Goldstone can no more undo the great harm he has caused Israel and the Jewish people than can any other slanderer. As the old story goes, a man who frequently slandered people (loshen hara) felt bad about what he had said and so he went to his rabbi to ask what he could do to repent. The Rabbi told him to take a feather pillow, cut it open, and spread all of the feathers to the wind. When he had done so, he came back to the Rabbi to ask him what to do next. The Rabbi told him to go collect the feathers. But the man said that it was impossible to collect the feathers. So it is with our words, Mr. Goldstone. Once you scatter them to the wind, you cannot collect them again and put them back in the bag. You must continue to live with your shame for your words will be used against the Israel and the Jewish people for many years to come.

He didn't wright the article it was handled to him. He had an offer he couldn't refuse and had to sign it ,...

wretched traitor

No way, no how should he be forgiven, He wrote a report that did enormous harm. He does one or two semi-good deeds and now he is okay. No way!! Maybe ( and its a big maybe) AFTER the world stops using the words of his report against Israel and starts using his alleged redemption words FOR Israel, then we can think about forgiveness.

Should Goldstone be forgiven after his apologia for his allegedly well researched blood libel against Israel, and by extension it's people? A serious question. Is Adon Goldstone serious about seeking such forgivness? Does he feel he has done enough to merit forgiveness? What exactly has be done to expiate his crime against Israel, it's history, it's place in the world and it's population wrongly accused of serious misconduct, enen what has approached the level of war crimes? Have any Israelis been victimized physically; been injured or died as a result of circumstances directly attributable to Goldstone's paper? Is there blood on Goldstone's hands, or typewriter, word processor, or pen? If there is, let him stay in "herem", an outlaw, a personna non gratia; no better than a collaborator on any european Ghetto circa 1933-1945. Goldstone,...prove your worthiness to be allowed among the brothers and sisters you so handily defamed so glibly.

for having ushered more deadly attacks against their children and their elderly if he ever want us, Jews, to view him as one of us. To date the man has not apologized, neither to the citizens of S'derot, Ofaqim, Ashqlon, Ashdod or Beer Sheva; and he has not shown any remorse for the pain he has indirectly inflicted on the soldiers who must face the daily violence coming from Gaza, encouraged by his report.

it is stupid to raise the question until goldstone expresses contrition and remedies the damage that he did. we are VERY, VERY FAR from that point. goldstone issued a tepid and incomplete reconsideration of a single one of the many of the slanders that he hurled at Israel. he made himself an ally of Israel's mortal enemies. and, he has done next to nothing to repudiate his actions and deserves the scorn that has heaped upon him.

on Israels behalf??/ No.

If you truly repent, publically apologize for the deaths and destruction you caused and ask for forgiveness from the people of Israel, you might be forgiven. The one thing we cannot forgive you for is what you did to yourself. That is a matter between you and HaShem.

Goldstone committed many crimes. For instance, he whitewashed Hamas that proudly calls for extermination of the Jews, making him complicit in genocide. Worst is his part in making sure that Gilad Shalit could not be freed except by releasing terrorists. The blood of the children these released terrorists will murder is on his head.

Judge Goldstone as an eminent jurist made the cardinal error of accepting the chairmanship of a bench of colleagues who were not impartial.

virulent attacks against Israel. Since the horse has bolted, nothing he says at this point will reduce the negative impact of his report. Not even dancing on his head will help. Most unfortunate.

N O !!!

You are owed no such apology stop be so self righteous and recognise that Goldstone did nothing. We are lucky he oversaw that investigation. He is a moral man and he doesnt deserve to be insulted by amoebas.

Richard Goldstone has demonstrated at every step along the way that he is a man of integrity and has made every attempt to get at the truth. The Goldstone Report was critical of Israel - but it was published by Goldstone in good faith, under the belief that its contents were the best assessment on the basis of the information he had before him. Israel made no effort to cooperate with him or provide contrary evidence, so the report is naturally unsympathetic to Israel's point of view. But this can hardly be blamed on Goldstone - it's our arrogant politicians who are at fault. When he found out that new evidence cast doubt on some of his conclusions, he publicly said so. He has been open and honest about his assessment at every step, and yet been subjected to a constant attack by the Jewish community and Israeli political elite in a completely unjustified and abusive way. A real shame.

NO NEVER. HE has caused irreparable harm to Israel. To my mind he is just as bad as Shabbatai Zvi, the false messiah.A fellow Jew telling lies and making Jews and Israel a pariah in the world.

some kind of tormented anti-hero. Just an opportunist, who (too late) acknowledges his mistake. It's a pure, tactical move. Let him rot in his own sauce!

Should Goldstone be forgiven? Op-ed: Goldstone's recent pro-Israel comments cannot offset his immoral behavior Manfred Gerstenfeld - He is a Judge and Adult Old man, he has crossed Rubicon. Arn.Sweden.

Since when "forgiveness" is part of the poltical controversials in democracies? I know this technique only from rulers in autoritarian countries where there is "us" (the moral majority) and "them" (immoral traitors). Only sometimes "them" will be forgiven, if they swear that they will repeat what the "moral majority" tells them to repeat. And who in this article is "we"? Mr. Gerstenfeld as the lord judge of forgiveness in pluralis majestatis? "We", the Jews? Well, many Jews support Goldstone's views. "We", the Israelis? Well, there are also Israelis (even Jewish) who consider Goldstone a moral person. The autoritarian undertone of this article makes me shiver. How shall it be possible to argue politically with an opinion that comes in the form of a verdict from the High Court for Political Morality?

Then, lets see what he has to say! Often, Jews living outside Israel, especially outside the so-called Green line, simply do not understand the facts! they do not see that Israel, with the Jewish people are a peaceful, compassionate people with no intent to hurt others. We in fact bend over backwards to be considerate to other nations. Yet, we are constant victims of terrorism and slander.

He will remain a pariah for all of time. The man is a tragic fool whose ego and dim-sightedness outweigh any small merits he may have.Be gone with him!

of all war criminals such as christine chinkin, hina jilani, desmond travers, tutu, navy pillay, and every Antisemitic in Antisemitic pariah body so called human right concil

The hearings he conducted were kangaroo courts and whenever any Israeli testified on behalf of Israel he went to sleep. No new evidence has been presented that wasn't immediate available before he ever started. He simply refuse to open his eyes. His conduct was criminal and his statements were libelous to the entire people of Israel. Such as disgusting person richly deserves the total condemnation by everybody of any morals. His conduct prior the lies he published as an Apartheid judge was as reprehensible as his later actions. He is a lowlife and is an arrogant liar.

it is not enough just to ask forgiveness. first, the offender must acknowledge that he has done wrong. so far, I don't believe that goldstone has accepted responsibility for his role in taking on a clearly prejudicial charge (investigating "israeli war crimes in gaza" presumed israel's guilt, but also by definition precluded hamas' attacks in israel). nor has he even mentioned the reason why he took the job (supposedly he was promised a chance at the secretary general's office). so far goldstone has pleaded ignorance and asked forgiveness, but he has not admitted to wrongdoing, or made any attempt or commitment to change. and he certainly hasn't made restitution to the victim, because undoing the harm caused by "lashon hara" is very difficult if not impossible. just saying "you're sorry" doesn't cut it.

No one is testifying on Israel's behalf at the Russell Tribunal. All the delegates are vehemently anti-Israel. The conclusion is a foregone and they are 'working backwards' to justify this end. ie declaring Israel an apartheid state. Sooooo, even a repentant Goldstone would make no difference.

The damage from the Goldstone commission is already done. His report was used by Israel's enemies as a weapon against Jews in general and Christians who support Israel. Mr. Goldstone knew who his commission partners were. Christine Chinkin had already declared Israel guilty before the commission even started. Mr. Goldstone should apologize and ask his fellow commissioners to join him. The first step in any rehabilitation program is to admit your errors.