More on this story. Here is the original text of Goldstone's commentary on the OIC-initiated, anti-Israel report bearing his name. "Reconsidering the Goldstone Report on Israel and war crimes," by Richard Goldstone for the Washington Post, April 1:
We know a lot more today about what happened in the Gaza war of 2008-09 than we did when I chaired the fact-finding mission appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council that produced what has come to be known as the Goldstone Report. If I had known then what I know now, the Goldstone Report would have been a different document.
The final report by the U.N. committee of independent experts — chaired by former New York judge Mary McGowan Davis — that followed up on the recommendations of the Goldstone Report has found that “Israel has dedicated significant resources to investigate over 400 allegations of operational misconduct in Gaza” while “the de facto authorities (i.e., Hamas) have not conducted any investigations into the launching of rocket and mortar attacks against Israel.”
You don't "investigate" your standard operating procedure. You don't investigate wrongdoing for possible "wrongdoing" when it's how you do business.
Our report found evidence of potential war crimes and “possibly crimes against humanity” by both Israel and Hamas. That the crimes allegedly committed by Hamas were intentional goes without saying — its rockets were purposefully and indiscriminately aimed at civilian targets.
The allegations of intentionality by Israel were based on the deaths of and injuries to civilians in situations where our fact-finding mission had no evidence on which to draw any other reasonable conclusion. While the investigations published by the Israeli military and recognized in the U.N. committee’s report have established the validity of some incidents that we investigated in cases involving individual soldiers, they also indicate that civilians were not intentionally targeted as a matter of policy.
For example, the most serious attack the Goldstone Report focused on was the killing of some 29 members of the al-Simouni family in their home. The shelling of the home was apparently the consequence of an Israeli commander’s erroneous interpretation of a drone image, and an Israeli officer is under investigation for having ordered the attack. While the length of this investigation is frustrating, it appears that an appropriate process is underway, and I am confident that if the officer is found to have been negligent, Israel will respond accordingly. The purpose of these investigations, as I have always said, is to ensure accountability for improper actions, not to second-guess, with the benefit of hindsight, commanders making difficult battlefield decisions.
While I welcome Israel’s investigations into allegations, I share the concerns reflected in the McGowan Davis report that few of Israel’s inquiries have been concluded and believe that the proceedings should have been held in a public forum. Although the Israeli evidence that has emerged since publication of our report doesn’t negate the tragic loss of civilian life, I regret that our fact-finding mission did not have such evidence explaining the circumstances in which we said civilians in Gaza were targeted, because it probably would have influenced our findings about intentionality and war crimes.
Israel’s lack of cooperation with our investigation meant that we were not able to corroborate how many Gazans killed were civilians and how many were combatants. The Israeli military’s numbers have turned out to be similar to those recently furnished by Hamas (although Hamas may have reason to inflate the number of its combatants).
"War is deceit."
As I indicated from the very beginning, I would have welcomed Israel’s cooperation. The purpose of the Goldstone Report was never to prove a foregone conclusion against Israel. I insisted on changing the original mandate adopted by the Human Rights Council, which was skewed against Israel. I have always been clear that Israel, like any other sovereign nation, has the right and obligation to defend itself and its citizens against attacks from abroad and within. Something that has not been recognized often enough is the fact that our report marked the first time illegal acts of terrorism from Hamas were being investigated and condemned by the United Nations. I had hoped that our inquiry into all aspects of the Gaza conflict would begin a new era of evenhandedness at the U.N. Human Rights Council, whose history of bias against Israel cannot be doubted.
Some have charged that the process we followed did not live up to judicial standards. To be clear: Our mission was in no way a judicial or even quasi-judicial proceeding. We did not investigate criminal conduct on the part of any individual in Israel, Gaza or the West Bank. We made our recommendations based on the record before us, which unfortunately did not include any evidence provided by the Israeli government. Indeed, our main recommendation was for each party to investigate, transparently and in good faith, the incidents referred to in our report. McGowan Davis has found that Israel has done this to a significant degree; Hamas has done nothing.
Some have suggested that it was absurd to expect Hamas, an organization that has a policy to destroy the state of Israel, to investigate what we said were serious war crimes. It was my hope, even if unrealistic, that Hamas would do so, especially if Israel conducted its own investigations. At minimum I hoped that in the face of a clear finding that its members were committing serious war crimes, Hamas would curtail its attacks. Sadly, that has not been the case. Hundreds more rockets and mortar rounds have been directed at civilian targets in southern Israel. That comparatively few Israelis have been killed by the unlawful rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza in no way minimizes the criminality. The U.N. Human Rights Council should condemn these heinous acts in the strongest terms.
In the end, asking Hamas to investigate may have been a mistaken enterprise. So, too, the Human Rights Council should condemn the inexcusable and cold-blooded recent slaughter of a young Israeli couple and three of their small children in their beds.
I continue to believe in the cause of establishing and applying international law to protracted and deadly conflicts. Our report has led to numerous “lessons learned” and policy changes, including the adoption of new Israel Defense Forces procedures for protecting civilians in cases of urban warfare and limiting the use of white phosphorus in civilian areas. The Palestinian Authority established an independent inquiry into our allegations of human rights abuses — assassinations, torture and illegal detentions — perpetrated by Fatah in the West Bank, especially against members of Hamas. Most of those allegations were confirmed by this inquiry. Regrettably, there has been no effort by Hamas in Gaza to investigate the allegations of its war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
Again: you don't "investigate" your standard operating procedure.
Simply put, the laws of armed conflict apply no less to non-state actors such as Hamas than they do to national armies. Ensuring that non-state actors respect these principles, and are investigated when they fail to do so, is one of the most significant challenges facing the law of armed conflict. Only if all parties to armed conflicts are held to these standards will we be able to protect civilians who, through no choice of their own, are caught up in war.
What consequences will Hamas face?
"Richard Goldstone recants. What price the Israel witch-hunt now?"
(by Melanie Phillips)
http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/
Mr.goldstone deserves a pat on the back for recognizing his bludering bias. It still makes me wonder when one can be so blind to the cobra in your cooler.
Isn't that an April Fools spoof (written on April 1)? I don't trust anything coming from Goldstone, anyone involoved in the OIC-dominated UN or the MSM that doesn't portray the Israelis as Satanic monsters who only take military action for the purpose of drinking the blood of innocent gentile babies. I expect a freakish clown to pop up from the box any minute now and scream: "Ha ha ha! We really got you with that one, didn't we?!"
During WW2 the Allies bombed "built up areas" without distinction as to civil-military status. But every target was named for a military purpose; usually to put a dent in the Nazi war machine. And this followed indiscriminate Nazi bombings in the UK and Northern Ireland. It is essential part of war making, to take notice of potential civilian casualties, but treat same as "collateral damage." In Gaza, Israel had the right to retaliate in kind - viz Hamas' Genocide rocketing - but did not do so.
Those who believe that "freedom" in the Middle East was advanced by the last two US Presidents, are not paying attention. Americans will soon bear the fruit of subsidized-Islamonazism: ICBMs targeted at the US Heartland. The only thing pre-empted by Bush-Obama was: Secular Pluralism. Those animalas handed the salient to the most aggressive and murderous horde ever to infest humanity.
The IDF is the military of a decent and democratic state. As such, it conducts itself as a military should, although this cannot mean that its record will be perfect respecting the application of the rules of war. Errors can be made and the occasional rogue soldier will appear.
By contrast, Hamas functions militarily as the terrorist, thug organization that it is. It deliberately tries to kill civilians and cares little for the safety of its own people. It is a reprobate organization and any Muslim anywhere in the world who wants Islam respected and Muslims respected must condemn Hamas unconditionally.
Israel is a civilized state. Gaza run by Hamas is a fine example of an anti-civilized state. End of story.
The article says the more recent Mcgowan-Davis UN Report which followed up on the Goldstone UN Report complains that Israel should have conducted its investigation into the actions and procedures of its own Israeli Military in a public forum, rather than merely releasing their findings. In a public forum? What? No military organization in the world would ever do such a thing. But the UN has the temerity to say that Israel should have done that.
It's still a mystery why Richard Goldstone is now controverting himself. What's he up to?
There is joy among the angels over a sinner that repenteth!
Now, if Mr. Goldstone could turn his attention to the pack of lies told about the so-called attack on the 'Mavi Marmara' that was carrying jihadists and weapons to attack Israel.
It would be justice done to see that pack of lies scotched, too.
"Some have suggested that it was absurd to expect Hamas, an organization that has a policy to destroy the state of Israel, to investigate what we said were serious war crimes. It was my hope, even if unrealistic, that Hamas would do so, especially if Israel conducted its own investigations." - Goldstone
Don't hold your breath, it will never happen. Hamas is not a 'sovereign state' anymore than is Somalia, or the warlords fighting internal wars all over Africa, or any other Islamic state bent on forcing Sharia on its people. These are all 'terroristic' organizations dedicated to enslaving humanity for its evil powers inimical to human decency and natural freedoms. It is an Islamic war creed, Sharia-Jihad, to force 'submission' on all humanity for its 7th c. War god Muhammad=Allah, not suitable for a modern civilization of humanity aspiring towards making a 'better world' for our 21st century. To say these war crimes are anything else, as morally equivalent, is absolutely 'absurd'.
How many times do we have to say this before it is finally understood?
You've got it my friend. Hamas doesn't & won;t play by the rules because it doesn't have to.
It doesn't take a UN investigation of a UN investigation to figure this one out - Hamas is an immature murderous brat who being without any effective government or representation feels no responsibility to avoid killing women & children.
Israel is a legitimate government under constant International pressure farses to do stop defending herself.
Who is going to be more restrained?
Although Richard Goldstone is to be commended for his retraction, the fact that he erred so grievously in the first place in assessing the evidence he had at hand indicates a lack of the ability to detect the difference between truth and bull shit when they are both placed in front of him. This is a serious character flaw, and dangerous when it resides in a person given authority and influence.
So, what now Mr. Goldstone? While you ponder this and work through your guilt for unfairly maligning Israel, as part of your therapy you might benefit from watching the movie The Mission. In this powerful movie, an 18th century Portuguese slaver in Brazil repents and devotes the rest of his life to defending those he had previously oppressed. You might consider doing the same.
Well, I suppose this is "official" vindication—of a sort.
Will Goldstone's recanting have anywhere near the impact of his initial report, though? *Not even close*.
As Wellington noted, the IDF is the military of a decent, democratic state. They may make mistakes in the fabled "fog of war", but they *do not target civilians as a policy*, and never have.
They are scrupulous and humane.
In contrast, Hamas' stated policy is the utter destruction of Israel.
More:
Some have suggested that it was absurd to expect Hamas, an organization that has a policy to destroy the state of Israel, to investigate what we said were serious war crimes. It was my hope, even if unrealistic, that Hamas would do so, especially if Israel conducted its own investigations.
...............................
My God, what idiocy. Jihadists do not consider actions of decency among their enemies to be a spur to reciprocity on their part—they consider it *a sign of weakness*.
An aside:
The Palestinian Authority established an independent inquiry into our allegations of human rights abuses — assassinations, torture and illegal detentions — perpetrated by Fatah in the West Bank, especially against members of Hamas. Most of those allegations were confirmed by this inquiry.
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After Hamas' almost surreally brutal "cleansing" of Fatah members in Gaza, I had wondered if there was a similar targeting of Hamas members in the "West Bank".
I just wonder why they are admitting it. There are constant urgings, though, for Fatah and Hamas to put aside their murderous "differences", the better to unite and turn their homicidal energies against Israel.
too late too little mr goldstone, if l were to label you, you would be considered the UN,EU,obama's court Jew and a self-hating Jew at that! how can anyone with a brain ever take evidence from hamas! For God's sake hamas wants to destroy Israel outright! Hamas no legitimate place in any state!
So now Goldstone says it was a lie, that he made false accusations about Israel and against the IDF. Was there an apology somewhere in there?
if you read what Goldstone said, he actually blames Israel for not coming out with their part of the story.. so it was still blaming others than himself. l think his friends and family must of disowned him, and now he regrets! on his death will God judge him accordingly.
the url for another insightful commentary by Rabbi Shraga Simmons on the hypocrisy of Goldstone and outright denials still... of what he did
http://www.aish.com/print/?contentID=119141259§ion=/jw/s
1) Goldstone writes:
Our report found evidence of potential war crimes and “possibly crimes against humanity” by both Israel and Hamas.
Not true. Nowhere did the Goldstone report hold Hamas responsible for the “war crimes,” which include relentless suicide bombings and rocket attacks against Israeli civilians. Instead, nebulous “Palestinian armed groups” are named. (See the Goldstone Report, paragraph 1784, which contrasts “war crimes committed by both the Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups.” See also paragraphs 108, 1724, 1747.)
(2) Goldstone tries to position himself as Israel’s savior, declaring that:
The purpose of the Goldstone Report was never to prove a foregone conclusion against Israel. I insisted on changing the original mandate adopted by the Human Rights Council, which was skewed against Israel... I had hoped that our inquiry into all aspects of the Gaza conflict would begin a new era of evenhandedness at the U.N. Human Rights Council, whose history of bias against Israel cannot be doubted.
Is it true that Goldstone tried to reverse the U.N.’s endemic bias against Israel? All four of the Goldstone commission members had denounced Israel’s Gaza operation even before beginning their “investigation.” Three members – Goldstone, Hina Jilani and Desmond Travers – had signed a letter stating that “events in Gaza have shocked us to the core,” while the fourth, Christine Chinkin, had already gone on public record labeling Israeli actions in Gaza a “war crime.” At the time, Chinkin’s preordained conclusion did not bother Goldstone; he was “satisfied that she’s got a completely open mind.”
(3) Goldstone’s Washington Post article deceives with the contention that
the crimes allegedly committed by Hamas were intentional goes without saying – its rockets were purposefully and indiscriminately aimed at civilian targets.
In truth, the Goldstone report whitewashed the years of Hamas rocket-fire against Israeli towns. The first time the word “Hamas” appears regarding rocket attacks (outside the footnotes) is all the way down on page 453. There, Hamas is credited – not with inflicting 10,000 rocket attacks – but rather with allegedly calling on other armed groups to stop firing rockets “in the interests of the Palestinian people.” With no sense of irony, the report then glowingly describes Hamas as employing “cultural resistance,” eschewing rocket attacks in favor of “cultural initiatives and public relations.”
(4) Goldstone tries to cover up for his failings with the excuse that
our fact-finding mission had no evidence on which to draw any other reasonable conclusion.
Really? It was common knowledge that the IDF took the extraordinary precautions of sending millions of warning leaflets and Arabic-language phone calls, and YouTube videos showed the IDF aborting missile strikes to prevent civilian casualties. But Goldstone seemed to have missed all that. According to one Israeli resident of Sderot who was flown to testify before the committee at U.N. headquarters in Geneva, while Goldstone was viewing video footage of Israeli children running from Hamas rocket fire, he fell asleep.
Ahh...Thanks. I admit I didn't read the whole post. He's lost all credibility as far as I'm concerned. I'm so tired of hearing the new crowd of PC anti-semites known as Israel bashers reference the Goldstone Report as though it was the gospel. Nothing he says now will ever change the damage he has done..and it sounds as though he hasn't really gone out of his way to set the record straight. I have to wonder why he even bothered to speak out at all.
Even in his 'apology', he chooses to blame Israel for not co-operating w/ him. Sorry, I'm not among those who think that Goldstone should be forgiven. I think he should be sent to Israel and executed for giving support to their enemies. And like Adolf Eichmann, he should be cremated and his remains scattered over the Mediterranean, so that there are no shrines for UN worshippers to pay homage to.
Richard Goldstone's recanting only serves his self interest as he sees that truth is slowly but surely catching up, then flips while still managing to blame Israel for refusing to cooperate with the UN.