Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., October 23, 2009 Cheshvan 5, 5770 | | Israel Time: 11:58 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Jewish World Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Focus U.S.A. Strenger than Fiction Business Travel Magazine Week's End Anglo File Books
Share |
Last update - 20:08 18/10/2009
'Delegitimization of Israel must be delegitimized'
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Israel 

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

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Friday that Israel must prepare for a protracted struggle against a damning United Nations report on its winter offensive in Gaza, after the UN's Human Rights Council endorsed the report.

"The delegitimization [of Israel] must be delegitimized," said Netanyahu at meetings Friday. He said the battle against the report, which accused both Israel and Hamas of war crimes, would be legal and diplomatic, adding that Israel should take the appropriate measures against it.
Advertisement

While the UN investigation labeled Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli towns as war crimes, the bulk of the findings focused on Israeli actions during the three-week campaign.

The 575-page document, authored by South African jurist Richard Goldstone, concluded that Israel used disproportionate force, deliberately targeted civilians, used Palestinians as human shields and destroyed civilian infrastructure during the operation to root out Gaza rocket squads.

In his comments Friday, Netanyahu further said that the report was a symptom of a broader phenomenon that has taken place in the West and UN institutions over recent years.

"The UN has returned to the dark days during which it equated Zionism with racism," he added.

Meanwhile, Israel will seek clarifications from Russia, China and India in light of their voting for the motion on Friday. The deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, said Israel was disappointed by those countries' behavior.

"They needed to act with greater consideration, since the report is unprofessional, false and takes the right to self defense from democratic states, which in the end will also hurt them," said Ayalon at a cultural event in Holon.

Israel rejects UN body support for report

Also Friday, Israel's Foreign Ministry rejected the council's decision to endorse the report, calling the decision "unjust."

The Foreign Ministry issued an official response to the UN vote, saying that "Israel will continue to exercise its right to self-defense and to preserve the security of its citizens."

"Israel believes," the statement continued, "that the decision harms efforts to protect human rights in accordance with international law and hinders efforts to promote the peace process as well as encouraging terror organizations around the world."

During the UN Human Rights Council session Friday, the Palestinian UN delegate said during the session that "Israel denies Palestinians basic human rights and this issue cannot be compromised."

U.S. State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly on Friday defended the U.S. vote against adopting the resolution, saying it had an "unbalanced focus" and that the U.S. is concerned "it will exacerbate polarization and divisiveness."

Kelly continued by saying that the U.S. vote against endorsing the report "in no way diminishes the deep concern that we have about the tragic events of last January and the suffering caused by the violence in Gaza and southern Israel."

The parties need adequate time to study the report and establish accountability measures, said Kelly, adding that U.S. envoy George Mitchell will be meeting with Israeli and Palestinian officials this week and next.

Jerusalem sources said that a marked improvement could be seen in Friday's UN Human Rights Council session, in comparison to the initial vote to establish the Goldstone commission, which investigated Israel and Hamas' conduct during the war, and subsequently compiled the damning report.

"However," the ministry statement said, "Israel still feels that the UNHRC decision was one-sided."

"Israel thanks the countries that supported our position, and those who, with their vote, voiced their opposition to the unjust decision which ignores the murderous Hamas attacks against Israeli citizens," the statement said. "The decision ignores the fact that the Israel Defense Forces took unprecedented measures to avoid harming innocent civilians, and the fact that terror organizations used civilians as human shields in Gaza."

Livni: UN body's vote was political and cynical

Former foreign minister and opposition leader Tzipi Livni also issued a response to the vote, saying that "since the inception of the Human Rights Council, it has viewed Israel in a distorted fashion, just as the report itself does. Today's vote was political and cynical. Israel will continue to do the right thing and to protect its citizens, and will continue the international battle against the report to ensure the legal protection of IDF officers, wherever they may be."

Israeli Arab MK Ahmed Tibi welcomed the council's decision and said that the adoption of the report's findings was 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 honor," Tibi said.

Shas Chairman Eli Yishai condemned the UN council's decision calling it an anti-Israel decision based on an anti-Israel report.

Meanwhile, Friday, Hamas welcomed the UN vote, saying that the organization hoped it would lead to "the beginning of the prosecution of the leaders of the occupation."

"The Palestinian government welcomes the endorsement on the Goldstone report and thanks the friendly countries which voted in favor of the report," Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nono said.

Nabil Abu Rudeinah, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, added that what was needed was a follow-up on implementation of the recommandations in the report, "to protect the Palestinian people from Israeli aggression."

"The most important thing now is to continue with steps to make sure that the Zionist criminals are brought to trial," said another Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri.

Following the vote, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Press Association reported.

The letter acknowledged the sensitivity of the Goldstone report in Israel and encouraged Israel to handle it in a way that supports progress in the Middle East.

Israel's right to defend itself was stressed in the letter, which included an invitation to Netanyahu to visit Europe for talks.

Brown and Sarkozy laid out steps to move the peace process forward, including an independent and transparent investigation into accusations made against Israel in relation to alleged war crimes in Gaza; improved humanitarian access to Gaza; and a complete freeze on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Related articles:
  • Goldstone slams UN council for ignoring Hamas war crimes
  • UN human rights chief endorses Goldstone Gaza report
  • Palestinian UN draft / The more extreme, the better for Israel
  • Netanyahu vows never to let Israelis be tried for war crimes
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Barring Refaeli
    Ultra-Orthodox rabbis are irate over a highway billboard featuring model Bar Refaeli.
    Goldstone vs. Obama
    Goldstone challenges U.S. president: Show me flaws in the report on Gaza war crimes.
      1.   The Goldstone show-trial. 16:05  |  B. Gold 16/10/09
      2.   I hope it results in the prosecution of Hamas 16:06  |  Mark Lincoln 16/10/09
      3.   Uno momento por favor 16:10  |  Alex 16/10/09
      4.   How oddly prophetic 16:27  |  allang 16/10/09
      5.   Why don`t the Hamas men give themselves up for prosecution first? 16:30  |  McQueen 16/10/09
      6.   Israeli leaders are not immune to arrested in US 16:31  |  Tony 16/10/09
      7.   Why not? Justice must be done 16:43  |  Tony Silver 16/10/09
      8.   HAMAS didn`t read the whole resolution 16:53  |  Giora 16/10/09
      9.   Goldstone Report is a Runaway Train 16:54  |  Stephen 16/10/09
      10.   Better still McQueen, why don`t the Hamas 17:58  |  r cummings 16/10/09
      11.   Israel 20:30  |  phil 16/10/09
      12.   Of course it`s one-sided. Occupations usually are. 20:35  |  Antonius 16/10/09
      13.   Erroneos and absurd interpretation of humanitarian law. 20:36  |  B. Gold 16/10/09
      14.   Did Apartheid South Africa Ever Do Differently? 20:36  |  Yaakov Sullivan 16/10/09
      15.   Poor Israel.So misunderstood 20:55  |  Natallie Durson 16/10/09
      16.   Typical 20:58  |  Mark Lincoln 16/10/09
      17.   GoldStone Report 21:04  |  Sasha 16/10/09
      18.   Goldstone report 21:09  |  manijeh 16/10/09
      19.   goldstone and the U N 21:17  |  Jak 16/10/09
      20.   Bias 21:17  |  Paul Cohen 16/10/09
      21.   Hamas weren`t using Phosphorus & Human Sheilds 21:30  |  Marc Leb 16/10/09
      22.   unjust 21:33  |  DOV KORET 16/10/09
      23.   Why don`t the Israelis give themselves up for prosecution first 21:37  |  Oz Person 16/10/09
      24.   Goldstone condemns the UN`s BIAS 22:00  |  *BEN JABO 16/10/09
      25.   r cummings 22:01  |  judith 16/10/09
      26.   I second Cummings` comment 22:19  |  one 16/10/09
      27.   I agree with McQueen 22:47  |  ramsey 16/10/09
      28.   "Unprecendented" chutzpah 23:09  |  David 16/10/09
      29.   You`re all missing the point 23:14  |  Derek 16/10/09
      30.   Go ahead Hamas, fire more rockets into Sderot 23:34  |  Conroy 16/10/09
      31.   Goldstone 00:27  |  Jeff 17/10/09
      32.   Total BS 00:52  |  Jasper 17/10/09
      33.   Nice to Know Who Your Friends Are 01:33  |  Jane 17/10/09
      34.   :: `Self-defence` needs to be investigated 02:07  |  Matty Groves 17/10/09
      35.   More important by far 02:09  |  Mark Lincoln 17/10/09
      36.   Islamic terrorism and liberal blindness 02:17  |  sfg 17/10/09
      37.   This will encorage more setlments 02:22  |  Canadian 17/10/09
      38.   You ask "Why don`t Hamas men give themselves up?" 02:25  |  JP 17/10/09
      39.   Sure they are, Tony. And rightly so. 02:26  |  JP 17/10/09
      40.   over 75% of the world voted AGAINST US/Israel 02:40  |  real_future 17/10/09
      41.   You Looed For It 02:55  |  Arturo 17/10/09
      42.   Matty 03:39  |  Marc 17/10/09
      43.   Un is so Dangerous Its really the Arab League 03:51  |  What a sham 17/10/09
      44.   Thanks the countries that supported our position 03:57  |  No chance for peace 17/10/09
      45.   To # 7 04:13  |  Ilana 17/10/09
      46.   Gold(stone-walled) Report 04:17  |  Samuel 17/10/09
      47.   UK, France, attempt to blackmail Israel 05:11  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/10/09
      48.   Board of Deputies of British Jews 05:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/10/09
      49.   Cipora Julianna Kohn - What`s So Scary? 05:54  |  Mark of Lewiston 17/10/09
      50.   reason 06:10  |  another Canadian 17/10/09
      51.   #23, Mark, we are not scared 06:23  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/10/09
      52.   Didn`t see that reaction coming 07:02  |  Richard Pearce 17/10/09
      53.   44 Cipora - Diplomacy 07:23  |  Mark of Lewiston 17/10/09
      54.   Cipora #44... we resent... 07:28  |  Esther 17/10/09
      55.   Russia voted for the resolution,and Ukraine against it. 07:28  |  Sarah 17/10/09
      56.   British abstention speaks for itself... 07:51  |  Esther 17/10/09
      57.   Can the UNO be trusted ? 08:00  |  B. Gold 17/10/09
      58.   Good deal 08:38  |  Doc1559 17/10/09
      59.   What about Hamas? 08:45  |  John of Jordan 17/10/09
      60.   Israel can reject all it wants.... 09:10  |  Dutch 17/10/09
      61.   Cipora #41...the Brits did Israel a favor by abstaining... 09:18  |  Esther 17/10/09
      62.   self defence has limits 09:39  |  just facts 17/10/09
      63.   Mark of Lewiston 09:58  |  ssss 17/10/09
      64.   This Israeli narrative that Goldstone and the UN 12:34  |  r cummings 17/10/09
      65.   `The battle will be legal and diplomatic` 13:32  |  r cummings 17/10/09
      66.   The Israel = Hamas equation is there now, and it will remain so.. 14:04  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/10/09
      67.   go Bibi go !!! 14:44  |  Daniela 17/10/09
      68.   Netanyahoo: Prepare for long struggle against truth 15:01  |  VOICE OF AMERICA)) 17/10/09
      69.   #65 R Cummings the anaylis of a person on a one way street 15:19  |  H 17/10/09
      70.   Out Damn Spot 15:26  |  Mark Lincoln 17/10/09
      71.   Dig it! 15:28  |  Mark Lincoln 17/10/09
      72.   The world hates us... 15:37  |  Bazmann 17/10/09
      73.   Now Goldstone is ashamed of himself, but he had to see the....... 17:47  |  Vittorio 17/10/09
      74.   Goldstone and consequences 18:11  |  norman a blumberg 17/10/09
      75.   I agree with Livni 18:16  |  Richard Pearce 17/10/09
      76.   Uh, no. The struggle is not against the Goldstone Report... 18:45  |  Stephen 17/10/09
      77.   The Israeli Leaderhip Cannot Approve Investigation 19:00  |  chet 17/10/09
      78.   c j kohn 48 19:12  |  potobac 17/10/09
      79.   the whole world hates us 19:23  |  michael 17/10/09
      80.   Prepare for long struggle 19:33  |  Axel 17/10/09
      81.   war does not solve problems 20:21  |  talal 17/10/09
      82.   Israel needs to man up and weed out its own war criminals... 20:21  |  josh 17/10/09
      83.   VITTORIO! WHAT????? 21:46  |  Ahmet 17/10/09
      84.   Hamas welcomes the report 22:05  |  Fortuna Benmayor 17/10/09
      85.   Antonius of New York 22:11  |  Alice 17/10/09
      86.   Potobac 22:13  |  Sal 17/10/09
      87.   Regardless of what happens at the UN... 22:18  |  Mary Witherspoon 17/10/09
      88.   Self-pity 22:28  |  Mark Lincoln 17/10/09
      89.   "to defend her borders" 22:30  |  Fritz T. 17/10/09
      90.   Until Generals lead our troops-not order war crimes committed 00:14  |  Uzi Levy 18/10/09
      91.   sal 86 00:24  |  potobac 18/10/09
      92.   Mr. PM 00:44  |  jay 18/10/09
      93.   Israel is more than silly wars 00:53  |  Fritz T. 18/10/09
      94.   #6 reciprocal culpability 01:01  |  Mike B 18/10/09
      95.   The Reality of the Goldstone Report 01:13  |  Brad 18/10/09
      96.   #23 Oz Person 01:20  |  *BEN JABO 18/10/09
      97.   `Delegitimization of Israel must be delegitimized` 01:24  |  Tom 18/10/09
      98.   Talal - Exactly 01:37  |  Jane 18/10/09
      99.   Mary Witherspoon- UH??? 01:39  |  CJ 18/10/09
      100.   No one is delegitimizing Israel 01:39  |  Palestinian Prince 18/10/09
      101.   Alice - Gaza is occupied 01:42  |  CJ 18/10/09
      102.   Cipora Julianna Kohn - do tell 02:02  |  CJ 18/10/09
      103.   TO Alice #85 02:22  |  Steve Beikirch 18/10/09
      104.   Will israel follow Netanyahu into the abyss? 03:32  |  Mark Lincoln 18/10/09
      105.   Reality 03:35  |  DaveL 18/10/09
      106.   Demonize Your Opponents & Delegitimize Goldstone Report 03:38  |  Ed 18/10/09
      107.   #17sasha makes sense-pals elected a terrorist org,Hamas 04:16  |  FU 18/10/09
      108.   What`s Obama`s price for vetoing Goldstone? 06:22  |  Fortuna Benmayor 18/10/09
      109.   Michael from Canada 09:31  |  j. from Calgary, 18/10/09
      110.   @78, potobac 10:52  |  v 18/10/09
      111.   Bad management 13:55  |  jose 18/10/09
      112.   actually netanyahu, "legitimacy" is born of "accountability"... 20:23  |  eric 18/10/09
      113.   apparently the goldstone report WOULD have been perceived "fair" 20:24  |  eric 18/10/09
      114.   Potobac 20:58  |  Sal 18/10/09
      115.   UNHRC resolution is a perversion of the Goldstone Report 22:26  |  Realist 18/10/09
      116.   3 steps 22:51  |  Jim 18/10/09
      117.   Eric 113 the Goldstone Report would be fair if it told THE TRUTH 23:05  |  Realist 18/10/09
      118.   #108 It really doesn`t matter, Fortuna 23:40  |  Johnboy 18/10/09
      119.   #72 Bazman 00:19  |  Jim 19/10/09
      120.   #77 chet 00:42  |  Jim 19/10/09
      121.   #82 josh 00:57  |  Jim 19/10/09
      122.   #90 Uzi Levy 01:28  |  Jim 19/10/09
      123.   #108 Fortuna Benmayor 01:53  |  Jim 19/10/09
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Date Local Jewish Singles
    Ready to meet your match? Join Jdate today!
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    More Headlines
    11:09 Lieberman to Ban: Don't let Goldstone report gain ground in UN
    11:10 U.S. envoy: Efforts to revive Mideast talks haven't failed
    08:47 EU official: Israel out of the loop on Iran talks
    08:47 ANALYSIS / Will Iran nuke deal bury chances of Israeli attack?
    11:58 Israel confirms West Bank settlers ramping up construction
    06:06 Solana to Haaretz: New rules of war needed for age of terror
    09:46 IDF threatens to dismiss 'disgraceful' pro-settler troops
    11:23 After Lebanon war devastation, Hezbollah suburb now booming
    09:47 TV ROUND-UP: Netanyahu's crisis, BBC's 'far-rightist' spot
    08:48 COMMENT / BBC is correct to give platform to far-rightist
    06:43 Palestinian leaders urge Gaza militants to kidnap more IDF troops
    07:29 Shulamit Aloni / Shas 'racial purity' policy toward migrant kids is a disgrace
    10:10 U.S. asks Switzerland to extradite Roman Polanski
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Advert: Recommended Restaurants | 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