Khudari: Contacts underway to apply Goldstone report on Gaza

[ 18/10/2009 - 09:53 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the head of the popular anti siege committee, has said that the committee was contacting human rights groups and other concerned parties to implement the Goldstone report on lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip after its endorsement by the UN human rights council.

Khudari in a press release on Saturday said that Goldstone's recommendations should signal the start of efforts by all countries to end the siege on Gaza.

The independent lawmaker proposed coordinating positions and efforts in order to lift the siege, open the crossings and end the restrictions on movement of people and goods to meet the citizens' needs, repair buildings and basic services and resume economic activity.

The stringent Israeli siege constituted a collective punishment against one and a half million Palestinians living in the Strip, Khudari underlined, adding that the siege paralyzed all walks of life, caused death of tens of patients and wasted the academic future of hundreds of students.

In a rally organized by Hamas on Saturday to support the Goldstone report, Dr. Ahmed Bahar, the first deputy speaker of the Palestinian legislative council, appealed to the prosecutor general of the international criminal court to start an immediate investigation into Israeli war crimes during the aggression on Gaza.

He also advocated the formation of popular courts in Palestine and in Arab, Islamic and western countries that would put Israeli leaders on trial for violation of human rights and international law.

Bahar lashed out at the Ramallah authority for announcing readiness to put Hamas elements on trial at international courts for "committing war crimes", adding that the step would mean prosecuting the Palestinian resistance against occupation, which is a legitimate right sanctioned by all heavenly and earthly laws.

UN Council approves Goldstone report

Friday October 16, 2009 23:25 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Despite pressure from the US and Israel, the United Nations Human Rights Council has endorsed a report on war crimes committed during Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip in January 2009.

The report, authored by South African Judge Richard Goldstone, accuses both the Israeli army and Palestinian armed resistance groups of war crimes. Judge Goldstone also recommended that, if the Israeli army and the Hamas government refuse to carry out their own investigations within six months, the case should be turned over to the International Criminal Court for prosecution.

During Thursday’s vote of the UN Human Rights Council, Israel and the US voted against the endorsement of the report, while a number of nations which had previously voted with Israel abstained from voting at all. Representatives of the Hamas party, which represents the democratically-elected government of the Palestinian people, cheered the endorsement due to the report’s accusations against Israel.

But the Hamas officials did not address whether they will follow up on the report’s recommendations that they investigate possible war crimes by Palestinian fighters in Gaza. During Israel’s invasion of Gaza in January, Israeli troops killed an estimated 1400 Palestinians, the vast majority of whom were civilians. Palestinian fighters killed 5 Israeli civilians during the same time period.

The resolution passed by a vote of 25 – 6, with 11 abstentions and five countries declining to vote. In addition to endorsing the Goldstone report, the resolution also "strongly condemns all policies and measures taken by Israel, the occupying power, including those limiting access of Palestinians to their properties and holy sites".

Hamas: “Goldstone Vote, A Victory To Our People, Their Sacrifices”

Friday October 16, 2009 23:03 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

The Hamas movement welcomed the Human Rights Council vote on the Goldstone report, and considered its approval as a victory to the Palestinian people and their sacrifices.

The movement considered the vote as an important step towards prosecuting war criminals in Israel.

In a press release, Hamas said that this victory is the outcome of the determination of Arab and Islamic countries, and other countries around the world “to ensure the prosecution of Zionist war criminals at the International Court”.

The movement thanked its supporters and the countries that voted for the report.

Hamas spokesperson, Fawzi Barhoum, said that approving the Goldstone report is a victory for justice and the victims of ‘Zionist crimes’.

Barhoum added that Hamas welcomes the approval as it is a victory for the Palestinians rights and people.

He also slammed the countries that voted against the report and said that ‘those countries claim to be defending Human Rights and democracy”.

It is worth mentioning that the report accused both Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes during the war. Israel totally rejected to cooperate with the investigation committee and rejected the report, while Hamas showed full cooperation.