The Gaza Report’s Wasted Opportunity

[shira]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/opinion/20landau.html

ISRAEL intentionally went after civilians in Gaza — and wrapped its intention in lies.

That chilling — and misguided — accusation is the key conclusion of the United Nations investigation, led by Richard Goldstone, into the three-week war last winter. “While the Israeli government has sought to portray its operations as essentially a response to rocket attacks in the exercises of its right to self-defense,” the report said, “the mission considers the plan to have been directed, at least in part, at a different target: the people of Gaza as a whole.”

<snip>

It is possible, and certainly arguable, that the Israeli policymakers, or individual Israeli field commanders in isolated instances, pushed the line out too far.

But Judge Goldstone has thwarted any such honest debate — within Israel or concerning Israel. His fundamental premise, that the Israelis went after civilians, shut down the argument before it began.

[shira]

1. about the author of the OP

Landau is without question an unflinching Israeli leftist.

In 2007, he urged Condoleeza Rice to "rape Israel".

[shira]

2. K & R

[shira]

3. entire article...

ISRAEL intentionally went after civilians in Gaza — and wrapped its intention in lies.

That chilling — and misguided — accusation is the key conclusion of the United Nations investigation, led by Richard Goldstone, into the three-week war last winter. “While the Israeli government has sought to portray its operations as essentially a response to rocket attacks in the exercises of its right to self-defense,” the report said, “the mission considers the plan to have been directed, at least in part, at a different target: the people of Gaza as a whole.”

<snip>

It is possible, and certainly arguable, that the Israeli policymakers, or individual Israeli field commanders in isolated instances, pushed the line out too far.

But Judge Goldstone has thwarted any such honest debate — within Israel or concerning Israel. His fundamental premise, that the Israelis went after civilians, shut down the argument before it began.


Edited to conform to DU's fair use policy for copyrighted material - Lithos DU Moderator

[shira]

4. B'tselem director Jessica Montell disagrees with Goldstone's main conclusions

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=288720&mesg_id=288720

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"THE GOLDSTONE Report is unsettling. I was disturbed by the framing of Israel's military operation as part of "an overall policy aimed at punishing the Gaza population for its resilience." The facts presented in the report itself would not seem to support such a far-reaching conclusion. In light of the sweeping conclusions regarding Israel, the very careful phrasing regarding Hamas abuses is particularly conspicuous. The mission did not find conclusive evidence regarding Hamas's use of mosques and civilian buildings for military purposes, nor does it criticize Hamas's firing from and shielding themselves within civilian areas."

http://www.goldstonereport.org/big-picture/jews-israel-self-criticism/260-jessica-montell-a-time-for-soul-searching-jpost-30909

[ConsAreLiars]

5. Sorry to interrupt your self stimulating exercises and illusions, not that any comment would, but

I was wondering why you chose to describe any fundamentalist or orthodox true-believer religionist like him, regardless of brand, as a leftist. None are. None. Not him. None. They are the orthodox-by-the-book-true-believers, and irrational and by any standard. They believe in The Book, The Torah, The Bible (in some variant), The Holy Koran, Battlefield Earth and Dianetics, The Turner Diaries, or any other gawdafullbullshit and then commit/justify mass murder.

Never mind, Go on with your habitual exercise.

[pelsar]

6. tolerance......not a character of the religious

its always fun to watch fundamentalists make broad generalizations of others.....especially when one of their holy icons have been desecrated...these posts always remind me how the fundamentalist always have the same terminology....you can switch them and you would never know who is actually doing the writing

the most glaring character is of course the complete lack of tolerance combined with broad generalizations the usually don't fit but are believe to be true never the less......everything must be black and white.....no room for gray here.

[shira]

7. LOL! of course! here's the translation of your very own words....

When push comes to shove, Landau is just like any other_______you know, pretending to play the leftist role until his true colors come out and he betrays his leftist credentials (as if he ever had any to begin with). It's impossible to be a ______you know, and progressive at the same time!

No true progressive would dare question the saintly Goldstone or his holy report!

Same goes for that witch from B'tselem...traitor! Her true colors also came out! Might as well add in the 'zionist' founder of HRW for recently criticizing that holy organization too!

Bah...they were never progressives to begin with, just playing the part....siding with their own now because they're guided only by racist, ethnic considerations, not by ethical motivations.

:eyes:

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since the above is really what you believe, perhaps you should go about trying to prove it rather than claim by fiat it's true....demonstrate and prove how baseless their claims truly are rather than tar and feather anyone who would dare criticize all that you find 'holy'.

goldstone and his cronies have yet to reply to any substantive criticism of his 'holy' report, and there's a lot of it.....do you wonder why?

http://www.goldstonereport.org/pro-and-con/48-critics/316-trevor-norvitz-open-letter-to-judge-goldstone-191009

It is known that Goldstone read the above open letter response to his report. Goldstone hasn't even attempted to respond back to it even though he claimed:

"I have yet to hear what the flaws of the report are. I'd be happy to respond if I know what they are."

Well, there's some flaws and now we wait for Goldstone's response......what's your 'god' waiting for?