- A previous article addressed chairman Richard Goldstone's
fall from grace, accessed through the following link:
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- http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/04/richard-goldstones-fall-from-grace.html
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- It discussed his shameless retraction of irrefutable
evidence he and other commission members found - namely, that Israel willfully
committed crimes of war and against humanity by attacking Gazan civilians
and non-military targets in clear violation of international law. Moreover,
it was done disproportionately to cause mass deaths, injuries and destruction.
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- Shockingly, however, Goldstone accepted Israel's internal
investigation findings, knowing facts were suppressed and distorted to
justify policies. For whatever reasons, he capitulated, selling his soul
at the expense of his honor, character, dignity, and high-mindedness, erased
in his April 1 Washington Post op-ed too late to retract.
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- Responding on April 14 in the London Guardian, Commission
members Hina Jilani, Christine Chinkin and Desmond Travers headlined,
"Goldstone report: Statement issued by members of UN mission on Gaza
war," saying without mentioning Goldstone by name:
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- Recent articles and comments on the Commission's work
"have misrepresented facts in an attempt to delegitimize the findings
of (its) report and to cast doubts on its credibility."
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- The four-member Commission's report "is now an official
UN document and all actions taken pursuant to its findings and recommendations
fall solely within the purview of the United Nations general assembly which,
along with the human rights council, reviewed and endorsed it at the end
of 2009."
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- "Aspersions cast on the findings (however) cannot
be left unchallenged." Jilani, Chinkin and Travers dispute efforts
to claim "any part of the mission's report unsubstantiated, erroneous
or inaccurate."
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- As a result, no reevaluation will be reconsidered, nor
is there any UN procedure or precedent to do so. The Commission's conclusions
were "made after diligent, independent and objective consideration
of the information," carefully obtained. The Commission endorses "its
reliability and credibility. We firmly stand by these conclusions."
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- Further, over 18 months after publication, no contrary
facts have been determined. We "have yet to establish a convincing
basis for any claims that contradict the findings of the mission's report."
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- In addition, the UN Human Rights Council "appointed
a committee of independent experts to monitor the independence, effectiveness
and genuineness of any domestic proceedings carried out to investigate
crimes and violations of international law" discovered.
-
- Observers claiming that follow-up committee members Judge
Mary McGowan Davis and Judge Lennart Aspergren contradicted the Commission's
conclusions "are completely misplaced, and a clear distortion of their
findings."
-
- Moreover, the committee said there was "no indication
that Israel has opened (legitimate, independent) investigations into the
actions of those who designed, planned, ordered and oversaw Operation Cast
Lead."
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- In other words, "one of the most serious allegations
about the conduct of Israel's military operations remains completely unaddressed."
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- The Commission dismisses "calls to reconsider or
even retract the report, as well as attempts (to misrepresent) its nature
and purpose, (saying they) disregard the right of victims....to truth and
justice. They also ignore the responsibility of the relevant parties under
international law to conduct prompt, thorough, effective and independent
investigations."
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- Commission members resent pressure exerted to undermine
their credibility and integrity. To give in "would be doing a serious
injustice to the hundreds of innocent civilians killed during the Gaza
conflict, the thousands injured, and the hundreds of thousands whose lives
continue to be deeply affected by the conflict and the blockade."
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- The process the report initiated will continue "until
justice is done and respect for international human rights and humanitarian
law by everyone is ensured."
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- Hila Jilani is a Pakistani human rights lawyer. Christine
Chinkin is London School of Economics Professor of International Law, and
Desmond Travers is a former Irish peacekeeper, knowledgeable about international
law.
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- Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com
and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the
Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays
at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs
are archived for easy listening.
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- http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
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