I only post this to see what biased, one-sided garbage we are getting, folks.
"Both sides accused of Gaza war crimes; UN report cites acts by Israelis, Palestinians" by John Heilprin, Associated Press | September 16, 2009
UNITED NATIONS - ... Investigators found no evidence that the mosque was used to store weapons or for any military activity by Palestinian armed groups. But the report said investigators were unable to look more broadly at Israel’s allegation that the mosques were used generally by Palestinian groups for storing weapons....
And yet the lead is:
A UN investigation concluded yesterday that both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, raising the prospect that officials may seek prosecution in the International Criminal Court.
The probe led by former South African judge Richard Goldstone concluded that “Israel committed actions amounting to war crimes, possibly crimes against humanity,’’ during its Dec. 27-Jan. 18 military operations against Palestinian rocket squads in the Gaza Strip.
Yeah, WE ALL SAW IT!!! And, yes, DROPPING WMD on people is a WAR CRIME!!
In a 575-page report, Goldstone and three other investigators also found evidence “that Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes, as well as possibly crimes against humanity.’’
I think they just put that in there to protect themselves. Imagine the reaction without that lying qualifier, huh?
Goldstone said the probe, which included interviews as well as a review of documents, photos, and 30 videos, was completed yesterday morning, just hours before the hastily called news conference.
“There should be no impunity for international crimes that are committed,’’ said Goldstone, a veteran war crimes investigator who has served as chief prosecutor for the UN criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. “It’s very important that justice should be done.’’
The report said that Israel’s attacks in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, including the shelling of a house where soldiers had forced Palestinian civilians to assemble, amounted to war crimes.
Please see: The Zeitoun Massacre
The ICRC's Gruesome Gazan Find
It found seven incidents in which civilians were shot while leaving their homes trying to run for safety, waving white flags and sometimes even following Israeli instructions. It also cited the targeting of a mosque at prayer time, killing 15 people, as a war crime....
A “direct and intentional attack’’ on the Al Quds Hospital and an adjacent ambulance depot in Gaza City “may constitute war crimes,’’ the report said.
Absolutely!
Several Palestinians told the mission they were used as human shields by the Israeli forces, the report said, noting the case of Majdi Abd Rabbo, a 39-year-old intelligence officer of the Palestinian authority who was forced to walk ahead of the troops as they searched his house and that of his neighbor. Rabbo was forced to undress down to his underwear in front of the soldiers and his sons had to strip naked, the report said....
And ISRAEL HAS the CHUTZPAH to accuse the Palestinians of such tactics?!!!!
Israel, which refused to cooperate with the investigation, said the Human Rights Council was biased by its 47-nation constituency, over which Arab and developing nations hold sway....
Where is the outcry of Israel defiance? If this were an Arab country acting in such a way the sanctions would already be on them!
And they got some nerve complaining about bias!
The investigators have recommended that the Security Council require both sides to launch their own, credible investigation into the conflict within three months, and to follow that up with action in their courts. If either side refuses, the investigators recommend that the Security Council refer the evidence for prosecution by the International Criminal Court, the world’s first permanent war crimes tribunal, within six months.
The Palestinian group Hamas rules Gaza and has been accused by Israel of using human shields during the conflict, in which almost 1,400 Palestinians were killed - many of them civilians. Thirteen Israelis died, including four civilians.
Totally disproportionate.
And those Israelis are something, huh? They TARGET CIVILIANS and then say you used them as shields!
“The mandate of the mission and the resolution establishing it prejudged the outcome of any investigation, gave legitimacy to the Hamas terrorist organization and disregarded the deliberate Hamas strategy of using Palestinian civilians as cover for launching terrorist attacks,’’ Israel’s Foreign Ministry said.
Whatchasay?
Hamas officials were not immediately available for comment.
Goldstone, who is Jewish and has strong ties to Israel, told reporters at UN headquarters that “to accuse me of being anti-Israel is ridiculous,’’ anticipating such criticism.That's why they put the statement in about both sides when the world knows only one party is guilty.
And yes, the Zionists do look ridiculous with their hissy fits!
He said it was in the interest of both Israelis and Palestinians to establish the truth of what happened in the conflict....
On the Palestinian side.....
--more--"
Related: UN: Israel Admits Claims About Attacked School Baseless
Israel Lied to the World About School Massacre in Gaza
More whining:
JERUSALEM - .... The report addressed the Israeli allegations but said it found limited evidence that Palestinian fighters had deliberately used civilians as human shields....
Yeah, because THAT is an ISRAELI TACTIC!!!!!!!
Israeli officials yesterday bluntly dismissed one of the main recommendations of the UN fact-finding mission’s report on the three-week war in Gaza last winter: a call for the Israeli government to begin an independent investigation of “serious violations’’ of international humanitarian and human rights law, including evidence of war crimes, during the military campaign....
I expected as much.
Reflecting a broad consensus in Israel, President Shimon Peres harshly criticized the UN mission report led by Richard Goldstone, issuing a statement calling it “a mockery of history’’ for failing “to distinguish between the aggressor and a state exercising its right for self-defense.’’ Peres, an internationally respected Nobel Peace laureate, added that the report “legitimizes terrorist activity, the pursuit of murder and death.’’
Fine. To hell with you assholes. I'll hate you forever, and nothing will ever change my mind, you murderous bastards!
The report, released Tuesday, recommends that if no appropriate independent inquiry gets under way in Israel within six months, the UN Security Council should refer the situation to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. It made a similar recommendation for Palestinian authorities, calling for an inquiry into evidence of war crimes committed by Palestinian armed groups firing rockets into Israel. The Palestinians have not commented on that aspect of the report.
Israeli officials were particularly incensed about what they called the report’s delicate treatment of Hamas, the Islamic group that controls Gaza. Israel mounted its offensive in self-defense and as a last resort, they said, to curb the rocket fire from Gaza against southern Israel.
In a statement late Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said the report “effectively ignores Israel’s right of self-defense, makes unsubstantiated claims about its intent, and challenges Israel’s democratic values and rule of law.
What about the PALESTINIANS RIGHT to SELF DEFENSE, hanh?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“At the same time,’’ it said, “the report all but ignores the deliberate strategy of Hamas of operating within and behind the civilian population and turning densely populated areas into an arena of battle.’’
Well, WHERE ELSE THEY GONNA GO in that OPEN-AIR CONCENTRATION CAMP you have them in, Iz-ray-HELL?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
**************
Among the Israeli public, the publication of the report elicited, for the most part, a furious reaction. Most Israelis strongly supported the offensive in Gaza....
Then may you ALL ROAST in HELL!!!!!
Related:
The removed Israeli government graph: 'Monthly distribution of rockets hits.'
On the 4th November, the day when Americans were watching the results of the Presidential election, the Israeli army broke the ceasefire by raiding the strip.
--MORE--"You DESERVE what you get, Israel!
Also see: A War Criminal Government
Had it with the lies yet?
The growing international condemnation of the war did little to crack that unity, nor have the highly critical reports issued since by international organizations and human rights groups. Instead, the reports have prompted indignation and a sense that Israel’s very legitimacy is under attack.
Oh, but ISRAEL isn't DEFIANT or EXTREMIST or anything, yup!!
Yup, POOR LITTLE Iz-way-el, awwwwww!!!!
Btw, YOU ARE an ILLEGITIMATE HELL HOLE no matter what the outcome of the investigation and referral.
Many Israelis criticized the report for what they called its failure to understand the difficulties of asymmetrical warfare. Some also said they were shocked by the breadth of topics addressed in the report - its description of life in the West Bank and the separation barrier, for example, as well as Israel’s internal politics - seeing many issues as outside the commission’s mandate. Instead, they said, the report appeared to embrace years of UN complaints.
Oh, YEARS of COMPLAINTS, huh? And NOTHING DONE! If this were a Muslim nation they would be INVADED by now -- provided they aren't named Egypt or Saudi Arabia.
The special burden of asymmetrical conflict has long been a frustration for Israelis across the political spectrum.
Then F*** Israel, and F*** the Israelis!
How do you think the PALESTINIANS HAVE FELT about all this the whole time?
And the bitching never ends (this is why joos turn people off):
"Netanyahu rejects UN report, says Israel’s action in Gaza was self-defense" by Mark Lavie, Associated Press | September 18, 2009
JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.... said Israeli forces were exercising their right to self-defense after rocket attacks by Palestinian Hamas militants against southern Israeli towns before and since Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip....
You SAW the GRAPH so you KNOW this guy is a SHIT-HOLE LIAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The report of the UN commission, headed by Justice Richard Goldstone of South Africa, faulted Israel for civilian deaths in Gaza, saying it used disproportionate force in the offensive. About 1,400 Palestinians were killed during the three-week conflict....
Mostly civilians (why leave that out?).
And MORE DIE EVERY DAY because of the WAR CRIMINAL SIEGE!
Netanyahu urged world leaders to support Israel’s right to self-defense and reject the report’s findings - including its conclusion that formal charges could be brought against Israeli soldiers, officers, and leaders....
Oh, what a wonderful world....!
Also yesterday, Nasser al-Shaer, a Hamas political leader in the West Bank, was released from an Israeli prison after six months. Shaer is among dozens of Hamas lawmakers Israel arrested as pressure to free an Israeli soldier held in Gaza for more than three years.
ADD THAT to the WAR CRIMES LIST, will ya?
--more--"
