"Question to Emma and Foolestroupe. Do you think the rocketing of civilians is wrong, and should it stop?"

It is NOT 'acceptable' for ANYONE to commit war crimes

The Goldstone report in a 547 page document stated unambiguously that both sides in the conflict during Operation Cast Lead had committed 'war crimes' and 'acts that were likely crimes against humanity' during the fighting in the Gaza Strip.

This investigation was headed by Richard Goldstone, the former chief prosecutor of the international courts for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, comprised three other experts in various fields, including international law and weapons and was based on nearly 200 interviews and over 20,000 pages of documents and photos.

The report clearly stated its belief that the Israeli military operation was "directed at the people of Gaza as a whole" to "punish" the population.
It cited incidents where food productions facilities, drinking water installations and other such sites were attacked, saying these might be "crimes against humanity."

Investigations, the report said, led the team to believe Israeli forces used human shields in certain cases, hospitals were attacked and civilians were shot while carrying white flags.

On the other hand the report also condemned Palestinian rocket fire into southern Israel which constituted "war crimes and may amount to crimes against humanity" as the militants failed to distinguish between civilians and soldiers, causing "terror." but also added that Israel failed to protect its Arab citizens against the rocket fire in the same way that it protected its Jewish residents.


SO!
What was the response to the Goldstone report that concluded Palestinian factions were ALSO responsible for committing 'crimes against humanity'? ………………..

Now let's talk about 'balance' ............

The Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor predictably cast doubt as to the 'neutrality' of the Goldstone Commission on Gaza in much the same way it attempted to revile the Human Rights Watch group that reported critically on BOTH the firing of rockets from Gaza AND the use of White Phosphorus

Defence Minister Ehud Barak described it as "false, distorted, and irresponsible".

Maybe more predictably, Information Minister Yuli Edelstein called it "anti-Semitic.

Perhaps even more predictable was the infinite stream of ad hominem libel against its main author in a sustained effort to undermine the commissions findings, despite Israel's concerted non-cooperation with the commission and resistance to calls by Israeli and international human rights organisations for an independent Israeli investigation outside the military framework.

South African Judge Richard Goldstone, was also excoriated by leading members of the local Jewish community for chairing the commission.
He was told his commission's findings were lies; that he was naive and gullible for accepting the version of events given by terrorists; and that, since he is a Jew, he was a traitor to his people.

His critics were given support by Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, who chastised Goldstone for "doing great damage to the state of Israel". He should have recused himself instead, Goldstein said, and taken no part in the investigating mission.

Veteran journalist and political analyst Allister Sparks posed the question

"Goldstein is a trained lawyer as well as a rabbi. Did he mean that no Jew, however professionally disciplined — and Judge Goldstone's legal reputation is among the highest in the world — can be objective when it comes to a matter involving Israel?

And if so, does that involve Jews individually or collectively as well, or just the interests of the state of Israel?

Or did he mean that it is a Jewish person's inherent duty either to set aside his professional ethics and find in favour of the state of Israel regardless of the merits of a case or, if that is unacceptable, to recuse himself?
But that for a Jew to find against Israel is traitorous?"

Goldstone determined both sides had committed 'war crimes'

Israel initially completely denied any of its findings and instead substituted 'alternative' versions later proved to be fraudulent - critics were subsequently attacked as anti-semites or self-hating Jews -
there seems to be a pattern which was reflected in the reaction to the attack on the flotilla - to take us back to the start of this thread.