'Why should U.S. taxpayers subsidize anti-Israel activities?'

"Responsible countries are begging Israel to conduct an open and responsible investigation. Israel stonewalled the UN Commission, it has slandered the investigators, and slimed the UN, and it refuses to conduct an open and honest investigation." (Mark Lincoln) I doubt Israel can accept "investigating" blame (fighting terrorists hiding among civilians) compared to SO MANY OTHER COUNTRIES killing tens of thousands civilians (nobody touches them)! Sri Lanka is just one of them, ...yet, was praised by the UN! (The Economist). Why should Israel become a contrite example to the world, as desired by bigot, antisemite UNHRC - the employer of Goldstone? About UNHCR (Wikipedia): The council has been widely criticized[3] within the UN and without, including by Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-Moon. Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson expressed regret for ..."adopting resolutions guided not by human rights but by politics."

"Responsible countries are begging Israel to conduct an open and responsible investigation. Israel stonewalled the UN Commission, it has slandered the investigators, and slimed the UN, and it refuses to conduct an open and honest investigation." (Mark Lincoln) I doubt Israel can accept "investigating" blame (fighting terrorists hiding among civilians) compared to SO MANY OTHER COUNTRIES killing tens of thousands civilians (nobody touches them)! Sri Lanka is just one of them, ...yet, was praised by the UN! (The Economist). Why should Israel become a contrite example to the world, as desired by bigot, antisemite UNHRC - the employer of Goldstone? About UNHCR (Wikipedia): The council has been widely criticized[3] within the UN and without, including by Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-Moon. Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson expressed regret for ..."adopting resolutions guided not by human rights but by politics."

The USA gives Israel $5.7 billion annually. $2.7 billion is for military assistance, and then the USA has to fund another $1.0 billion to repair the damage Israel did to Gaza. $3.0 billion is for economic assistance to Israel. Then Israel steals Palestinian land, builds settlements and gives financial incentives for Europeans and North Americans to move into those settlements. It is time to stop funding human rights abuses by Israel.

Because they subsidize pro Israel activities, Let me know when the subsidy reaches the $100 million a week that the IDF gets.

Pandering to Israel is not fashionable anymore...Israel behaves poorly, kills civillians, destroys civillian infrastructure, and then they complain that their behavior is documented in a UN report. Israel refuses to stop settlement expansion and Israel refuses to negotiate final status issues with the Palestinians....why on earth, should the international community go out of their way to pander to Israel?

US taxpayers shouldnt have to subsidize the existence of the state of Israel. Billons a year of their taxpayer money goes to military and economic aid to Israel who carries out destructive wars on its neighbours. And the loan gurantees? Again they are written off after a couple of years and the taxpayer has to pay for that too, and ths has been happening since Israels birth so we are talking about tens and tens of billions of dollars.

"Netanyahu argues that the resolution, if adopted, would hamper Israel's ability to defend itself and therefore discourage it from making possibly risky concessions for peace with the Palestinians." There are 6 simple steps by which Israel can defend herself. These are (1) to get her armed forces back behind the Green Line where they belong and keep them there, (2) investigate her own crimes during Cast lead and deal with them appropriately, (3) stop trying to bargain lands that were never hers to begin with for more lands that were never hers to begin with. (4) join the rest of the world by agreeing that conquest is no longer a valid means of territorial expansion. (5) take to heart that peace does not come from making concessions. It comes only from a change of attitude, and (6) take a risk with the Palestinians. It might be worth her while.

The Israeli government and the majority of its citizens perceive its actions as in the national interest. It is their prerogative, even if self defeating over time. The United States government should be acting in its own national interests as well. its support of the Israeli government in allowing its occupation of the West Bank has certainly contributed to the misadventures being experienced by the United States in the mid east. Misadventures serious enough to seriously impact on the well being of our people. What is so grotesque, is that in our "educated" and "sophisticated" citizenry has been led by various special interests to see Israel as a friend and ally!

Then send YOUR money to Israel! There is no one stopping you, but the rest of us should not be forced to pay Israel one red cent.

for defending us. Seeing the percentage of anti-Israel, anti-Jews and anti-Semitic comments on these posts, I wonder if we should give importance to Haaretz by reading it...

"Israel is the country that needs a competent FM most" F.B "and existential threats pile up by the day" F.B How about their Defence Minister? "Right now, Iran does not have a bomb. Even if it did, this would not make it a threat to Israel's existence. Israel can lay waste to Iran" Ehud Barak. September 2009. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Barak_says_nuke_armed_Iran_couldn_t_destroy_Israel.html?siteSect=143&sid=11233343&cKey=1253223519000&ty=ti "I am not among those who believe Iran is an existential issue for Israel." Barak said. "Israel is strong, I don't see anyone who could pose an existential threat," although he did add that he viewed Iran as a challenge to the whole world. http://blogs.jta.org/politics/article/2009/09/17/1007964/ehud-barak-no-existential-threat Now about this *pile* of existential threats...

subsidise Israel? There are people dying in the US because they have dental abcesses and their parents cannot afford a visit to the the dentists. Why should the American taxpayer spend billions on Israel?

subsidize anti-Israel activities. Nor should they subsidize anti-Palestinian activities - directly or indirectly.

instigation behind the report. Israel does not need to expend time defending itself all the time from patently false allegations thrown at it all the time. That the three judges already had condemned Israel before the investigation even began is very telling...their many anti-Israel diatribes are well documented and that is why Israel refused to cooperate. This was a railroad that even a child could see from a million miles away.

You wrote that the question in the headline shows Israel's contempt for the U.S. Israel has a free press (of which you make frequent use, to put it mildly). It is hard to conceive what possible bizarre inferential process could lead you to conclude that a headline in its free press in a piece of reporting, which quotes a U.S. congressman in that headline, is an expression of contempt for America. I agree with Rashid Khalidi that Israel's primary function in the region has been as U.S. proxy, fighting for U .S. interests when the U.S. does not want to have to intervene directly (Sowing Crisis, 2009, p. 122). If you disagree, fine, but get a grip on your irrational emotions and at least try to argue rationally.

You have said what is on my mind exactly. Thank you...

I ,as an American Jew and taxpayer, am proud to support Israel ,the most moral country on earth. And to all the bigoted morons bashing Israel, because they are stupid and believe the muslim lies, you can eat sh..t and die. You all need to get educated , but I am not sure you have a brain to educate.

Why are U.S. taxpayers subsidizing Israel, the occupation and the settlements? Let Israel stand on its own without the billions it gets from US taxpayers. We have already given too much to Israel with little in return.

We shouldn't.

Israel is true to compare itself with Sudan and the Congo when it comes to abuse of Human Dignity. As an American I am sick of supporting israels contempt for Humanity. Enough with impunity. And yes by God, may my nation also pay for its crimes.

This U.S. Taxpayer-- Wants to fund accountability for war crimes, human rights abuses, etc...EVERYWHERE that it is needed!!! If Israel-- Is the one doing the war crimes, human rights abuses, etc....I want THEM held accountable...just like EVERYONE ELSE! If Israel/Anyone Else-- Doesn't want my tax dollars...to fund what has been inaccurately described "anti-Israel" activities...the answer is SIMPLE: don't do actions that require holding you accountable! It Has NEVER Been My Desire-- To fund war CRIMES/CRIMINALS...human rights abusers/violators...nor people who INTENTIONALLY avoid and/or sabotage PEACE. Why Would I-- When there are so many other MORE DESERVING people/worthy causes?

should US taxpayers subsidize a serial human rights abuser and obstacle to world peace. It must be humiliating for Israelis that they lump themselves in with Darfur, the Congo, North Korea, Zimabawe etc. Nice company indeed. For the learning impaired, the difference it that Israel, although similar in it's brutality to the ratbag nations above, is actively supported by western democracies while the others are not.

the close partnership between bush and olmert did a lot of harm to israel they are licking their wounds now. for the americans on this side.remember that sandstorm in bagdad a few years back when rockets where flying into the green zone from sadr city. then the us air force hit back in an unprecedented brutal way killing tousends of civiliens, eaven iran begged the usa to stop the massacre. but gates said lately that a second superpower can not fail in afganisthan, that means if you are superpower you can destroy and kill with impunity?

What could be more supportive than to bring your friends into line with law and morality? Friends don't let friends drive drunk is an American slogan and campaign. This applies in spades to Israel, drunken and gorged with the spoils of its Settler Enterprise, in defense of which Israel is willing to sacrifice both the blood and the honour of the United States of America no less than its own reputation in the two Lebanon Wars and Cast Lead in Gaza. Not to mention Iran, Israel's most insane gamble with the peace of the world for the sake of its settlements.

We're tired of sending billions every year to Israel to subsidize ongoing occupation, tearing down Palestinian homes, building your "security wall" that encroaches on Palestinian lands.

Why is the U.S subsidizing Pakistan? Think about it. Lack of U.S. support for Israel now may mean, implausibly as it sounds, U.S. subsidizing Hamas in the future against even more radical terrorists than they. Wow!

directly in dollars and then with terrorism against us because of the hatred you generate?

And yet it chooses a persona non grata as its Foreign Minister. This suicidal stupidity is a paroxism. And there are thoausands of people who could competently anf effectively fulfill the task of Israel's top diplomat, when Israel-bashing is the universal passtime of anybody, its legitimacy is being attacked from almost everywhere, and existential threats pile up by the day.

What does the US get out of helping Israel other than Arab hatred and emnity? The US has no interest in subsidizing settlements or any other form of disposession.

Israel clearly regards America's national interests as not worth consideration. Israel continues to treat America with contempt. Israel has declared propaganda war upon the President of the USA and the Congressional majority. That the question in the headline of this article was even written shows the degree of Israel's contempt for the United States. Our nations are friends, we are not your lackeys.

It is a completely absurd notion that this council would assail a sovereign nation for defending itself against a group of terrorists who create conditions where NO plausible defense can be carried out without collateral damage. This dispicable act of slander and libel by Hamas and the palestinians; forcing people into the corner to be attacked, will ultimately be met with their demise. They will lose the middle-east peace process and get what they want: violence. It has gone on for too long and the incompetent UN and Human Rights Council with their anti-semitic rantings and opposition fo Israel are clear as a bell. Who listens to the UN anyhow. Israel and the US SHOULD withdraw and kick them off of American soil: let them go to Turkey or Iran: their new buddies.

it is all BS, only for diplomats to travel 1st class to blow air on tax payers money... that is all it is: BS

Real meaning is that "anything and everything is an excuse to stall, stall, stall." "Don't look here, it is worse elsewhere"

No one subsidize anti-Israel activities at the United Nations. I gladly pay my taxes to get this fact out!I believe you should shut up and let justice prevail! once for all!!! I am shame you are a USA congressman hypocrite

U.S. Representative Mark Kirk Is some kind of evil controlling the UNHRC to the point where they have to falsely accuse Israel of war crimes? Israel is attacked day after day after day, and to hear the UNHRC's version of events you would think it was Israel doing the attacking, when in truth it is not that way at all, its Israels enemys who are the aggressors and always have been doing all the attacking. Day after day. And day after day. Why? Because some people just like to fight, they want to go out and hit somebody, they want to just go out and hurt somebody they dont need a cause they just go out and make up a cause so to give them a excuse to go out and hurt someone so that they can jump up and down with glee and laugh about it.

The UN has no business in the internal matters of sovereign countries. At best it can only try to help the victims. How can a US Congressman be so ignorant of the workings of the UN?

Yes, Israel has investigated itself numerous times. And, despite others easily being able to find evidence of wrongdoing, somehow Israel can't find evidence of its own wrongdoings (although it seems to have no problem finding evidence of Hamas wrongdoing, including some evidence that nobody else can find). And having that as a consistent pattern raises an important question. Are the investigators looking for evidence of wrongdoing, or looking for evidence that shows no wrongdoing took place? The first is correctly called an investigation. The second is politely termed a white-wash. And with the ICC launching an investigation into a single incident, where 157 people died, and the prosecutor says "This is appalling, unacceptable. It must never happen again. Those responsible must be held accountable.", asking people to overlook almost 10 times that number of deaths, just because they are Palestinians, is a bit much.

Guidelines for Teaching about the Holocaust. (UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM) http://www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/guideline/ Through a study of these topics, students come to realize that: * Silence and indifference to the suffering of others, or to the infringement of civil rights in any society can?however unintentionally?perpetuate the problems; and * The Holocaust was not an accident in history?it occurred because individuals, organizations, and governments made choices that not only legalized discrimination but also allowed prejudice, hatred, and ultimately mass murder to occur. Above sentiments do not apply to the Palestinian people.

Many media have already reported that the UK has rejected the Goldstone report. Of course Haaretz is not among them.

...mentioned in the report and conduct their own investigation. Not point fingers the other way and say "Look at Iran! They say mean things about us!!" oooo spooky!! Iran says things that aren't nice...let's start a war. Israel, to be taken seriously you must put the giant lolipop down, take off the white Shirley Temple dress, and act like an adult and perform your won investigation. Until then, you're losing more and more respect by the rest of the world each day you throw another tantrum. Poor babies!!! Grow up, Israel.

Yes, good old peacenik Shimon Peres. Let's see now: 1996. Prime Minister Peres orders the IDF to "accidentally" (with the help of drones) to drop a bomb in the middle of a UN refugee center. I guess the UN investigating that -- concluding the attack was deliberate, resulting in Boutros-Boutros Ghali's end as UN head -- was inappropriate too. But of course only Hamas targets civilians, right?

should vote for the resolution. For all "responsible" nations are against Israel's policies of occupation and settlement. Israel thinks that being "responsible" is doing just what it wants. Soon it will be all alone.

Netanyahu and Peres need to do more than make cleverly crafted statements. Nobody is listening anymore - now that US support for Israel has dwindled. As long as Netanyahu insists on sitting on the fence and doing nothing, the enemy will take advantage to move its own agenda. Nature abhors a vacuum. Managing a wieldy coalition government might be a great job that Netanyahu is doing, but it is Iran and not the coalition that is trying to end Israel. Netanyahu is looking the wrong way.

"If the Human Rights Council wants to be fair, I suggest that it consider Iran's call for Israel's destruction" So Israel hasn't openely threatened the Islamic Republic with military strikes? It does so daily, and in no ambiguous terms. Iran has made no direct threats of this kind, in fact, it maintains a 'no first strike' policy, and hasn't invaded anyone's territory in its whole modern history. If only Israel could claim the same. It suffices just to whip out the same old Khomeni quote, used over and over in typically hysterical fashion to help flesh out this bogus 'existential threat'. Peres's use of the term 'hypocrisy' in this regard is beyond ironic.

Responsible countries are begging Israel to conduct an open and responsible investigation. Israel stonewalled the UN Commission, it has slandered the investigators, and slimed the UN, and it refuses to conduct an open and honest investigation. Mr. Netanyahu would be prudent to stop acting guilty and start acting in the best interest of his nation. Simply smearing Goldstone and lying about the contents of the report will not make it go away. Only an open and honest investigation of the planning, execution and conduct of Cast Lead can do that. That is why the US, Britain and France are asking Israel to stop stonewalling and do an open and honest investigation. If Israel thinks it can treat those three nations with contempt when they are begging it to salvage it's reputation, then it is going to end up very lonely.

Not in the UN, and not elswhere, when it comes to single out Israel, demonize and delegimitize its legitimate right to self-defense.

Anybody care if this report is true or not? I'm glad Israel will be able to defend itself against such horrible charges.

It's about time fairness came into the equation. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

how come peres got the nobel peace price, he is the biggest rascist and hypocrate himself.

The UN basically is telling us that if we leave the West Bank (our hystorical homeland actually) and missiles are fired on Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport, we will not be able to defend ourselves. So Israel is not allowed to defend itself when terrorist commit war crimes and shoot at our schools, homes, malls. Thanks for making this pefectly clear. We are staying forever.

to roost!

This is what israel must understand

any country reject it will expose itself one might the U.S.of A might for own reason not to be judged later on Iraq abuse

"We hope that all responsible countries will tomorrow vote against that decision, which aids and encourages terror and strikes at peace," Netanyahu said." Stop terror! Support war crimes! Great bumper sticker, but lousy policy.

-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called on members of the UN's Human Rights Council to reject a resolution endorsing a report accusing Israel and Hamas of war crimes during the fighting in Gaza last winter.- That is Netanyahu is calling on the UN not to endorse a resolution accusing Hamas of war crimes?

Stop your blackmail Israel! Everybody knows you are not serious about the peace process any way. You have committed war crimes and now you must be judged. The nazis were condemned in Nuremberg for their war crimes against Jews, now it is your turn for your treatment of defenceless Palestinians in Gaza. Justice must be the same for all.

natanyahu becoming the funniest comedian on the planet :)

Israel has an automatic VETO power that is stronger than anything else in the U.N.

Does Israel have no shame !! Blackmail country to do what they wish, not what is right. Responsible country will heed to Goldstone report. Is Obama voters we are watching what USA do!

Israel's real crime is that it killed a lot of civilian and is still denying it. For over sixty years, Israel has killed Palestinian and destroyed their homes, but was able to use it propaganda apparatus to deceive the world. I guess, with new technologies and satellite TV, It is becoming harder for them to continue to deceive the world.

Netanyahu's government could have cooperated with Goldstone's Enquiry and have conducted an investigation to answer the allegations. It chose not to. The UN has a morally responsibility to follow through on these charges and if substantiated, israel must accept the consequences. Israel is used to getting its own way in the public forum. This time it may have gone too far and finally be held to account. It has nothing to do with security or terrorism. That is just more cant from this gasbag.