U.S. Senate urges UN to rescind Goldstone's Gaza report
Resolution 138 passes unanimously, calls on members of Human Rights Council to 'reflect the author's repudiation off the Goldstone report's central findings', and asks UN chief Ban to 'do all in his power to redress the damage to Israel's reputation'.
By Natasha Mozgovaya Tags: Israel news Gaza Goldstone reportThe U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday calling on the United Nations Human Rights Council to rescind the Goldstone Commission's report on the Gaza war, in light of its author's expressed regret for some of its claim.
Resolution 138 urges council members "to reflect the author's repudiation of the Goldstone report's central findings, rescind the report and reconsider further Council actions with respect to the report's findings."
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In this June 3, 2009, photo, UN investigator Richard Goldstone visits the destroyed house where members of the Samouni family were killed during the Gaza war. |
| Photo by: AP |
The resolution also asks UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to "do all in his power to redress the damage to Israel's reputation" in the wake of the report, and to bring forth reforms within the council so that it "no longer unfairly, disproportionately and falsely criticizes Israel on a regular basis."
South African Judge Richard Goldstone published an op-ed in the Washington Post earlier this month in which he backtracked on claims he had made in the UN report, accusing Israel of targeting civilians during Operation Cast Lead two years ago.
In his op-ed, Goldstone said that if Israel had cooperated with his probe then the conclusions on the report would have been different.
"We know a lot more today about what happened in the Gaza war of 2008-09 than we did when I chaired the fact-finding mission appointed by the UN Human Rights Council that produced what has come to be known as the Goldstone Report," Goldstone wrote, adding: "If I had known then what I know now, the Goldstone Report would have been a different document."
Goldstone said that Israel has shown to probe itself "to a significant degree" over Gaza war actions, Goldstone wrote, Hamas, who has been in control of the coastal enclave since 2007, "has done nothing."
Despite Israel's requests, however, both UN Human Rights Council and UN chief Ban, however, have said that the report would not be rescinded. Goldstone himself has said that he is not seeking to annul the report.
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None of the other authors - and there were three others, want to detract any comments. They totally stand by their report. The US is shameful in its one sided support of Israel's occupation and siege. Civil society will have to stand up for the rights of the Palestinians
In contrast to the opinions of the other commssion members, Goldstone has implied that the Goldstone report might have been different if Israel had cooperated with the Goldstone commission. But Israel didn't bother. Now, neither Ban Ki Moon nor the UN has the right or obligation to change the Goldstone Report in any way. So now, Israel is stuck with the reputation which she has earned. If she chooses to defend her actions before the General Assembly she may do so; but changing the report is out of the question.
I wouldn't even mind so much if the resolution had been firecely and properly debated and then passed with a reasonable majority. At least then you'd feel the Senators had thought about the issues and come to an independent conclusion, instead of just receving their orders from AIPAC and marching robot-like to carry those orders out. It's like North Korea or something. 'No criticism of glorious Israel will be tolerated!' Meanwhile the world only notes the resolution as yet more evidence that the US can't be trusted to take any fair, useful role in the Israel/Palestine peace process.
Who rules America? I keep asking myself about who are those sitting in the House!!!
Way to go USA
Like their country going bankrupt?
... that the USA is the lackey of Israel. How can the world expect them to be a fair referee in this conflict!!??
Even the Judge says the report should stand.
The US Senate is corrupt and does what AIPAC asks in return for a few dollars. We all know this. It only hurts Israel in the long run to kill innocent Palestinians and then bribe people to say that it did not happen.
And the UN knows the gesture is just that a gesture. Where was the resolution written, in the AIPAC offices or the PMO? So the US will reduce UN funding. That would happen anyway. Afterall, it was a liberal idea and they don't do what they are told all the time. And Truman and Eisenhower were commies for thinking stopping WWIII might be useful.
Ultimately we will loose more than we gain with such manouevers...