Herzog: Israeli leaders' remarks led to Goldstone war crime accusations

[bemildred]

Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog on Wednesday severely criticized fellow cabinet ministers for making remarks during Israel's offensive in Gaza last winter, which Herzog argues were used by the Goldstone commission to demonstrate that Israel had knowingly planned to commit war crimes.

The UN commission, headed by South African jurist Richard Goldstone, reviewed the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza and concluded that Israel was guilty of war crimes.

Herzog aimed his criticism at Shas Chairman Eli Yishai, and at Haim Ramon, who served as deputy prime minister during the offensive, saying that they had "repeatedly voiced a need for a harsh response" to Gaza rocket fire.

"The Goldstone report accuses Israel's government, not the military," Herzog said. "The report concludes that the government knowingly decided to destroy Gaza. The report bases these accusations on remarks made by Israeli leaders who don't understand that their chatter has serious ramifications."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1124368.html

[oberliner]

1. We should have a Welfare Minister in the USA

That would be helpful!

[bemildred]

5. Tsk, "Welfare Czar", we have Czars here, not ministers.

Ministers are a sort of clergy here.

[The Magistrate]

2. He Has a Point, Sir....

"Better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt."

[bemildred]

4. I thought so, Sir.

I remember thinking at the time, and saying so here IIRC, that the Olmert government would have done better to tone it down. Barak in particular, I remember lots of stuff about "harsh consequences" etc. It does give one such a sense of satisfaction to be proven right by events.

[The Magistrate]

6. True, My Friend

Playing tough to the domestic audience is never wise, and less so now when everything is on tape and imperishable. When your military is actually engaged in 'killing people and breaking things', that ought to be enough to communicate the desired impression one is being a 'hard man' without running your mouth....

[bemildred]

7. "Speak softly, and carry a big stick." or something like that.

We could give seminars ...
:hi:

[damntexdem]

9. Don't criticize them for telling the truth at the time, ...

criticize them for the war crimes that that truth revealed.

It wasn't the speaking nonsoftly, it was the wielding of the big stick criminally.

[bemildred]

10. I will criticize them when and as I choose. nt

[The Magistrate]

13. An Odd Touch To This, Sir

Is that Mr. Goldstone himself has denounced the action of the Human Rights Commission in referring the report to the U.N. with comments highlighting only charges against Israel, and omitting his charges against Hamas.

[bemildred]

14. Mr Goldstone is a mensch, Sir, and can be expected to do the right thing as he sees it.

The UNHRC would do well to follow his lead, and that would not serve the Palestinians badly either, or Israel.

[Violet_Crumble]

11. He sure does...

And I also agree with what he said about the govt making a mistake by not co-operating with the Goldstone commission and that Israel will have to carry out an internal investigation. I'm safe in guessing he's not talking about the quickie whitewash one done over a few days that finds Israel blameless and to be The Most Moral Army In The World, but a proper investigation (don't know if they call them Royal Commissions over there, but that sort of thing) called for by the Israeli govt like the Kahan or the Winograd Commissions. An investigation at that level carries credibility and it's been shown in the past that the findinds are warts and all and they're not set up with the intention of absolving the govt of blame...

btw, good to see you down here in the I/P forum :)

[The Magistrate]

12. They Do Need To Do a Proper Inquiry, Ma'am

If only to present a proper defense for themselves.

[Howardx]

3. "chatter"

also known as premeditation

[damntexdem]

8. Instead of criticizing them for making remarks, ...

to bad he didn't criticize them for planning to commit war crimes -- and for then committing them.