[AP/Washington Post] Edith M. Lederer - The Goldstone report on the Gaza fighting became the focus of nearly 50 speeches at the UN Security Council's monthly Mideast meeting on Wednesday. Israel's UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev said the report "favors and legitimizes terrorism....It denies Israel's right to defend its citizens....It permits terrorists to victimize civilians, target the innocent, and use as human shields those it claims to defend." Shalev accused the world of "doing nothing" about Hamas' smuggling of Iranian arms into Gaza, its launching of attacks from schools, mosques and hospitals, or its firing of 12,000 rockets against innocent Israeli civilians. Diplomats say there is little chance that the Security Council will take any action, primarily because of objections by the U.S., Israel's closest ally. U.S. Deputy Ambassador Alejandro Wolff reiterated that the report and "the allegations of human rights and humanitarian law violations...are not a matter for Security Council action." He also criticized what he termed "its unbalanced focus on Israel."
2009-10-15 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive