Last update - 14:09 10/11/2009
IDF to Palestinians: Bring forth Gaza war complaints
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent

The top commander of the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday that the army was carrying out numerous investigations into the Gaza Strip, and was willing to look into any complaint of misconduct on the part of its soldiers.

"The [Goldstone] report and the claims that came out of it necessitate some sort of response," said IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, of a UN-commissioned report that accuses both Israel and Hamas of carrying out war crimes during the offensive in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

"The report accuses the Israeli government of acting against the civilian population and of punishing activities. I have personally appointed five investigative committees, and we have found mistakes," he added.

The IDF chief said that the army was open to probing any complaint whatsoever regarding the offensive, adding, "Our research is thorough, reliable and truthful. I am not the commander of an army of criminals, rapists and looters: We found no soldiers who that aimed their weapon directly at a mother and child purposefully."

"Our criminal investigation division is in the midst of checking 45 complaints," he said. "I invite all Palestinians to testify if they have complaints. As of now, 60 Palestinians have delivered their testimonies."

"Because of the nature of the battlefield... we innocently hurt civilians as well, just like we hurt our very own soldiers and officers," Ashkenazi said.

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives condemned the 575-page report, drafted by South African jurist Richard Goldstone, as irredeemably biased and unworthy of further consideration or legitimacy.

The United Nations, however, has endorsed the report.

Not to many IDF soldiers running here.



Proto. The Goldstone report condemns both Hamas and IDF for acts commited.

The use of flachettes and white phosphorus on civilian populations. Is not proportional to bottle rockets and stones.

Surley, even you can see that what was done (is being done) is excessive.

I suppose a select few just need a ghetto to feel at home.

true it is excessive ,i have no idea why they used that shit .
however it wasn't intentionally shot at civ's , but on the sources
of fire , which in many cases are inside civ populations .
cause that's where hamas choose to fight from ,behind
civilians back , unconceivable in western eyes but true ,
dead civilians are good for hamas public affairs .

in that pic u can see the ambulance ,its known facts that
hamas uses ambulances to move weapon and man around .
however hamas uses EXPLOSIVE charges,containing bolts nails
screws and marbles to intensify the damage ,which leads me to :



yeah right , i think you are confusing the facts , hamas is harmed
to there teeth ,and the so called bottle rockets kill and mayhem
people and destroy life's , not to mention the psychological damage
of living under daily rocket attacks and sirens for years.

I do understand. More than you may think.
I've had to go through check points. I've had machine guns pointed at my head. I've been stopped and searched for no reason. As a Canadian with an Irish name who moved to london (during the 'troubles'), it's bloody scary.
The truly sad fact with Israel (btw I don't accuse you) is just fecking recognise the people who have to share. It's been 20 years since the Berlin wall fell. Yet, Israel is building a taller and longer one. If you want peace. Stop starting battles. It worked with the IRA, why can't it work with the IOF (fromally known as IDF)?

If I were being heavily oppressed for decades, I'd attack the Israeli's too! Don't forget about the balfor agreement, which gave occupied Palestinian land ( LARGE population btw ), which included muslim, christian, and jewish people, to the Zionist movement that grew largely after WW2. The land was given away by Great Britain, who didn't own the land to begin with. The land was also promised to half a dozen other countries as well, but the Zionists have the central banks ..... Nobody can compete with that kinda money and bargaining power.

To this day, Israel has expanded it's colonization of palestine, AGAINST UN resolution, among countless other atrocities.
If you want a GOOD, ACCURATE Historical perspective on this situation, I recommend watching this ....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 101&hl=en#

And If you equate marbles and nails to white phosphorous or depleted uranium ( which ruin lives for GENERATIONS ) ...... then you have no sense of reason, period.

damn typos ,obviously i meant armed .



same thing can be said about the hamas ...



yeah sure ,lets open the check points and let every suicide bomber go into
a joy ride in Israel ,sure it's not a positive experience , but what can you do
when a bunch of guys keep trying to blow themselfs up in the midset of
Israeli population ?
so you are outsider and it seems to you "for no reason "for us the reason
is very obvious .



yes , Israel building wall , act of total despair and frustration , we tried to talk
to them it didn't work , we tried war it didn't work , maybe if we'll build a wall
between us then we both could live in peace .

stupid decision but what can i do as a person about it ,but i understand where
it's coming from .

Given the lack of an educated, well presented response, I'll assume your peepee feels the size of a grass shrimp now. It's history mothafucka! Learn it!

sorry i'm getting tired of educating those that choose to stay blind .

that's not history , that's some real facts mixed with allot of propaganda .

this will be a good start for you :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of ... ern_Levant