If Israel was ‘blameless of any wrongdoing’ then it would have nothing to fear from an independent Israeli investigation to Op Cast Lead. Clearly if Israel cannot be honest and objective the Goldstone Report stands undisputed in the eyes of the rest of the world. Clearly Israel has no defense against the conclusion of the Goldstone Report: "humiliate and terrorize a civilian population, radically diminish its local economic capacity both to work and to provide for itself, and to force upon it an ever increasing sense of dependency and vulnerability”. Roll on March...

Hear Hear Matty! I'll bring the popcorn..........

Article 51 of the UN Charter Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security. GC Article 19 - The protection to which civilian hospitals are entitled shall not cease unless they are used to commit, outside their humanitarian duties, acts harmful to the enemy. Protection may, however, cease only after due warning has been given, naming, in all appropriate cases, a reasonable time limit and after such warning has remained unheeded. Article 28 - The presence of a protected person may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations. Guess what our actions were legal in every single incident. The UN and Goldblather are the ones in violation of international law not us

has hamas started its investigation yet? does hamas intend to even investigate its war crimes that started all this war? is hamas exempt from your criticism? i wonder why? hameed aboughaze, iranian

...Israel is traveling down a very dangerous road. It is well known that Israel cannot refute the charges. Already Israel has paid the UN exactly what it asked for over the War on Gaza. Yesterday it was reported that there would be an "internal" independent investigation, today that has changed, tomorrow, who knows? Every day Israel's story changes. This official says one thing, another official leaks another. There seems to be no continuity in Israeli policy, no intention to comply with the law, and Israel appears to be handing directly for the ICC, and a well deserved perp walk it would be. Don't bet on an American veto. Especially if Israel decides to continue the vile practice of linking the Holocaust with the Goldstone Report. That act of stupidity will drive droves of diaspora Jews to turn their backs on the current Israeli government, and support harsh action against Israel for becoming so entirely out of control.

Instead of being anti Israeli - you are simply an antisemitic bigot

sovereign nation is challenged by terrorists, the old rules of conduct do not, and cannot, apply. This may be likened to a fight between two individuals, one utilizing brass knuckles and shivs versus the other who is expected to just fight with his fists. Of course, the latter will lose. This is an analogy to what is meant by asymetric warfare. Israel will survive against its aggressors no matter what it is forced to do. That's pure justice, no apology necessary. Remember, it is the terrorist organizations which kidnap, take part in suicide bombing and use the civilian population as targets in order to create propaganda. For them, death of the people it is suppose to protect has no meaning. In Israel, on the other hand, the civilian population is defended. This is another example of asymetric warfare. Again, the old rules of combat can no longer apply.

Several organizations have gone down the names of purported "civilians" killed and found that hundreds of them are linked to militant groups. It's now clear that the majority of those killed were, in fact, militants - a remarkable achievement, given the nature of the battle. Heaven forbid that AP should do any research before publishing. It's much easier to simply quote Hamas propaganda.

"It is well known that Israel cannot refute the charges. Already Israel has paid the UN exactly what it asked for over the War on Gaza." [B.S.News] You sick S.O.B. Israel has repeatedly refuted "the charges" and will continue to do so by submission of yet another document next week. What has Hamas done to "refute" the charges against it? NOTHING. As for Israel's payment for damages to a U.N. building in Gaza, what the hell does that have to do with anything? NOTHING. "Don't bet on an American veto. Especially if Israel decides to continue the vile practice of linking the Holocaust with the Goldstone Report."[B.S.News] You fool. The State Department has long ago stated its position on the Goldstone Report. That position, as already shared by much of the 'civilized" (i.e. non-Arab/Muslim) world, is that it was a (almost exclusively) one-side piece of trash not to be taken seriously. A U.S. veto of any UNSC action against Israel is GUARANTEED, so don't get your hopes up too high. After all, your high hopes for Israel's demise have never come to fruition, have they? "That act of stupidity will drive droves of diaspora Jews to turn their backs on the current Israeli government, and support harsh action against Israel for becoming so entirely out of control." [B.S.News] You putz. There is always the chance that the "diaspora Jews" will turn their backs on Israel. Those chances are about the same as the chances of your conversion to Judaism, moving to Israel, and joining the IDF...a rather long shot, eh little atheist Indian boy?

As usual, you are completely blinded by your anti-Israel bias and your hatred of Jews. Israel's record of independence with respect to internal investigation is absolutely impeccable. I defy you to demonstrate otherwise. Sometimes the results have been embarrassing, but they have been published. Democracies have nothing to fear from the truth. Would all the Arab and Moslem nations -- not to mention most of the rest of the nations on earth -- adopt a like attitude. With respect to the Goldstone Report -- it has been discounted by any number of third parties -- an Italian medical team that was on the ground in Gaza during Cast Lead has called the Report, as far as the charges against Israel are concerned, a pile of rubbish, and has done so publicly in one of Italy's most reputable daily newspapers. You, "Matty," are the biggest fraud of all. You enthusiastically endorse the United Nations as a reputable organization because of its demonstrated anti-Israel bent; you studiously ignore all its woeful failures. Somalia. The Sudan. Nigeria. Zimbabwe. Ivory Coast. The Congo. Banda Ace. Sri Lanka. The Philippines. Iran. Turkey. Kurdistan. China. Pakistan. Afghanistan. The United Nations has no legitimacy and credibility unless and until it addresses the foregoing tragedies -- and the millions of innocent civilians that have died in the ongoing conflicts in those countries. The United Nations has no legitimacy and credibility unless and until it addresses the sobering fact that over one-third of the African continent are refugees. Over 95% of all UNRWA aid goes to Palestinians. Surely the tens of millions of refugees in Africa deserve attention. The silence from the United Nations, alas, has been deafening. You are a pathetic fraud, hiding virulent hatred of Jews and hatred of Israel under the guise of a supposed champion of the downtrodden. It doesn't work, "Matty." Your true nature comes through and you have fooled no one but yourself. Although -- given the rather maudlin folksong that you hide behind -- it comes as no surprise. You really need a life, "Matty."

There you go, dragging facts and logic into the mix! It doesn't work with the Jew-haters and Israel-haters. They are not interested in facts. Surely you know that by now! Thank you, of course, for the impeccably researched and quite accurate post. You can be confident that the likes of "Matty Groves" and BSNews, among others, will be sure to scrupulously ignore your comment -- your post, after all, is both honest and truthful, and "Matty" and BSNews have yet to demonstrate an interest in either attribute. In fact, they appear to be highly allergic to both!

...here's his claim: "The UN and Goldblather ignore international laws" Leaving aside the juvenile recasting of Justice Richard Goldstone's name, by Israel's perennial PR problem Gee, we can quickly verify whether he knows what he is writing about or he's ignorant and flat out lying. So let's look in the Goldstone Report and see if the commission did not consider international law as Gee so thoughtfully and wrongly accused: Article 51, addressed at least eleven times on pages, 132, 149, 231, 237, 242, 247, 296, 471, 517 and 534. Article 19 is treated at least six times throughout the report on pages, 181, 184, 381, 396, 446 and 489. And Article 28 was looked at at least three times, on pages, 149, 296 and 297. In other words, Gee is simply lying, he never even bothered to look at the report, and that is quite likely going to be the average Israeli's eventual emotional downfall. By never even looking at it and then making all sorts of inaccurate claims and outright lies about the report, it is going to come as a great surprise when the entire free world believes it and yet the average Israel cannot fathom why. I suggest reading the entire thing. Then you might appreciate the gravity of the charges and why they will not go away until Israel credibly answers them.

Apparently you forgot the report being presented to the UN answering the Goldstone report, with mountains of video evidence, ballistics analysis, and testimony of soldiers. There's our answer, and considering Goldstone made his report without the forensic investigations that the IDF did, and claimed that there is no real legal basis for his accusations, there is really no need to allow a UN investigative team to push its agenda. The world also believed the Jenin Massacre and death of the little Gazan in 2002 without proof, and those lies were found to be complete fabrications. I certainly wouldn't allow a team, who produced a bias report based on testimony of the other side, by an investigator that fell asleep during Israeli testimonies, and was funded by the OIC. Clearly, Israel is protecting both its sovereignty and human sensibilities everywhere by not buying into this crap.

The laws that protect other sovreign countries are ignored or interpreted differently when discussing Israel. The obligations of sovereign States are often bent depending on the situation, except when dealing with Israel, which must adhere to every letter of the obligation, no matter the situation. Civilians are protected under the Geneva Convention, even if said civilians are part of the battle, except Israeli civilians which aren't really protected under any law and are deemed with disdain. Does anyone else see a nasty little pattern across the face of the earth?

UN rulings or even requests are not "law" by any stretch of the imagination. If that were true, about 135 countries would be breaking the law, including Lebanon with its immediately breaking of UNR1701. Israel is handing a detailed investigative report to the UN in response to Goldstone claims. Since you simply reject outright any Israeli version, no matter how much evidence, then there really is no debating with you. However, the US sees through a lot of the vile racism and biasness at the UN, and does what's right. They have seen the evidence, and military leaders, most notable a UK NATO commander, came out in favor of IDF tactics, above and beyond the law. I do expect a US veto, not because they support Israel as much as they know the difference between right and wrong, which you clearly have trouble with.

Israel with all my heart." When is Michael going to visit Israel for an extended stay and really get to know and have an experience of the region? If he were to plan to visit, it would be good were he to announce it on Ynet. I am sure that many Israeli Talkbackers would put aside their distaste for him and his postings in order to help him get an accurate and enriching experience of our country. I, myself, would gladly contribute to his education. I know it would be interesting.

The Goldstone Report stated that Hamas was guilty of crimes against humanity. Had you forgotten, or did you simply never bother to read the report? The United Nations scrupulously failed to address the accusation, which is why it lacks all credibility. Like you, "Matty," the United Nations has a very fungible notion of truth. Like you, "Matty," the United Nations exists in a fantasy world.

King Wingnut (BBS), Baby Wingnut (Matty), Mad Dog Marco (not himself today) and the flippin moron from Australia, Desistor. How you boys doin? If there was half a brain between all of you we would have seen a prevention of "Cast Lead". Let's see what you boys can do about the destruction Iran's nuclear program.

Robert dont get too excited. # 7 is an impersonation of our resident racist BBS, who doesnt have the slightest interest to visit Israel.

and for what for seld defance

I did not state that Goldblather Report didn't mention it, I said they ignored it. Oh shoot I keep forgetting that you don't understand even elementary English. And this moron claims to be a reporter. In what language - it sure can't English since he hasn't managed to understand much of anything.

#21; it was really appreciated.

someone has highjacked Michael Hess' identity or that he just wasn't in his right mind when he wrote that he loved Israel? And if he were to plan a visit, would you agree to meet him too and assist in a tour of the land and our people?

Why don't you probe what's US is doing to Iraq and then maybe israel will listen to your rant. Get busy fixing domestic issues before you put your nose in others.

As Hammed's post here is highlighted, you Matty dont have a leg to stand on.

Article: "Hebrew U bans 'cursed Zionist war' conference" Post #7 In part my previous post was: "Now that we are in agreement let me ask you a question as you have asked me many questions today. William: Do you agree that the IDF have committed a War Crime by using Palestinian Civilians as Human Shields? William you can easily Google this subject and you will see that the Israeli court ruled that this IDF procedure and policy of using Palestinians as human shields was illegal. William the question is: have the IDF committed a war crime by using civilians as human shields. I await your answer." I do recall reminding you about this outstanding question. This will be my third time doing so. What is your answer?