U.S. to Israel: Investigate Goldstone Report Allegations
The Obama administration is urging Israel to address the allegations in the Goldstone Commission report.
“We felt very strongly that while these investigations should be investigated and addressed, that we thought on the one hand that Israel had the kind of institutions that could address these allegations,” Ian Kelly, a State Department spokesman, said Monday, speaking of the U.S. role last week in deferring until March further United Nations consideration of the report accusing Israel and Hamas of war crimes during last winter’s Gaza military action. “And of course, we urged Israel to address these very serious allegations.”
U.S. officials had said previously that the report, its recommendations and the mandate creating the fact-finding mission were flawed. The United States backed a failed resolution in the U.N. Human Rights Council that encouraged Israel to investigate the report’s findings. Instead, Palestinian diplomats – who wanted the council to refer the report to the U.N. legal system – agreed to defer consideration until its next session in March.
Kelly’s comment Monday was the most direct urging Israel to pursue an investigation.
Israeli spokesmen have said that the army is investigating some of the charges, including those involving the killing of civilians bearing white flags, but no charges have been filed.
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
