Israel Faces Growing Pressure After Un War Crimes Vote

An Israeli army artillery battery fires a smoke bomb into the Gaza Strip from the border, 06 Jan 2009Israel is facing growing international pressure after the UnitedNations Human Rights Council approved the Goldstone Report, whichaccuses the Jewish state of war crimes against Palestinians. TheGoldstone Report also accuses Palestinian militants of war crimesduring the Gaza conflict of nearly a year ago.

British Prime MinisterGordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy sent a letter toIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on him to cooperatewith the Goldstone Report. They urged Israel to open an "independent,transparent investigation" into alleged war crimes during thethree-week Gaza conflict last December and January.  

Theresolution by the Human Rights Council endorses the Goldstone Report'srecommendations that both the Israelis and Palestinian militants showthe U.N. Security Council they are investigating the war crimesaccusations.

Israel has rejected the report as one-sided andbiased and says the Gaza war was a legitimate act of self defense inresponse to years of Palestinian rocket attacks. Israeli officials sayopening a war crimes investigation would be tantamount to acceptingguilt.

But Israeli David Horovitz, the editor of the Jerusalem Post, says defiance may be counterproductive.

"Iwould have thought the last thing Israel can afford to do is to try tosimply ignore it," he said. "There has to be some kind of intelligentresponse, even though the national sense of justice and pride motivatesmany, I think, in the Israeli leadership to say, 'This is just sounfair, so clearly prejudiced, that we do not want to justify it orhonor it by responding.' I don't think Israel can afford to do that."

Palestinianlegislator Mustafa Barghouti says Israel should be held accountable,and he called for international war crimes trials.

"Those whocommitted crimes like killing children for no reason, who hurtcivilians for no reason, yes; anybody who kills children for no reasonshould go to court," he said.

Prime Minister Netanyahu hasordered officials to prepare for a long diplomatic, legal and publicrelations battle explaining Israel's right to defend itself againstterrorism. As Mr. Netanyahu put it, "We will delegitimize those who tryto delegitimize us."