(JPost).Israeli officials from across the political spectrum on Tuesday slammed the report of the UN Goldstone Commission alleging that Israel committed war crimes in Operation Cast Lead, while the Palestinian Authority praised the findings.
"The mandate of the mission and the resolution establishing it prejudged the outcome of any investigation, gave legitimacy to the Hamas terrorist organization and disregarded the deliberate Hamas strategy of using Palestinian civilians as cover for launching terrorist attacks," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement distributed by Israel's mission to the UN in Geneva.
Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev told Army Radio that Israel "totally rejects" the report, saying it was "political and one-sided."
"It's a difficult day when they make such baseless accusations against us," she said, adding, optimistically, that Israel had "good friends" in the UNSC, apart from the US, that would listen to its side of the story."
Kadima MK Otniel Schneller accused the Goldstone Commission of encouraging terrorism and another war in the Middle East. He said that Israelis should be proud of the ethical behavior of the IDF.
"The same day that the democratic United States assassinated an arch-terrorist in Africa, the UN report encouraged terror in the Middle East," Schneller pointed out.
The Likud also released a statement slamming the UN investigation.
"If the investigators lived for a single day under the rocket fire that residents of the South endured for nearly eight years, they would have written a very different report about the defensive operations of Cast Lead," said the party.
The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, said the findings "confirmed" allegations that Israel had committed "war crimes" against the Gaza Strip population.
"The mandate of the mission and the resolution establishing it prejudged the outcome of any investigation, gave legitimacy to the Hamas terrorist organization and disregarded the deliberate Hamas strategy of using Palestinian civilians as cover for launching terrorist attacks," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement distributed by Israel's mission to the UN in Geneva.
Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev told Army Radio that Israel "totally rejects" the report, saying it was "political and one-sided."
"It's a difficult day when they make such baseless accusations against us," she said, adding, optimistically, that Israel had "good friends" in the UNSC, apart from the US, that would listen to its side of the story."
Kadima MK Otniel Schneller accused the Goldstone Commission of encouraging terrorism and another war in the Middle East. He said that Israelis should be proud of the ethical behavior of the IDF.
"The same day that the democratic United States assassinated an arch-terrorist in Africa, the UN report encouraged terror in the Middle East," Schneller pointed out.
The Likud also released a statement slamming the UN investigation.
"If the investigators lived for a single day under the rocket fire that residents of the South endured for nearly eight years, they would have written a very different report about the defensive operations of Cast Lead," said the party.
The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, said the findings "confirmed" allegations that Israel had committed "war crimes" against the Gaza Strip population.