Well, guess what? The report was wrong. I know, I know, a UN report that is wrong? How can that be? To add even further to your astonishment, guess who says it's wrong? None other than Richard Goldstone, himself. In a stunning admission in an op-ed piece in the April 1, 2011, Washington Post, Goldstone, in essence, retracted the main conclusions of the report. He acknowledged that had he known what he knows now, he would not have accused Israel of targeting civilians.
I worked at the US Mission to the UN many years ago, and Israel bashing by the UN was par for the course. When I was there, however, we had tough as nails folks such as Jeanne Kirkpatrick, Jose Sorzano, Dennis Goodman, Alan Keyes, Richard Schifter, Armando Valladares, and General Walters, who would have raised hell about a report such as this; they would have launched a permanent guerrilla war that would not have given the promoters of the Goldstone report's nonsense a moment's respite. They would have stood clearly with Israel, our friend, against Hamas, our enemy. The US would not have issued the bland statement the current administration did at the time. We would have walked out of the UN Human Rights Council instead of giving it the legitimacy bestowed upon it by the US presence.
The Diplomad supports efforts to retract the whole report. This report has become the talking point for the anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, anti-US crowd around the world.
Diplomad generally holds off commenting on the Middle East and the Arab-Israeli conflict--after all, just about all that can be, has been said. One, two, or even three thoughts, however, keep bubbling up.
During 1948-1967, when Jordan held the West Bank, and Egypt held Gaza, were the West Bank and Gaza referred to as "occupied" territory? Was there a lot of concern about human rights in those areas? They became the Palestinian Homeland, I guess, only after Israel defeated Jordan and Egypt. Interesting how that happens.
Does anybody think that creating one more corrupt, authoritarian, chaotic Arab state will bring peace?
Obviously, your closing question was rhetorical. But, in response, let me say, "of course not". I spent several hours debating with a liberal family member yesterday about the recent hearings held about Muslim "rights" in this country. They actually cited this report as proof of why they do not support Israel. As I noted to them a 2008 FBI report and a recent study released shows that the vast majority of hate crimes are against Jewish people.
ReplyDeleteThat's when I heard all about how much discrimination Muslims face and how most Americans are so hate-filled we burn their Koran and do not let them have mosques. My response was the hearing, having started out with Ellison lying and having a witness that had publicly supported the Imam who tipped off a terrorist about an FBI investigation, did not prove discrimination. That statistically, people of Jewish faith are targeted for hate crimes, and that actually since 2001, hate crimes against Muslims have actually declined in this country and remains quite low. However, many in the mainstream, including some in the media, as well, seem to be anti-Semitic, e.g., Helen Thomas. Additionally, there are those who are close to the President who have also shown how they feel about Jews. Hilary "he is a Jew bastard" Clinton, Al Sharpton, Jeremiah Wright, Jesse Jackson -- and the list goes on.
Until the media -- and good people everywhere -- stand up against Hamas, Hezbollah and those who believe that Israel is the enemy, this type of b.s. will continue to influence many on the left, in particular.
This is not working. You post a pix of a delicious middle eastern salad and I have to stop and take a break for food. Four hours later, working back through the same sites and there's Fatoush again. Back to the kitchen I go! Stop it!
ReplyDelete