Bethlehem – Ma’an – Richard Goldstone, the former judge who led the UN-mandated fact-finding mission regarding Israel’s winter war on Gaza, challenged the US to justify its objections to his report on Thursday.

Goldstone told Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera International that US President Barack Obama’s administration “seems to be ambivalent” in its response to his 575-page report on Operation Cast Lead, which killed more than 1,400 Palestinians.

“The Obama administration joined our recommendation calling for full, good-faith investigations both in Israel and in Gaza, but said that the report was flawed,” the South African Jurist told interviewer Shihab Rattansi.

“I have yet to hear from the Obama administration what the flaws in the report that they’ve identified are. I’d be happy to respond to them if and when I know what they are,” he added.

The former war crimes prosecutor clarified that no one in the US administration had asked for additional information through any official channels from him or his team.



Goldstone’s report, which was endorsed last Friday by the UN Human Rights Council, concludes that both Israel and Palestinian militias likely committed war crimes, and calls on both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to carry out thorough, credible investigations.

The judge said he did not doubt Israel’s ability to carry out such an inquiry, but said it was ultimately a matter of “political will.”

Asked if, in the absence of a domestic investigation, Israel could be brought to court internationally, Goldstone said, “I think that’s where it’s going. If they don’t have a good faith internal investigation this thing is not going to lay down and die, it’s going to continue.”

On Wednesday the Israeli government announced that it received assurances from visiting US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice that America will continue to “fight the Goldstone report.”