Goldstone to Haaretz: U.S. does not have to protect Israel blindly

[bemildred]

Judge Richard Goldstone told Haaretz Thursday that President Shimon Peres' remarks criticizing him were "specious and ill-befitting the head of State of Israel."

Peres was quoted Wednesday as calling Goldstone "a small man, devoid of any sense of justice, a technocrat with no real understanding of jurisprudence," who was "on a one-sided mission to hurt Israel."

In Thursday's interview by e-mail with Haaretz, Goldstone said: "I am content to be judged by my actions over the course of my career both in terms of my professional judicial career and my voluntary service." Goldstone also said he had anticipated that the report would engender considerable criticism. "After all, no one likes to be accused of committing serious war crimes. However, I was surprised at the many nasty attacks made against me personally. In my view, it was a classic case of attacking the messenger rather than addressing the message."

Goldstone also rejected the claim that the fact that he is Jewish was exploited to make it more difficult for Israelis to challenge his conclusions. "I was approached because of my experience with regard to the investigation of serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1127942.html

[Jim Sagle]

1. Peres rulz, Goldstone drulz.

[Jefferson23]

2. Shameful how he has been smeared, he seems to have no intention of backing down, good for him,

he does so with a clear conscience.


Goldstone also said: "Many Israelis are right to feel that the United Nations and its member bodies such as the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly have devoted inordinate and disproportionate attention to scrutinizing and criticizing Israel. This has come at the price of ignoring violations of human rights in other countries, some of them members of those very same bodies. The time has come for the investigation of all violations of international human rights law and international law whenever they are committed, in any state.

"However, this disproportionate focus on Israel does not exempt Israel from respecting international law," Goldstone also said.

[shira]

3. Goldstone deserves to be smeared....have your read any of the substantive criticisms of his report?

here are just 2 of them (the 1st one Goldstone definitely read)...
http://www.goldstonereport.org/pro-and-con/48-critics/316-trevor-norvitz-open-letter-to-judge-goldstone-191009
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Hamas+war+against+Israel/Initial-response-goldstone-report-24-Sep-2009.htm

and BTW, he denies that there's any substantive criticism of his report - as if all criticism is in the form of personal attacks.

he's full of shit.

in fact, in that quote from him which you cited, he stated:

"The time has come for the investigation of all violations of international human rights law and international law whenever they are committed, in any state. "

Now THAT'S rich, coming from a guy who dutifully covered for (and ignored) Hamas crimes during OCL while helping them fabricate ridiculous charges against the IDF.

[Jefferson23]

4. You are well intentioned shira, but save your energy for someone else to convince with

your arguments. Judge Goldstone has no ulterior motive despite what you continue to post as proof positive.

[shira]

5. i figured you weren't interested in the substantive replies to Goldstone

don't worry....he can't address those criticisms either b/c there's simply no defense for what he did.

[Jefferson23]

6. Okey dokey shira.

The gentleman and the report can be smeared until the cows come home, but that will not change world opinion. If anything the more he is smeared, the less credibility Israel can maintain. When you start losing support and hearing voices raised like this, it should be a warning to Israel that they are doing well at isolating themselves.

Is using aid to Israel as leverage becoming a mainstream idea?
Two establishment columnists raise what has long been a taboo topic when it comes to Israel.
By Glenn Greenwald
Tom Friedman today has some very harsh words for both the Israelis and Palestinians, both of whom -- he claims -- are not serious about reaching a peace agreement. As a result, these are the principles which Friedman -- rather surprisingly -- advocates the U.S. should follow:


Let’s just get out of the picture. Let all these leaders stand in front of their own people and tell them the truth: "My fellow citizens: Nothing is happening; nothing is going to happen. It’s just you and me and the problem we own."

Indeed, it's time for us to dust off James Baker’s line: "When you’re serious, give us a call: 202-456-1414. Ask for Barack. Otherwise, stay out of our lives. We have our own country to fix." . . .

If the status quo is this tolerable for the parties, then I say, let them enjoy it. I just don’t want to subsidize it or anesthetize it anymore. We need to fix America. If and when they get serious, they’ll find us.


http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/?page=2

[shira]

7. what's sick is that you really don't mind this type of demonization against Israel

Besides the demonization, the report covers for many serious Hamas war crimes against the Palestinian population.

Regardless, you're happy as a pig in slop and feel good that the "rest of the world" (human rights bastions like S.Arabia, Cuba, and N.Korea) is behind this travesty.

And I bet you delude yourself into thinking this is enlightened progressivism at its finest.

:eyes:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x287828#293540

Have your read that one yet? It's from one of Israel's leftists (former editor of Haaretz who begged Condy Rice to 'rape Israel'). What do you think of his thoughts on the Goldstone Report?

[Jefferson23]

8. What is wrong shira, no comment on Friedman and Klein?

You can try and smear my intentions too, it doesn't hurt me, but it does hurt you. Most of the world does not accept Israel's excuses any longer, how many more Goldstone reports will be required before Israel accepts their responsibility, I do not know.

From Joe Klein,



Time's Joe Klein is willing do so, as this is what he wrote earlier this week about what the Obama administration should do in the face of Israeli recalcitrance:


It should start by putting a hold on all economic and military aid to Israel; the aid should not be discontinued, just held, for a nice long review until the Netanyahu government comes to understand that Jerusalem must be the capital of both Israel and Palestine, and that if you actually want peace, you don't build illegal settlement colonies in the Palestinian capital.

[bstender]

10. but you Goldstone sputter see proof here

http://public.globecartoon.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/globecartoon.woa/wo/1.0.9.3.8.9.0.1.0.1.1.1.1.0.1.5

[bstender]

11. cartoon link no good

apparently they dont like someone linking to their cartoons without payment. it was called "The Goldstone Report On Gaza", you can probably find it by that. it wasn't all that clever, but well drawn. it captured the essence of what i was responding to, namely, the arrogance of the Goldstone deniers.

[Jefferson23]

12. I thought as much, thanks for the clarification just the same.

[shira]

13. the only one 'denying' is Goldstone....he denies there exists real criticism of his report

he keeps repeating that he's only being personally attacked, as if no real criticism of his report exists.

""I have yet to hear what the flaws of the report are. I'd be happy to respond if I know what they are."

==========

That's an outright lie as there's been plenty of real criticism of his report that neither he or his worshippers have addressed.

Why do you think he fears replying to substantive criticism of his report?

Why does he have to lie?

[Violet_Crumble]

9. I thought heads of state were supposed to show some dignity? Peres is acting like a moron n/t