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Israel to coordinate with allies to ensure Goldstone veto
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and Agencies
Tags: Gaza war, Israel News 

Israel will coordinate with the U.S., U.K. and France to ensure the Security Council vetoes Arab countries' resolutions on the Goldstone report, Israeli officials told Haaretz.

The report, prepared by Richard Goldstone's committee, states that Israel perpetrated war crimes during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza last winter.

On Thursday night, the UN General Assembly adopted the report, with 114 countries voting in favor of discussing it in the Security Council.
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Eighteen countries opposed, and 44 abstained.

Israeli officials believe the Security Council discussion will not yield a binding resolution.

One source said the report's demand that Israel conduct its own investigation into the allegations is more troubling.

This is because UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon may decide to form another committee of inquiry if the Israeli probe's findings are not deemed satisfactory, or request the International Court of Justice in Hague advise on the issue.

The General Assembly "requests the secretary general to report to the General Assembly within a period of three months, on the implementation of the present resolution, with a view to considering further action, if necessary, by the relevant United Nations organs and bodies, including the Security Council," stated the resolution passed on Thursday night.

Two weeks before the vote, former prime minister Ehud Olmert met with the president of Panama. The central American country voted against adopting the report, unlike many of the continent's economic powers, including Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Ecuador.

The General Assembly "requests the secretary general to transmit the report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza conflict to the Security Council," the resolution said.

The new resolution urged Israel and Palestine to launch investigations that "are independent, credible and in conformity with international standards" within three months.

According to Israeli sources, there is "little support" among Security Council members for approving practical actions to implement the report, with the U.S., France and the U.K. opposing the mere discussion of the report, and Russia and China inclined to vote against its adoption.

An Israeli foreign ministry statement called the UN endorsement "completely detached from realities on the ground." It also called the 18 votes against the resolution, including the U.S., and the 44 abstentions, including many European countries, the "moral majority."

The Goldstone report accuses Israel of deliberately targeting civilians, and concludes that Israel had "committed actions amounting to war crimes, possibly crimes against humanity."

It also found evidence that Palestinian militant groups - including Hamas, which controls Gaza - had committed war crimes.

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      1.   Smell the coffee 06:11  |  Josh 08/11/09
      2.   Josh, since Sderot residents could not smell the coffee for 8 yrs 06:57  |  Dan 08/11/09
      3.   When will Hamas smell the coffee Josh? 06:58  |  Coco 08/11/09
      4.   When will Russia smell the coffee? 06:58  |  Coco 08/11/09
      5.   When will Sudan smell the coffee 06:58  |  Coco 08/11/09
      6.   When will Hezbanon smell the coffee? 06:59  |  Coco 08/11/09
      7.   Finally when will you smell the coffee? 06:59  |  Coco 08/11/09
      8.   Veto 07:28  |  Hugh 08/11/09
      9.   If only energy 2 gather allies 2veto it is invested 2 disprove it 08:09  |  Ari 08/11/09
      10.   The Report Does Not say Hamas used Children and yet 09:44  |  Gil 08/11/09
      11.   Ari (#8) 09:51  |  Gil 08/11/09
      12.   Israel Should File Resolutions Too 10:25  |  Gil 08/11/09
      13.   @2 : Sderot lays on which side of the Partition Plan? 11:34  |  Stephen 08/11/09
      14.   occupied... bombed by rockets... 12:10  |  Miron 08/11/09
      15.   #12 Gil 15:11  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/11/09
      16.   #13 Stephen 15:13  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/11/09
      17.   @ 13 Stephen- not quite 15:19  |  J 08/11/09
      18.   #10 Gil 17:27  |  BDS 08/11/09
      19.   Chris Linthwaite (#15) tank you for the compliments 17:54  |  Gil 08/11/09
      20.   BDS (#18) How Blind Can You Get! 18:36  |  Gil 08/11/09
      21.   #20 Gil give it up---Israel refused to participate 20:02  |  Labhras 08/11/09
      22.   Labhras (#21) Where have I wrote ``it was right to show up?`` 22:25  |  Gil 08/11/09
      23.   #19 Gil, honestly, you defy belief 01:28  |  Johnboy 09/11/09
      24.   ISRAELS bashers lose,despite reporters open bias 10:47  |  PETER SM 09/11/09
      25.   Dancing on Israel`s grave 11:51  |  Tom 09/11/09
      26.   JOHNBOY come back when your friends do some investigating EVER 12:05  |  PETER SM 09/11/09
      27.   #25 Whoop-de-doo, PETER SM 13:24  |  Johnboy 09/11/09
      28.   JOHNBOY If you bothered to read,Btselem says Israel IS conducting 22:44  |  PETER SM 09/11/09
      29.   Time to nail Hamas 17:01  |  Tom 10/11/09
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