Skip To Content
JEWISH. INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT.
Breaking News

Goldstone To Head U.N. Inquiry Into Israel’s Gaza Conduct

A Jewish South African with close ties to Israel will head a U.N. inquiry into alleged war crimes during Israel’s recent war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Richard Goldstone, a trustee of Hebrew University, will head the commission appointed Friday by the U.N.’s Human Rights Council.

Israel did not say whether it will cooperate; it has in the past ignored other UNHRC probes, noting the body’s tendency to single out Israel for criticism while ignoring other major violators.

Goldstone, who headed war crimes prosecutions in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, said he would investigate alleged war crimes by both sides.

“It’s in the interest of the victims,” Goldstone said in Geneva, where the UNHRC is headquartered. “It brings acknowledgment of what happened to them. It can assist the healing process.”

He said his Jewishness and ties to Israel were added values.

“I’ve taken a deep interest in what happens in Israel,” he said. “I’m associated with organizations that have worked in Israel. And I believe I can approach the daunting task that I have accepted in an evenhanded and impartial manner.”

Joining him on the commission are Christine Chinkin, a British professor of international law; Pakistani lawyer Hina Jilani; and retired Irish Army Col. Desmond Travers.

Republish This Story

Please read before republishing

We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search.  See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs.

To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Please email us at [email protected], subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up.

We don't support Internet Explorer

Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site.