[Jerusalem Post] Irwin Cotler - Richard Goldstone, a distinguished member of the Constitutional Court of South Africa who brings to the table a special expertise and experience in matters of the intersection between international human rights law and humanitarian law, is heading an inherently tainted UN inquiry whose formal mandate is to investigate Israel and not Hamas. The mandate that was handed to Goldstone was deeply one-sided and flawed, by his own admission, for the resolution of the UNHRC creating the mandate already served as a direct indictment of Israel. It began by "strongly condemn[ing] the ongoing Israeli military operation...which has resulted in massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people and systematic destruction of Palestinian infrastructure." Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the UK - among others - refused to support it. Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson stated that "the resolution is not balanced because it focuses on what Israel did, without calling for an investigation on the launch of the rockets by Hamas." Asked to head up the mission before Goldstone, Robinson refused.
2009-08-18 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive