Co-Authors Stand By Goldstone's Gaza War Report, Blast Campaign To Rescind Its Finding

[Purveyor]

By RAPHAEL G. SATTER | Associated Press

The co-authors of a scathing U.N. report on Israel's conduct during its 2008-2009 offensive in Gaza said Thursday they stand by their work, hitting back at critics who've pushed to have its findings withdrawn after the report's lead author, Richard Goldstone, aired doubts about one of its central conclusions.
Article continues below

In a statement published on the website of Britain's Guardian newspaper, Goldstone's three colleagues said there was "no justification" for any move to review or rescind the 575-page report _ which among other things accuses Israel of deliberately targeting civilians in its campaign against Hamas militants. The report also condemned Hamas for targeting Israeli civilians by firing rockets at Israeli cities.

"Nothing of substance has appeared that would in any way change the context, findings or conclusions of that report with respect to any of the parties to the Gaza conflict," they said in the statement. "We firmly stand by these conclusions."

The Goldstone report has been the object of fierce controversy since its inception, and the Israeli government energetically rejected conclusions that it may have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the battle in Gaza. The United States has also rejected the report, calling it flawed and one-sided.

MORE...

http://www.newser.com/article/d9mjfvto1/co-authors-stand-by-goldstones-gaza-war-report-blast-campaign-to-rescind-its-finding.html