Israel expects allies to vote against UN Goldstone resolution

The UN General Assembly will open deliberations today on the Goldstone report on the fighting in the Gaza Strip in January. Israel has told the countries of the European Union and other friendly nations that it expects them to vote against any resolution proposed by the Arab states on the report.

The deliberations will revolve around a draft resolution by Arab states calling for the adoption of the report and the transfer of the debate from the General Assembly to the Security Council. The resolution also calls for an independent inquiry by Israel into Operation Cast Lead and the presentation of its conclusions in three months.

Senior officials at the Foreign Ministry described the Arab resolution as very extreme and said it constitutes an escalation of the attacks against Israel in international forums.

A vote is not expected today, but Israeli sources say they expect one by the end of the week.

Yesterday, Britain and France, representing the EU, held talks with representatives of the Palestinian Authority and Arab states at the United Nations in an effort to soften the proposed resolution.

Accordingly a Franco-British document representing the EU has been drafted, describing "red lines" that the resolution should not cross if the Arab states and the Palestinians expect Western support.

Essentially, the offer seeks to avoid the transfer of deliberations from the General Assembly to the Security Council or the International Criminal Court at The Hague. The Europeans are asking Israel and the Palestinians to agree to an independent inquiry into the war and a return of the matter to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

A notable element in the Arab draft resolution is a failure to mention Hamas; it refers only to the Palestinians, even though the original Goldstone report mentions Hamas and accuses it of carrying out war crimes along with Israel.

Whatever form it takes, the Arab resolution is expected to gain a majority with 130 votes. However, if it remains extremist and the Europeans refuse to support it, there is a chance that around 60 countries will vote against it or abstain.

Foreign Ministry director general Yossi Gal told ambassadors yesterday that any further support for the Goldstone report would have a negative effect on the peace process and undermine democracies' right to self-defense.