Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday prevented a debate by the Security Cabinet on the possible establishment of an inquiry committee on Operation Cast Lead
in Gaza.
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| Russia says won't let Goldstone report reach Hague / Roni Sofer |
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Foreign Ministry says received messages from Moscow that it won't support Security Council discussion on UN report accusing Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza |
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However the Cabinet did decide to establish a team to fight the Goldstone report, which claims Israel committed war crimes during Cast Lead, including its international and legal manifestations.
The team will be under the Foreign Ministry's jurisdiction, and will involve officials from other ministries if need be. Its main goal is to prepare for a possible debate on the report by the UN Security Council in December.
The Cabinet also decided to add 50 new groups to the state's list of terror organizations. The list includes pro-Palestinian, pro-Iranian, and radical Islamic groups in Israel and abroad, and will be distributed amongst Israel's allies in order to obtain international support for the battle against them.
The Cabinet had prepared to discuss the possibility of establishing a committee to probe the IDF's January offensive in Gaza as a result of a demand made by Justice Richard Goldstone, who has given Israel and Hamas six months to probe their conduct during the war.
Last week Britain and France also joined in this demand, as well as India, Russia, China, and a number of Arab countries that voted for the adoption
of the report by the UN's Human Rights Council.
In Israel, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said he may support such a move, explaining that a probe would raise Israel's status within the international community.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet formulated an official opinion on the matter, but his national security advisor, Uzi Arad, says he is leaning towards accepting the position of the defense establishment.
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