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IDF already investigating some Goldstone allegations
By Amir Oren
Tags: Military Advocate, IDF 

While the IDF is opposed, in principle, to setting up a committee of inquiry into the allegations against Israel made in the Goldstone Report on the fighting in the Gaza Strip, the military advocate general, Brig. Gen. Avichai Mendelblit, has ordered investigations into a number of allegations, currently being carried out by the Military Police.

Mendelblit has ordered investigations into 12 incidents that were, even before the report, the focus of Military Police investigations or part of operational investigations. Two involved civilian deaths, based on Palestinian claims. In the 10 other incidents, Palestinians claimed their property had been destroyed. Coordination of the investigations is being handled by the chief of Military Police in the Southern Command, Lt. Col. Gil Mamon. Mendelblit is part of a team of senior legal experts the government established last week to formulate recommendations on dealing with the report. The findings are to serve as the backbone for a counter-Goldstone report that is expected to be ready in a month.

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One of Mendelblit's arguments against creating a committee of inquiry following the Goldstone Report is that such a committee has never been set up as a result of external pressure, and says that surrendering to international pressure will constitute a dangerous precedent.

In his view there is no reason for an internal investigation into the policy decided by the government and then implemented into legal orders. He does believe, however, that it is possible to carry out an investigation into specific incidents. According to the Goldstone Report, government policy - or the orders on the use of force - was allegedly to purposely violate Palestinian human rights in the Gaza Strip.

Mendelblit's starting point contradicts that of the Goldstone commission, and relies on a Supreme Court ruling on providing Gaza with electricity, which also determined that with the pullout from the Strip in 2005, Israel's occupation of the territory came to an end. As such, the military attorney general argues that IDF operations in the Gaza Strip should fall only within humanitarian international law and international law governing warfare, and not the law on human rights.

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      1.   Destruction of Berlin and Dresden should also be investigated 02:50  |  Absolute Sweden 06/11/09
      2.   Cover Up 05:20  |  O C 06/11/09
      3.   2, DEATHS INVESTIGATED,.. 05:42  |  EL 06/11/09
      4.   Shooting civilians with white flags, investigate that... 06:40  |  BBSNews 06/11/09
      5.   1 Absolute - IDF Doesn`t have the Resources 06:45  |  Mark of Lewiston 06/11/09
      6.   So why did Israel not cooperate with Goldstone? 06:56  |  Reuven 06/11/09
      7.   to Reuven 07:27  |  Hirz 06/11/09
      8.   #2 Agree wholeheartedly.. the outcome is already known 07:31  |  C O 06/11/09
      9.   #6... No, they haven`t. They are just saying this 07:32  |  C O 06/11/09
      10.   Why investigate - the world watched Israeli war crimes on TV 07:44  |  Santos 06/11/09
      11.   Human Rights 08:11  |  Vincent 06/11/09
      12.   Not acceptable 10:08  |  r cummings 06/11/09
      13.   "external pressure" and precedent; now THERE`S a new one 10:10  |  eric 06/11/09
      14.   Reuven (#6) 10:29  |  Gil 06/11/09
      15.   #1 Absolute Sweden 10:40  |  Chris Linthwaite 06/11/09
      16.   Investigating IDF 15:57  |  Harold 06/11/09
      17.   #6 16:07  |  Harold 06/11/09
      18.   "Chris" Yoyne Machover ,oops ,Lintwit ,Sweden 17:54  |  Absolute Sweden 06/11/09
      19.   Harold ,isn`t Bambi the Commander in Chief? Investigate him 17:57  |  Absolute Sweden 06/11/09
      20.   Order more whitewash 18:05  |  Mark Lincoln 06/11/09
      21.   Goldstone recommended an honest and open investigation 18:07  |  Mark Lincoln 06/11/09
      22.   Ask Gazans and Hamas to testify againt Israel; yeah thats honest 19:12  |  Dan 06/11/09
      23.   Lincoln ,if I said you were a pedophile ,would you investigate ? 19:19  |  Absolute Sweden 06/11/09
      24.   Mark Linco, absolutely! Lets start with the abolishing UNHRC 20:56  |  Dan 06/11/09
      25.   Mark Lincoln 22:36  |  leoblue 06/11/09
      26.   An IDF investigation is ludicrous 23:58  |  BDS 06/11/09
      27.   Mendelblit splitting hairs to justify IDF highhanded policy 00:03  |  Esther 07/11/09
      28.   absolute sweden 18 03:21  |  potobac 07/11/09
      29.   Israel MUST investigate itself to preserve it`s honor 05:27  |  Mark Lincoln 07/11/09
      30.   Any other proof than those collected from Gazans under Hamas 07:39  |  Tell me 07/11/09
      31.   Esther whining about occupation again 08:08  |  Meo 07/11/09
      32.   #21 LINCOLN REAR ENDED AGAIN 09:16  |  vhardman 07/11/09
      33.   #32 vhardman - Lincoln is a horses rear end 17:07  |  *BEN JABO 08/11/09
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