The danger for Israel in denial and censure of the Goldstone report
The recent reactions by some in Israel to any criticism of the nation are a potentially disturbing trend. There have been several recent incidents that have raised eyebrows, including the arrest of a Jewish-American journalist on the grounds of security, threats by an Israeli minister against international diplomats and the arrest of Israeli and Palestinian peace activists. Some recent actions seem disproportional to the situation. For example, the recent raid on a foreign activist’s home in Ramallah by a large Israel Defense Forces contingent allegedly for a visa infringement. The activist’s subsequent arrest at gunpoint and deportation has also caused media comment.
Recent evidence may show Israel moving towards further isolationism and away from international integration. The Israeli democratic system has challenges in both design and implementation. It has a proliferation of political parties, with opposing or varying agendas that sees elections necessitated every few years \resulting in compromise coalition governments with blended and sometimes conflicting agendas.
Then there is the direction of Israel’s policies towards its neighbors, which some say are also deteriorating. The recent attack on the Gaza did nothing to endear Israel to many in the international community, especially in Europe. Many were further incensed by Israel’s pillorying of Goldstone and his report on Israel’s actions in the Gaza. If the recent reports about Israel threatening the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank in relation to the Goldstone report prove true, then it really marks a deteriorating of moral codes in the governance of Israel’s Knesset. This leak could be a smoking gun for Israel’s conduct during the Gaza operation
Goldstone’s report was due to be transferred from the U.N. General Assembly to the Security Council after receiving overwhelming support from the U.N. Human Rights Council.
To everybody’s surprise, not least the Palestinians, PA President Mahmoud Abbas asked for a vote on the report’s recommendations to be postponed until March this year.
According to Haaretz, Abbas’ request to the U.N. Human Rights Council to delay the vote followed a meeting with Yuval Diskin, the head of Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, the Shin Bet.
Abbas was warned by Diskin that “if he did not ask for a deferral of the vote on the critical report on last year's military operation, Israel would turn the West Bank into a ’second Gaza’.” A senior IDF officer is alleged to have made similar threats to the PA at around the same time.
Diskin, who reports directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, also warned the Palestinians that the easing of restrictions on movement within the West Bank would be revoked as well as permission to operate a second mobile phone company Wataniya.
The PA would have lost tens of millions of dollars in compensation payments to the company
MIDEAST: Israel Crushes Local Dissent, Attacks Global Criticism – IPS ipsnews.net
