Israel rejects UN's Gaza war crimes claim

By Vita Bekker

Israel stepped up a diplomatic offensive yesterday against a damning report by a United Nations panel that accused its military of committing war crimes during attacks in the Gaza Strip in December and January. The report, released on Tuesday by a mission organised by the UN Human Rights Council, called for action by the UN Security Council that could lead to the referral of alleged crimes to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

It comes just before the UN General Assembly next week where Barack Obama, US president, hopes to meet both Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority. But the atmosphere is clouded by negotiations over a possible freeze on Israeli settlement development and the UN report, from a panel chaired by Richard Goldstone, a South African jurist, which has prompted concern that the ICC could issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials.

Washington finally came to Israel's aid yesterday, but diplomats at the UN noted comments by Susan Rice, US envoy to the UN, came 48 hours after the report was published and after Israeli leaders had appealed to the Obama administration to intervene.

Ms Rice gave a strong indication Washington would resist any attempt to refer the findings of the Goldstone report to the ICC.

Diplomats at the UN said they believed the US might have delayed its response in order to pressure Mr Netanyahu to make a concession on the settlement issue that would allow his proposed meeting with Mr Abbas and Mr Obama to go ahead.

Mr Abbas has refused to hold talks with Mr Netanyahu in New York unless Israel agrees to a freeze.

The diplomats noted that George Mitchell, the US peace envoy, was due to hold further talks on settlements today with Mr Netanyahu.

On the substance of the Goldstone findings, Ms Rice said yesterday that the US was still studying what was a "very lengthy document".

Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, said Israel would use diplomatic means to block the Goldstone report from being referred to the court or to the UN Security Council.

He added: "We are approaching . . . the leaders, ministers and members of parliament in all friendly countries in order to alert them of the dangers that the adoption of the conclusions of the report may present . . . to all democratic countries when they wish to defend themselves against terror."

The Goldstone panel wants the Security Council to consider passing alleged Israeli and Palestinian violations of international law to the ICC, if it is not satisfied with their own investigations. Israel, which did not co-operate with the probe, said the document was one-sided and based on a mandate from a council where Arab and developing nations hold sway. Link...