'Delegitimization of Israel must be delegitimized'

"What`s Obama`s price for vetoing Goldstone?" Obama will veto the Goldstone Report, never fear. Were he to support the Goldstone Report, he would deny support of Israel's war in Gaza, and by implication, the USA's war in Afghanistan. American Rightists couldn't stand that. It is not a matter of right and wrong. It is all dirty politics.

A sergeant was once asked why he led his troops instead of bringing up the rear. His reply was "did you ever try to push a piece of string?" You had 4 divisions in Lebanon and no generals??? Then it is no wonder that Israel's efforts in Lebanon failed and Hezbolah claimed the victory. A general should have a white stripe down the back of his helmet. It is on the back so that the soldiers following him will know that he is an officer and a leader. But if the stripe is yellow, not white, then he is a loser pure and simple, a disgrace to his country and not fit to run for the Knesset upon retirement.

"Israel needs to man up and weed out its own war criminals..." Israel has 6 months to do so, else the ICC will do the job. And I am very much afraid that the ICC will be compelled to start its search at the top.

You have made a valid point. However it should be noted that although a non-commissioned solder can always claim he was following orders, a commissioned officer does not have that right. He always has the alternative of resigning his commission if he disagrees with the morality of his orders. Else he is responsible before the law for the orders he gives. Approval at the highest level will not clear him, nor will it clear those at the higher level. Every government official and commissioned officer in the chain of command is responsible for what the IDF soldier does No scapegoats, no passing the buck are permitted before a court of law.

The USA cannot vote FOR the Goldstone Report without simultaneously and implicitly condemning its own deployment of armed forces in Afghanistan. For as long as the USA makes war, it must oppose any move that even suggests that war is not a proper way to resolve differences.

FB: "What`s Obama`s price for vetoing Goldstone?" Immaterial. Whatever it is Israel will say that it will pay that price. On that basis Obama will veto. Then Netanyahu will say that it was all a misunderstanding, nothing had been agreed to and - get real, guys! - even if he did agree (which he insists he didn't) then making him cough up the dough would cause his govt to fall and, anyway's, Israel is a sovereign state and, by golly, we sent the cheque in the mail - didn't you receive it, oh dear, maybe the dog ate it?

It seems that THE TRUTH is a difficult concept for you to understand. The Goldstone Report was a pack of lies because it was based on information supplied by the terrorist criminals Hamas to Goldstone while he was on Hamas-controlled territory. Anyone who gave evidence to Goldstone knew that they could and would be killed by Hamas if they told the truth about Hamas war crimes and Israeli self-defence.

"Brown and Sarkozy laid out steps to move the peace process forward, including [1] an independent and transparent investigation into accusations made against Israel in relation to alleged war crimes in Gaza; Six months to go, and counting. [2] improved humanitarian access to Gaza; Let Free Gaza flotillas dock in Gaza and discharged their cargo. That would be a good beginning. [3] and a complete freeze on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. " Freezing aettlements is only the beginning. Next step is to remove them. Lots of room to relocate Israeli settlers in the Israeli Negev, back behind the Green Line where they belong!

The Goldstone Report recognised the unavoidable fact that the Hamas missile attacks on Israel were the original war crime. The UNHRC resolution totally perverts even Goldstone's perversion of truth and justice by failing to mention the war crimes of Hamas while instead condemning only the Israeli self-defence operation against these crimes.

I see you don't get it. Couldn't the same argument be made about someone who quotes the UNHRC. Of course the UNHRC took that position.

by israel's friends who voted to bury it... if it had included as many pages devoted to hamas' war crimes as it did israel's. at least that's the drift i'm getting from their stated reasons for voting against it. alas, if only goldstone had been able to foresee this error in their approach, and had filled an equal number of pages detailing hamas' nefarious deeds during israel's gaza spree. and they could have; if they'd triple spaced between lines, double spaced between words, increased the letter size tenfold, and doubled the margin size on those pages, while rewording each incident repeatedly throughhout, until an equal number of pages were filled(not a single page less than its finding on israel). or they could have listed all the things they could think of that hamas would "likely" have done if they'd had the resources. either way, can you just imagine how much MORE effective the report would have been had it filled an equal number of pages for each? and maybe THEN, the united states, norway, and the others, would have been more prone to base their vote on their concerns over its "findings"; and NOT their concern over the unbalanced distribution of those findings...which is beyond control of the report's authors, and is for a large part, attributable to a lack of input resulting from israel's refusal to cooperate. of course all this conjecture on my part IS ridiculous! but LESS so than claims of the report being weighted against israel because less was found to decry about hamas. how many possible "war crimes" by hamas, DURING operation cast lead, could ISRAEL actually dream up?

and "transparency". it's israel's refusal of the latter two that have brought question to the first. from the onset of operation "cast lead", and to this day, israel and the idf have ensured that those two criteria are NOT met. even israel's "friends" who voted against it have clarified that their objections were NOT over the report's findings; but rather their "perception" of an unbalanced focus. so quit your attempt to imply that anti-semitism is the cause of something for which the blame lies squarely on israel!

What Israel needs to do is ¨conduct credible domestic investigations within six months¨ Anything else is just bad management by the Israeli leaders

by your logic thince all unga assembly resolutions after 48 are antisemitic, their opinions - in un - should not be considered.

I think you should not be surprised. After you have disappeared we may see you back where you came from.... Siberia.... read Shlomo Sand, 'The Invention of the Jewish People'? Alfred Koestler, 'The Thirteen Tribe'?

Full settlement-freeze? Israel investigating herself and her alleged "war crimes"? What else? I guess he won't veto it due to pleasing 1300 million Muslims, instead of jus 13 million Jews.

what did the Palestinian people think when thy voted for Hamas-terrorists who advocate the destruction of the legitimate Jewish State of Israel& any who oppose them-they get what they vote for,self-destruction-terrorists think the West have to keep to the rules, while the rules don't apply to them-the double standard backed up by petro dollars and drug money,keeping the West like a monkey on a string of an organ grinder.

Israel is never willing to look at themselves in any critical manner. Always playing the victim is getting old and the world knows better. You can see how Olmert was received at the Univ. Of Chicago Thursday. It's just the tip of the iceberg of the negative feelings building up against Israel because of their one sided unjust views from Goldstone Report to Illegal Settlements!

Israel was within her right rights to strike against rocket attacks against her. However, Israel is the big power in the region and the use of her assets against the the general population of Gaza sticks out our throats. After studying WWII I was I still a young teenager during the Yom Kippur War and was was quite spellbound when the Israel counterattack surrounded the Egyptian 3rd Army, a sight quite reminiscent of the Falaise Gap in WWII. The noose was sealed. I was horrified at some of the excesses in Gaza with US aircraft firing Hellfire missiles in populated areas. I was a major designer of the Us A

America followed the lunatic Bush into the abyss of Afghanistan and Iraq. And it has done nothing good for America. Indeed it has been a venture into hell for America. Is Israel willing to jump into hell because Netanyahu desires it?

"Gaza my dear Antoniuous is not occupied, UN even certified full withdrawal." Can't you come up with something new? Gaza may not be occupied but it is blockaded by Israel. Despite the economic devastation and destruction cause by Israel they will not give in. What is poor Israel going to do? Maybe the Zionist regime will learn that although they can bomb Palestine to pieces they will never bomb it into peace.

"we just resent being blackmailed" But you blackmail. Holding off on telephone frequencies unless the PA drops the Goldstone report. "we resent being the world`s whipping boy" The Arabs made you take territory illegally. They made you illegally annex East Jerusalem. They made you diss the UN Charter. They made you have 223 UNSC resolutions against you. "we resent terror states telling us what to do" Mi5 tell us that Irgun Hagana Stern were terrorists. Admirable no? "we resent hypocrisy, including yours" But you love other folks territory. There is a price.

If not, Cast Lead was an illegal, undeclared invasion of a non-state entity. BTW, the UN still considers Gaza to be occupied. The UNHRC is an arm of the UN.

Can anyone find me where on this report it stated that Israel shouldn't exist? I have no problem with Israel existing, but I do have a problem with Israel existing on our territories that being the 1967 territories and its constant moves to dominate every sphere of our livelihood.

"Israel will still exist and will continue to defend her borders. Nothing in the Goldstone report will change that." Nothing in the Goldstone report is trying to. "It`ll take more than power and influence to bring down a country like Israel." The Goldstone report wasn't trying to bring down anyone. " Israel has learned from 2,000 years of experience...." Israel is only 61 years old. "....dealing with liars. They won`t make those mistakes again" Lying about Israel's age doesn't exactly show much hope. In fact, everything you wrote was untrue. Great example.

In as much as we all support one side or the other war is not the way. We see this time and again throughout history. Only negotiations solve problems. Bravo my friend for your post.

While seeking "clarification" from Russia, China, and India, Israel should add to seek some clarification from the Philippines too. Speaking of the Philippines, the employees who were sent from the Philippines aren't refugees. They are perfectly safe when they return to the Philippines. If they and their children are sent back, I'm certain that they will manage to find work again in places like Abu Dhabi, for example. It's perfectly normal, especially nowadays to move from country to country. I, for example, have moved three times in my childhood to different parts of the world. That's what ex-pat families do.

First things first, Hamas started the rocket barrages into Israel

This is taken from the National Post newspaper in Canada, dated October 14, 09. "The UN mission purports to have investigated Israel's military action in Gaza last winter, an operation launched in response to the firing of more than 7,000 Hamas missiles at Israeli towns since Israel's 2005 withdrawal from the Strip. But instead of probing Hamas's deliberate effort to maximize Israeli civilian casualties and its doctrine of hiding behind Palestinian human shields, the judges interviewed handpicked Hamas witnesses, several of them senior commanders disguised as civilians, and uncritically accepted their testimony. Inexorably, the report, which presumed Israel's guilt, condemned the Jewish state for crimes against humanity and for mounting a premeditated campaign against Gaza civilians." And, of course, it gets worse given the U.N.'s planned move. This nonsense will fall back on the head of all Israel haters and then, at least, there will be some justice.

And US politicians are not immune to arrest in Iraq

To reduce Israel to its "wars of self-defense" is delegitimising Israel most. Invent something new! The friendly Israel or whatever.

Despite I don?t agree with the rocketing of Israeli towns, humanity cannot and will not give the Israeli government?s free hand to slaughter civilian in the name of democracy and war on terror.

Ridiculous response. What is the point of quoting some one who always endorses whatever Israel does if you are trying to show someone supports Israel? Of course they took that position.

We the people are guilty for the Goldstone Report for not demanding our generals earn their bloated overpaid salaries and perks. In S. Leb. we had 4 divisions, but not 1 division commander. Not one general set foot in S. Lebanon for fear Hizbullah would kill them like they did General Gerstein. So Israel ordered millions of unexploded bomblets be fired in villages that would explode when villagers picked them up. This too was a war crime. Generals must lead our troops and get wounded or killed in battle like Ariel Sharon, Raful Eitan and Gen. Gerstein-not order war crimes committed for fear they might get hurt or killed and lose a Knesset seat on retirement.

Which borders, where?

Self pity and a persecution complex. Not very fitting for a great nation.

...Israel will still exist and will continue to defend her borders. Nothing in the Goldstone report will change that. It'll take more than power and influence to bring down a country like Israel. Israel has learned from 2,000 years of experience dealing with liars. They won't make those mistakes again.

"If not, could not one assume that their viewpoint is hopelessly in favor of Israel, no matter what, and therefore worthy of being summarily disregarded?" You're referring to the UNHRC, right?

Gaza my dear Antoniuous is not occupied, UN even certified full withdrawal. So hamas has no re3ason to cry foul.

That says it all.

who sufferred??? the INNOCENT ISRAELI CIVILIANS??? what about the Palestinians???? and the current blockade and its toll??? Obviously you dont want to see the other side of the fence.

the report had once again should us that war does not solve our problems, it just kills innocent people from both sides. real negotiations solves all our problems

Better prepare for a losing battle ...

rahm emanuel, goldstone, j-street, gideon levy and on and on, even our own jews hate us. good work bibi and avi not to worry the moldov goyim and the christian evangelists will come to our rescue.

Has the board you refer to EVER criticized anything Israel has done? If not, could not one assume that their viewpoint is hopelessly in favor of Israel, no matter what, and therefore worthy of being summarily disregarded?

If there was ever to be a full and impartial investigation the generals who oversaw the crimes against humanity and war crimes alleged against Israel would unquestionably testify that those actions were approved at the highest level of Israeli leadership Obviously such an investigation will never be permitted

...it's a struggle against the backlash effect from Israel's actions against the civilian population of Gaza. Cause and effect, pure and simple.

I agree with Livni. This vote was indeed 'political and cynical'. Most of those who voted for it were not interested in how fair the report was. But then again, neither were those who voted against it. And those who abstained, rather than vote, were convinced that it was fair, but for political and cynical reasons, didn't vote for it. (for the most part, at the UN, it's either as above, or those who abstain rather than vote being unconvinced that things are fair, but for political and cynical reasons, not voting against it)

The simple fact is that once Goldstone accepted the job, the Israel haters were handed an opportunity on a platter, such as they could never have foreseen. The outcome was inevitable. That Goldstone is self serving is beyond dispute. The reasons for this are of no importance. But being a Jew himself, he created a propaganda coup for Israel's homicidal enemies which will lead to who knows where? . Let Goldstone reflect on his infamous role in Jewish history. All the backtracking and excuses of misrepresentation will do no good. All his so called regrets are meaningless. We had all better brace ourselves for what is yet to come. We haven't seen the half of it yet.

consequences from the very beginning of his "investigation". Who gained? HANAS TERRPRISTS. Who suffered? The innocent civilians of Israel. Is peace nearer? In no way. Terrorists are encouraged by the events that followed shameful Gladstone report. Is Gladstone satisfied? No, he is outraged by outcome. ONCE AGAIN: Gladstone had to foresee the outcome! Shame!

Israel blames everone but itself for the crimes it committed in Gaza. The U.S. vote against the report is a travisty of justice, it always used the same old and tired excuse of "unbalanced report" whenever it wanted to shrink from its responsibility and provide Israel with unequivocal support.

You have to give Netanyahu credit for effort. His solution to getting out of a hole is to try and dig to China.

"Out damn spot." - Lady Macbeth

You forgot to mention the expulsion of Jews from Jerusalem and the Wars Israel endured in order to avoid Hitler's dream becoming a reality. You forgot to mention that either by some kind of miracle or just "fate" that so few Jews were killed by Hamas' 8,000 rockets during a period of 8 years. You forgot to mention that Israel threatened retaliation daily and that so many of you laughed, some beckoning Israel on, salivating at the thought of the first Israeli tank on fire. You forgopt to mention the trauma and anxiety, things invisible to the naked eye but which none the less destroy us as human beings. What I am saying is that Goldstone's report is one sided. He puts the cart before the Horse and the UN, that bastion of morality, who are collectively responsible for the deaths of MILLIONS rise up, United in their condemnation.I hope there will be justice for all..but from yours and other's reponses I can't ever see that happening. And so there will be War.

Onu will reject the Goldstone report one day.

....until one of both "sinners" will give in and show some honest willingness to come clean with its past. The question is, who can better live with that equation, Israel or Hamas...???

No it won't, because neither has a snowball's chance of working. Cast Lead contains too many illegalities, there is no legal answer. And diplomatic support for Israel is about zero at the moment, due to both Cast Lead and Netanyahu's intransigence about settlement freeze and peace talks. No, the Israeli battleplan will as always be the bunker mentality one: reality denial, self-righteous, pumped-up rhetoric, implausible propaganda and vicious attacks on the rest of the world. That's all that's left in the Israeli locker. I think you good people of Israel need a fresh election soon.

are biased just doesn't stack up. A visiting team of jurists and Generals from another planet would see things clearly. Country A occupies Country B in a repressive way and has turned Country C into an open air prison. The citizens of B and C fight back as best they can, using whatever means they can. Moral legitimacy is on the side of B and C. Primitive rockets from C kill 2-3 civilians a year for 8 years until a ceasefire pertains and holds. Country A, facing an election, breaks the ceasefire to show citizens how resolute its leaders are. Moral legitimacy is not on A's side, though C is guilty of killing civilians. A ignores the legal rules of warfare, launches a punitive campaign and two-thirds of those killed are civilians, many women and children. Military, legal and moral legitimacy are not on A's side. Ergo, while C has crimes to answer for, A is the primary cause, instigator and war crimes culprit. Funnily enough, Goldstone arrived at an identical conclusion.

The UN vote on Israel is the direct result of latent anti-Israelism, the steady infiltration of Muslim nations into the committees and boards of the UN, the effect of oil contracting and business deals between the arab world and europe and the need of appeasement of Muslim polulations in European countries. It shows the UN for what it is ....it shows politics for what it is...and I for one am glad that Israeli left wingers now see what their efforts to appease and "be accepted" have brought upon us. Our "friends" are shown up for the hypocrites that they are...not nice but important for us here to see so that Israeli youth will rise up out of the bubble of "safety " they feel and realise that their country is constantly being undermined and it is for us to fight against this.

if you shoot to kill a person throwing stones at you wou will be arrested and put in jail in any normal country

... so as not to join their voice blatantly with the majority... ... under the circumstances, we should appreciate the courtesy...

The thing is Israel is an unjust and bullying society and the world can see and understands this today. It has committed the ultimate offense by being an ungrateful & bullying nation using its arms to impose its way upon its neighbors...

Although, after reading the Goldstone report with 37 specific instances of possible war crimes committed by Israel, I agree with the UN's conclusion. But, Hamas is also guilty of war crimes and should sit next to the Israelis in the dock at the Hague. It is Patently unfair to ignore Hamas's crime.

This is a very positive and constructive step and a huge victory for PL diplomacy in the region. The report does not only accuse Israel of war crimes,but it also ask the Israeli gov to stop digging construction around Al-Aqsa mosque in occupied territories of east Jerusalem... Good deal !!

It is the duty of every State, not only Israel, to defend its citizens ? Its absolute duty. Only Israel has the right to decide what is best for the protection of its citizens. Three years after the Libanese war ended has Security Council Resolution 1701 fully been implemented? and can Israel trust UNIFIL ? Condemning Israel is easy but doesn?t bring solutions. Only a clear, fair and objective approach of the painful Israelo-Arab problem will have a chance to solve it as explained at : http://xrl.us/bi5c8

Had it voted it obviously could not have been in favor of Israel... They simply took a polite way out... No reason to condemn them...

That little issue,says a lot.

... high-handedness and arrogance by those who purport to speak-in-our-name...

What the UK & France did is called diplomacy. Just like when the Israeli government says to the Palestinians that they have to stop all terrorism in the world before Israel will deign to negotiate and then adds 10 more preconditions. That's diplomacy, too. What Clemenceau did at the end of WWI is called diplomacy. It wasn't smart, but it was diplomacy. If Israel rejects all diplomacy, it is likely to see turnabout as it did at the UN.

The Israeli governments reaction to this endorsement caught everyone by surprise. But seriously, after shooting yourself in the foot with the reaction to the report, you're now shooting yourself in the other foot with this reaction to the UNHCR passing the report to the Security Council. Anyone who noticed, despite the Israeli claims, that Goldstone did indeed investigate Hamas, will also notice that, despite Israeli claims, the resolution also puts Hamas on notice that unless an investigation that the world believes was fair, they will face an ICC investigation. The first shot meant that there would be widespread outrage if the report was blocked. The second one means that anything less than a full, thorough and deep investigation won't do. (No bad apples excuse will fly)

we just resent being blackmailed; we resent being the world's whipping boy; we resent terror states telling us what to do; we resent hypocrisy, including yours.

Israel may have the right to defend itself. but the scale of the response went beyond self defence, when schools and chicken farms were bombed. eye for an eye is fine, but an eye for a thousand is just pure mayhem.

What is so scary about a bunch of prominent Jews from Israel, with Israeli citizenship, doing an open and transparent inquiry into what happened in Gaza? If the Israeli political leadership did this, the entire controversy would go away. What are you all afraid of finding out? That Israeli soldiers aren't Galahad reincarnate? That Israeli soldiers are human?

the board has expressed its outrage at the uk's decision to refrain from voting on the goldstone report in the so-called human rights council. the board of british jews made it clear that passage of the report would irrevocably harm the peace process.(source, london times)

it is being reported that the uk and france attempted to blackmail israel. pm brown wanted israel's total concession on settlement feeze, the lifting of gaza blockade and in return for an abstention or even a no vote against the goldstone report. this attempted blackmail by european "allies," proves that the goldstone report is a tool of blackmail by the arabs and their european underlings.

This UN report is a sham. Filled with fake titles and terrorists themselves. It does not matter if you send a rocket or condemn those who get hit with it, you both are the same, a terrorist. It's time for the world to wake up and just get it done. Israel forever.

Does the world have any future at all? Most countries being ruled by dictators, trying to control freedom of speech and freedom of press. No wonder they want to shut up one of the only democracies in the world.

Thanks the countries that supported our position Russia or China not our friends We have to go it alone No chance for peace How can you negotiate with someone who is willing to commit suicide in order to kill you?

Such hypocrisy No Peace process war is ahead No more holding back and protecting civilians they hide behind what a disgrace

I guess ISrael will have alot of company since every nation that has been at war or attacked and retaliated has killed civilians. The US was attacked on 9/11, they killed 100's of civilians, both under Bush and know Obama, I suggest these men lead the way. Tony Blair hop aboard most of the Arab nations line up please, Russia geet your ticket ready, China your the main guest at this party. Matty you can be the MC

The state of Israel and its military establishment looked for it, and they found a belated and well-deserved condemnation.

Countries representing over 75% of the people on earth voted against the US/Israel. This is not a good sign for either the US nor Israel. As the US empire crumbles this situation will only get worse. From a strictly "what is best for the future of the US" maybe it is time for the US to start abstaining a lot in the UN when Israel is debated. Israelis should probably get over their hubris and realize that once the US is neutered, Israel could very well be a big loser. I know that Israel apologists will come on here and say that Israel will just make friends with Russia or China, but both have clearly shown where their future lies and it is NOT with Israel as a friend. The world is closing in on Israel and it disparately needs good leadership to negotiate the best future possible before it is too late for any future. Israel may think it is powerful, but it is no match against the other 90+% of the world. Does Israel have any future at all?

The US gov't is not buying the okey-doke that Hamas is running to great effect on the Scandinavians and the Swiss.

Quite obviously, they are too busy shooting at Israelis from behind civilians and teaching their children to kill Jews.

The Palestinian delegation position as well as all muslim deligations will further encorage ISRAEL to build more setlments and with justification.Israel always will have the right to defend itself against Terror groups.

There are now two camps in the world. Those who believe that Israel has a right to exist, and those who believe that Israel should not exist. How can you negotiate with someone who is willing to commit suicide in order to kill you? Liberals just don't understand that the Muslim extremists would slit their liberal throats just as easily as they would slit the throats of a conservative. Chamberlain said he had achieved peace in his time, in 1938, by caving in to the demands of a extremist. Liberals believe that if we are nicer to the extremists, they would give up their jihad. Liberals should be called Chamberlainists.

Israel refuses to conduct an open and honest investigation as requested by the report. Goldstone left Israel and Hamas a way out. They could investigate and prosecute. Otherwise the world via the International Court of Justice should investigate and prosecute. Goldstone, a fervent Zionist and Jew, but also an honest man dedicated to the rule of law, has tried very hard to give Israel a decent way to respond. Instead it has lied about him, the report and refused to conduct an open and honest investigation. Goldstone has given Israel an opportunity to set things right and salvage it's reputation. Israel continues to act guilty.

1) Before Israel broke the ceasefire there was approx 35 rocket attacks in the 5 months prior to Nov 2008 (compared to say approx 370 such attacks in Jan 2008). 2) In retaliation to the Israeli attack, which killed 6 of its members, Hamas et all launched approx 190 rockets and mortars at Israel. 3) In reply Israel launched Operation Cast Lead which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. Israel can scream and shout all it wants but the fact remains that Israel has made its own bed and must lie in it. Breaking a ceasefire and killing hundreds of innocent civilians in the name of 'self-defence' needs to be investigated.

The lines are clear and indisputable - Israel and the Palestinians must find a way to move forward. The UN has chosen to ignore attacks on Israel from Hamas making the entire Goldstone Report transparently biased. Shame on the UN. once again they are an obstacle to peace.

Goldstone is not that stupid. He had to know, given the majorities and rules, exactly the outcome of his twisted tome. Now he thinks he is shedding blame onto the rabid Muslims for not playing fair?

Goldstone is such a dupe! He thought that he could be a fair representative of the downtrodden being from South Africa, and being a judge from SA. He also sees himself as impartial, but has not an inkling that he is being used as a Jew to criticize Israel. Of course the so called even handed criticism of Hamas is thrown out and not even mentioned. One day the only safe place for Goldstone will be in Israel, and those poor downtrodden who he supports will turn against him.

Go ahead Hamas, fire more rockets into Sderot. After all, the UNHRC fully endorses and supports such terrorist actions with complete impunity. And when Israel responds you can rest assured that the UNHRC will once again gang up on Israel. You're covered Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Let the rocket-firing begin! (P.S. and then you'll get the crap beaten out of you again)

The Goldstone Report noted Hamas members committed crimes. The UN Resolution was a purely political, anti-Israel move. There's so much talk now in the "international community" of prosecuting Israeli officers, but when is the last time you remember the UN saying ANYTHING about prosecuting the men who OKed or funded the bus-bombings, Sbaro/aquarium attacks, and rocket launches that started all of this? When the international community ignores terrorism, Israel is left to defend itself. And it's telling that THAT is when the UN steps in with condemnations.

"...The decision ignores the fact that the Israel Defense Forces took unprecedented measures..." What ?!? In view of the savagery perpetrated in Gaza, this statement is "unprecendented chutzpah" ! David

Yes McQueen, Hamas people should turn themselves in so we can get their trials out of the way. It shouldn't take long in comparison to Israel considering the HUGE asymmetry in who was actually commiting war crimes. 500 palestinian children and 3 israeli civilians. By the way, the Ministry statement incorrectly states that the report ignored Hamas using civilians as human shields...it explicitly discounted it.

The problem is that Israel wants the world to see it as a shining example of democracy in the ME and Hamas as a terrorist organization. Now we aill see that neither is true. Israel has committed crimes in Cast Lead, is an apartheid state that feels it can buy its way through the US congress and get away with anything it wants. Game is over. Hamas has committed crimes, needs to denounce violence and accept Israel as a neighbor. I will bet anyone here a $1,000 that Hamas will have nothing to do with Israel if the blockade of Gaza is lifted, Israel goes back to the pre 67 borders (or equitable adjustments to ensure Israel's security), and Israel accepts east Jersualem as Palestine's capital. Hamas and the residents of the WB are and will never be a threat to the mighty IDF. Israel will never agree to this. Read the Haaretz story just published about Israel's "full speed ahead" continuation of settlement construction.

Can you show us any war in history that didn't have similar civilian casualties?

It seems the fellow that was responsible for the report now condemns the UN for not acting fairly

AFter all, the report says that they also committed war crimes. So let them set a great magnanimous example by pleading guilty. (works both ways remember)

looks like bush, rice, rumsfield, clinton, blair, brown, thatcher etc. etc., are all in the front line for their crimes. Isreal is the only State, Country being attacked. When did Grenada, Panama, iraq, Afganistan attack the u.s.? How will britain respond to it's war with Argintina? Guess they will say we were attacked so we defended ourslves......DK

Unlike the IDF, that is why they must go to the Hague for waging war on a merely defenseless people

It is a tragic fact that civilians always suffer in war time, more so when the enemy is dispersed amongst the population. The endorsement of the report sounds more like Israel has no right to defend itself. If Israel is prosecuted for war crimes we shall at least see (one hopes) the UNHRC apply the same standards to many other states truly guilty.

This is not the 'very best' we've received from the U.N. Remember Zionism=Racism?

Mr Goldstone should know better. we all know how everybody is waiting to attack israel. now goldstone gave them all an excuse

This report is a reflection of anti-Israeli sentiment around the world. Goldstone should be ashamed of himself. War is a terrible thing and it's not happiness to see anyone die (friend or foe). The fact is that a country has the right and obligation to defend itself and it's citizens at no cost when threatened with attacks. This should send a message to Palestinian people that "enough is enough". Instead of training your women and children how to blow themselves up, the "human rights council" should issue a report on how to be Humans - not barbarians.

The smear campaign isn't working but failure is not considered sufficient grounds for a change of strategy. Sounds familiar. Sounds like Cast Lead, son of Second Lebanon War. The young Israel that showed resourcefulness and brilliance has been replaced with an older version, hidebound and beyond introspection.

In the final days of the Gaza op, senior IDF officers were boasting to the media how they changed the rules of engagement to minimize IDF casualties. Indeed, there were more IDF men killed by Israeli "friendly fire" during the Gaza op thenwere killed by Hamas. Now that the Gaza op has blown up in their faces, these IDF spokesmen are far from media attention. Their words are archived though for anyone interested enough to get at the facts and not just the current spin. Haaretz carried at least two of the interviews.

The outrage is Israel thinking it can do what it wants and the world will be silent, that it owes something to Israel and dare not condemn no matter how repugnant its behaviour. The moral duplicty and posturing here, the self righteous attitude as if Israel is above all human criticism is revolting. Foxman's bombast is enough to turn the stomach.

New parameters for future conflicts between Israel and Arab terror organizations and armies have been established by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Based on what the ICRC calls International Humanitarian Law, the assumption of Goldstone's Report is that a clear differentiation was not made between civilian and military targets; even when the civilian population is sympathetic to and involved with the enemy and is used, willingly or not, as shields, the IDF has no right to attack. These invalid assertions can only be rejected energetically and without delay. But most important, not only Israel is concerned as explained at : http://xrl.us/bfq4r7

Israel always complains about investigations of this nature as being "one-sided." What do you expect when you are the occupier? Do you really think you deserve compassion and understanding? As many rockets as Hamas can throw at you, it will never ever come close to the devastating punishment Israel can inflict upon a captive Palestinian population anytime it chooses. Now THAT is one-sided.

Why is it when Israel defends itself and retalitates for its innocent citizens being rocketed it is considered aggression yet in the eyes of the world, Hamas, the terrorists, exists with political and world wide recognition of impunity and as victims. Why is that??

guys AND the Israeli guys give themselves up together, jointly confess their deliberate war crimes and save the ICC a lot of time?

Who really knows where this one will stop? Who knows who is going to win or lose on this one? outside chance..this could force both sides to negotiating table for peace..I hope.

or else...they would have kept quite. No wonder Hamas hope that Israelis will wear gloves when they come to get them...

If israel is innocent it must not be afraid of any judgement.

Time has come.

AFter all, the report says that they also committed war crimes. So let them set a great magnanimous example by pleading guilty.

How oddly prophetic, Taher al-Nono says... Yes...yes. Isn't that a contradiction in terms.

Wasn't the so called report accuse the "Palestinian militant group Hamas" of war crimes as well? Was there any mention of them in the session? Is there any more proof needed that this whole thing is a total farce?

The report clearly recommended that prosecution of Hamas figures would be in order for both war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The report's recommendations constitute another step in the Durban strategy in which the language of human rights and international law are misused as weapons in the political war to isolate and demonize Israel. The damage did not stop with the publication of this report, and the Israeli government is faced with a serious and difficult strategic challenge in demonstrating that the committee and its members were fundamentally flawed from the beginning. As to Goldstone: http://xrl.us/bfsikb