Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009

RSS |

Twitter

Lovers
Make Time
in Sydney
Clock Tower

Witnesses agog at towering hijinks

5 hours, 49 minutes ago
After Nabbing Terrorist, Navy SEALs Face Assault Rap

Iraqi accused in '04 incident got bloody lip from US captors

Nov 24, 09 8:33 PM CST
Coma Man's Words
May Not Be His

Experts doubt Houben's 'facilitated communication'

7 hours, 1 minute ago
ITALIAN STALLIONS

Lovers Dish on Sex
With Berlusconi, Mussolini

Turns out El Duche was a douche

Nov 24, 09 8:50 AM CST
As Massacre Toll
Hits 46, Philippines
Declares Emergency

Eleven more bodies found in mass grave

Nov 24, 09 5:03 AM CST
Startled Snake Horks Up
New Chameleon Species

British scientist startled reptile before it could digest dinner

Nov 23, 09 7:41 PM CST
Blackwater Waging
'Secret War'
in Pakistan

Mercenaries doing CIA dirty work, plotting killings

Nov 24, 09 4:55 AM CST
China Executes Two Over Tainted Milk

But popular villain
Tian Wenhua gets off with life in prison

Nov 24, 09 8:05 AM CST
150 years ago today...

Brits Hunt Stolen Darwin Notes

Missing Galapagos notebook sought

Nov 24, 09 10:24 AM CST
At Last, Collider Gets
Atoms Smashing

First proton beams collide in huge contraption

Nov 23, 09 7:09 PM CST
Report: Obama Will Send
34K Troops to Afghanistan

Prez finalized decision last night, will address nation next week

Nov 24, 09 7:57 AM CST
Afghan War May Sock Us With Surtax

House Dems propose 1% war tax

5 hours, 26 minutes ago
Israel-Hamas Prisoner Swap May Be Imminent

But German FM tight-lipped on deal to free Gilad Shalit

Nov 24, 09 9:43 AM CST

|NEXT STORY »

Israel Committed War Crimes in Gaza: UN Report

Fact-finding mission recommends world court prosecutor take action

By Jason Farago| Posted Sep 29, 09 6:26 AM CDT|

(Newser) – Israel committed "actions amounting to war crimes, possibly crimes against humanity" during the three-week Gaza war, according to a UN special report that will be released today. The fact-finding mission, headed by the Jewish South African judge Richard Goldstone, also determined that Palestinian militants committed war crimes, but reserved most of its criticism for Israel. Goldstone's report recommends that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court open an investigation.

The report claims that the Israeli army "failed to take feasible precautions required by international law to avoid or minimize loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, and damage to civilian objects." It also confirms reports that Israel struck densely populated areas with white phosphorus, a chemical agent that causes severe burns, and that Israeli forces fired at hospitals and food supplies. The Israeli government has already dismissed the conclusions—and refused to cooperate with Goldstone's team "because its mandate was clearly one-sided."

A Palestinian girl passes by a house destroyed during Israel's three-week offensive in Gaza earlier this year, in Jabaliya, northern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Richard Goldstone, the South African judge heading of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, speaks during a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, July 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Keystone/Martial Trezzini)

UN investigator Richard Goldstone visits a house destroyed in an artillery strike during Israel's offensive in January in Gaza City. (AP Photo/Ashraf Amra, Files)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

11.24.09

Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar

11.23.09

Books Are Bad for You

40 comments

VIEWING:

donnz
Sep 29, 09 6:46 AM CDT

All wars are criminal. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 7:18 AM CDT

SO saith Gerald McRaney on West Wing.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

SalParadise
Sep 29, 09 3:29 PM CDT

Some moreso than others. I was born Jewish, and so have been indoctrinated with pro-Israel nonsense from the start. People need to excercise some sense and quit giving that ticking time bomb free reign. It's not only bad for the Palestinian people, but for perception of America abroad. It should be no wonder that there are people out there with a vendetta to fill.

| 0 minutes ago

Fondue
Sep 29, 09 6:59 AM CDT

When will we stop backing them? Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 7:01 AM CDT

When they stop being surrounded by people who are trying to kill the.

IN RESPONSE:

Spudsy
Sep 29, 09 2:32 PM CDT

Europe's anti-semitism created them. They should protect them.

| 0 minutes ago

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 7:06 AM CDT

Interesting that the Palestinian terrorists hide their bases and headquarters in schools and apartment buildings, leaving the Israelis with the choice of either going after them or allowing them to continue murdering Israelis. Going after them inevitably means Palestinian civilian casualties, whereas not going after them is tantamount to committing national suicide. The UN, apparently thinks they should commit suicide. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Sep 29, 09 7:29 AM CDT

I have contacts and many friends in Israel and have had since the early 70's, a few Americans want to join the chorus of those condemning Israel but what would America do if most every day a rocket was launched from Mexico or mortar attacks on civilian targets from Canada. How did America respond post 9/11? They invaded a country that had nothing to do with the attack.....Israel did what they felt they must do to survive, each day for months rockets landed in homes of private citizens, suicide bombers randomly attack people walking to work, and yet a few want to condemn for the same acts America carried out in Iraq

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 7:41 AM CDT

Good point, Reader. I'd add that we lost 3,000 people on 9/11; had our losses to terrorism been commensurate to Israel's, we would have lost 30,000.

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Sep 29, 09 7:44 AM CDT

We're not occupying Mexico or Canada and expanding our settlements every year kicking more and more Mexicans and Canadians out of their houses. The fact that you cannot make an analogy closer to the truth is very telling.

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 7:48 AM CDT

shonangreg, for your logic to be valid, the terorist attacks would have to have started after the occupation began in 1967, whereas in fact, the Israelis occupied the West Bank and Gaza BECAUSE those areas were used, for 19 years, as bases for murderous terrorist attacks. Y'know, while we're talking about analogies being closer to truth....

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Sep 29, 09 5:11 PM CDT

Come on, Rocky. were you trying to point out an inconsistency in my view? The modern state of Israel was an aggressor upon its creation. The Palestinians displaced and their allies living around Israel predictably rebelled. The only hope ever was that through sheer force the local Palestinians would eventually give up enough land to Israel to have peace. But this was and still is the prerogative of the Palestinians. ............................ And now, before this "permission" has been granted, Israel advances yet further *against UN mandates* into Palestinian territory. Drawing Israel's early border through indefensible terrain to begin with was just asking for more trouble. We Westerners created the mess there. We had the big war that nearly exterminated the Jews. Why didn't we carve a Jewish homeland out of the Rhine Valley? The German people were aggressors against the Jews and could be said to owe them something . . . Why do we expect the Palestinians to again and again suffer because of *our* actions and our incompetence? And we blame the Palestinians when they don't just bend to the way we want things to be. The Palestinians are the victims here -- as are any Israeli's foolish enough to be led into settling in yet more of their territory; they assume that Jehovah himself is still on Israel's side.

| 0 minutes ago

OWLWOMANXXXX
Sep 29, 09 8:13 AM CDT

and so Palestine is not allowed to protect its own.....I find it appalling that Isreal has these people pinned to the sea....we need to back out and not support any of them until we have more serious peace talks Reply

-2

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 8:22 AM CDT

Explain, please, how bombing Israeli teenagers in a pizza parlor is Palestine "protecting its own". It takes two side to have peace taks. The Palestinians were offered 95% of what they demanded, and they refused it.

IN RESPONSE:

Berzelius
Sep 29, 09 11:11 AM CDT

At RP, Palestinians were offered 95%of what they demanded? Sounds like a statistic you just pulled out your @$$. Israelis have expanded since they came. As far as the incident this article is talking about; here is another article that explains how it started; http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2009/01/07/israel%E2%80%99s-war-on-gaza-and-the-us-role/

-1

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 11:26 AM CDT

I suppose that anything that conflicts with what you're sure MUST be so sounds suspect to you, but it's fairly well-documented. Of course,documentation is rarely a major priority for Israel-haters, because the facts are just so darned inconvenient.

IN RESPONSE:

emptycalm
Sep 29, 09 11:27 AM CDT

ok rocky, explain how using white phosphorous on densely populated areas or bombing a school and a hospital is justified. You seem to think the palestinians are just doing this for kicks to piss off the jews. Don't be so short sighted. Palestine isn't right either but that is no excuse for a country with a far more advanced military to massacre civilians.

IN RESPONSE:

Berzelius
Sep 29, 09 12:23 PM CDT

Ah yes, I recall now. The generous 95% Barak offerd Arafat at Camp David. 10% of which was to have indefinite control by Israel (which means forever) Palestine would also have to cede to scores of settlements in its territory to Israel. All this leaving Palestine carved up with Israeli roads, settlements, checkpoints, and roadblocks. No real free movement in their own territory. A generous offering indeed of what they already had.

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 12:32 PM CDT

Interesting that you mention "Israeli roads". Before 1967, there were precious few roads in Gaza and the West Bank. The Jordanians and Egyptians could have built some while they controlled those territories but chose not to do so. Ditto the hospitals we read about. And the schools. The Palestinians who are delayed getting to their jobs because of the checkpoints set up because not ALL the Palestinians going into Israel are innocents going to their jobs? Well, that employment certainly didn't exist before 1967. Yes, before agreeing to an autonomous state governed by people who have spent 60 years advocating the destruction of Israel and the death of every Israeli citizen, Israel does demand security guarantees. Not to do so would be irresponsible, and the Israelis are not going to commit suicide merely because you would find that more convenient.

IN RESPONSE:

Berzelius
Sep 29, 09 1:00 PM CDT

you are misrepresenting my statement regarding roadside checkpoints. I understand and do not object to Israeli's checking Palestinians on their way in. I am only talking about the deal. It carves the West Bank into islands of noncontiguous land seperated by Israeli settlements. Therefore making 'free' travel an impossibility even WITHIN their 'own' supposed territory.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 5:29 PM CDT

When the terrorists base their rocket launchers in schools and apartment houses, the Israelis must either attack those buildings or allow the murder of Israeli citizens to continue unchallenged. No reasonable government would accept the second option. The terrorists know this, of course; that's why they use those buildings in the first place. they're deliberately bringing destruction on their own population.

| 0 minutes ago

Timinator2K
Sep 29, 09 8:21 AM CDT

The Palestinians see nothing wrong in setting up thousands of their own innocents to get killed so as to solicit favorable world opinion. De-weaponize Gaza and nobody has to get blown into pieces...but, that won't happen when one countryman is all-too-willing to sacrifice his neighbors for his political goals. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Observer
Sep 29, 09 8:57 AM CDT

Gaza is very much like District 9. A place that a racist powerful culture shoves the unwanted, disenfranchised minority. No joking here.

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 9:03 AM CDT

Not sure who you're speaking of, since I'm sure you know that he refugees were "shoved" there in 1948 by the Egyptians.

| 0 minutes ago

Jayster999
Sep 29, 09 8:51 AM CDT

It's a mess and always will be. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians have innocent blood on their hands, and both of them pursue their genocidal warring at the expense of the common good. The best bet would be to disarm the Palestinians, but the problem is, they have unlimited support from the Muslim world. Again, it's an unsolvable problem--unless Israel were to clear the Palestinians out entirely by running them all off the land or murdering them. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 9:05 AM CDT

Ignoring for the nonce that there is no such ethnicity as "Palestinian" (prior to May, 1948, the term referred to Jewish residents of the region), if the Israelis' goal were genocide, then, quite frankly, there would be no Palestinians.

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 10:04 AM CDT

Stuart, I think the point is that the Israel-haters think it's OK for the Israelis to defend themselves, but only if they don't do it very well.

IN RESPONSE:

emptycalm
Sep 29, 09 11:34 AM CDT

Or they could actually adhere to one of the cease fires that have happened and called a truce and stopped building on someone elses land. Most, not all, but most of the breaks in cease fire have been by Israel. Maybe if they gave a little the Palestinians would too but right now neither side is being rational. Probably due to their extreme religions....

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 12:03 PM CDT

emptycalm, that's true only if one defines a "break in the cease fire" as "striking back against the people who have just launched a rocket attack or a suicide bombing". The Israelis have offered the Palestinians almost everything they've asked for.It's either disingenuous, naive, or outright dishonest to claim that the solution is for the Israelis to "give a little".

IN RESPONSE:

Berzelius
Sep 29, 09 12:26 PM CDT

It is well documented that Israel broke the cease fire that was prior to this "war". I put a link above that explains the happenings ceasefire-battle.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 1:24 PM CDT

So one cease-fire broken by the Israelis -- because the terrorists were planning operations and the Israelis would, for some reason, prefer that their civilians be left alive -- is, in your mind, worse than the hundreds of ceasefires broken by the Palestinians?

| 0 minutes ago

Observer
Sep 29, 09 8:54 AM CDT

The Israelis are as brutal and heartless as the Gestapo. They kill Palestinians and Lebanese at a 100 to 1 ratio to their own killed. They use US-made laser-guided 1,000 pound high explosive missiles against whole apartment blocks to kill one suspected terrorist. They leveled 50 sqaure miles of densely populated southern Lebanon forcing thousands of civilians to flee. They threaten their neighbors with over 100 nuclear weapons that they deny exist. They are more dangerous than Hamas or Hizbollah precisely because they have nuclear weapons and believe that they have the right to use them at will. The world should condemn Israel just as they should condemn Iran, North Korea and Pakistan. Reply

-2

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 9:07 AM CDT

Yes, they do kill the people who are trying to kill them. No criticism from you of the cynical way the terrorists position themselves so as to maximize Palestinian civilian casualties? Hmmm.

IN RESPONSE:

Enoughie
Sep 29, 09 9:29 AM CDT

How can you threaten someone with something you deny exists? And if they believe they can use nuclear weapons at will, how come they don't? That just makes absolutely no sense. Oh, I forgot, you're one of those who's really obsessed about "the Jews." Expected sense and logic from you is like hoping for rain on the moon.

IN RESPONSE:

Stuart
Sep 29, 09 9:59 AM CDT

And 100 times more Nazis died in WWII than Americans. Using your skewed logic, the Nazis must be the good guys. I guess the fact that the Arabs keep starting wars and then whining when they lose is lost on you. Civilians die in every war - don't like war? Perhaps the Arabs should stop starting them

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 11:23 AM CDT

I see. So Israelis defending themselves is a "crime". I couldn't help but notice that when asked for a list of crimes, you responded instead with a list of generalities, with no specific criminal action among them. Of the groups on your list, the closest to being criminal was the Irgun, which -- unlike Hamas -- ave advance warning of their attacks, so as to minimize civilian casualties (the IDF still does this today). The Palestinian terrorists, in contrast try to maximize civilian deaths. So you're unable to actually list any crimes. Not exactly a shock.

| 0 minutes ago

hughchi
Sep 29, 09 9:08 AM CDT

This story is not news. Zionists have been carrying out crimes against the Palestinian people for a hundred years now. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

RockyPneumonia
Sep 29, 09 9:18 AM CDT

Please define those "crimes"...and, just to make it more challenging, limit yourself to things that actually, y'know, happened.

IN RESPONSE:

hughchi
Sep 29, 09 10:24 AM CDT

There isn't enough room on this page to cover them all. But since you seem to be unaware of the actions of the JCA, WZO, JNF, Haganah, Betar, Stern Gang, Irgun and other Zionist terrorist groups in the forcible colonization of Palestine between 1876 and 1949, may I suggest you peruse the chronology of events at www.alnakba.org/chronology/chronology.htm

-1

| 0 minutes ago

Reader71485694
Sep 29, 09 9:10 AM CDT

Observer has a fevered brow.. and very poor reading skills. They didn't level but one city block, just the one they wanted to. Remember how Israel was said to have committed war crimes in Jenin, but they evaporated? Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 40 comments »

Israel • United Nations • Gaza • war crimes • crimes against humanity • UN Human Rights Council • International Criminal Court • Gaza war • Arab-Israeli conflict • Richard Goldstone

from our news partners

'Dancing With The Stars' Winner Crowned
(2 hours, 43 minutes ago)
'Idol' Finalists Defend Adam Lambert's Controversial AMA Performance
(2 hours, 44 minutes ago)
'ER' Star Shane West Smashes Face in L.A.
(3 hours, 59 minutes ago)
Nicole Richie Still Recovering From Pneumonia
(4 hours, 24 minutes ago)

You claim the government owes you $200 million. Do you...
(11 minutes ago)
If at first you don't succeed at breaking into a...
(17 minutes ago)
Studies show that men who stifle their anger at work...
(47 minutes ago)
Photoshop this semiconductor tracker barrel [Photoshop]
(2 hours, 8 minutes ago)

New Book Of Eli Poster Focuses On Denzel
(1 hour, 19 minutes ago)
First Image And Plot Details From Shrek Forever After
(1 hour, 41 minutes ago)
The Best View Of The New Freddy Krueger Yet
(Nov 24, 09 10:28 PM CST)
Straczynski And Sand Update Us On Silver Surfer, Red Star
(Nov 24, 09 9:44 PM CST)

Associated Press

Expelled West Bank student petitions Israel court
(Nov 16, 09 11:48 AM CST)
Expelled West Bank student petitions Israel court
(Nov 12, 09 11:50 AM CST)
Egypt-Israel frictions complicate US peace efforts
(Nov 4, 09 12:20 AM CST)
Egypt-Israel frictions complicate US peace efforts
(Nov 3, 09 1:23 PM CST)

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most important stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Israel Committed War Crimes in Gaza: UN Report

Fact-finding mission recommends world court prosecutor take action

Israel, Hamas Near Deal for Soldier's Release

Israel agrees to free 70 prisoners for Gilad Shalit

MORE ABOUT:
Israel • Gaza • Palestine • Hamas • Gaza war

Majority of Gaza Victims
Were Civilians: Rights Group

252 children among casualties of Israeli operation, group concludes

MORE ABOUT:
Israel • Gaza • Hamas • Israel and Palestinians • Israel Defense Force • NGOs • Gaza war • Arab-Israeli conflict

UN Begins Gaza
War Crimes Probe

Israel alleges bias, but Jewish rapporteur draws wide praise

MORE ABOUT:
Israel • United Nations • Gaza • Hamas • war crimes • Israel and Palestinians • Arab Israeli conflict • United Nations Human Rights Council • Gaza war

Israel • United Nations • Gaza • war crimes • crimes against humanity • UN Human Rights Council • International Criminal Court • Gaza war • Arab-Israeli conflict • Richard Goldstone

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

from our news partners

Associated Press

About

Help

Tools

Site Maps

What is Newser?

Israel Committed War Crimes in Gaza: UN Report

Fact-finding mission recommends world court prosecutor take action

Related Newser Stories

Israel, Hamas Near Deal for Soldier's Release

Israel agrees to free 70 prisoners for Gilad Shalit

MORE ABOUT: Israel • Gaza • Palestine • Hamas • Gaza war

Majority of Gaza Victims Were Civilians: Rights Group

252 children among casualties of Israeli operation, group concludes

MORE ABOUT: Israel • Gaza • Hamas • Israel and Palestinians • Israel Defense Force • NGOs • Gaza war • Arab-Israeli conflict

UN Begins Gaza War Crimes Probe

Israel alleges bias, but Jewish rapporteur draws wide praise

MORE ABOUT: Israel • United Nations • Gaza • Hamas • war crimes • Israel and Palestinians • Arab Israeli conflict • United Nations Human Rights Council • Gaza war

Israel • United Nations • Gaza • war crimes • crimes against humanity • UN Human Rights Council • International Criminal Court • Gaza war • Arab-Israeli conflict • Richard Goldstone

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

from our news partners

Associated Press

About

Help

Tools

Site Maps

What is Newser?

MORE ABOUT:
Israel • Gaza • Palestine • Hamas • Gaza war

Majority of Gaza Victims
Were Civilians: Rights Group

MORE ABOUT:
Israel • Gaza • Hamas • Israel and Palestinians • Israel Defense Force • NGOs • Gaza war • Arab-Israeli conflict

UN Begins Gaza
War Crimes Probe

MORE ABOUT:
Israel • United Nations • Gaza • Hamas • war crimes • Israel and Palestinians • Arab Israeli conflict • United Nations Human Rights Council • Gaza war