In wake of UN Gaza probe, how can Israel go to war again?

"The truth is that do to all the international pressure and the PR war against Israel, I believe the facts will show that the IDF tries harder than any other Western military to prevent civilian casalties." Face it Chaim, Israel is like the boy who cried wolf. No one believes you anymore. "How many intentional Hamas rocket attacks against Israeli civilian targets versus IDF unitentional collateral damage?" The death of 1,400 Palestinians was far from "unintentional collateral damage." It was the central feature of the operation itself.the operation was based on the assumption that the "righteous IDF would be able to overthrow the Hamas government by causing intolerable suffering to the civilian population. I think the Hamas government is still around is it not?

Ganging up on civilians is the lowest common denominator and the fastest way to put oneself out of action and business. Dutch

"Israel will go to war if necessary like she did before" CJK Indeed : Its real War of Independence this time ! Shana Tova

In the end, it is security, not enemy lives which are most important. Jewish life has always been cheap to the other (including the Kapos of yesterday and today) The same ones who pass judgment today slaughtered jews or sent their children back to europe to face the ovens. Jews need to stop trying to satisfy the other and make bold moves in their own interests. these events should reinforce that the only solution lies in the strength of the security forces. Israel should seriously look into the possibility of occupying the saudi oilfields.

According to reports published elsewhere, Goldstone is extremely pro- Israel. If this were true, he would not have required a lengthy investigation to determine whether Israel was justified in Operation Lead and the circumstances leading up to it and that it deserved more criticism than Hamas for "crimes against humanity". Please do not insult my intelligence with your false allegation that Israel shot itself in the foot by choosing not to cooperate with Goldstone's commission. Goldstone is a political hack and he knew his conclusions before he accepted the job. If he had an ounce of integrity he would have declined. He should command a handsome salary from the Arab League. He personifies Lenin's "useful idiot".

Israel can't go to war again? Oh my God, what are we gonna do now...Israel can't go to war again!!

"Goldstone report makes clear, Gaza is still occupied" First, bbs is UNABLE to PROVE that "international laws" DEFINE gaza as "occupied" DESPITE his continuous HARPING. Then he CLAIMS - totally UNVERIFIABLE of course - that the UN Sec Gen Ban STATES that gaza is "occupied". Now he is so DESPERATE that he USES the Goldstone report to SUPPORT his FAILING claim - even though the REPORT does NOT in any way CONFER such LEGAL status. Crash DUMMY for sale, anyone?

Aluf Benn. How can Israel go to war again ? Simple. Just follqw the example of America.or the British. Cananyone in his right mind tell me what they are doing in Iraq & in Afghanistan? Did any of those countries actually bomb,fire rockets,or crash into the Twin Towers ? Of course not.The criminals were the Saudis,the Egyptians & the Jordanians.And above all the Iranians. Did anyone see the Americans,British,Or NATO forces bombing those countries? You came from over the seas & oceans to humiliate,rob,kill & destroy over 400,000 Iraqis & Afghans. Do you think they will ever forget your brutality? The world, Only a faint murnur is heard. Whereas the cut-throat Arab regimes are right at our door ! You get it? I still want an answer why you wontonly killed so many innocent Iraqis & Afhganis ? They'll never forget ! We will never forget how the Western world was silent. Millions,the Flower of our Youth,& People were dragged to the slaughter.A Day Will Com

israel will go to war if necessary like she did before.

You know like pictures of Darfurians

I personally was against it too, Smadar, but there weren't too many who saw it that way here, inside the country. It was timed to coincide with the interregnum between US Presidencies and the Christmas-New Year break when everything including news services ran on a skeleton staff. I cannot say I was prepared for the scale or the style of it though, no. Nor was I prepared for travelling on a bus airing interviews with a Gazan doctor who used to work in a Beersheva fertility clinic, shouting, pleading for sense to prevail on his cellphone while audibly under fire, our fire, without reaction from passengers. Three of his daughters were killed by one of those shells a few days later. Hamas criminally neglected to protect the population it was elected to defend, but that does not excuse our abuse. This report underlines that. As you do, I hear the will to negotiate from Hamas, heard it again today from Gazan journalist Sami Abed. We should not be turning our backs on it.

I guess then according to you (BBS) Hmmm that the comparison of 9 11 and Punishing all in Afghanistan might be a better comparison.

"Treat them like "dogs," said Moshe Dayan, so they'll leave. Use "terror, assassination, intimidation, land confiscation," and more was David Ben-Gurion's formula. Now, according to the UN report, the policy is to use a more cruel and inhumane form of intimidation....bomb and gun down civilian Palestinian families under white flags desperately seeking shelter, then prohibit anyone from treating their wounds. That, in addition to the standard IDF policy in every engagement, bomb the nearest UN Compound where civilians seek shelter, is the new Israel it appears. I don't want to believe that Israelis have become so cruel, so cold blooded, and have strayed so far from their religious and ethical moorings but sooner or later one can no longer deny the evidence. The worst part is that my country, the USA, always approves of those atrocities.

Goldstone fell Asleep through half of it he missed a presentation by the Sderot Community of proofof the scale of Bombardment of its children by Quassams.Judge Richard Goldstone, whose 500-page report on Wednesday condemned Israel for war crimes, fell asleep while he was supposed to be watching a film showing Sderot children fleeing from rocket fire. Noam Bedein, head of the Sderot Media Center, told Israel National News Wednesday morning, ?I screened a film showing the rocket explosions, and Goldstone fell asleep before my eyes." 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. For those of you who believe that Sderot only gets a Rocket now and then. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133450

A far more apt comparison would be the USA deciding to occupy canada and then spending 40 years imposing discriminatory, racist policies to encourage Canadians to emigrate and solve the 'Canadian' problem. Then some Canadians make home-made rockets to fire into the US and the USA decides to respond by devastating Canadian cities to collectively punish the population.

Judge Richard Goldstone, whose 500-page report on Wednesday condemned Israel for war crimes, fell asleep while he was supposed to be watching a film showing Sderot children fleeing from rocket fire. Noam Bedein, head of the Sderot Media Center, told Israel National News Wednesday morning, ?I screened a film showing the rocket explosions, and Goldstone fell asleep before my eyes."

"If Mexico wanted California back ... " (Big Sur) Absurd analogy. When the USA annexed mexican California, all its inhabitants were offered U.S. citizenship. Is that what you are suggesting we do too with Gaza and the West Bank?

Israel does not know the difference. You were on a roll there for a while. But the world has its eyes on Israel and the truth always come out in the end.

what is the matter with you? You say "Israel went too far." I wonder how far is too far with you If Canada said it wanted a piece of the USA or Mexico wanted California back and the US was attacked what would be the American response and what would be too far for america to go? Even the UN tribunal went to sleep When Sderot Citizens showed their proof. Wake Up BBa Maybe if someone Bombed where you lived you would be complacent.

To all those, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, who issue declarations, pithy comments, yelps of "they're all against us" and dismiss anything with UN in it - Grow Up. "Umm Schmoom" Ben Gurion's dismissal of the UN was in another age. We cannot afford to become more of a pariah state than we already are, because this is an interconnected world and ultimately we simply cannot afford to be cut off and ignored. That will be the price of this persistent denial game of ours. Aluf Benn has finally got it right. We have stymied ourselves over Gaza. We are not free to do as we want. That's how infantile we are when we don't see that we don't have that freedom.

...that long held charade by Israel is officially over.

...any objective and rational person will quickly see that Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, were addressed fully and fairly. The problem is the scope of Israel's crimes were so much greater and actually caused the conflict in the first place. Rational Israelis will be absolutely horrified when they read this exhaustive report.

First, Israel’s wars of defense should be an internal decision. Secondly, not withstanding the biased conclusions reached by the UN, it, as a body has proven over and over again its mediocre capability for spreading peace and preventing butchery in most repressing nations, all of which have jumped on the bandwagon against the only true democracy in a region encompassing most of Africa and all of the Middle East.

If Israel was surrounded by peaceful neighbors than there would be no need to think about ? how can Israel go to war again ? The unfortunate fact is that Israel has been under attack by Hamas rockets into their civilian areas such as Sderot, Ashkelon etc. Gilad Shalit is still in the hands of Hamas without contact with the international Red Cross or anyone else. As long as these hostilities continue Israel has to defend itself and this unfortunately means war. Not a war of choice but a war of defense. This is the real mindset of every Israeli: DEFENSE

Israel never wanted an impartial inquiry. What jokers on here wanted and got was an inquiry conducted by the perpetrators [IDF] of the alleged crimes! Defenders of the bloodletting in Gaza are some of the most abhorrent racists one could ever come across. They reject all evidence of war crimes on the basis of Arabs being liars and cheats and reason that the hundreds of women and children killed were effectively killed by their own side. It sounds like the same mentality that permeated the southern states of America until quite recently. Goldstone's daughter, herself a self confessed and committed zionist stated that her father "is a Zionist and loves Israel." What he is not, is an apologist for state terror and what he has refused to do is bow down before the political orchestrators of that state terror machinery. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251804583376&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

The lesson that Israel needs to take away from the recent incursions into both Lebanon and Gaza, is the need to conclusively finish wars militarily, before permitting the politicians and diplomats from stopping the war before Israeli victory and unconditional surrender. As long as Israel's enemies think that wars are cheap, and that the UN will stop the IDF in the event that Israel's enemies are losing, and at no teritorial risk to them, the peace process will be stagnant.

who is worrying about international legitimacy.

Intrnational law does *not* permit the operations of military combatants hidden as civilians from civilian areas and *does* permit military retaliation against them and does *not* designate a victim of military actions from sovereign hostile territory as an "occupier". Israel, despite the high-tone obfuscation of this little man and his pseudo-intellectual evasions, obviously is not in control of the civilian population of Gaza, Hamas is, and, despite the reports fabrications, deliberately chooses to engage in military operations, dressed as civilians, from those civilian areas. Critics of Israel use a report as "proof" which is itself only a mirror of pre-held fabrications, evasions, distortions, and mistruths.

"I am an ex IDF solder and was shocked seeing what the IDF has done in Gaza. It is time to say to the world, our cause was just, our method have been faulty, and conduct a serious fact finding investigation of the alleged crimes, bring the criminals to justice and most important of all learn for the future." The method is faulty because the IDF is using stand-off, conventional warfare against an urban area and guerillas. Time for the IDF to (a) learn the dark arts of fighting in built-up areas, (b) learn to respect civilians in wartime and (c) appreciate the need to win civilian hearts and minds, even the despised Arab ones. I wish there were more like you in Israel.

Your noble work and teaching others in a nice manner. I really appreciate it, and like i've said in past, write a book, otherwise we risk losing your knowledge with you. as I said before too, I can't really help, you are much smarter than me, ido'nt have much money andi'm not a publisher, let alone a good writer but I'd by the book and read it too. Anyways, just a thought and a tip of the hat for you sir. Best regards, Eli

"What I don`t understand is the hint of admiration you seem to have. Am I wrong? Would you still have admiration if a group of Islamists started to fire mortars at Big Ben or Parliament? Would you advise the Bobbies to just suck up and let it go?" I have no admiration for anyone who deliberately or carelessly targets civilians, whether those doing the targetting are Arab or Israeli or anyone else. Unlike many critics of Israel on here, I have spent time in Israel and enjoyed it. I think a secular Israel that, while having a strong Jewish element also fully embraced its Arab heritage could be a great place and a real bonus for the Middle East. I'm frustrated that Israel seems so unable to drop the poisoned chalice of the occupation, and seems to be drifting further towards agression, confrontation and extremism. Some of Bibi's choices for ministers are frankly a disgrace to Israel.

If Israel was surrounded by peaceful neighbors than there would be no need to think about ? how can Israel go to war again ? The unfortunate fact is that Israel has been under attack by Hamas rockets into their civilian areas such as Sderot, Ashkelon etc. Gilad Shalit is still in the hands of Hamas without contact with the international Red Cross or anyone else. As long as these hostilities continue Israel has to defend itself and this unfortunately means war. Not a war of choice but a war of defense. This is the real mindset of every Israeli: DEFENSE

They wanted this you shmucks. They teased and squeezed and fired 8,000 rockets into S Israel. I read the columns every day as the Anti Jew brigade yearned for an Israeli response which most of the slimy Racists here now choose to forget. They truly believed that after Lebanon Israel was in for a hiding.But what happened was poetry to the Palestinian ear. Israel went in heavy, killing women and children.Ahh the more the better to serve the Hamas cause. Of course this is the result. What instigated this timely response by Israel? Elections. plain and simple, we all know it. And what did Israel leave as a present, White phosphorous bombs. What did we leave in Lebanon? Millions of Cluster bombs. All this is grotesque, that we should have committed these acts of barbarity. But somehow I can't help feeling the accusations of War Crimes are disproportionate to those committed in Sudan,Georgia, Tibet, Algeria, Pakistan, Congo, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, East Timor,Vietnam,Iraq et

Very simple. Israel attacks again when its security is threatened. Those who hate it, hated it before the Gallstone (I mean Goldstone) report, and will hate it after. I wonder what this type of UN group would have made of the Allied war effort in WWII? Regarding silence is guilt, various Holocaust-denying groups dare Jewish groups to present evidence the Holocaust wasn't a hoax. All the dares are met with refusal to cooperate, too? Silence = guilt here, too?

If Israel was surrounded by peaceful neighbors than there would be no need to think about ? how can Israel go to war again ? The unfortunate fact is that Israel has been under attack by Hamas rockets into their civilian areas such as Sderot, Ashkelon etc. Gilad Shalit is still in the hands of Hamas without contact with the international Red Cross or anyone else. As long as these hostilities continue Israel has to defend itself and this unfortunately means war. Not a war of choice but a war of defense. This is the real mindset of every Israeli: DEFENSE

I read your earlier post, and understand quite well the theory of unsymmetrical warfare. We are in agreement that both Hamas and Hezbollah play the game well. What I don't understand is the hint of admiration you seem to have. Am I wrong? Would you still have admiration if a group of Islamists started to fire mortars at Big Ben or Parliament? Would you advise the Bobbies to just suck up and let it go?

that wants to engulf it.The US is about to face Hizbollah missles from chavez and Latin America.The Gaza war rest solely on the Hamas,Iran,and the extremists.Every person who died died because of them not Israel.It is the Palestinian who didn't exist before Israel that will transform not Israel.The seeds of destruction is in the road that the Palestinians have embarked on. they have made beds witha a cult of hate and so that is what they will become.They will self destruct not Israel, Jim sorry that you don't help the Pals coexist rather than jump on the hate bandwagon.The Pals could have had land that wasn't theirs according to the mandate but they chose nothing and that is what they will wind up with.Jordan is palestine and everyone knows it

This report is the consequence of the Cast Lead operation. The Cast Lead operation was the consequence of the rocket attacks on Sderot. The rocket attacks on Sderot were the consequence of the disengagement from Gaza strip and removal of Jewish settlements. Israeli politicians should learn from this lesson when they will think about disengagement from the West Bank

The author of this article would do well to read up on international law, at least on 2 key points: 1) The status of Gaza, whether it is occupied or not, is immaterial. The war crimes and most grave violations of international law cited in the report apply equally to international conflicts. 2) Under international law Gaza is still occupied because Israel controls Gaz's airspace, territorial waters and land borders - including the border with Egypt, as senior Israeli government and army officials openly say that Egypt will not be allowed to open the Rafah border so long as corporal Gilad Shalit is not released.

To answer your questions briefly: remember the Balkan Wars? Serbian and Croatian politicians and soldiers are now in prison, and rightly so.

Israel needs to exercise wisdom when it goes to war. Unleashing a multi-billion dollar war machine against home-made rockets and then killing 1,200 civilians is pure carelessness. I have no respect for the Israeli judgement when it comes to suppressing and exploiting the Palestinians.

Howdy Eli; Israel withdrew her plenary consent to be bound by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which only handles cases involving disputes between states in 1985 due to its extreme bias in favor of the Arabs. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a different animal from the ICJ and it only has jurisdiction over states which have signed and ratified the Rome Statute.

No more War for Israel! ... it won't be easy coming up with a new official National Sport.

and the majority of people know this is but one more attempt at another '"Kangaroo Court" via the media stooges. After so many Pal lies, it becomes like the boy crying wolf. No one is fooled by this presentation of the same old lies they keep on telling. What amazes most of us is that, other's take them seriously. The madness of over 8,000 missiles being fired into Israel. The kidnapping of Shalit.... The only ones who believe this rot are those who live a lie and reject reality. Ultimately, it makes things worse, not for Israel, for the Pals and Lebanon or whoever starts another hostile act against Israel.

t is time the US removes the gloves when it comes to Israel. Israel has been treated as the spoiled reatrted child of the US for too long, enough!

One of the worst accusations against Lebanon 2 and Cast Lead, is that they weren't just immoral, they were dumb. If you study the theory of terrorism, you will find that one of the most basic aims of terrorism is to force a state to over-react. If you're a terrorist, you can't hurt the state very much, but if you prod and prod with little attacks eventually the state will react, and unless it's run by very intelligent, far-sighted politicians, it is likely to massively over-react. What this does is instantly destroy anybody's sympathy for the victim of the pin-prick terrorist attacks and transfer it to the much larger number of victims created by the state lashing out with all its might. Instantly, the terrorist discredits the state and gains huge sympathy for himself standing up to such a bully. Recognise that scenario? Unfortunately Israel has no far-sighted leaders. Though you'd think they'd understand the theory of terrorism after all these years. Read post 56

what's the song, "anything you can do I can do better?" America does use the same arms and methods as do the Israeli's except that Israel has more advanced defensive weaponry than the US. And, Israel takes the time to call each home that will be targeted in an air strike in a war. America doesn't do that. No one does that except, Israel. But, when it comes to Jews, and Israel, as in the past, they think that Jews are expendable. They're dead wrong. These propaganda media specialities are being ignored after so many 'accusations' from lying terrorists and useful idiots with a bias.

You are both right: there is no military solution. Only a negotiated political solution containing the elements of basic justice, will prevent further wars. We all know what that means.

Everyone knows the US trained in Israel in the occupied territories prior to invading Iraq. They were trained on manning checkpoints, interrogation methods, Mossad tactics of extraordinary rendition, etc... We know the US is guilty of war crimes in both Iraq and Afghanistan as well as at Guantanamo bay. But knowing where the Americans trained, there is no doubt in a single American's mind what Israel is guilty of, because the US is guilty of the same acts. Guantanamo bay is a direct reflections of Israeli prisons holding Palestinians and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are direct parallels to Israeli operations in the West Bank and Gaza. Yes Israel is guilty of war crimes, but so is the US and they were trained by Israel! You can't fool your friends!!!

Don't you know about the rockets that were fired during the past month? Send us the link to the "Copy of the report", which report, by whom? all we have is your word, which we both know isn't worth too much

to defend itself, otherwise the masses of it's Arab enemies could overwhelm it War is war, not a game of chess Isrel wouldn't have had to defend itself if it's Arab enemies didn't constantly attack her You can start with the '48 war and work your way forward "TIMELINES ISRAEL ARAB CONFLICT" should be of great help, try it

...if some organization on the other side of the border between it and Mexico or Canada launched rockets at towns and cities across the border? You be your life it would. That's what people in Sderot and the Western Negev, as well as up here in the north, have been doing for years - betting our lives. But, of course, for you and others here, Israelis are different than any other people. Other countries have fought wars far more destructive that have brought far more casualties, but strangely enough have not had the UN investigate them, The simple fact is that Israelis defending themselves makes you, as well as the UN, feel uneasy. Sorry we can't cater to your needs.

"Israel among all nations is denied a right to defend itself" Jacob Blues you seem to be confusing, again, a nation's right to defend itself and a nation's non-right to inflict wanton destruction and death on civilian populations. Such 'war crimes', as they are known as, are not permissible under international and human law. For examples of such War Crimes you only need to look at the conduct of the IDF/IAF during the recent brutal and murderous attacks on the civilian populations in Lebanon and Gaza

I think that is the question. When Bush gave you the green light for the second Lebanon War, I was dubious. I thought the USA always gave you the red light. After the destruction to Israel and Lebanon in 2006, I wondered if Bush and Israel were wrong. Maybe always holding Israel back is better. If it is a question of the military option or the political option, maybe more of the political option should be considered. Think twice before using the military option; you can use it certainly, but maybe more thought should be given to operations.

Israel has the right to defend itself. And will probably go to war again. So, use this report to better educate the IDF to correct their conflict flaws and keep the high ground. Israel lost the high ground in the war against Hamas with the way they conducted the war. Keeping out the press does not give the IDF the green light to ignore the rules of war.

"Israel must be tougher with US." (iDub) Absolutely right. Why has Bibi not threaten yet to cancel all Israeli subsidies to the US?

We all knew that when Israel decided to send the army into the densely populated Palestinian areas to rid of Hamas, that potentially the outcome would be that which was identified in this report. I personally was against the incursion knowing full well that we'd hear about unconventional warfare utilized against the terrorism of Hamas and innocent Palestinians would be caught in between, with the outcome of 1500 dead. Of that, the majority were civilians. Hamas, terrorizing Sderot, was to blame for an IDF response but most people didn't expect another war. Instead of continual wars, we expect a policy of resolving the conflict at the negotiation table as we know full well that this conflict will not be resolved militarily. To ignore the gestures of peace, which are evident from the enemies and not change to a policy of negotiating a settlement is a continuing crime against Israelis and Palestinians who deserve a life of calm in the region.

That argument of yours holds? When Gaza was evacuated, it was not besieged, it was besieged when Hamas took power in a violent coup. Get your facts and timeline correct. Secondly, what makes that land Palestinian? If anything it is Egyptians and before that? Nothing, Boycotted by Arab "Palestinians" would be the best answer I could find. So why does the occupation have to end when Palestinians have a state, what if they pull the same shenangans of old, like Boycotting resolution that would give them a state, because they won't share the land? That would mean then that the State of Israel can never exist and that of course is contradictory to the 2 state solution. If Israel devolved the land from 67 to Jordan and Egypt that would be the end of the matter, and Jordan would have to devolve its land West of the River, while maintaining power of 80% Palestinians east of the River, Are your eyes opening a little?

The short-sightedness of some Israeli's has come back to bite.

Don't get me wrong here please, standing straight and up for oneself and being one's own master is absolutely sound advice. But let's suppose Israel is a boy in a street/lane, just like you were when your mother advised you. Now what would happen if you stand up for yourself and beat a neighbour kid to the intensive-care unit because he always throw stones at you and the whole street/lane says: "stop that and do not repat it or we won't have anything to do with you again, because you went too far". Only one fellow in the biggest (star & striped) house more or less is on your side. Would make life very difficult, would it not?

I am can surely be wrong, been wrong atleast 10,000 times, aint nothing wrong in being wrong, so long as you're willing to learn whats right. But, if Israel hasn't Signed the Rome Statutue, or well better said, Signed and Ratified, then what authority does the ICJ have? Furthermore, who is the USA to determine the weight of this report when the USA has also not signed and ratified the Rome Statute. USA and Israel both signed, but never ratified, and then backed out using identical wording to explain why they are not signing on to that International Statute. Furthermore, how can Israel be judged, to have broken the Laws of Proportionality and Proportional Response, when, again like the USA, they have not signed the 1977 Aditional Protocols to the 1949 4th Geneva Convention. Which discusses this?

But to cooperate with a kangaroo court is another matter . And as long as no one , including Goldstone , is able to give a better advise how to control terror while expecting the only country on the world to lay down a die , the reports and courts will continue to be a big KANGAROO . As for public opinion , it is formed already for a few thousand years , and nothing will change that .

The IDF was careful. You are not the first to bring up the small number of IDF casualties as if this was evil. IDF aims. Muslim fighters fire off a whole clip in the general direction of the target, usually hitting nothing. "Pray and Spray". Proportionality was observed. Less total munitions were used on Gaza in the 21 days than the dozens of Hamas shells daily for 7 years. Again, you cannot fault marksmanship. Legality? All's fair in love and war. They were warned many times. Fools need to learn by experience.

that for more than 60 years, people have been saying, of the Jews of the Holocaust, the starving, tortured, unarmed, jammed into ghettoes and death camps Jews of the Holocaust, "Why didn't they resist? Why did they go like sheep to the slaughter?" But the minute Jews start resisting, people say they're doing what the Nazis did to the Jews-nobody seems to say that, for instance, about the Sinhalese fighting the Tamils in Sri Lanka-and they call for the Jews to be tried as war criminals?

UN representatives do not live in Israel, their children don't go to school in Sderot and they never been targeted for their religion or nationality. If UN could write such reports about war crimes a hundred or two hundred years ago then we would be still living in poverty, slavery and concentration camps. Or not be alive at all. Don't pay attention to self-righteous hypocrits, they don't deserve it.

"Occupied civilians?" How do you occupy a civilian? I could say something vulgar, but I won't. Israel hasn't occupied Gaza since 2005. Assuming you live on planet earth, wherever you live, the Islamofascists will be shooting at it, pretty soon. Do you really think its genocide to shoot back when people shoot at you?

I think that Israel needs to press on US to make a choice. It needs to know whether the US will stand by Israel in case there is another war. I think that Obama's silence is not very encouraging. I am however Obama's supporter and also believe that he's legitimately tring to bring peace to the region and it is Arab states, who are giving HIM the cold shoulder.

Are the French settlements in Alsace-Lorraine and the Russian settlements in the Kurile islands also illegal?

How can Israel go to war again? By ignoring "world opinion" and the U.N., both of which want Israel destroyed. Did the U.N. bat an eye when the Lebanese shelled "Palestinian"(which means Arab) refugee camps, when thousands are slaughtered from the Congo to Sri Lanka, when 6000 rockets were fired into Israel? No. But the minute Jews start defending themselves, its a war crime. "World Opinion" and the U.N. want to convict the ISRAELI Prime Minhister of war crimes, in a shamelessly star chamber proceeding, in a blatant show trial, so that future Prime Ministers will be afraid to defend the country, so that the Arab states will wipe Israel off the map. The "world" will them shed buckets of crocodile tears. But once the ISRAELI Prime Minister is convicted of war crimes in such a proceeding, any NON-Arab head of state who tries to defend his country from the Arabs will be subject to a star chamber trial by the U.N.

has moving words and touches us.i almost forgive her father.

By legitimising the Gladstone Report, new "military concept" has just being inaugurated, thanks to the creation of such lunatic tool as the HRW, by the good old Kofi Annan. How so: Mr Kara just said it clearly and precisely: "The Report legitimise TERRORISM". So, Nations will start using paramilitary groups (as is done in Colombia, Peru) to do the State's job, to protect its citizens, and avoid any international stigma. Have you ever heard of Commission to check what's going on in Colombia, Bolivia, Congo, Darfur, Burma, Indonesia...... Good Chaotic Days Are Here Again, thanks to an international obssession of the Israeli Jewish State.

Israel is the most popular site on earth. The majority of journalist are here,all trying to get the Pulitzer prize,and one can only get it for bashing Israel.All cameras are here too. That why no coverage of Swatt-valley,Sri-Lanka, Darfur,south Lebanon,Somalia.......... They only uses lens with a green filter in their cameras.(green for Islam)

What would you call the use of nuclear weapon on civilians?killing over 100,000 in Iraq and Afghanistan?CIA's torture?Abu-Graib?bombing the Chinese embassy in Belgrad?. You'r the champion of war crimes!!!

"To a university student in Britain or Spain, Israel's silence is perceived as an admission of guilt". It doesn't make any difference for those students if Israel is silence,or if Israel is screaming,they have already decided that Israel is wrong,and the Arabs are peace loving people, that only say the truth. How can the US,NATO,Arabs,Russian,and Chinese go to war after what they have done.They can,because no one ever probe their doing.

The next time a government of Israel is in trouble at the polls it will be easy to go to war again. Even though the last war didn't save Kadima.

Simple ! Next time do a proper job.

Israel must be prepared to be attacked at all times and respond accordingly. How can Israel go to war again? If it has to.

Who once again has shown how ridiculous and irrelevant that it is.

In wake of Gaza probe, how can Israel go to war again?... Take a good look at this report, Mr Benn. Now pretend for a moment that Hamas (or anyone for that matter) out of the blue had unleashed the barage of rockets at Israel today with fatalities & property damage involved. As for Obama using this report to extort concessions from Israel on settlement freeze. Do even Untouchables with all their obnoctiousness & arrogance dare to do it so blatantly in the open? I doubt it. Oh, the Chicago gang would love to. I am sure they would explore how to do so quietly behind the scenes. Will see.

- similar circumstances if this probe is to become a standard? i think aluf benn gives the report too much credence & weight too early. at this stage it's only a report following a UN fact-finding mission, it's not a verdict from the hague or a UNSCR. in any case the report will now be remembered & referred to each time there's a similar military operation conducted anywhere in the world & the usual inconsistencies on the part of the UN will be exposed mercilessly. if israel has nothing to hide, it should just fight the probe honestly & w/all the means it's got. in the final instance it's the courts on an international level that will decide & give a precedence for what constitutes war crimes & what doesn't.

Like Israel's actions have always been bothered with international legality, and the text of international law. Please, I mean this might be a jest, but people are no jestors.

Of course Israel can and should go to war again in the face of war crimes against its people. One of the major faults of the UN is that it didn't come 8 years ago to investigate Palestinian war crimes. This report is very clear: "From the facts available, the Mission finds that the rocket and mortars attacks, launched by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, have caused terror in the affected communities of southern Israel and in Israel as a whole. Furthermore, it is the Mission?s view that the mortars and rockets are uncontrolled and uncontrollable, respectively. This indicates the commission of an indiscriminate attack on the civilian population of southern Israel, a war crime, and may amount to crimes against humanity." Palestinian terrorism. Palestinian war crimes. If the UN had done its job when rockets first started falling, Cast Lead never would have taken place. Who is guily? I say the UN. It wasn't "a war crime" as stated above. It is 8 years of continuous war crimes.

Your point may well be true. Antisemites will jump on any excuse to be antisemitic and this does not abrogate Israel's rights. I'm not sure that's the point being raised though. An important question might be 'does antisemitism abrogate Israel's responsibilities?' Perhaps it does. I don't know. Some people think that Israel has no responsibilities to the Palestinians or to the world, given the history of persecution. Maybe Israel has no responsibility to co-operate or to pay attention to this report because of antisemitism?

to use against the jewish state.cooperate or we do not cast our veto. a difficult time for israel.we will overcome.

the unstated words of the commission are as follows; " a jew has condemned you" yes we know.

has written that the commission is tainted and its mandate is illegimate.he has criticised judge goldstone for taking part in this kangaroo court.

goldstone's commission member was asked to step down by 19 british jurists becase her comments on the region casts serious doubt on her neutrality.

1 the russians masssacred chechens 2 the west kills in afghanistan and iraq. 3 nato killed in serbia but the world "justice" system operates against israel alone.israel is hated.the axis of hate against israel is too huge to fight. i believe in the justice of our cause.i believe israel is more moral and ethical then any other nation.if we give way to the hatred of the nations we will always lose.

The report will not have, and shouldn't have, any effect on Israel's will to defend itself, or to create deterrence. Jane

Nobody would have blamed Israel for proportionate response to the Qassams. This wasn't. This was a brutal show of force designed to win re-election for Livni and Barak, and a cowardly operation designed to prevent injury to IDF personnel at the cost of large numbers of civilian deaths.

Nice that you compare Gaza with WWI and WWII butchering. The times have changed.

Isn't it telling that this is the first thing which comes to mind of the Israeli people (at least if Aluf Benn is seen as representative of the "average Israeli") after its military has been accused of war crimes...??? Not "how can we make sure that this won't happen again", not "how can we try to make good for the damage that this report has done to the worldwide reputation of our country/ military".... What does that say about the mindset (fixation on war/military solutions) of the average Israeli cititzen...??? Worth a thought...???

A judge who falls asleep when a witness speaks of the rockets has no intention of being objective anyway. And if we don't go to war, will pro-Palestinians change their minds? People have already made up their mind and it has absolutely nothing to do with what Israel does or doesn't do. Incljuding the judges in the Hague.

now the're on the side of the terrorist, Good going UN show the criminals around the world that they can do anything they want you'll side with them...more like the worthless UN....

I mention that as only one example of how you cannot expect anything rational from the UN. Israel must do what is in its own best interest. No other country, including the US, really cares about Israel's problems with terrorists.

Events have overtaken Netanyahu's plan to obliterate Iran. Deals are being struck behind Israels back - while Mitchell keeps Netanyahu busy with settlement discusions.

I was googling Sayeret Matkal the other day out of vague interest and came across a Wikipedia list of their operations. Some amazing, daring operations taking small numbers of Israelis behind enemy lines to carry out pinpoint attacks. Much of it mpressive stuff. Brave, intelligent, effective. Compare Lebanon 2 and Cast Lead. Instead of brave, intelligent, effective pin-point attacks on Israel's enemies, they were cowardly, stupid, ineffective mass assaults on entire populations. If Israel cares about winning back the respect of the international community, and it should, then it needs to go back to the Sayeret Matkal kind of war. Nobody likes a bully who sacrifices the lives of women and kids in order to prevent its own soldiers getting scratched.

....watched closely by the rest of the world over the past years, they will be watched VERY, VERY, VERY CLOSELY from today on. I hope Israels military leaders will understand that "message"....

The war should be taken off the battlefield, especially when the battlefield is a densely populated area, to the negotiating table. That's where it should have been before Barak sent the army into Gaza last December. But the policy of not talking to the very people it is essential to talk to is ingrained, for reasons difficult to fathom but which merit attention in their own right. It's clear Mr. Shalit had the right idea when he talked to the Goldstone team. Why didn't you militate at the time for us to talk instead of bludgeoning Mr. Benn? To reverse impractical policies, a good start would be to look for ways to turn hindsight into foresight.

Israel will go to war again ready or not, when the warlords in Washington ask Israel to go to war. That simple.

Self-defense and status as the negihbourhood thief and bully don't harmonize. That fact crowns the whole host of issues Israel has raised in the Second Lebanon War and the Gaza War.

More one-sided UN garbage attacking Israeli self-defense while ignoring genocidal Arab provocations. Ignores Arab violations of Geneva Conventions but demands Israel still respect them. A reflection of historic Arab and European view that Jews have no right to defend themselves. The good here is proof Israel no longer needs to take into account phony "world opinion" or Geneva Conventions" when waging war - this fear has repeatedly caused Israel to hold back, while foreign media work with Hamas or Hezbollah to stage fraudulent "massacre" reports to halt IDF advances in the field. Remember all the cries of "targeted assassination" and extrajudicial punishment" when Israel used UAV missiles to zap Gaza terrorists? US and "coalition" forces now use this exact method daily in Afgan and Pak (and with horrific "collateral" civilian toll), with no EU, media or UN complaint at all - proving the phony, bigoted, and one-sided nature of complaints about IDF conduct. IDF - just do it!

Lets look at this scenario shall we? Mexicans start lobbing rockets across the border into Texas, and terrorizing the border towns all because of a "claim" of ownership from times gone by. The U.S response would be sudden, and completely devastating. and when the U.N would attempt to bring the USA before a world court, we would say NO!! How much of GODS land must Israel give away? how many treaty's must they sign and adhere to just to see them broken by the palestinians? The Arab world (and some around the world i,e the UN) simply want Israel to be pushed into the sea and exist no more. America has no legal, moral, or spiritual right to speak against any land issues regarding the state of ISRAEL. I am an American and can say that the UN has never once brought up the plight of the native Americans who lost their land and died at the hands of expansionist from the colonial east! Israel existed long before America, and will exist long after, it is after all Gods land!

Civilians have always been the first casualties of war. In WWI and WWII as well in all recent conflicts, civilian deaths outnumber military deaths. Should Israel refrain from defending itself in order not to harm civilians? The idea is laughable. Incidentally, why not say "In wake of Gaza probe, how can Hamas target civilians again?"

The question posed is timely: how can Israel go to war if it's leaders will be hounded by war crimes accusations and subject to arrest abroad? And the answer is: announce in advance what punitive measures it plans to take in response to terror acts, and warn civilians in the area in advance. For example, pick out a known Hamas building and publish it's coordinates and warn the nearby residents that the next rocket fired into Israel will result in that building being targetted and demolished. With UAV surveillance and modern accurate artillery and guided munitions this is simple, and by stating the cost in advance it may disaude Hamas from being so quick to pull the trigger. Civillian casualties will be minimal if radio and leaflet warnings are used extensively. Simple, effective, and out in the open. Israel should also refrain from using controversial munitions like phosphorous and the new DIME explosives which are unnecessary and incite hysterical propaganda reactions..

...with ever greater ferocity knowing that an anti Isreal UN and world will condemn Israel whatever it does.This should be seen as a blessing in disguise. Next time we should really get the job done.

Why would Netanyahu care if Olmert or Livni or Barak got tried. They're not Likud. There have been no consequences to the Gaza op for Israel, and Bibi would likely be out of office after an Iran op. Schools, hospitals, and crowds of fleeing civilians are "strategic" targets aren't they?

When a fellow Jew finds Israel wrong the writing is on the wall. There is no escaping our Prophet Zechariah's solemn pronouncement. "All nations will be gathered AGAINST Jerusalem." What on earth has the Nation done to deserve this? Maybe we need to understand what Moshe wrote, look at ourselves in light of what HaShem called us to be and are not.

If attacked or threatened, how can they not?

Looking for blames, anti-Semites, ant the likes. Nobody raised questions regarding Israel right to go to war in 1956, 1967 and the rest of Israel operations. This time it was different, when our own solders coming back home and have to fight for their right to break the silence you know something is wrong. TV viewers and newspaper readers around the world, not subject to Israeli censorship saw and read things they refused to believe. I am an ex IDF solder and was shocked seeing what the IDF has done in Gaza. It is time to say to the world, our cause was just, our method have been faulty, and conduct a serious fact finding investigation of the alleged crimes, bring the criminals to justice and most important of all learn for the future. In addition of killing innocent civilians brutally, the biggest damage was done to our sole and identity. Lessons must be drawn but not question our right to fight for our defense!

'... [Israel] will have to take into account whether the world will give [it] another opportunity for a severe, crushing response.' - Aluf Benn No, Mr Benn. The world is not the master of Israel's foreign policy. And if it were, Israel would have been over-run, and its Jews pushed into the Sea, decades ago. And would the world have even batted an eyelash in respose? I'm never amazed to find people who deny Israel's legitimacy; but I do confess surprise at finding Israeli Jews expressing opinions like yours: so tentative, so apologetic, about asserting Israel's right to determine its own destiny. I'll give you some advice my mum gave me as I was growing up: stand up straight, and don't stoop! MV

Crimes are committed by all armies in all wars. We know that "war is hell" and should be avoided, if possibile. However, when THOUSANDS of rockets are fired into your territory and the wrong-doers won't stop, what choice do you have?

The Israeli Defense Forces will retaliate to terror strikes on their homeland, compromised UN summaries to follow or not!

Who exactly is going to hold Israel accountable? No one, that's who. Not the US administration, not the international community, or the UN for that matter. It's all left up to the citizens of the world to mobilize and take action if Israel decides to go to war again. It would not be a bad idea for Israeli citizens to wake up to their country's self-destructive agenda. It's a shame really. Israel lost its credibility a long time ago. And it does not have to be that way. Hope is not lost.

How many generations of you guys are willing to go to war on this issue? Is it worth it?

The world is crazy with "liberalism" infecting its collective mind. All sense of proportion and morality has disappeared. Simple thought processes with obvious conclusions have become so difficult for the leftist brain that sane thought has all but vanished. So, in light of this tragic and disastrous situation the only thing Israel can do is...do whatever it has to in order to survive, and let the corrupt, phony UN be damned! Just remember how the world stood by the 6 million Jews who were murdered. Draw your own conclusions.

Are people like Harzion disconnected from reality? Hamas held a truce for 4.5 months with no rockets in all that time. It was Israel who did not want peace and it still is. I have had a copy of the report for all these months.

I'm with you Aluf, however, be certain Israel will go to other wars again until it plants its own destruction. This is for a fact my friend

on Israel for defending itself on Gaza, one can only imagine what the report on Darfur will be. Oh wait, one will only have to imagine what the report on Darfur will be because there is no UN commission dealing with it.

Hamas beating the Israel? What Hamas? Their rockets are made out of home made down spouts and are capable of doing nothing.

decision to stop the rocket attacks from HAMAS. No less a left Wing stalwart and peace advocate than David Grossman stated in the press that Israel among all nations is denied a right to defend itself. This report by the UN is paid proof of that.

The only thing this report shows is that antisemitism comes in many forms and that Israel is expected to play by different rules then any other country. Apparently our friends at the UN prefer more docile stetle Jews.

...read the report Jasper. Save yourself massive embarrassment. Read the report. I seriously suggest that you read and assimilate the entire report. Israel went too far.

...it does not ignore Palestinian militant groups at all. It focuses on verifiable facts and the relevant international laws regarding each finding of fact. From the use of flechette munitions to the possible use of DIME munitions, in addition to egregious use of white phosphorous against civilians, to firing on civilians with white flags, to using civilians as human shields etc, these things are attributed to Israel as war crimes. Why do you and others of your ilk insist on bring down Israel to the level of Hamas in your absurd comparisons?

When it comes to the UN, Israel should remember an old Arab proverb: "The dog barks but the caravan keeps going".

Wake up. No matter what us Jews do, there will always be those who will attack us. All Western governments are guilty of the same crimes. The truth is that do to all the international pressure and the PR war against Israel, I believe the facts will show that the IDF tries harder than any other Western military to prevent civilian casalties. Lets just look at the numbers - I bet they are 1000 to 1 - How many intentional Hamas rocket attacks against Israeli civilian targets versus IDF unitentional collateral damage?

except for UN commissions appointed by international tyrants and juntas. Hamas leaders must make room for new leaders, who can bring respectability to Palestine, because nothing else matters.

What's the difference? Do you think the world will ever take Israel's side? The world didn't defend us against the Jews, and it didn't defend us against the Arabs. Don't look for your friends in Europe. Don't forget who and what you are.

Since the Israelis and the Arabs fought a ferocious war, both got blamed for war crimes. It's only fair. That being said, Israel has to retaliate upon being attacked: that is its duty, just like any other country's duty. However, countries that fight invariably wind up committing war crimes: it's in the soldiers' mentiality and it's part of the karma of reaction to violence. So, that being said, carry on.

For Jews it is always the same story. We are criminals for defending ourselves. If history teaches us anything, it is not to pay too much attention to what this blinkered world thinks. We must defend ourselves while we have the means, come what may. The UN is basically a quasi-Arab organization which has lost most of it credibility in any case. As a Shoah survivor, I take threats and accusations against Jews very seriously. I feel sorry for those who believe that blood-lust can be alleviated by ignoring it. Been there, done that. It cost the lives of six million.

Israel has the right to defend itself; it just doesn't have the right to do anything it wants in exercising that defense.

report is biased.As Hizbollah sets missles up in latin america and the american way of life its democracy will be threatened by religious theocracies people like you will be glad there is an Israel.Israel does not have to answer to the UN.As a new yorker, I want the UN removed from my city. I don't want that ugly building that takes new york tax money and makes a sham out of the org that Roosevelt wanted.the UN is a farce and its reports are not true.Israel will not be hurt by this report.But the UN must be shut down

Asking for world recognition that the disengagement ended the occupation of Gaza wouldn't have gone very far considering land, sea and air space around and above Gaza are still controlled by Israel, not to mention the repeated ground incursions into the territory. It ain't that easy, I'm afraid -- the occupation doesn't end till the Palestinians have a functioning state that includes control of those very things, as demanded by international law and the states that make that law. Tough, eh?

I suspect that the UN's intentions are to further limit Israel's political and legal ability to stop Iran's nuclear program before it's too late.

because they are not signatories nor ratifiers of the Rome Statute and neither is the U.S. Nice try, Mr. Aluf Benn, but no cigar. It looks like you're stuck with the Israeli High Court of Justice unless you can get the UN Security Council to expand the ICC's jurisdiction to cover states which have never given their plenary consent to be bound by that court's rulings or set up a special tribunal to handle cases arising from the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict without the consent of either party, but I don't see how such a tribunal could gather evidence, arrest the accused, or enforce its rulings sitting way over there at the Hague with no army in the Levant to back it up.

As I have read some comments before I do not want to discuss. I am just interested in something special. Is there something like a representative poll or somethink like this about: Do the people in Israel not believe that kind of information ? or Do the people in Israel just not care, for example because they say "the enemy" doesnt follow international law too ? (Or the USA did Iraq - Whatsoever... So we could do the same.) Well in the last years I got both expressions. And also a third opinion who would want peace. So is there a poll ? What does it say ?

could israel have put up with rocket and mortar attacks on the south much longer? is the world going to bind israel's arms while hamas beats up the state?

Israel can go to war again quite easily. With all the WMD it possesses no-one is likely to stop it.

"To a university student in Britain or Spain, Israel's silence is perceived as an admission of guilt." [Aluf Benn] Quite possibly. But a student in America or any other enlightened country, upon reading the report would most likely research the whole story and come to a different conclusion.

By now, Israel should reaiize that no matter what it does the world will find something wrong with it. The world only applauds when Israel gives in to the Arabs. Heaven forbid that Israel should defend itself. Muslim terrorism is usually the number 1 safety concern in European capitals. Yet, if Israel does something that can be construed as being negative to the Palestinians that becomes Europe's number 1 priority. You can either say that Europe is immoral or anti-semitic. I choose the latter.

What ever happened to the right of sovereignty? Who are those that think the Hague has the authority to judge anybody? All these money pit institutions are useless and pathetic.

Israel doesn't need any outsider's authorisation before entering war. Israel has a strong army that is there to protect it's citizens, and that is it's primary goal. Avoiding civilian casualties is only a secondary objective, but that must that must not be accomplished if it risks putting the soldier's lives at stake. Israel has attacked in a powerful manner, dramaticly reduced rocket fire on it's territory and has shown it's power to any other nation that has seen it week after the second Lebanon war. Israel's actions were legitimate, and it is not up to some outsider coming from a developed country that hasn't known war in the past 50 years to decide what is right or wrong in these situations.

...Israel's military-governmental leadership echelons always find a way to amaze us yet again with an even more grotesque display of brutality, inhumanity, double-speak trickery and relentless propaganda. Trace the line only in this decade--from Defensive Shield (which we thought was the limit then) to Lebanon to Gaza. The bar is set higher every time...and the IDF never fails to get its quota.

Israel like any State will act as it needs to, anything else is suicide. Do not know any State in the World doing anything else, including the "moral" USA, or the peaceful Moslem Nations, etc. A serious Journalist should do better.

The horror of it all, shunned by British and Spanish students! Aluf, you, just like the Arabs don't get it. Israel will ALWAYS respond with extreme prejudice to the type of attacks it had to endure from Gaza. It's its doctorine. Unless, of course, the British or the Spanish students frown.

mercy on terrorists. Eliminate at least 20,000.They they will have learned half a lesson

The anti-Semites of the world will condemn Israel even for self-inflicted misery of the Arabs. But eternal anti-Semitism does not abrogate the right and obligation of Israel to defend itself.

So is the wannabe annexation of Eastern Jerusalem. They can go into prison very easily. States are just too lazy.

An eye for an eye and a rocket for a rocket, 7 years 7000 Kassams... More Global (UN) Hypocrisy!

yep that will do Don't care what Regev rants, I have already started a letter campaign at my governemnt making it impossible for us not to support the criminals in La Hague

1) Not one of protecting civilians at the expense of winning. 2) Israel will RESCUE the Arabs from their captors, the Hamas and Hezbollah. The next war will be to LIBERATE the Arabs, not to exact damage to their captors! 3)Israel must LIBERATE Arabs, anything less is a farce! 4) The next war will be a WAR, not a game of hopscotch!