http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israeli-officials-
warn-against-support-for-un-report-1801236.html

Israeli officials warn against support for UN report

By Ben Lynfield in Jerusalem

Sunday, 11 October 2009


A jittery Israeli government reacted furiously yesterday after a top
British diplomat voiced support for aspects of a UN report that could
lead to prosecution of Israeli army officers for alleged war crimes.

The UK ambassador to the UN, John Sawers, told Israel Army radio that
the report on last winter's Gaza war contains "some very serious details
which need to be investigated by both the Palestinian authorities and
the Israeli authorities."

He added that "serious information" in the document gives rise to the
suspicion that violations of the laws of war were committed.

The remarks, three days before the report is expected to be raised in
the security council at Libya's behest, highlighted a British position
that is rhetorically distinct from that of Washington, which has been
strongly backing an Israeli campaign to scuttle the report on the
grounds it is biased.

Mr. Sawers took issue with the prevalent Israeli idea that the
commission headed by South African judge Richard Goldstone had reached
its conclusions in advance of its research. "This investigation was led
by a serious figure, Richard Goldstone, a South African Jew with long
experience in justice. It's not as if he was in any way biased," he
said.

Israeli officials warned in response that any British support for the
report would boomerang. If a precedent is set of Israelis being
prosecuted for acts during the Gaza war, Britons could also be placed in
the dock for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, they said. "London, which
is also in the midst of a war against terror, could find itself in
handcuffs if it supports the document," they said.

The report issued last month said that both Israel and Hamas were guilty
of war crimes during the conflict in which nearly 1400 Palestinians and
thirteen Israelis died. It said the Israeli military had proven unable
to investigate itself and recommended the war crimes allegations be
referred to the International Criminal Court if "good faith
investigations" were not underway within six months.

Israel's concerns about a renewal of diplomatic momentum for the report
have intensified in recents days after the Palestinian Authority began
working to revive debate over it at the UN Human Rights Council in
Geneva. The Palestinian moves aim to reverse a highly unpopular decision
by PA President Mahmoud Abbas ten days ago under US and Israeli pressure
to postpone a discussion for six months.

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