Ayalon: Goldstone report caters to radicals
Deputy FM says should Gaza war report be approved in Geneva Friday, UN's Human Rights Council will in fact turn into 'terror rights council.' Approving the report may harm peace process, PM says
The report accuses Israel and Hamas of war crimes during their conflict in Gaza in January, an allegation Israel condemns and claims is the result of bias against the Jewish state.
Ayalon, who was quick to slam the Palestinian Authority in his statements, said that should the report be approved it will render the Human Rights Council 'the terror rights council,' explaining that Israel is constantly being slammed by the Palestinians, which creates difficulties in reaching an agreement between the sides.
The deputy FM added that on the one hand the Palestinians are negotiating with Israel, and on the other constantly criticizing it. He further explained that establishing a Palestinian state requires more than just trust, but also cooperation.
According to Ayalon, the Goldstone report violates the right of democratic countries to defend themselves. The radicals are those who benefit from the report, he stated.
Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs surveyed the UN's decisions over the years, starting with the declaration equating Zionism with racism, all the way to the Goldstone report. They expressed dissatisfaction over the UN's one-sided stance towards Israel over the years.
Ayalon and Foreign Ministry officials (Photo: Dudi Vaaknin)
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the report at the opening of the cabinet meeting, stating that the UN committee will cause great damage should it decide to promote the Goldstone report.
"This type of decision will fully legitimize terrorists shooting at civilians, as well as gravely compromise the UN's status, reverting it back to its darkest of days, and rendering it null and void," Netanyahu said.
The prime minister further noted that the decision will harm the peace process in an immediate way, withholding Israel from taking further steps to promote peace in case its self defense right is denied.
The prime minister said that he hopes that the automatic majority against Israel will not be activated. "The decision whether to promote the report lies in the hands of 50 countries in Geneva, which usually vote against us. We hope things will go differently this time, but should they decide to make the decision, responsibility will then lie on those countries which did not come to their senses on time, " Netanyahu said.
