Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., November 04, 2009 Cheshvan 17, 5770 | | Israel Time: 10:51 (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
Judge Richard Goldstone, Head of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict.
 AP
Share |
Last update - 12:46 03/11/2009
U.K., France want Israel, PA to probe Goldstone war crimes claims
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: UN, Goldstone Gaza Report 

A joint French-British UN initiative would call on Israel and the Palestinians to hold immediate, independent investigations into war crimes allegations stemming from the war in Gaza, as part of a bid to send the Goldstone report back to Geneva and out of the hands of the Security Council or the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

The proposal comes before the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled Wednesday to deliberate on the Goldstone report on the war in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

A source at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said that French President Nicolas Sarkozy informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the details of the initiative during a telephone conversation.
Advertisement
Netanyahu asked the French President to take action among European Union partners in an effort to form collective opposition to any resolution at the UN on the Goldstone report.

The initiative is a list of "red lines" which was adopted by the 27 members of the European Union. Its main points:

1. A resolution brought for the approval of the General Assembly will not include operational steps, like taking the matter to the Security Council or the International Court of Justice.

2. The resolution would call on Israel and the Palestinians to embark on an independent investigation into the events of Operation Cast Lead, and the allegations of war crimes.

3. The handling of the Goldstone report will return to the Human Rights Council, the UN body in Geneva. The parties will have to report to the council on the findings of their investigations in a few months.

According to the Foreign Ministry source, the document was delivered yesterday by the British and French permanent representatives at the UN to the Palestinian Authority delegation at the international body, as well as the representatives of Arab states, and the members of the Security Council.

Arab representatives at the UN are expected to complete Tuesday the first draft of a resolution that will be brought to the General Assembly for a vote.

The French and British has emphasized in their exchanges with the Arab representatives that if the "red lines" are not part of the resolution being prepared, the European Union will abstain, and may even vote against it - and expects that much of the international community will too.

"If you agree to go for a simple resolution which calls on Israel to carry out an investigation you will receive full support," a source familiar with the proposal said. "However, if you attempt to go further there will be at least 60 abstentions and only 120 votes in support."

Any resolution the Palestinians put forth will receive a large majority, but there is great importance to the weight of EU votes, and other countries who will vote in line with the EU.

Assessments in Israel hold that there is little chance the Palestinians will agree to the Franco-British proposal and Jerusalem wants any resolution torpedoed.

Related articles:
  • Russians deal Lieberman 'slap' by endorsing Goldstone report
  • Finance Minister: UN backing of Goldstone report is `anti-Semitic`
  • Bradley Burston / Dovish Jews? They love Israel? Excommunicate them
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Perils of anti-Semitism
    Is the West ignoring Islamist hatred of Jews as much as it did Nazi manifestations?
    From Iran to Hamas
    Hamas has reportedly test-fired a missile - supplied by Iran - capable of hitting Tel Aviv.
      1.   Will there be enquiry into uselessness of Geneva Conven in Terror 03:42  |  Alan SA 03/11/09
      2.   Playing Games With Justice 04:01  |  Cool B 03/11/09
      3.   Let the games begin! 04:26  |  Caligula 03/11/09
      4.   Hypocrates 04:29  |  Bazmann 03/11/09
      5.   What a joke 04:42  |  Kanwal 03/11/09
      6.   No veto in UNGA & abstaining does`t defeat a resolution 04:50  |  CJ 03/11/09
      7.   Double Standards 04:54  |  Surprised 03/11/09
      8.   Israel`s spin machine is the best in the world. 05:10  |  bob 03/11/09
      9.   Vote to let Israel off the hook again or else? 05:20  |  Joe 03/11/09
      10.   Vote to let Israel off the hook again or else? 05:31  |  Joe 03/11/09
      11.   It belongs in a garbage can 05:36  |  Dan 03/11/09
      12.   Will UK and France include themselves in the investigation? 05:39  |  1M civilians killed 03/11/09
      13.   Analyzing the motivations behind the move 05:44  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 03/11/09
      14.   Funny, that exactly what Richard Goldstone`s mission asked for... 06:11  |  BBSNews 03/11/09
      15.   shameful 06:11  |  stella westwell 03/11/09
      16.   Europe covers for Obama 06:31  |  Javier Lobo 03/11/09
      17.   Israel would be both operatively and morally crazy... 06:37  |  Esther 03/11/09
      18.   Alan SA - What Proposal? 07:10  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/11/09
      19.   And then they wonder.... 07:16  |  Nostradamus 03/11/09
      20.   #5-7 The Arab world is full of liberal democracies 08:22  |  Jackofalltrades 03/11/09
      21.   Hopefully, Israel will loudly and categorically refuse 09:50  |  Colin Wright 03/11/09
      22.   Alan SA 09:51  |  jake 1948 03/11/09
      23.   Arab+Muslim attempts to isolate Israel from West unsuccessful 09:56  |  Sam 03/11/09
      24.   #18, Mark 10:05  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 03/11/09
      25.   Bazman #4 (2nd try) 10:05  |  S 03/11/09
      26.   Who controls the media? Pals get away with war crimes 10:06  |  Joe Sittizen 03/11/09
      27.   Sam from Canada 10:08  |  j. from Calgary 03/11/09
      28.   The only difference between the U,S and the U.K/France...... 10:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/11/09
      29.   j from calgary-Your Prime Minister is on Israel`s side 10:17  |  Sam 03/11/09
      30.   Goldstone Claims have become a bad joke 10:18  |  fredyr 03/11/09
      31.   CJK 10:25  |  sh 03/11/09
      32.   Sam the smart Canadian zionist with thin skin 10:34  |  j. from Calgary 03/11/09
      33.   j from Calgary-your Liberal party supports Israel too 10:50  |  Sam 03/11/09
      34.   This is a two-edged sword 11:06  |  r cummings 03/11/09
      35.   #31, sh 11:40  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 03/11/09
      36.   Like Sinai war betrayal 11:55  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 03/11/09
      37.   #31, sh, 2 11:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 03/11/09
      38.   The important and the superficial 12:09  |  arik 03/11/09
      39.   Let`s see Nato+the Taliban do internal Afghan reviews too 13:04  |  Sam 03/11/09
      40.   probe 13:08  |  Yaron 03/11/09
      41.   sh, Cipora... the truth is that Hamas appropriated... 13:09  |  Esther 03/11/09
      42.   General Assembly is legally irrelevant 14:10  |  The Prophet 03/11/09
      43.   #36 Chaim Ben Kahan 14:15  |  Chris Linthwaite 03/11/09
      44.   Article 17 of ICC - if a country investigates itself, ICC can`t 14:47  |  Sally 03/11/09
      45.   Europe is lost - in more than in one sense -it plays 14:48  |  17 03/11/09
      46.   Or else what??? 15:09  |  Justine Effort 03/11/09
      47.   joe sittizen 26 15:27  |  potobac 03/11/09
      48.   Israel committed a big mistake to let UN to investigate in gaza 15:34  |  spander 03/11/09
      49.   Begging Israel to investigate 15:39  |  Mark Lincoln 03/11/09
      50.   Nothing new under the sun 17:22  |  Sherlock Holmes 03/11/09
      51.   France and England 19:00  |  Ron 03/11/09
      52.   Correct #51 Ron 19:26  |  S 03/11/09
      53.   #17 Esther 20:20  |  Jim 03/11/09
      54.   #34 r cummings 20:53  |  Jim 03/11/09
      55.   the prophet 42 20:54  |  potobac 03/11/09
      56.   #44 Sally 21:04  |  Jim 03/11/09
      57.   "A joint French-British UN initiative?" Perhaps while they... 21:52  |  bat yam 03/11/09
      58.   Lincoln projects fear 22:16  |  SDHD 03/11/09
      59.   Not surprised by the Brits 23:38  |  Mike McKenna 03/11/09
      60.   sdhd 56 00:51  |  potobac 04/11/09
      61.   What the French and British understand 01:02  |  Mike M 04/11/09
      62.   gaza prove 02:43  |  Cesare 04/11/09
      63.   CESARE Gaza proves UNHCR heard what they wanted to hear 06:09  |  PETER SM 04/11/09
    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
    10:50 Israel commandos storm arms-laden ship from Iran
    05:19 U.S. House backs resolution to condemn Goldstone Gaza report
    09:42 Iran police clash with thousands of anti-Ahmadinejad protesters
    02:59 'Jewish terrorist' suspected in murder blamed on Palestinians
    10:46 B'Tselem: IDF probes alleged cases of harm to civilians in Gaza
    04:55 ANALYSIS / Israel preparing public for a new war in Gaza
    04:21 Iran twitchy since Israel strike on Syria nuke reactor
    22:04 TV ROUND-UP: Hamas missile can reach Tel Aviv, 'Taliban mother' sentenced to prison
    05:48 Will Israeli schools hop on the anti-obesity bandwagon?
    03:44 Keys to Kafka's Tel Aviv safe handed to estate executor
    06:08 Lador blasts Neeman: Splitting AG post will harm rule of law
    10:11 UN chief to Israel: End 'provocative actions' in East Jerusalem
    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