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UN - Israel’s Unlawful Use of White Phosphorus in Gaza


dub

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this is very interesting. normally, both of you would be all over any news in regards to the israeli/palestinian issue, however, in regards to the war crimes investigation, both of you have gone silent.

are you two going to weigh in on this issue or are you waiting for the official PR statement from the IDF/CAMERA?

Edited by dub
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Goldstone: Israel's Eichmann trial brought about the concept of universal jurisprudence

Judge Richard Goldstone, a Jewish South African judge who was the Hague International Court's war crimes prosecutor for Rwanda and Yugoslavia and who will be heading the UN Human Rights Council's latest mission to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes during Operation Cast Lead, has said he always found it hard to fathom that Jews could perpetrate racial discrimination.

Goldstone told the Leadel.net video portal that "from a very early age, I found it difficult to understand how Jews could participate in racial or other forms of discrimination, having been on the receiving end for so many centuries."

During apartheid and after it, Goldstone led several investigative committees of inquiry into government violence and abuse of political activists. He also won large amounts in compensation for victims.

When he was offered the job of heading the UN's war crimes investigation unit, many people thought he would be crazy to accept the post.

"We wouldn't have had an international criminal tribunal in the Hague if the Rwanda and Yugoslavia war crimes cases hadn't been successful," Goldstone told Leadel.net.

"The Nuremberg and Eichmann trials fascinated me as a young student," he went on. "Nuremberg was a watershed - we wouldn't have international criminal law today in its form without Nuremberg. The Israeli courts' approach to Eichmann brought about the concept of universal jurisdiction for what are international crimes, and that has become the law."

The fact that Goldstone, a Jew and an internationally respected legal heavyweight, will be heading the UN mission to Gaza, may make it harder for Israel to refuse to cooperate with the fact-finding mission. Goldstone is not as outwardly anti-Israel as some of the other members of previous fact-finding missions that have dealt with this issue.

The official Israeli position is that since the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council is blatantly biased against Israel, it is not possible for the body to conduct a fair review of the Gaza war.

The Foreign Ministry still has to take a formal decision on the matter, but ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told The Jerusalem Post earlier this week that "this is not a fact-finding mission, but a sad farce."

The mandate for Goldstone's mission calls for the investigation to focus on Palestinian victims of the three-week operation against Hamas, which began in late December.

But Goldstone said his team would investigate "all violations of international humanitarian law" before, during and after the conflict that ended January 18. Israel said it had responded to eight years of Hamas rocket fire at Israeli communities in the South before launching Operation Cast Lead.

Goldstone was born in South Africa on October 26, 1938, and has spent his career working in many areas of human rights. In the aftermath of apartheid, he chaired the Commission of Inquiry Regarding Public Violence and Intimidation (the Goldstone Commission), easing the transition to democracy in his native country, where he also served as an inaugural member of the Constitutional Court.

Following his appointment as chief prosecutor of the UN war crimes tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia in 1994, Goldstone helped shepherd these courts for two years. He filed genocide and war crimes charges against Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic for their roles in the "ethnic cleansing" of Bosnian Muslims, among other allegations.

Besides prosecuting international war crimes, Goldstone was a member of an international panel to monitor the inquiry into Nazi activity in Argentina, chaired the International Independent Inquiry on Kosovo and took part in the investigations into the Iraq Oil for Food program.

Goldstone also serves on the board of directors for several nonprofit organizations that promote justice, including Physicians for Human Rights, the International Center for Transitional Justice, the South African Legal Services Foundation and Human Rights Watch.

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What more is there to say? Maybe he's the right choice...maybe not. Even he's surprised to be asked.

if he concludes that israel committed war crimes, then "he's not the right choice"? right?

aren't you excited that there is an independent research happening by someone with his qualifications?

You may be experiance an attention deficit problem.

read before pressing send.

what about you dancer? are you happy about the investigation? we can finally get to the bottom of all these accusations of war crimes.

Edited by dub
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what about you dancer? are you happy about the investigation? we can finally get to the bottom of all these accusations of war crimes.

A HRW board member is an Independant?

As far as I'm concerned we are alreqady at the bottom of the accusations. Only idiots believe them and only fools worry about it.

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A HRW board member is an Independant?

As far as I'm concerned we are alreqady at the bottom of the accusations. Only idiots believe them and only fools worry about it.

who is we? are you talking about yourself dismissing the HRW investigation because you felt like it?

do you think that "Judge Richard Goldstone, a Jewish South African judge who was the Hague International Court's war crimes prosecutor for Rwanda and Yugoslavia and who will be heading the UN Human Rights Council's latest mission to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes during Operation Cast Lead" is a good thing or a bad thing? do you think he is experienced enough, capable enough and unbiased enough to investigate this issue and come to a fair conclusion?

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i guess it is for reuters and haaretz to mention where this guy is from and i'm sure you would be howling with discontent if this guy was from a muslim country.

The organization he represents is made up of various murdering dictators, most of whom are violently anti-Israel. Thus, a thinking man might question the likelihood of their sending a person there who was unbiased or who would have access to unbiased information. He is 71, after all, and speaks no Arabic. Thus how exactly will HE investigate? Most likely he'll sit in an office and examine documents provided to him by - who exactly are the other three members, btw?

Edited by Argus
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If he concludes that israel committed war crimes, then "he's not the right choice"? right?

You do seem overly obsessed with other people's problems half a world away. Sort of like George Galloway.

aren't you excited that there is an independent research happening by someone with his qualifications?

Can't say I really care. What would be the results? More hand wringing on your part?

:lol:

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You do seem overly obsessed with other people's problems half a world away. Sort of like George Galloway.

it seems like i'm as obsessed about the region as you are.

i like seeing justice. whether it's in canada or in another part of the world. what about you?

Can't say I really care. :lol:

oh okay.

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it seems like i'm as obsessed about the region as you are.

i like seeing justice. whether it's in canada or in another part of the world. what about you?

oh okay.

Justice usually goes against the polical and buisness plans of most - so don't expect to see it soon.

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i was only confirming that you rather see israel getting away with war crimes than be prosecuted for it.

Right after they haul Hamas members into 'World Court' for 'war crimes' then perhaps I'll think it is more than just an attempt to hand out speeding tickets at Daytona.

As it stands, it is just a bunch of Hamas supporters much like yourself with their noses out-of-joint for having lost so badly to the 'evil Zionist Entity' once again.

Edited by DogOnPorch
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Right after they haul Hamas members into 'World Court' for 'war crimes' then perhaps I'll think it is more than just an attempt to hand out speeding tickets at Daytona.

As it stands, it is just a bunch of Hamas supporters much like yourself with their noses out-of-joint for having lost so badly to the 'evil Zionist Entity' once again.

this isn't about who has the bigger gun. this is about prosecuting those who have committed war crimes.

stop being an apologist for those who shit on humanitarian laws.

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Actually, sorry to be a buss kill but no one is prosecuting anyone....and if the "inquiry" is in anyway impartial and learned, Israel will get praise for measured restraint.

you're an idiot for making that comment.

a mass murderer is not praised for restraining himself from killing 100 people instead of 50 people.

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Actually, sorry to be a buss kill but no one is prosecuting anyone....and if the "inquiry" is in anyway impartial and learned, Israel will get praise for measured restraint.

I doubt that, M Dancer.

The difference in firepower used and deaths incurred speaks for itself.

And we are talking about a captive population that could not escape.

No, I think this time Israel has cashed in a lot of its credibility with the disproportionate attack on Gaza.

Chance are, though, that in lieu of prosecution Israel will have to demonstrate its good intentions through the peace talks.

Chances are, too, that the leniency that has allowed Israel to violate past agreements will be considerably tightened up this time.

It is my hope that international troops will replace Israeli troops at the borders with Gaza.

So far, Israel has refused, but may not be able to do so anymore.

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this isn't about who has the bigger gun. this is about prosecuting those who have committed war crimes.

stop being an apologist for those who shit on humanitarian laws.

I know...it sucks when your team loses yet again. To Zionists, no less! Call for a fatwa or perhaps or check see if the evil Zionists are willing to do a do-over of the Six Day War.

Re: humanitarian laws...I don't support Hezbollah nor Hamas. I never apologize for them. That's more your bag.

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