Israel to present response to Goldstone report
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Case against Israel
Sharkansky's view is rejected by Sarah Colborne, the director of campaigns and operations at the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), based in Britain.
She insists Goldstone changed the terms of reference when he took on the job and that can be witnessed in the fact that in his report he not only lambasted Israel, but also leveled serious accusations against Hamas, which controls Gaza.
However, what is more important to Colborne is that justice is done.
"(The report) acknowledges that the Israeli justice system is not perceived to deliver justice for Palestinians. They need to fully investigate the accusations in the Goldstone report of war crimes and bring the people responsible to justice," she said.
The PSC has leant its support to Palestinian individuals and human rights groups who have so far unsuccessfully tied to have Israeli leaders arrested when they have landed on British soil. It is not the only country where this is taking place. Organizations like the PSC argue that if Israel will not mete out justice appropriately, others will have to do this instead.
The PSC, along with some other NGOs, is pressing the UN to push the debate on the Goldstone report into the jurisdiction of the UN Security Council, which in turn could refer the matter on to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"We will be pushing as hard as we can to make sure that it does because that is what Goldstone has said is necessary," Colborne told Xinhua.
Whose justice?
Israel is extremely concerned a referral to the ICC may come to fruition and is lobbying hard with its allies in North America and Europe to block such a move.
Colborne and other campaigners believe that Israel is simply trying to avoid dealing with the conclusions of the Goldstone inquiry.
"Goldstone talks about 'a culture of impunity' for Israel and if those who committed the crimes in Operation Cast Lead are not brought to justice, then that culture of impunity will continue and the Israeli government will think they have a green light to pursue further atrocities," said Colborne.
Sharkansky rejects the calls for justice from Goldstone, Colborne and many others, maintaining that there is no such thing as justice.
"Justice is in the eye of the beholder and I think in many cases justice is used as a public-relations club and it's certainly being used in that way in this case," he said.
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