeli 17/10/09
      116.   Remeber the mandate doesnt mention Hamas; so what`s changed goldy 03:57  |  Dan 17/10/09
      117.   toilet paper 04:23  |  real vision 17/10/09
      118.   As a brazilian jew, I am ashamed and nauseated. 04:31  |  Ami ben Abraam 17/10/09
      119.   Anti-Semitism 04:48  |  David 17/10/09
      120.   Goldstone, the one who tried playing G-d 05:01  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/10/09
      121.   Shame on you Goldstone and Brazilian government too 05:24  |  Sade 17/10/09
      122.   I will tell you what he was thinking #35 05:39  |  Aussie Mal 17/10/09
      123.   Pot calling the kettle black 05:44  |  Daniel Leopold 17/10/09
      124.   There is NO chosen race, God is fair 05:46  |  save the world 17/10/09
      125.   Misleading 05:53  |  Theo 17/10/09
      126.   Goldstone is a dupe and now he knows it 05:58  |  JW 17/10/09
      127.   Forginess 06:08  |  Arieka 17/10/09
      128.   Goldstone and the UN are out of control. 06:12  |  flower, USA 17/10/09
      129.   Goldstone you are a very brave Jew 06:24  |  Marc Leb 17/10/09
      130.   #24 Ivo: excellent note, thank you. Everyone should read. 06:34  |  Vlad 17/10/09
      131.   Goldstone did his part, Goldsone may go home... 06:38  |  Vlad 17/10/09
      132.   Hey Goldstone, it`s YOUR report! 06:57  |  Heather Czerniak 17/10/09
      133.   DISMANTLE THE UN!!! 07:02  |  Mary Witherspoon 17/10/09
      134.   Surprised! 08:07  |  Mike 17/10/09
      135.   Johan Odin REINVENTS the vote RESULTS 08:22  |  CK Tan 17/10/09
      136.   Was "Gullible" Goldstone BORN yesterday? 08:23  |  CK Tan 17/10/09
      137.   #17 dr ben on his soapbox and blinkered vision 08:28  |  vhardman 17/10/09
      138.   Goldstones error, inadvertant Hamas puppet 08:29  |  peter rouget 17/10/09
      139.   give bibi a little more time bibi alienate more countries 08:52  |  eric 17/10/09
      140.   80~ eric, bibi just stir the mug & alienated no one ! 10:58  |  Akram Zekaria 17/10/09
      141.   Human rights 11:00  |  ben 17/10/09
      142.   send both Haniyeh and Omert to the Hague 11:44  |  kocmalogue 17/10/09
      143.   UN Report 12:45  |  Heather 17/10/09
      144.   PA 12:55  |  oz 17/10/09
      145.   Goldstone Unhappy 13:05  |  Elise 17/10/09
      146.   najeeb 13:09  |  Yaron 17/10/09
      147.   So some of you think it`s okay for the UNHRC to pick and chose 13:45  |  Conroy 17/10/09
      148.   The dark forces and the Kangaroo court 13:51  |  Brod 17/10/09
      149.   That`s nice 15:32  |  Mark Lincoln 17/10/09
      150.   3 way legal war 15:32  |  abbas is quisling 17/10/09
      151.   Because there won`t be any 15:38  |  steve from raleigh 17/10/09
      152.   Can one of the Generals here on Talkback please advise 18:26  |  Retired 17/10/09
      153.   Goldstone should not be unhappy, he should be happily 19:50  |  dead 17/10/09
      154.   Eli, I Agree. Maan Articles and Presentation Much Improved. 22:05  |  Reader 17/10/09
      155.   to Retired #52 - right you are 22:06  |  zeev 17/10/09
      156.   Zeev 22:28  |  Retired 17/10/09
      157.   Goldstone 01:47  |  Chayim 18/10/09
      158.   This `world renowned jurist` should have got peace prize 02:32  |  Roo 18/10/09
      159.   JO.....yes, indeed 03:09  |  Lynn 18/10/09
      160.   # 140 re: the middle-east conflict, akram (2nd try) 03:27  |  eric 18/10/09
      161.   pa wont oppose....... 03:27  |  hanan 18/10/09
      162.   # 140 re: the middle-east conflict, akram (2nd try) 04:57  |  eric 18/10/09
      163.   to Retired #156 - 2nd try 09:50  |  zeev 18/10/09
      164.   to Ian #55 - 5th try 10:32  |  zeev 18/10/09
      165.   And now?.... 14:51  |  Cesare 18/10/09
      166.   #159ZEEV--SO MUCH READ INTO MY SO FEW WORDS!! 15:29  |  Ian 18/10/09
      167.   Goldstone 16:55  |  Aron 18/10/09
      168.   China,Russia,Pakistan,India,South Africa???? 17:21  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      169.   hey Goldstone go pay Beijing a visit wont you??? 17:25  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      170.   Hamas did not committ war crimes 17:35  |  steve 18/10/09
      171.   what moral ground 17:45  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      172.   I read the other day that Congolese troops backed by the UN 17:55  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      173.   163#harmless firecrackers 18:14  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      174.   114# any sympathy for China and Russia??? 18:17  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      175.   to Ian #161 18:17  |  zeev 18/10/09
      176.   to Jeff #26 - 4th try 18:18  |  zeev 18/10/09
      177.   157# Eric 18:29  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      178.   I wont disagree with you on this one Najeeb 18:39  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      179.   Najeeb the United nations can be broken down to one thing. 18:41  |  Israeliguy 18/10/09
      180.   #170 SHAKE HANDS,ZEEV!!! 20:09  |  Ian 18/10/09
      181.   sand niggers 05:39  |  everette 19/10/09
      182.   Re PA won`t oppose war crimes for Hamas Militants 16:02  |  Dutch 20/10/09
      183.   war criminals 11:04  |  Samuel 26/10/09
      184.   44 11:22  |  Samuel 26/10/09
      185.   Dino 11:34  |  Samuel 26/10/09
      186.   lies etc. 11:45  |  Samuel 26/10/09
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