How could it take Goldstone so long to 'see' what he already knew? He knew that hamas and islamic jihad had fired thousands of missiles into Israel's cities and that Israel responded against terrorists in self-defense. Why then did Goldstone sign his name on a report which claimed that 'Israel's main purpose in invading Gaza was to "inflict terrorism on its civilian population"? Did Goldstone become persuaded by the sight of the rubble of hamas buildings and uniintended casualties to go along with the anti-Israel members of the UN investigation team? He knew that Israel dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets warning Palestinians to keep away from hamas buildings. Maybe one day Goldstone will come clean and explain just how he was persuaded to lie about Israel.

I've gotten more second and thirtieth chances than I deserve. Judge Goldstone told the truth this time; I recognize this fact and salute him.

Too late. And too little. No Jew will forgive you, never ever.

Better late then never. Keep churning them out, god willing you'll repent!

Too late! you have caused untold damage to the Jewish people. You are an old fool. best keep your mouth shut and I hope you said your selichot on Kippur. Soon you'll be facing the creator!

The horses have fled the stable.

the world got used to hear words like Apartheid Massacre Occupation against israel and you say it enough times and they belive it including the people who are saying it Israel should invite media who writes these things to come and prove to themselves if what they write or say is true and not just write what anti israel people are telling them and not check the facts for themselves it could help

In fact they despise both.

He only got "shocked to the core" when Israel moved, after endless warnings and thousands of missiles targetting Israeli civillians. He did not have anything to say about Hamas,without uniforms hiding and firing amongst their civillians,predictably creating civillian casualties. As a jurist he should have had the integrity to disqualify himself after openly expressing his prejudices a priori. As for Chinkin,from the London School of Economics,she is beneath contempt.

Sir, never too late to wake up. G-D will remember how you recant and speak up for the Jewish People, His beloved people. it is more blessed to suffer mocking and despise with the minorities yet pleases G-D, then to gather the smiles and approval of Devil and the world majorities! Quartets (with UN, EU, US and Russia) almost all are "finished" going against G-D in His plan.

Sir, thanks for standing out with us the minorities, shunning the easy path of siding with the majorities that seek the smiles and adoration of the Devil himself. its never too late to recant mistakes, and we should laud his effort to speak up not once, but twice for Israel. and Israel's Heart is far too generous and gracious to her enemies, further more her repented friends. Show the world, Israel is different. in times like these, when you have the moronic UNESCO dancing with the Devil, Goldstone is much welcome.

Become just the slightest bit educated about Israel and it becomes plain that it is the most incredible country in the world - holding on to moral values and principles in nearly impossible conditions. Some who bash Israel are truly bigoted and full of hate or Islamic fundamentalists. But most are simply naive and ignorant, as Mr. Goldstone was. The man simply educated himself.

this fool lent his name and reputation to the most outrageous slanders against Israel. now, no one is listening to him. all his equivocations (at best, one does not get much more from him on his notorious report) are discounted as his surrender to community pressure. this fool deserves enduring scorn as a betrayer of his people, a betrayer who sold out his people for a few moments in the limelight.

will UN will make a big noise about this and say that he is right? like they did when he blamed istael

Amos Oz, Barenboim, Kaniuk, Shulamit Aloni, Yossi Sarid, Yossi Beilin, Sternhall and the assorted creme de la creme of Isreli theatre and culture??Too many to mention! What does it take for a Jewish (or not) person (of certain age) to grow a brain or consciense?

How many sleepless nights have you had since the terrible lies you told against your very own people? And now you see after many sleepless nights, tossing & turning in the agony your own mind is causing you. So what do you want now, Mr. Goldstone... a pat on the back? a hand of many thanks? forgiveness? friendship? blessings from the Lord? etc. etc. etc. Well you might get forgiveness from your very own people, and you probably will because that is the kind of good heart your people have. The BIG question is will you reciprocate and ask for the friendship of your people who are being daily slaughtered.... and you certainly had a hand in that. The arabs, not being so clever 'uptop' but very clever when it comes to the slaughter of Jews who have suffered all their lives, and continue to suffer, should stoop before you..... NEVER, Mr. Goldstone.........NEVER! I suggest you continue with your sleepless nights, you don't deserve more!

If you read the op-ed, which is nuanced, accurate, and eloquent, you see that. We should honor genuine repentance.

it wright.Being a ex South African and growing up as a kid,living day in and day out with apartheid,serving in the SA army.I can say Israel does not come close too what is called apartheid.There are things that could be improved Israel.

I know. I lived under Apartheid for 40 years! How ever, we can NEVER forgive what he did and and damage he caused to Israel and Jews worldwide. Maybe he should remind Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who has maligned and defamed Israel and Jews, how many Jews in South Africa, my late father included, stood up for the rights of the Blacks, Coloureds and Indians under the real racists regime!

Its bad enough that he's a treasonous rat without adding insult to injury by raising a super sensitive issue like this. Why? Because, if Israel isn't an apartheid state then it shouldn't need to constantly explain why it is not.... Do you, a normal citizen go around trying to explain why you are not a murderer? No. This is abnormal behaviour that simply puts more questions in the average bystander-to-this-conflict's mind, than it does any good at all. Goldstone shutup, you do more harm than good!

It is good that he has said it, and to a wider public, and in the pages of the notoriously anti-Israel NYT. It will be interesting to see whether any of Israel's enemies will try and come out and engage intellectually with what he says. Very obviously they can't have anything of substance to say , so one more support of the anti-Israel and antisemitic belief system will have been exposed for the hollow sham that it is. At last, well done Goldstone!

A well balanced op-ed piece... the judge makes a good case that Israel and South Africa are not one and the same and that the word "apartheid" should not be applied to conditions in Israel and the occupied West Bank... though he cleverly doesn't offer an alternative word.

Keep your mouth shut, a lot of damage you did to Israel. You were used very well, now they threw you. Nobody will listen to you anymore. Stop damaging Israel, nazi callaborator

It is evident that Goldstone has been taking his anti-dementia pills, and that they have been effective. I certainly hope he suffers no relapses.

Judge Goldstone made a mistake. A very bad mistake. The mistake played straight into our enemies’ hands. But, while the UN will never retract his report, Goldstone has expressed his regrets and is now making penance, hence this article in the NYT. Would that others who demonize and accuse Israel of ‘ethnic cleansing’ and ‘crimes against humanity’ would do the same, i.e. Noam Chomsky, Norm Finkelstein, Howard Zinn, Tony Kushner, Gilad Atzmon -- to name just a few, not forgetting the countless journalists and academics (Jewish and Israel included).

Yes, Israel is unfair to terrorists. How dare they forcibly block this unique population of war criminals from accessing their victims. Terrorism is their passion - and Israel is blocking them from pursuing it, an obvious human rights violation! Why do the "Palestinians" call the wall "Apartheid"? Because it rings well in halls of super-liberals but it has nothing to do with truth. If "Palestinians" were Israeli citizens, then they'd have an argument. Same too if they didn't start a terror war in 2000, 2 years before the wall - a small section of the border fence - was erected. But since when have Arabs or liberals ever followed truth, facts, or law?