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NEW YORK, April 4, 2011 –
NEW YORK, April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following op-ed is written by Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress:

Better late than never, but not much better. How else can one respond to the belated retraction by Judge Richard Goldstone of the key allegations in the outrageous report he authored into Israel's Operation Cast Lead against Hamas terrorists in Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009? Blatantly dishonest and biased, what became known as the Goldstone Report served as the most vicious instrument of defamation and de-legitimization against the Jewish state for decades. It gave heart to terrorists; it gave hope to anti-Semites; and it gave every twisted calumny against the State of Israel a new lease of life.

So now we find that even its author can no longer stomach it. Writing in the Washington Post last week, we learn that he now knows that its central allegation was a lie: "…civilians were not intentionally targeted as a matter of policy," he says. Referring to evidence provided by Israel, he adds: "I regret that our fact-finding mission did not have such evidence explaining the circumstances in which we said civilians in Gaza were targeted, because it probably would have influenced our findings about intentionality and war crimes."

Well, this is better late than never. But a mere statement of regret is surely not enough. Let us recall that the Goldstone Report has served as a pretext for "war crimes" charges leveled against Israeli officials across the world. The least Goldstone can now do is issue a public statement calling on his report to be withdrawn from the United Nations, through whose institutions it is still making its passage. He should do it at the UN itself, and he should encourage the head of the UN Human Rights Council – where the report originated – to do likewise.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20110404/pl_usnw/DC77019

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Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress:

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Originally posted by Bytemite:

It appears that your post is correct, but you should try to use sources that people here are familiar with. While I imagine you don't think NYT has credibility, others around here do, and it's a much better way to make your case.

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Of course, it sounds to me like there can still be something said about being careful about the targets that get hit. That probably goes for every military that can use long distance bombardment.

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You'll excuse me while I smirk , if only a little, at the thought of all those 100's of rockets, targeted specifically AT civilian centers, that rain INTO Israel, on a weekly, if not daily basis.

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Originally posted by Bytemite:

Sure. Goes for both. That's why I have trouble siding with either of them. I kinda just wish they'd stop blowing each other up and make nice before everyone gets dragged into it. Unlikely, I know...

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And how many 'investigations' has Hamas conducted, on the errant shooting of rockets into ....

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Originally posted by Bytemite:


Granted. I still don't particularly care who did what or how much...

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Originally posted by dreamtrove:


Huh. A thread of basic agreement. I'll throw in and agree. What a pointless conflict, but not really a war crime situation.

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Originally posted by dreamtrove:
Rap,

Didn't seem there was a strong dissent on that point. Maybe you're just being argumentative.

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