Netanyahu calls UN Gaza probe a 'kangaroo court' against Israel

With friends like Goldstone, who needs enemies??

Perhaps you have not seen the news, but Gaza is not occupied. It was given to the Palestinians so they could make a government. And what did they do? Fight amongst themselves, keep in poverty, and use any money to arm themselves and launch rockets at Israel. Just because you give animals freedom, it does not mean they will take advantage of it. And Israel's civilians don;t have to pay for the rampant ignorance and extremism of Gaza's rulers. Your neighbor messes with you and your family, he's in trouble, right?

Maybe we should let the UN take care of the Hamas' terrorists and see if they can stop rockets at Israel. Let's see how well they do. FACT IS: TERRORISTS USE THEIR OWN CIVILIANS AS HUMAN SHIELDS. If I have to choose between my family and theirs in an act of self-defense...well, it seems that's called war crimes.

Does Your Highness imply that since the US is killing Afghani and Iraqi civilians it is all right for Israel to kill Palestinian civilians? Would not any decent human being agree that killing civilians is a terrible crime and sin? Why does Your Highness disparage the gentiles? Who promulgated the Balfour Declaration in 1917, abrogating the Palestinian Arabs' right to sovereignty? After the British had abandoned the Mandate, who declared Israel's statehood as legitimate, pushing aside the objections of the natives? Who has been Israel's sugar daddy, sending billions upon billions, excusing all of Israel's atrocities against the Palestinians? Who, Your Highness, who?

...is that I see grave abuses by the United States in its prosecution of what used to be called the "Global War on Terror" and I also have no problem with credible investigations getting to the bottom of the legality of them. It is sad to see how Israel is now reduced to making illogical arguments that everyone's mama made clear long ago were wrong, and she'd say, don't even go there: Two wrongs don't make a right. The United States military is operating in both Iraq and Afghanistan at the behest of the host countries. This is quite different than the belligerent occupation that Gaza finds itself, there are no fewer than eighteen mentions of "collective punishment" in the Goldstone Report. It's detail and sourcing cannot be explained away.

There will be no "dissipation" of this report and its findings, myself and thousands of others like me will not let that happen. Who cares what you and the thousands like you will do. The West is commiting war crimes in Afghanistan and is in track to commit much more. Nobody will start dealing israel because, there is a pandora box to be opened, and Obama is not ready for that And I would dearly love to be a fly on the wall on Friday when Mitchell comes back to Israel .. .And we will love seeing him coming and going back with the same formula proposed by Nataniahu which is quite a fair formula. "Temporarly freezing". namely nothing. That's all what Obama needs.

it doesn't matter WHO wrote the report or how "bias" they might be... the instances they cite either occurred or they didn't(and let's face it, MOST have been reported from a variety of sources, including idf soldiers). by just dismissing the whole report as "biased" and trying to discredit its authors, without addressing the incidents it cites with evidence to the contrary, israel is just attempting to sidestep the truth with its typical facade of generalizations about defense, security, fighting terror, and anti-semitism. it doesn't matter WHO the authors are, israel's response will be same to any that address the realities of its ground offensive into gaza. funny thing is...that even before the idf entered gaza, anyone who was paying attention knew that something was up; and that it wasn't quite kosher.

Tell a lie! Tell the biggest lie often! Those days are coming to an end.

1 . Of Course Israel dropped leaflets ..not out of hamanity but just to terroroze the gaza people!! 2. "Want them to leave the buildings" - Leave the buildings to go where? Don;t you know that Gaza is an open prison! They couldnt have really ran away from the bombers. The whole gaza was the target 3 . "allowing people to leave shelter " - Where? In the Un building, shools, govt buildings to get bombed collectively?

This Peres is a joke!! He is a war criminal himself for launching criminal wars in Lebanon against civilians; and by the way, Gaza was not freed by Israel, it was vacated and encirceled making it a big prison, depriving its populace of any basic rights, and to add salt to injury, Israel kept launching attacks aginst freedom fighters (Israel calls them terrorists), and provoked the fighters to lob mortars into Israel. All of israel's leaders should face War crimes at the Hague!!

What justifies occupations? terrorism , racism, abuse, discrimination of Palestine and Palestinians people? Any clue or smart answer/

the report openly questions a sovereign state's right to self-defence, while encouraging terror. the report is also a power grab by a few individuals who largely exceeded their mandate.

If UN would have held Gaza accountable then it would have been fine. Right? Isreal, please stop acting as a spoiled child. You know you have committed crimes against innocents.

the casualties we inflict on our enemy are a fraction of the western butchery in the muslim nations. yet the gentiles pursue us.they scream.they rant.but they are the big killers.who will bring the west to the high court in the hague. the problem is that they own the hague and its courts.

There was no siege on Gaza when Israel pulled out.... However, terrorists from Gaza decided that peace was not an option for them so they decided to bombard Israel with 1000's of missiles instead....which then lead to the siege on Gaza. One day, hopefully, the Palestinians will want something more for their children?s future then just death and despair and choose peace instead of terrorism.

your hope is that we will lose.that we will be vanquished.that we will be left behind and cut down. i assure your hopes will remain hopes and dreams.we are doing rather well.and we will prosper and hopefully you will be standing on the sidelines witnessing our prosperity.

it was the arab choice to declare jihad on the jews rather than peace. ISrael has every right and duty to defend.

Good morning! You have awakened to the fact that terror agaisnt Israel and Jews is acceptable. What is new about it?

"how do you explain 1,000 civilian casualties in such a short war? Were you there? Did you physically count the bodies or are you merely quoting the lore put out by the UN and others with a personal agenda. Secondly I dont the IDF needs tactical advise from a novice such as yourself. I think they a bit more knowledge than many of you so call experts on here on how to protect herself. Just to prove your ignorace soldiers did battle door to door in this conflict as well as in 2002 when they invaded the West Bank. Brave soldiers indeed who risked their lives and in many cases lost them as well.

Sounds like Hamas is illegally occupying Israel, Well, Who is occupying who? Who is the aggressor and the terrorist? And who defends their land against illegal occupation, discrimination, sanctions, collective punishment and criminal military attacks? Do you think that people are stupid? How can you even publish such a nonsense?

UN and supporters of this failed institution full of bonehead and weak leadership.

Many commenters here have never been to Israel, they don't know what a Palestinian looks like and they are the most radical. It is indeed an interesting phenomenon.

1. It is highly questionable by historians whether the Six Day War was defensive on the part of Israel. if you argue from 19 yrs of conflict, Israel has a peace treaty with Jordan now for over 15 yrs and there is no conflict with Jordan. The palestinians have also agreed to recognise israel. 2. Your second point has no standing whatsoever in international law. In certain passages of the Bible the borders of the land of Israel extend to the tigris and Euphrates. Is that then also part of your ancestral homeland to be taken and settled? 3. Your thrid point is a zionist canard and has no standing in international law. It also has no bearing on the moving in of a colonising population and the forced transfer of the indigenous population. Your argument about the PLO laing claim to Jerusalem would then also apply to Israel which annexed it to become part of "The land of Israel"

What an absurd statement. He has no obligation when it comes to the security of his nation to answer to internet bloggers who love nothing more then to blame all of their problems and to use israel as an outlet for deeply entrenched feelings of maybe jealousy, hatred or most commingly simply misunderstanding

Thank you Goldstone for showing the world the nature of Israel and it's army. The world step by step is waking up and sees who is the real terrorist.

Israel has a right to defend itself and acted more ethically and showed more constraint then any nation would have in a similar circumstance.

You exhibit the mindset of a baruch goldstein and yigal amir. paranoid, cavelike, with a compelling need to perpetuate the "they all hate us" narrative. Rather than face the truth he scapegoats Jews who have some sense of balance and human decency, a value the teacher/instructor sees as a gentile value to be destroyed among the people israel. Appalling. Golstone is a man of immense integrity not taken in by propaganda and spinmeiseters. Having grown up in an partheid regime, he understands that mentality very well.

...given that Shimon Peres has far more of a busier schedule than I did yesterday, I am quite sure he only has gotten the Reader's Digest version. And I was positively prescient when it came to your absurd claim above when I wrote in advance of your assertion about "Peres, the president y`all always call nothing but a "figurehead" or "doddering old fool" when you disagree with his claims and a true statesman when you agree with his words..." Israel is actively campaigning to stop other governments from reading past the summary. They will rad the entire report. Israel has gone too far. There's is no amount of whining that will put this Genie back into the bottle. There will be no "dissipation" of this report and its findings, myself and thousands of others like me will not let that happen. And I would dearly love to be a fly on the wall on Friday when Mitchell comes back to Israel after a couple of days of the media swirl arising from this damning report.

You really need to widen the source of your news beyond Aljazeera. You belong to the same people who shamelessly deny that the Jews have any connection to Jerusalem. Enough said.

While you're busy choking over the Jews defending their true homeland, you might want to get those boards out of your eyes and look at your own country: 1. Your country (YC) was started by British prisoners and colonists 2. YC stole the land from the aborigines 3. YC murdered many of them 4. YC stole thousands of their children How dare you pontificate about national morality. First, restore the land you stole to the aborigines, pay compensation to the families who suffered loss of life and children, and then think about how refreshing it is that Israel was founded by the people who are the oppressed aborigines of that land - the Jews. We never gave up our claim, we never approved the theft of our land, and we certainly don't approve of people like you who want us to go back into exile.

It was also the UN that issued the mandate for the creation of Israel - something you and your likes ignore. You don't seem to mind Arafat getting the Nobel Peace prize, do you? As long as you're wishing, might as well wish for what you need the most: a conscience and perhaps a bit of brain.

To IDF - News flash: Dropping white phosphorus bombs on densely-populated civilian areas is a war crime, no matter what the provocation.

Israel had no qualms about pursuing Operation Cast Lead as it did. Nor was it reluctant to declare a glorious victory. Now it seems desperate to lie to itself about what it did and how. This sort of self-deception seldom benefits a society. One should never do what one cannot be honest about.

I wholeheartedly with the hurt and disbelief so eruditely expressed by Israel's wise President Shimon Peres. It is such a pity that the UN has developed such a tunnel vision. The UN simply does not acknowledge Israel's human rights anymore. It is time that the U.S. and the E.U. made a strong stand against this treachery from the U.N. We expect more from our U.N. representatives who are supposed to be just and impartial.

Israel was the instigator of the hostilities. A month or so before the attack on Gaza began, Israel struck the Gaza-Egypt border killing many in the process, people who were smuggling,,,yes..smuggling hundreds of items necessary for life and subsistence and yes perhaps some home made rockets to defend Palestinians with whatever they have. It is simply unbelievable how Israel has sunk to such lows. And now with a blunt Israeli slap on Mitchel's face telling him to go home, we all know that LAND is what's on the Israeli government's mind, not peace. Obama can't restore Palestinian rights. They have to take things into their own hand and develop their current strategy of abiding to the Road Map's obligations while highlighting to the world Israel's real concern: settling illegally the West Bank.

Perhaps historians in the distant future will be unable to comprehend how the world democracies of the 20th and 21st century took seriously a conglomerate of nations, most of them characterized for having repressive governments that often butchered their own citizens, that were incapable of bringing their nations to a meaningful existence for as long as they lasted. These historians will not be able to comprehend how these nations had the gall to call themselves The United Nations.

Hi The UN is a respected organisation. Maybe they are right?? How do we know what the army did or did not cover up? This was an independent report and Israel should learn to listen to and accept criticism - not react like a spoiled child

Peres can do better than offer that lame excuse, which is becoming over used. He quotes the UN charter when it benefits him (peres) and Israel ignores UN resolutions, rules & its obligations to abandon the territories under title VII of the UN Charter. What crazy double talk. Peres got the Nobel Peace prize kept the money and "hardware" (plaque) but didn't fight to keep the peace.

The Palestinians have absolutely no way to defend themselves in their jail imposed by the jews of Israel so who is the senile old war criminal Peres kidding. You should know that most of the ordinary people on the planet are so revolted by Israel that we can scarcely say the word without choking in disgust.

So, the report can only be exactly right!

man who has an impressive track record. He also happens to be Jewish which further infuriates the murderous Israel government because they can't call him an antisemite for telling the truth (at least not as easily). It is not the UN or the Goldstone report that is a sham but the government of Israel that kills hundreds of innocent children and women and then calls this report unfair. It is not Goldstone or the UN that is being isolated in the international community but the state of Israel that has stolen land, built on it, and has established an aprtheid state. Shame on Israel and its supporters...what comes around goes around. We all reap what we sow.

Top 3 reasons why Israel's occupation is legal: 1. The occ. started after 19 years of constant conflict, and in particular after the closing of the Suez Canal and then Jordan's unprovoked entry into the ensuing war. Israel didn't just willy-nilly decide to attack one day. 2. The land is in fact part of the ancient Jewish homeland, and the Jewish nation never forfeited its claim to the land, nor did any nation ask permission to be in our land. 3. There was no legal sovereign prior to Israel's occupation. The Jordanians and Egyptians had no legal claim, while the Palestinians had officially forsaken any potential claim in the PLO covenant of 1964. Only after the war they changed the covenant and suddenly claimed that the West Bank and E. Jerusalem was part of "Palestine". Go look for yourself.

is that the Israeli's think they're the victims and keep lying about events to keep hold of that undeserved status. They (Israelis) are not the victims, they're the terrorists! and the world is well aware of that fact now.

Goldstone the Jew. Not unlike the Jew Judge presiding over the trial of Ethel & Julius Rosenberg,who sent both of them to the 'Chair'. Likewise this Jew Judge from South Africa wrote a damning report against Israel,for the only purpose to find favour in the eyes of the non-Jews ! A real bootlicker ! What does it matter if his title is 'Judge',Doktor,or any free profession. All should need a measure of fairness.Titles mean nothing ! In Nazi Germany,some of the most horrendous murders of all time were Doktors. Mengele as only one example. Conclusion: Always fear when a Diaspora Jew is to preside over your destiny ! More often than not,they'll tip the balance against you. And by the way.How did this Goldstone spend his youth in S.Africa? Did he kill.Did he personally murder anybody.And is now trying to make amends? You tell me !

What? To be attacked from this new Terrorist State, so that we have to defend ourselves, like against Gaza, only to be referred to the Hauge Criminal Court. Israel - Wake the #$%^&***@ up!! Don't even think about thinking about leaving the West Bank. Are you nuts?????

Yes -- as legitimate!

Gil, You can go on blaming the victims but no one I know is accept- ing your settler and Israeli goernment war mongering today. There is nothing free about Gazans existence living under an Israeli boot day in and out at exist and entry points. That's just more Israeli terrorism against the Palestinian people and their homeland and more fear mongering to avoid more uprooting from illegal settlements. But let me put you on notice --the settler population and goverment officials won't win this fight as Americans are united in their will not to be silenced or distracted in their desire to free the Palestinian people from the dictates and violence of militant Israel today. Dutch

As a South African I am finding it extremely painful hearing about Judge Goldstone and Bishop Tutu's ideas on Israel& Jews. What changed you two? Have you no morals whatsoever? Or has it come down to how much money they are paying you to write your rubbish. You disappoint us because we really thought you two were beyond this type of trash.

Israelis couldn't commit the crimes the U.N. report claims. They are the salt of the earth. Everyone knows Israelis would never commit genocide, refuse to join the IAEA, consistently violate international law, illegally confiscate land and employ apartheid policies. Those are the ravings of anti-semities.

As a sri-lankan during the hight of terrorism living constantly with suicide bombings and claymore bombings(Mostly Made and exported by the EU)one of many tragedies stays with me, when a 4 year old girl was on her way to school and a Female suicide bomber detonated herself. which killed many people. The Police id this 4 year old girl with part of her finger which the blast had ripped her into pieces. No Human rights group or the UN or western countries condemed... But when the SL army Responded back well the entire socalled Human rights avalanche and UN fell upon us...Like in the case of Israel these groups and orgs only stand up for the terrorist. Mybe They should also send the UN group to Pakistan where the army battled the taliban where millions civilians were displaced, yet the west and the press ignored this fact.. So wht is the difference of terrorist there, In Isreal or in SL???.. This report is a JOKE.. Isreal SHOULD BIN THIS REPORT.

You are the story tellers of all time.

I suppose you know of a war where children were not victims and homes are not demolished? Especially knowing the Islamist heros' penchant for shooting from behind civilians, what you are saying is in line with what UN says: Jews should not defend themselves. I'm sure your opinion will be considered with the weight that it merits.

"The firing of at least four mortar shells to attempt to kill a small number of specified individuals in a setting where large numbers of civilians were going about their daily business and 1,368 people were sheltering nearby cannot meet the test of what a reasonable commander would have determined to be an acceptable loss of civilian life for the military advantage sought. The Mission considers thus the attack to have been indiscriminate in violation of international law, and to have violated the right to life of the Palestinian civilians killed in these incidents." page 15. Interesting to note, is how this is Israel's fault, not Hamas. Hamas is not liable for deciding to fight so close to a civilian area, and somehow Hamas fighters do not militarize the area. This is what makes this report BIAS, the idea that when it could look at Hamas having done the wrong it twists it to be against Israel Legally then: Why is Hamas not liable in this instance but Israel is?

UN is not necessarily saying it's ok to be a terrorist. It's merely saying that Israelis are not allowed to defend themselves against terrorists. After all, the Israelis are mostly Jews.

The United Nations organisation represents the interests voice of all the member states, which is the majority of the world. I find it dismaying that so many Israeli citizens believe that almost the entire world is "anti-semitic" and harbouring some sort of grudge against jewish people. Israel is frequently lambasted by the United Nations because it frequently flouts international law in its dealings with the Palestinian people, not because of some sinister conspiracy theory to make Israel the world's "whipping boy" Other nations which engage in the brutality Israel regularly metes out to the civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank ARE critcised by the UN. Perhaps you are just too self absorbed in your own dramas to notice. It behoves the Israeli President to treat this UN report with a little more gravity, and a little less mendacity lest the scales drop from a few more eyes and the occupation is bared for all to see.

The UN Human Rights Council is an organization mainly supported and driven by the non-democratic Arab countries. Its reports are always biased against Israel and this one like previous ones was initiated with the end conclusion already decided. This report like many others that came from this despicable organization will be evetually ignored by the western democracies.

Say that Israel has signed Additional Protocols I 1977 addition to 4th GC. which it hasn't, so when the report discusses the idea of a disportionate response or the idea that people with small weapons were fighting people with big weapons, well that just aint the law for Israel, why? becuase it hasn't accepted that law, just like the USA. but hey propaganda doesn't seek to tell the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth, rather it seeks to tell enough of the truth that you will omit the rest. But eh, what does it matter how many people in the world are going to do their research?

Amnesty International investigated the conduct of Israeli forces in Gaza, and concluded that the IDF had committed war crimes. Israels response: "They are biased against us!" The Human rights watch also made and investigation, with the same conclusion, and the same answer from Israel. Now the israeli government accuses th UN of being biased against Israel. Apparently, the entire world is anti-semitic and biased, if you listen to Peres, Netanyahu and their supporters. Who would believe them?

Yet another Disengagement premise popped by the needle of reality. We were told that int'l support for Israeli reprisals in Gaza would be granted if Israel sacrificed Gaza on the altar of world opinion. But the Right correctly predicted that int'l opinion would stay as antizionist as ever. Hopefully, political parties that advocate further withdrawals will continue to lose more and more seats as Israelis figure out that they've been fed nonsense for years by these same parties.

We all knew that Cast Lead had nothing to do with the rocket fired from Gaza in response to similar israeli fire and the occupation.

"Hamas want to destroy Israel. Its their stated aim hence the firing of the 12,000 rockets. Israel had no choice but to keep Hamas power muted. And did what it needed to do. And hopefully will keep doing so until the Palestinian leadership renounce Israeli destruction." Richelle The Palestinian leadership renounces Israeli destruction each and every day. As to the so called Hamas charter---have you read the Likud Charter. Did not think so. Go have a peek and report back richelle.I am interested in your take on it.

Israel trots him out to act as a cover, to speak the glib words of peace and reconciliation while the government carries out its policy of expansionism and elongating its conversations with Mitchell while it builds, builds, builds. The same UN report condemns the actions of Hamas firing on civilian centres. Israel just doesnt want to face facts and recognise its culpability. The rest of the world will not let them lie their way out of this. Time for Peres to retire.

and the targets were not civilians, how do you explain 1,000 civilian casualties in such a short war? The plain fact is that the iDF is using conventional war-fighting methods suitable for an armoured enemy in the field, rather than counter-insurgency tactics suited to urban warfare against guerillas. If the army stands off and uses air strikes, artillery and missiles on civilian areas, that is a war crime because it is indiscriminate killing of civilians. That is the charge the IDF is facing. Other armies better trained in asymmetrical warfare use infantry tactics to clear buildings one by one, removing civvies to the rear. Yeah, it takes brave, disciplined soldiers to fight in built-up areas (FIBUA), but it's the only option and the most successful one against a guerilla force. The IDF and its political controllers have to learn this lesson and Goldstone has a part to play.

Ha! You quote his words as gospel when he says opposition to the two-state solution is a hallucination, yet now that you disagree with him, you say he must've read only the summary of the report. You have no reason to believe that he hasn't read it in its entirety. You are just as guilty as you say his detractors are.

....it will not be very funny for him in the future, to serve as the representative of a country that has been accused and found guilty by the International community of war crimes. The conversations at future dinners abroad might be held in a slightly less "pleasant" and "relaxed" atmosphere than they used to be before..... By the way, Mr. Peres, there is nothing wrong with defending one's own country, that is the job of a president.... ....but there is everything wrong with serving as an apologist for war crimes. Actually as a winner of a Peace Noble Prize you should be fully aware of that....

When all nations are held to the same standard as Israel, when all nations are investigated equally for human rights and war crimes, when all nations are condemned wantonly at the UN for many years, when all nations are able to serve on all UN committies then Israel shall view this report with seriousness. Sadly this is nothing more than a witchunt. Those on here calling for Israel's head are just as morally bankrupt or worst an antisemite. When I see Goldstone going to Burma, China, Baghdad, Kabul, or Darfur then maybe he can sell me this bullshit. Not one of you moral commandos on here can tell or prove to me this report was not with any bias or sinister agenda.

"No, such behavior is called DEFENSIVE MEASURES. If Hammas got its paws on 21st century warfare they would abuse it in massive ways. That is what is being prevented." Nunya, There is nothing defensive about the position of an illegal occupier. That legal and strategy position and perogative belongs to the owners of the land --the occupied. So stop swallowing government propaganda. Whether you wish to accept it or not fourteen justices at the International Court of Justice in the Hague in 2004 have already ruled unanimously Israel must remove its troops and dismantle the settlements and the wall. (Actually, the justices use the word "void" So that monstrosity of illegality in the West Bank and East Jereusalem must go....) And I would like to know who died and gave Israeli groups a sole rights to be top gun in the Middle East. I don't know of anyone do you? Dutch

It's not a crime if its aim is to protect civilians already aimed and that will eventually end dead. However it is a crime if done for no reason and randomly (Hamas).

More tunnels to smuggle in arms from Egypt? More t.v. stations to brainwash theirkids with Farfur programs? Come on-if the Gazzans really WANTED TO,theyt could riot in the strets to overthrow Hamas tyranny..instead they support Hamas BECAUSE THEY AGREE WITH ITS OBJECTIVES! They want ALL "Palestine" (ie. No Israel)-you lefty ignoramouses just don't get it. When "civilians" fail to overthrow a government because THEY SUPPORT THE WAR against another country,those civilians forfeit any "rights" --WAR is WAR and if THEY want it-they ought to pay the price and not hide behind phoney rigged paid off U.N. prosecutorial Commissions...There is a serious flaw in "international Law" on War Crimes-in that it lets civilian populations off the hook for supporting a war government by giving them "rights"...I say: baloney: YOu take the conseqiuences of war if you refuse to stop your war government by overthrowingit..JUST like the Germans under the Nazis--the Allies bombed them -DESERVEDLY!

What's wrong with you Mr.Peres? One day before Israel perfidious assaulted the Strip, you promised there is no intension to attack. We all know what happend. Shame on you!

Doesn't mean what Israel did was right. If Israel really was the Priestly nation it portends to be, it would just admit when it makes some mistakes. Israel needed to defend itself, but it absolutely used disproportionate force. 1300 dead Palestenians, mostly civilians, is not proportionate to 13 dead Israeli's. Sorry.

Best Part... Where Gaza is evacuated leaving not a Jew in its borders, then about 1.5 years later, while Gaza IS NOT UNDER SIEGE, Hamas takes it over in a violent coup. Then a siege is placed because Hamas is a terrorist group hell bent on killing Israelis and Jews until all of "Palestine" is Judenrein. But history is so much more interesting and heart provoking when we omit the middle "boring" sections and present only the points we wish to make, no wait, I think that's called, Propaganda. So thanks for your contribution, next time, maybe put in a few more points and make an argument that is actually, historically, true. Just a thought

Less than 1200 Israelis have been killed in 9 years from 2000 until 2009 by Palestinian attacks. Over 1300 Palestinians are killed in 3 weeks by the Israeli army. Talk about proportional responses...

Israel is not being used as a whipping boy. The criticism levelled at Israel in this report is totally justified as is that made against Hamas. You clearly think Israel can do no wrong? Israel's response to Hamas' and other groups retaliation to occupation has always been disproportionate and has been recognised as such by everybody but Israel. Israel thrives on self-denial but for how much longer? The world is seriously fed up with Israel's intransigence and provocation. Perhaps it is the very prospect of peace that she is worried about. Peace of course means compromise and that will include giving back territory current illegally held including East Jerusalem.

it sends Peres to the rescue but is not willing to elect him as he is not "enough" right wing. In my opinion he is worse than the right wing. This article makes false and not exact statements. Gazans fired rockets at Israel also because Israel never stopped firing and assasinating people there, even during accepted cease-fire agreements.

... is that when not plying their trade, irresponsible indiscriminate killers remove their uniforms and melt into the civilian population. The question becomes: Is the UN in favor of this kind of behavior? Is this what the UN would like to see world wide? If not, why is the UN doing everything it can to legitimatize this behavior, and everything it can do to stigmatize the response of responsible government?

why haven't I seen a single article in haaretz in past two days talking about the content of what the report? There has been nothing mentioning the actual accusations only article after article about what Israel thinks about the report. Foreign papers are mentioning this why not Israeli ones? this is what leads to the huge gap between Isaeli public opinion and that of the rest of the world. If what the report accesses Israel of doing actually happen does that constitute a war crime and should somebody pay? this is what the debate should be. Israel has to face itself and stop hiding behind the same tired rhetoric.

If what Israel gets from evacuating Gaza is rockets, and more rockets, and when we defend ourselves after 8 years of bombardment, then we are called War Criminals, and may be summoned for a trail in Huge for war crimes, then evacuating the WB is a waste of time. For it is now clear, that defending ourselves is not legitimate, by UN standards! P/S When is Goldie going to investigate Iraq and Afghanistan?

If what Israel gets from evacuating Gaza is rockets, and more rockets, and when we defend ourselves after 8 years of bombardment, then we are called War Criminals, and may be summoned for a trail in Huge for war crimes, then evacuating the WB is a waste of time. For it is now clear, that defending ourselves is not legitimate, by UN standards! And people say UN is anti Semitic! P/S When is Goldie going to investigate Iraq and Afghanistan?

As opposed to this English edition, many comments in Haaretz Hebrew edition support Goldstone report, and call Peres a liar. The blind support of Israel by non-Israeli Jews is an interesting sociological phenomenon ...

In the 6th century, St. Augustine said that a pirate with one ship is a terrorist, but a pirate with a fleet of ships is an emperor. There is such a thing as institutional terrorism, and the UN report is a very accurate description of the Gaza invasion. The pictures of the phosphorus bombing, dead children, and demolished homes is proof of Israel's guilt.

The report will only alienate Israel further. It is another UN pratfall. How can it be reasoned if the Israelis refused to co-operate? Of course civilians get caught up in war. Its tragic, its upsetting, its what happens in war - always. Hamas want to destroy Israel. Its their stated aim hence the firing of the 12,000 rockets. Israel had no choice but to keep Hamas power muted. And did what it needed to do. And hopefully will keep doing so until the Palestinian leadership renounce Israeli destruction.

As an outsider looking in all I can say is " Here we go again". Israel as well as Hamas did not participate in this report for one reason the UN is known to be a good for nothing Shakshuka orgnisation. It is also a known fact that the Hamas as well as the Palistinians lie through their teeth they tell the west one thing and their own people a different story. During Operation Cast Lead when ever a Hamas fighter was killed wearing civilian cloths he automaticly became a poor inicent civilian. Out of the 1400 deaths a large percent were such fighters. Film clips showing dead Hamas civilian being carried on stretchers suddenly they were able to walk. Ambulances transporting Hamas fighters,rockets and military equipment.One must bear in mind that 80% of the population support Hamas. So the million $$$ question will there be peace between the Palistinians, will the Palistinians change their way of thinking ......the answere is 100% " YES, YES " when the crab deceides to walk straight

Using white phosphorus in a densely populated area is bannend by international law. Doing it anyway is no war crime?? Destroying basic infrastructure like sewage plants and not allowing any building materials into gaza to fix it for almost a year now (so that the huge aquifer - and thus the drinking water- under the strip will be poisoned for decades if nothing is done about it really really soon) is no crime against humanity?? The UN report is not about if there was a reason for that war - it's about crimes against the normal population that have been conducted during that war!

You are bullshititing us Mr. Peres, and you know that. True, Hamas was shooting few amateur home made "rockets" (usually as a response to IDF attacks), while Israel was dropping WP bombs and shooting missiles from F-16s. The casualty ratio was about 1000/2, and you know that (even the few IDF casualties were from friendly fire). As a former combatant I know that IDF is lying most of the time, and I have no doubt that Goldstone report is accurate. Shame on you, Mr. Peres, and on all of those who support this crime. And if you can't see it (maybe you believe in Jewish superiority), I feel sad for your soul.

Evan the Arabs wanted Hamas slapped down. Peres is right, the only thing that keeps the peace is the IDF. The only thing that stopped the rockets was Cast Lead, not hamas tending to the business of taking any care or concern for the people of Gaza. Just the UN at its finest: useless.

Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Somalia. All rabid regimes run by thugs. The setting up of the commission was opposed by most civilized countries because the outcome was already determined. Goldstone and his groupies on the commission already condemned Israel in numerous articles months before they started their investigation. Sixty years after the Nazis were defeated we are seeing their rebirth at the UN.

Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Somalia. All rabid regimes run by thugs. The setting up of the commission was opposed by most civilized countries because the outcome was already determined. Goldstone and his groupies on the commission already condemned Israel in numerous articles months before they started their investigation. Sixty years after the Nazis were defeated we are seeing their rebirth at the UN.

...I seriously doubt whether Shimon Peres, the president y'all always call nothing but a "figurehead" or "doddering old fool" when you disagree with his claims and a true statesman when you agree with his words, has even read farther than the summary. It's a long read, it's a hard read, it's an appalling read. It is extremely sad to see the totality of what Israel wrought before, during and after in this report. I notice the most knowledgeable people that usually post here are currently mostly silent; I suspect they are fully reading the report and digesting it. As are the movers and shakers in the halls of power people. Israel will find this impossible to sweep under a rug.

What is it about the Israelis -- Jews? -- and truth? Does it not mean anything to you? When you cross into territory cleary marked LIES -- do you pretend not to see the sign? Or does it simply not matter because, again, you're dealing with non-Jews?

Hamas' hides as civilians in civilian neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, mosques--the UN does not proscribe this activity and in effect denies Israel the right to defend itself--meanwhile the most hot-button "crimes" cited are known fabricationsd

we can always blame the jews either way and whatever happens

President Peres has again stepped out of his ceremonial role and rightly criticized the UN Goldstone report. All wars are cruel by their nature, but some sides are justified in self defence or of others or of civilization itself. In his quest for "fairness", Goldstone lost site of the forest he was so obsessed with the specific events. The disproportion of casualties, maybe 100 to 1, at the expense of the Palestinians was a measure of the Hamas tactic to hide and fire from amongst their own civilian and cynically point to the results. The origin, cause, and responsibility for the war lies totally with Hamas' rejectionist, violent, callous attempts to inflict casualities on Israelis at random, and invite a harsh response and use that for propaganda. Goldstone, sadly, is fulfilling their wishes.

as such: 77. The Mission is of the opinion that, as a soldier who belongs to the Israeli armed forces and who was captured during an enemy incursion into Israel, Gilad Shalit meets the requirements for prisoner-of-war status under the Third Geneva Convention. As such, he should be protected, treated humanely and be allowed external communication as appropriate according to that Convention. The ICRC should be allowed to visit him without delay. Information about his condition should also be provided promptly to his family.

"The force was not indiscriminate and the targets were not civilians. Hence, no war crime." You may be right. But the CASUALTIES were majority civilians. Please explain the point of destroying poultry farms, and hospitals. And more than 8 UN POSTS in Palestine including schools and offices!

Peres is absolutely correct about many things. A state has a right and a duty to defend itself. When Israel launched its unprovoked attack on Gaza on Nov. 4, 2008, killing six Palestinians and starting the war (look it up if you don't believe me), the government of Gaza had no choice but to launch a (completely ineffective) counterattack. Israel escalated, and killed something like 300 Palestinians before the Palestinians managed a single Israeli casualty. "Gaza was overrun by a murderous, illegitimate terrorist organization" - except it was/is Israel not Hamas. "The comparison between those who foment terrorism and its victims is unconscionable". Trying to compare the Palestinian's pitiful attempts to defend themselves to Israel's state terrorism is disgusting.

israel shoud just have fired rockets and mortars into gazan civilian areas every time the gazans fired rockets and mortars into israel. or is that illegal?

How right he is.Israel went in to stop a crime against humanity not to indulge in one.

I am normally a fan of Peres. But he is clearly delusional with statements like "IDF operations are what brought about economic prosperity in the West Bank, liberated Lebanon from the wrath of Hezbollah, and enabled Gaza residents to return to their daily routines." Yes Shimon, the IDF certainly brought economic prosperity and liberated Lebanon. What a joke.

Barak and Peres really do live on a different planet don't they?! I like the line: "IDF operations are what brought about economic prosperity in the West Bank, liberated Lebanon from the wrath of Hezbollah, and enabled Gaza residents to return to their daily routines." Of course Peres omits to mention that 'IDF operations' also resulted in the brutal deaths of hundreds upon hundreds of innocent civilians and the wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure in Lebanon/WB/Gaza. In the 'real world' it was Hezbollah who 'liberated' Lebanon from the IDF occupation. In the 'real world' the civilians of Gaza cannot 'return to their daily routines' as they are still, after decades, under brutal Israeli occupation. In the 'real world' economic prosperity in the West Bank has been stymied by the theft of land and resources and illegal Israeli settlements. Barak and Peres are basically full of BS...

Dutch Certainly you hit all the posting sites to express your heartfelt outrage when Hamas executed 26 members of a rival Islamic group in Gaza last week and when this week the presumptive next head of UNESCO was quoted as saying that he would ?burn all Israeli books myself before you.? Surely you felt the same shock today when you read that Egypt shot 2 Eritrean refugees t. U know that Israel just gave a Sudanese refugee life saving heart surgery 2 weeks ago. Get over your obsession

How dare you utter such hypocrisy. If a group of people were shooting murderous rockets at you and your family, you would use proportionate force to stop it? You sir, are a big fat hypocrite.

The panel was appointed by the UN Commission on Human Rights, in other words, by Libya and Pakistan, those champions of human rights and democracy.

I agree with you 1000%.

When Lebanon struck Israel and took IDF soldiers as hostages, the IDF smashed the countries infrastructue badly. Aside from the recent 2 missiles fired by some crazy militia in lebanon... it has been quite qieit and peaceful. When Gaza continued to fire thousands of mortars and qassams into Israel, finally the IDF smashed Gaza. Since then it has been quiet. Bottom line is little or no rocket fire into Israel from Lebanon or Gaza.

".... ganging up on a civilians population and attacking and killing them with their 21st century warfare. Such behavior is the lowest of the lowest in the free and moral world." No, such behavior is called DEFENSIVE MEASURES. If Hammas got its paws on 21st century warfare they would abuse it in massive ways. That is what is being prevented.

"Independent Panel" thats the funniest joke I've heard all day.

Since when is it moral or indeed right for an army to gang up on a civilian population and attack & kill them with 21st century warfare? Throughout history people have been united in their cause to pro- tect the weak from the strong and indeed it has been the basis for many of our international agreements, laws and human rights. Today, Israelis violates those basic principles and agreements and there will be accountability and charges accordingly. The rubble alone reflects what vandals they have become and the body count reflects what murderers they are. Dutch

I will make it quite simple to you and you and the other moral police patrol: When all nations are held to the same standard as Israel, when allnations who have committed serious war crimes and legitimate human rights abuses, when other nations are condemned wantonly over a 100 times at the UN, when all nations then Israel should take a look at this report. Until this report is the height of hypocrisy and nothing more than a political pogrom against Jews. Those who support or try justify this witchunt are also hypocrits and probably bigots.

The truth always hurts. I am sure it hurts more now that the international community is recognizing and voicing opposition to your dirty lttle agenda to eliminate the Palestinians. Israel is just mad because the truth could not be hidden from the rest of the world. You can't candy coat and spin something positive out of this can you Israel?

War is ugly and atrocities are committed many times unintentionally. Use this report, which was not written with prejudiced against Israel. Goldstone, a Jew, even tried to soften it. Maybe in the next war, the IDF will be more aware of their actions and therefore not lose the high ground of defending their country.

to do house-cleaning in this organization if it wishes to be respected. Right now no one respects it, not even a former employee of the UN like myself.

Just imagine what any other , other then Israel , normal country would do in a similar situation ??? You name it , America , Russia , China , England , France ....In any of those cases Gaza would be a long time a museum item . It is only Israel , the not normal one , who endures so many casualties to Arab terror , and who takes it for such a long time .

I am sure the Goldstone report stings Israel to the core. Who wants to hear an independent panel declare that you have committed horrendous war crimes, but there it is. News reports during the Cast Lead operation seemed proof enough but now we have chapter and verse. Israel will try to spin this away, of course. The latest is an effort to smear an investigator as biased because he collects military artifacts. Such nonsense!

.... ganging up on a civilians population and attacking and killing them with their 21st century warfare. Such behavior is the lowest of the lowest in the free and moral world. There is no coming back from the depths you and your fellow Israelis have fallen. No one is going to excuse your war crimes. That would be another mockery against elementary justice, and accountability to the victims and their families. Dutch

According to Jerry Levin, settlers have endured persecution, the wall was built on Palestinian farmland, Khazars are not true Jews, and the Mossad owns the Internet.

The European governments are using International Law and the United nations as a 'whopping stick'against those they oppose. The European's and others that are pushing for a one world order should be isolated to let flounder in their own demise.

When an army goes into a densely populated urban area that it could destroy all of in a moment. 1)Drops millions of leaflets from the air warning oftime and place of operations 2)Calls people at home to warn them to leave buildings, 3)has "no conflict hours" allowing people to leave shelter to take care of daily necessities. When a major army spends 3 weeks in such an area and only 1500 (mostly combatants) are killed its force but hardly indescriminate

wait wait let me get this straight.. israel brought "economic prosperity" to the west bank??? israel LIBERATED me in south lebanon?? here's a suggestion. israel seems to concentrate so much of its effort on helping us lebanese the whole time. i would kindly ask that they stop helping me, stop liberating me, and stop bringing me economic prosperity.

Looks like the authors of the report, follow the International Media viewpoints. Israel has lost the war in the media and here are some of the consequences. The people of the world is barely aware of the events depicted on Mr Peres remarks. The Jewish people ought to create "a Jewish CNN" to counteract an unfair press.

The force was not indiscriminate and the targets were not civilians. Hence, no war crime.

No one denies that Israel does hit very hard but, unlike countries like the USA, the UK, EU, China, Russia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Sudan and so many others, we are fighting for our survival. The above mention countries have committed attrocities of enormous proportions, but the UN and other so called Human Rights Organizations brush these off and concebtrate thevenom against Israel. Many complain that whenever an anti-Israel report is published we call it anti-Semtitism. Well, if not then what is the reason for using Israel as the World's whipping boy?

Mr Barak, the use of indiscriminate force against civilians is a war crime. You should be indicted, arrested and brought to trial at The Hague.

if shalit was a pow he was protected by the geneve convention, received cri visit, letters, care packages, he is not. he is a hostage of a terrorist organisatios and the reprts is one side reporting, dangerously allowing abductions of soldiers internationally and rewarding terrorist for that.

Israel is not better. Why should it be better?

Hamas has attacked the western Negev with approximately 12,000 rockets and mortars since 2000, including nearly 8,000 missiles since the expulsion of Jews and the IDF withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. Since the end of the Operation Cast Lead counterterrorist campaign, southern Israel has sustained 250 attacks, not including dozens of sniper shootings at soldiers and roadside bombs aimed at IDF vehicles at the Gaza separation barrier. However, Goldstone?s lengthy report devoted only nine pages to the rockets, Bedein said. ?Its comparison of Gaza with Sderot is ridiculous,? he added. ?We teach children to run to bomb shelters in 15 seconds, and they teach their children to run to rooftops and be human shields? during Israeli retaliation. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133450