Russians deal Lieberman 'slap' by endorsing Goldstone report

I think Russia needs to learn that concept from you more than us. Grozny was flattened in days, Georgia is still reeling in the aftermath. And neither of these two incidents are related to self defence, so where does that put Russia??? They didnt object to Slobodan having a go at the Bosnians because they knew they werent much better. all in all, from the fall of communism, I think Russia killed way more people directly or indirectly than Israel probably has in its entire 60 years of existence. please give me your observers point of view on that :-)

Do you think Russia out of all world governments care about anybody but themselves??? no amount of dead muslims/arabs is gonna make them shed tears, just look at the ummah in Chechnya, why the Islamic world was silent then??? I know Russia was arming your lot to the teeth, in return for gas and oil, nothing unsuperficial will change the Siberian express to change its tracks in favour of anybody. So dont kid yourself a minute that Russia has sympathy for you, its all about what you can give them. BTW: If qassams landed in Russia that entire area would be annihilated within a matter of days.

of their slavic brother in arms slobedan who actually got punished. when their turn comes to answer for their misdeeds they will not be able to close the can of worms Goldstone or his buddies are obliged to open.

what possesed Lieberman to talk to the Russians at all is beyond me, too them everybody is expendable and theres no such concept as human rights in the kremlin train of thought to begin with. but they have to answer for their misdeeds in Chechnya too aswell as the recent charade in Georgia wouldnt you say so??? If everybody gets held to the same standard then their will be less lies,less deceit, etc. enjoy our minor mutual agreement dont know if I might agree on our next post.

I just cited what Russia and China have done hence their moral high horse ran away leaving them behind. are you suggesting that these conflicts I cited are less brutal, so cut the BBS and smell the coffee(not the turkish one) they too have harmed alot of Kurds and Greek Cypriots which they have occupied even longer than Israel has their foes. in a verey brutal fashion making it a wonder for the world to behold. So just re-examine these countries carefuly and your own, and I can gaurentee you that none of your GI Joes/Janes, or Marines are more angelic your airforce has known to kill civilians so whats good for the goose is good for the gander when is everybody else going to take the rap instead of distracting themselves with a permenant scapegoat???

Goildstone report endorsed Israel. When are the Chinese going to be investigated for Tibet??? Or Russia for Chechnya???? I would love to see their reaction when that happens, crikey mate looks like the great Russian bear shot himself in the foot after one too many glasses of Vodka. Have a splendid day down under ;-)

The Jewish Phophet Ezekiel wrote: Eze 38:3 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. Eze 38:4 "I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company {with} buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; .... Eze 38:8 "After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, {whose inhabitants} have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. Selah

Dear # 45, We are talking about Middle East Role for Russia and not about its role in Germany's affairs...therefore your comment is a little irrelevant for this given subject... but still, thank you for your input

...leaving aside the fact that Israel has been in violation of several UN resolutions for decades that are at the heart of this matter, ye olde two wrongs make a right argument falls flat upon close inspection. I am an American. The day there is credible evidence that US soldiers have shot civilians carrying a white flag, I want them prosecuted. Same thing for using civilians as human shields. There is not an American I can think of that would stomach our guys using human shields, and our guys would kick your ass for suggesting such a thing. Do you really think comparing Israeli actions to Chechnya is a Good Idea(tm)? Or any of the other conflicts you cite? They are very different in that Israel has maintained a brutal occupations of the Palestinians along with Lebanese and Syria for decades. Time's up.

the russians are master at playing games, lieberman lied and lavrov lied straight back at him, fair is fair, i've always said, watch out for the russians and chinese, there going to be the biggest military powerhouse of the world, america will cower back to its little hole, what a shame.

what about Golstone reporting on Russian Human Rights?There would be plenty for him to report if they let him;))) Russian hypocrites have spoken!!

israelis should wise up and get rid of these two fools...

http://www.unwatch.org/kemp --"Delivered by Colonel Richard Kemp UN Human Rights Council 12th Special Session, 16 October 2009 Debate on Goldstone Report Thank you, Mr. President. I am the former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan. I served with NATO and the United Nations; commanded troops in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Macedonia; and participated in the Gulf War. I spent considerable time in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, and worked on international terrorism for the UK Government?s Joint Intelligence Committee. Mr. President, based on my knowledge and experience, I can say this: During Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli Defence Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare. Israel did so while facing an enemy that deliberately positioned its military capability behind the human shield of the civilian population. Hamas, like Hizballah, are expert at driving the media agenda. Both will always have people ready to give interviews condemning Israeli forces for war crimes. They are adept at staging and distorting incidents. The IDF faces a challenge that we British do not have to face to the same extent. It is the automatic, Pavlovian presumption by many in the international media, and international human rights groups, that the IDF are in the wrong, that they are abusing human rights. "---

I would have preffered Natan Sharansky as foreign minister, Lieberman does get abit hot headed from time to time.

Tryig to enforce an occupation deluxe is not self-defense. Israel crossed the line and so did Hamas.

Russia is known to bully the former Soviet republics that want to deal their own doings, so Russia is going to end up doing something much more sinister than what they accuse Israel of, Chechnya is a grim reminder. Even though I am a Jew and not a Christian I believe that Jesus said once"let he without sin cast the first stone" and such a saying would be perfect applied in this whole Goldstone ruling, and the sooner the country's who voted for, the better. Have an awesome day bud ;-)

Join the ranks of those who want to expose the atrocitries that Israel committed against civilians in Gaza, THANK YOU RUSSIA..!!!

Britain has not been on its best behaviour old chap. Shelling of Basra with artillery,bombardment of baghdad, and the recent fighting in Afghanistan proves much to be desired, pretty much akin to Russia flattening Grozny in a matter of days or pulverizing Georgia wouldnt you say so lad??? BTW: I am not trying to sidetrack the topic butjust letting you know that this whole charade could land your chaps and the Russian blokes in hot water too. Have a nice day mate :-)

Wonderful to hear the Israeli1sters still claiming - in the face of the evidence - that th3e Gaza operation was about self-defense. To the rest of the world, the whole operation was about punishing those nasty Palestinians for resisting Israel. It started off with killing 248 Palestinian policemen in a long-planned strike. And that is what Goldstone has pointed out. You're not convincing anyone, I'm afraid.

Grozny was destroyed, agreed. Chechnya is considered by the Kremlin as part of the Russian Federation. Many may disagree. Then again, Russia is a superpower. Georgia, a hapless, clueless pawn was shocked back into reality, .mainly due to the US manipulations or quasi invasion in the Black Sea/Caucasus under the GWB/Rice/Cheney trio. That basically tried to kick the Russian bear in the groin. Regarding Zimbabwe, that again is quite simple,the Kremlin simply followed the mainstream African Union decision of "Quiet Diplomacy", spearheaded by South Africa. Hope that you are satisfied. Shalom.

"while Israel could be a good and long term partner due to its huge %% of Russian speaking population" Germany has more Russian-speaking people than Israel's overall population.

I believe someone should put forward charges at the UN whereby russia should stand trial for war crimes committed against the chechnyans. How many innocent people died in the russian onslaught? where is the HRC on this? why no investigation? what about turkey savaging their kurds for that matter? and for good measure, you can throw in the americans killings innocents with drones almost on a daily basis....so? where are all the committees and investigations?

Russia has stood up for the Palestinians against the propaganda machine of Israel and the USA.

Russia already has an interesting vehicle, Iran, to promote its interests in the Middle East. Israel is becoming a seriously hot potato, so it has to be dumped.

Lieberman is under-estimated. This time Lavrov took him for a ride ... but this is called diplomacy (when you can not take someone's word for granted). Russia will cry UNCLE when it is investigated for the war crimes in Chechnya.. what goes around - comes around. EU is not a true friend of Russia, neither any of Arab states... while Israel could be a good and long term partner due to its huge %% of Russian speaking population. If Russia wants to play Middle East role it should learn how to take Israel's interests into account.

Having Lieberman as Foreign Minister is like leading with your chin in boxing. You ask to be hit.

The hard-liner Israeli government is the one who enforced Israel's friends like Egypt and the Palestinian Authority to go for Goldstone. What peace process is the Israeli government talking about? There is no peace process; Lieberman and Netanyahu gave no reason for Egypt and Abbas to go for a compromise or cover. I believe that escalation is going to previal all along the term of this extremist government in Tel Aviv.

No country is going to support a punitive air attack on a civilian population in this day and age, whatever their own misdeeds. Only 6 of the 47 UNHRC Commission voted against referral of the report to the UNGA. All that enabled them to do so was the fact that the PA motion did not mention Hamas war crimes, so they were able to vote technically against the motion as biased. That was not a vote against Goldstone though. Q: Why single Russia out? The only guys out of step here are Israel and Hamas. A: Lieberman, having achieved less than nothing as FM, has to be seen to be doing something and blaming somebody, anybody, else is the standard default position in Israel's bunker mentality.

In Operation Cast Lead Israel killed about 1,500 people. In Chechnya Russia killed more than 250,000 people and the United Nations and the entire world was totally silent. In Iraq and Afganistan you can multiply times one hundred the number of civilians America has killed versus the number of Palestinians Israel has killed the past ten years combined. It is a travesty for other countries to sit in judgement of Israel when their crimes against innocent people far, far exceed anything Israel has ever done in the past sixty years of its existence.

the sooner the better. he s in charge of "getting along with the other nations" and never has israel been so hated by so many countries. it s his fault and he needs to be replaced. and the fact that the russians lied to him just proves my point even more: other nations delegates dont even respect him personally

The difference between rightists nationalists and racists: they re really easy to confuse Racists: just hate the others for no reason ready to harm the other side all the time hates everyone except his people. example: liberman rightist nationalist: loves his country and his people. ready to do the right thing for his country. peace with others is the real agenda... knows that peace is made with the enemy... example: Menachem Begin or Jabotinsky if rightists have no real rightist to choose they do this mistake and choose the racist... everyone should slap the racist... sorry that he's the foreign minister.. happy that he's no defense minister.

lets not forget India torturing,killing,kidnapping Kashmiris, Pakistan doing pretty much the same,Indonesia slaughtering a hundred times the amount of Timorese in cold blood without having to answer for it, or even South Africa aiding and abetting mad uncle Bob in Zimbabwe whom slaughters,tortures,kidnapps,rapes and kills his own lot, and when Zimbabweans come streaming into South Africa they end up facing Xenaphobic mobs, as for Nigeria we know how corrupt they are and their politicians and military leaders have a share in the international drug trade. but yet they quick condemn Israel over Gaza when Israel was just merely defending itself. I say those with dirty laundry are quick to point fingers at someone else. Gutentag :-)

When I say that all war crimes should be investigated, I mean All war crimes. Including Gaza war crimes too.

It's amazing that after conducting an extraordinary brutal campaign in Chechnya which resulted in the deaths of 25,000 to 50,0000 civilians, Russia would be so anxious to support an investigation that more appropriately should be directed at its own military actions.

What's new here? The Russians, who expelled my Jewish grandparents, have always been anti-semites. Thus, they will not allow an opportunity to pass when they can knife Isael in the back. I don't see that changing any time soon. It is what it is.

that Russia isn't going to vote fopr a referral of the Goldstone report to The Hague? Afterall Russia told Lieberman they were not going to vote for the Goldstone Report in Geneva. In fact Israel doesn't know how people will vote. The Jerusalem Post confidentally predicted the UK was going to vote No.

"Which of those countries you mention illigally occupy a nation according to the UN and the whole civalised world???." Question of "occupation" or judge (UN and/or "civilized")? China and Russia, of course.. Turkey.. use the most brutal forms of force to occupy lands that would like to consider themselves "autonomous"... How many have died in Chechnya? No fewer than 35K civilians have been killed by the Russians (some NGOs have put the figure as high as 3x that amount). Chechen did not declare war against Russia or threaten Russia (as HAMAS does with every breath) but only independence.. Its not about civilians (Turkey, China, Russia does not care about them) but about power, dominance and money (petrol dollars).

did it play by the book in Chechnya flattening Grozny???did it play by the book in Georgia recently???Or did it play by the book vetoing resolutions against Zimbabwes Robert Mugabe who has starved,killed,tortured his own people??? I await your answer :-)

who voted against the adoption of the Goldstone report. Disgusting. Shame on you Verhagen, go study with Mr. van Agt, and learn from him.

From the inventors of the Pogrom we see the latest hostility from Russia towards Israel. Its Russia that armed the Arabs to make war and destroy Israel. This is the latest hostile act by Russia but not the first.

Which of those countries you mention illigally occupy a nation according to the UN and the whole civalised world???.

Talking tet-à-tet, they agree and slap your shoulders, then when you're back home and had told the press about youd success in "influencing Russia" they'll slap your face, telling the world exactly opposite. Being considered archenemy's (US) pawn, Israel cannot be Russian pawn BEFORE the US had openly deserted it and Russia sees how they can play Israel against the US NEW PAWNS. Some learn it easy way (from the other's experience), some learn it hard way (their own experience) but some people would never learn.

no point in dragging hezbollah into it.

Russia and the UN are hopeless causes. Eventually half the countries in the UN will go to war against the other half. Then the US and Israel will have the last laugh. If you want to know what I'm talking about, look what will unfold in Poland, Czechoslovakia and the Ukraine in the next two years.

Russia's stance has nothing to do with FM Lieberman. Russia has a responsibility that cannot be compromised over its standing in the ME and EU. FM Lieberman may have misunderstood FM Lavrov. The Russian ambassador in Israel has tried to keep the current door ajar. The less said publicly is best for all parties. The Goldstone report has devastated Israels image abroad.

do you ignore it because of arrogance? The EU just reiterated they won't be boycottg despite undoubted pressure from a large,rapidly growing Moslem population that does not hesitate to riot and huge Arab/Iranian economic muscle. Get real if Russia blocks the Goldstone politically motivated farce,that even he is stepping back from,that Mary Robinson refused to countenance,at the Security council,YOUR side got the slap. PS most normal people get disgusted with what Hamas says.

Egypt? You could claim he's a Hezbollah mole.

....that must hurt !! :)

To Maureen in Bathurst,never mind his formal nationality,he is a racist and a fascist.He does not bring honour to Israel,rather the opposite. This most unfortunate Foreign Ministerial appointement is simply one of the "strange bedfellows" off shoots of a coalition govt. Think how we feel when we hear him in action or effectively inaction.Spare a thought for the professionals in our foreign office.

Have you noticed how many times the Israelis were slapped recently? The Russians, the Swedes, the Norwegians, the Austrians, the Hungarians, the Turks, Goldstone...... and they still don't get it because they don't want to, due to self- destructing arrogance. You've got no one but yourself to blame!

those fine humanitarians who run that poltical farce

those fine humanitarians who run that poltical farce

Actually the Goldstone report may force the israeli side to start the peace process to show to the world their sincerility and regain some of their badly damaged credibility.

get a clue idiot!!Putin wants to see how far he can take you...ruski will not vote against palestine or for the jews on anything

no oe likes the jews and the ruski are glad to see you gone but wnt to stop you making so much trouble...remember the ruski jewish oligarks found refuge in zio-land after ripping off russia for billions....Leiberman ought to wake uo! to putin he is just another backward jew that speaks moldovian ruski BADLY...as far as US is conserned when the cowboys get over darby's zionist bioble and figure out that the ashkenazi all in the stolen land will not bring back jesus they will dump you like the rednecks they are...its over zionist...find a new country if you can

How can anyone confuse what happened in Gaza with self-defense. I suppose self defense is still the reason for the settlements and the illegal occupation as well? Attitudes like ours are the reason that the Zionist enterprise will fail.

It would be disastrous to Russia if the Goldstone report were accepted by the UN, since any criticism about Israel in Gaza could be made 10 times as strongly about Russia in Chechnya or Georgia or Ingushetia. Any country that is engaged in counter-terrorism, including the US, India, Pakistan, and China, would be harmed by this report.

Boo hoo for Boris. After all the money he made with his Russian pals, after all he learned about democracy at the feet of the commies, you would think they would be nice to him.

Of course they know that a vote that tells Israel it has no right to defend itself cannot possible aid any "peace process."

Mr Lieberman is an Israeli, not Russian, isn't he?

Israel might as well get used to the idea that the world is not going to allow it to do anything it wants whenever it wants to whomever it wants.

Indeed. Someone`s got to answer for the Horrors of Cast Lead.

Lieberman's refusal to receive the Russians' message reminds me of the old joke about the Jew and cossack...the punch line of which had to do with a subservient jew allowing the cossack's balls to fall in the dust...without going into more detail, who is Lieberman kidding? No matter what messages he will/won't accept, he's surely been tasked with carrying the Russians balls while they screw Israel. I know you won't accept this for print, but it's true...and so very sad.

After Lieberman threatened to bomb the Aswan Dam in retaliation; no one should sit across the table from this evil Moldovan. Even his kin don't like him.