Although Israeli officials are pleased over Israeli report on Gaza war, they are bracing for U.N. Human Rights Council’s report, which is expected to accuse Israel of war crimes • PM: Israel adhered to international law, Hamas committed war crimes.
Shlomo Cesana and Associated Press, ISRAEL HAYOM
The Iron Dome system intercepts a rocket fired from Gaza during Operation Protective Edge | Photo credit: Or Many
Israel on Sunday leveled pre-emptive criticism against the upcoming U.N. report into last year’s war in the Gaza Strip, saying the report was unfairly biased against Israel.
The diplomatic offensive set the stage for what is expected to be a contentious showdown with U.N. officials over allegations that Israel committed war crimes during the 50-day war, dubbed Operation Protective Edge.
However, Israeli officials were pleased Sunday not just with the findings of an independent government-commissioned report into the war, which found that Israel did not commit any war crimes and that Hamas was responsible for the heavy Palestinian civilian casualties, but also by the fact that the Israeli report was issued before the U.N. report, set to be released later this week.
Commenting on the Israeli report on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it “reveals the truth about the operation. The report proves unequivocally that the IDF’s and the Israeli security forces’ actions during Operation Protective Edge were all in accordance with international law.
“These actions were taken because of a need to protect the citizens of a country facing a terrorist organization committing a double war crime: intentionally firing rockets on civilians while intentionally hiding behind civilians.”
Netanyahu also remarked on another investigative report into the summer war, compiled by a group of retired high-ranking Western military officials. The report was sponsored by the Friends of Israel Initiative, a pro-Israel group of retired politicians and diplomats from around the world.
“The conclusions of the [government-commissioned] report are similar to the conclusions reached by high-ranking generals from the U.S. and Europe. They explicitly concluded that Israel not only adhered to but exceeded every international standard during the operation in an effort to avoid civilian casualties,” Netanyahu said.
“Israel is not afraid to investigate itself when necessary. The investigative mechanisms that are in place in the State of Israel regarding war crime allegations are among the best in the world. When we field credible allegations, we investigate them as necessary.”
On the same note, Netanyahu leveled harsh criticism at the U.N. Human Rights Council, saying, “This body has already proved its hostility toward Israel and its lack of objectivity, not just against Israel. This is an organization that has adopted more resolutions against Israel than against Syria, Iran and North Korea combined.
“To head the investigation, this organization appointed a biased individual who incites against Israel. He was eventually forced to resign because it emerged that he received payment from Palestinian organizations.
“Anyone who wants to know the truth should read this report, the report compiled by Israel, and the report issued by the senior generals. Anyone who wants automatic, baseless accusations against Israel can waste their time reading the UNHRC report. For our part, we will continue defending our soldiers, and they will continue defending us.”
Foreign Ministry Director General Dr. Dore Gold said Sunday that Israel did not cooperate with the UNHRC fact-finding mission because the mission’s fundamental assumption was that Israel is to blame.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said that “two external reports by high-ranking officials from various Western militaries, in addition to internal investigations and interrogations that we conducted, prove in the clearest way that the IDF operated well within the confines of international law during Operation Protective Edge and took every possible precaution to avoid civilian casualties. We are very insistent, and we do not compromise on upholding the principles of morality and law.”
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked remarked that “the report speaks for itself and shows the world that Israel has nothing to hide. The State of Israel has always upheld transparency and professionalism and will continue to do so.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said that “the State of Israel is not afraid of the truth, and we are not afraid to use every means available to investigate ourselves. There is no other army in the world where officers operate in the field accompanied by legal experts.”
A report by the council into the 2008-2009 war conducted by South African jurist Richard Goldstone found evidence that Israel and Hamas had committed war crimes, though Goldstone later backed off his key allegations against Israel.
Israel has attacked the council’s latest investigation since it was ordered last July. The investigation’s mandate focuses on Israel’s activities in Gaza, but it makes no mention of Hamas attacks on Israel.
Israeli claims of bias forced the head of the investigation, Canadian law professor William Schabas, to resign early this year after it was discovered he had provided legal advice to the Palestine Liberation Organization.
But these complaints may only go so far. The upcoming report is all but certain to come down hard on Israel, giving the Palestinians a potent weapon in their case against Israel at the International Criminal Court.
The Arabs are going to advance their warfare against Israel and Netanyahu’s reaction?
He’s going to continue offering them a state. How can they not conclude they’re winning.
And Israel is playing defense.
We all know that the report will be biased and yet we continue to argue the points as if there were some sort of forum which will listen to the Jews other than themselves. Energy needs to moved away from seeking to convince to seeking to destroy.
the Un has proven itself without a doubt to be a BDS biased org. collaborating with the UN is the same as trying to agreewith and appease Hitler. there is no need to list the many corrupt rulings which emanted from, and recived the blessing of, this DEEPLY CORRUPT organization. The UN is a consensus org consisting primarily of non democratic or pseudo democratic nations. Basically the UN has no more legitimacy than the mafia in its decision making. Both democratically vote to execute a “hit” and both have claimed charitable donations and behavior.
It is absurd to continue to appease, patronize and pretend that the UN is somehow connected with legitimacy or morality… its sole basis is the concensus and power of its membership. the same is true with may other international orgs. Why so many are given some false cloak of morality like the emperors new clothes merely reflects on the idiocy of the beholder.
One does not argue or reason with Hitler, if one is powerful then one liquidates him, if not then one tries to sabotage and thwart him.
It appears that BB is starting to see things as I see them:
A BDS advocate uses the age old tactic of libel in order to incite against Israel as a proxy for the Jews. In the past these libels always preceded pogrom and genocide of Jews. the Jewish children who were murdered in france were murdered by BDS advocates who incited the killers with lies. Therefore , the BDS advocates are guilty of the attempted pogrom and murder of jewish children. It is my view that like Hitler, the BDS advocates should be treated as killers and wherever possible brought to the gallows like eichmann or the gallows should be brought to them It would have been a good deed to assassinate Hitler and the same is true for the BDS advocates. as soon as the Jews view these slime as trying to kill their children their perspective will become accurate and realistic solution will present themselves. the solution is in a form of covert and overt war, where lawfare and hasbara are conducted based on a proper perspective, BDS advocates should never be considered as human beings, that is where the danger lies.
Israel needs to treat the UNHRC like it does Hamas and Hezbollah, and strike at it militarily.
This will mean a need for a clandestine strike at the UNHRC in Geneva. Enough IDF people have dual passports that they can gather enough special forces to attack the building and kill these terrorists.
What is the Swiss Army going to do? Attack with their knives? 🙂