The Dangerous Bias of the United Nations Goldstone Report

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How is the security of the West contingent on the security of Israel? Because if anyone gets nabbed for human rights violations in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, that sets a precedent for human rights violations by military forces fighting insurgents in other countries around the world. Mr. Gold failed to mention which specific countries with forces abroad in insurgent wars, like Afghanistan, opposed or abstained. The fact remains that the US House of Representatives voted total opposition to the report. No surprise.
If they can snag one Israel for what they consider "self-defense," then that puts US military, commanders, and civilian handlers at risk for prosecution also. That is the basis of US/Israel relations. The US will fight any condemnation of Israeli Defense Forces just to save its own ass from the same condemnation. And honestly the excuse that fair warning was given in order to flush the civilians out is a disgrace to military tactics and insurgent strategy.

An American Patriot of CO 12:27AM October 16, 2010

Richard Goldstone has openly declared that both HAMAS and the IDF were guilty of war crimes, he does not "completely let Hamas off the hook" as this article so inaccurately repeats. It suggests that the IDF and Hamas both committed acts that exhibited a failure to distinguish between military targets and civilian population. The damning aspect of the report lies in the matter of degree - that is, that Israel (despire its claims otherwise) engaged in the deliberate targeting of schools, civilian groups, ambulances (29 destroyed in total, many carrying recently wounded civilians) and hospitals. These are indefensible tactics. The IDF also used white phosphorous, a stark example is Al Qudz hospital, all of which was supplied by the U.S. government. THe problem is thus that both sides committed war crimes, but the U.S. supports UNILATERALLY one side in this conflict and has failed to acknowledge the veracity of ANY of the claims regarding IDF behavior.
US News should aspire to a higher standard and I am positive that Dore Gold has not read the original report, an honest prerequisite for writing such an article.
Don't believe me?
It is available in full at:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/specialsession/9/docs/UNFFMGC_Report.pdf

Sherief of KS 11:00PM March 26, 2010

Of course, the right of Jews to be there is the core of the Arab-Israeli dispute. One might think that after more than 3,000 years of continuous occupation of “the occupied territories” with Jerusalem as their capitol for about 1,000 of those years, the Jews do in fact have the right to be there. However, if Jonathan Ford of CA does not think so, he should state the numerous criteria that legitimize HIS occupation, and I will test the Jews’ claim to Israel against them.

James M. Price of VA 8:44PM March 26, 2010

Israel Has The Right To defend itself, sure, but not by force.
the British army in the United States in the colonies in 1776 had a right to defend itself from the terror of George Washington’s armies, which was quite real, but it didn’t follow they had a right to defend themselves by force, because they had no right to be here in the first place. Until all peaceful alternatives were reach. Regarding the Gaza War, Israel broke the ceasefire twice,
earlier in June 2008 then again in Novemeber , ( when all of us americans went to the polls to vote for Obama ) and the 2nd time in December. Clearly that proved Hamas to Fire Rockets, now what should have been done is first to seek all peace alternatives, ( which is in the Charter of the UN ) and if that doesn't work then to go to the security council, if force is going to be used.
Not the case really, because Israel does what it wants as long as The U.S. permits it.
Goldstone went on a fact finding mission, and clearly there were crimes against humanity that Israel Carried out. Violating Humanitarian Law , shooting Flour Factories, Destroying Water Supplies ( Hamas are not super heros and do not hide in those areas, so clearly the hits were intentional ).
It will take another growing movement to free Palestine, it starts with a courageous effort in journalism, in the congress, and with the american public. The best option
at this point is to have the International Criminal Court get involved, because Justice Must Prevail no matter what. That goes for the Rocket Fire's and Hamas.

Jonathan Ford of CA 4:16PM March 25, 2010