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International

Poland votes against Israel war crimes investigation

06.11.2009 16:06

 

 

Poland has joined the United States in voting against a UN resolution to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes in the Gaza Strip

 

The allegations were levied against Israel in the so-called Goldstone Report on the Gaza conflict earlier this year.

 

Last month, Poland also voted against the Goldstone Report at the UN Human Rights Council.

 

The report, released in September 2009, is a UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, led by Richard Goldstone of South Africa. The report, condemned by Israel for bias, accused both Palestinian militants and Israeli Defense Forces of carrying out war crimes and urged an investigation and trial by the International Criminal Court.

 

Today, the UN General Assembly voted 114-18 (with 44 countries abstaining) to adopt a resolution to conduct further investigations into the war crime allegations. Poland, along with the US, Israel, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and others, voted against the resolution.

 

The United Nations Security Council will now review the resolution. The only country on the council to have shown support for an International Criminal Court investigation and trial so far is China.

 

The Goldstone Report, ordered by a UN mission mandate in late January 2009, refers specifically to “events and conduct that occurred in the context of the armed conflict that took place between 27 December 2008 and 19 January 2009” in the Gaza Strip in which over 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. (mmj)

• stefan ratkiewicz 06.11.2009 16:56 FM Sikorski's sejour in Washington is starting to reveal the purpose of his visit.The Goldstone report is being thrown out the window ,so to speak ,a weapons laden vessel crewed by Poles and an end to the Peace Process between the Israeli Govt and the PA.Also included in this debacle is the promotion of the Nord stream project ,which will turn out to become a significant loss of revenue for the Polish State coffers.Instead of attempting to work with her immediate neighbours Polska keeps alienating herself,when, if one was to consider the economic benefits that could be gained from a more realistic approach to Polska's neighbours ,it would nevertheless give Poland a chance to strengthen her economic and military at the same time,hence avoiding promises of security that historically have proven to be fruitless. stefan ratkiewicz
• Ed 06.11.2009 22:54 Stefan, some good points. Now don't be surprised if others accuse you of being a Russian spy ;) Ed
• lol 06.11.2009 23:19 Yeah, voting in accordance with Germany and Czech Republic is undoubtedly alienating them. Oh, maybe only Russia gets alienated? But that's not surprising. "a weapons laden vessel crewed by Poles" - even Isrealis said that crew didn't know about what the cargo really was and will be freed as soon as possible. Is there ANYTHING that makes me think that above comments were not written by a Russian? lol
• Ed 06.11.2009 23:51 I believe Poland's self-isolation if not self-destruction comes through the whole series of steps... I doubt that Stefan is Russian. But then who knows: maybe "lol" is a Russian too ;) We have to be vigilant online. There are Russians everywhere. Ed
• stefan ratkiewicz 07.11.2009 00:21 To LOL
  
  Thanks for your response ,but have you really thought about Polska's options .Many Poles are viewing history through a prism which accentuates the atrocities that have been committed against them ,and I may add for good reason .Yet it must be remembered that the perpetuators of these crimes are for the most part deceased and it would be unjust to blame only the Russians for crimes and or nonchalance committed by the victors during the Golgotha.As you may recall Mr. Putin attributed the cause of the Second World War on the Treaty of Versailles ,and AJP Taylor also ,but that in itself does not diminish the Genocide committed against the Polish Nation.When Willie Brandt knelt before the Polish Nation where a monument was not yet erected to honor the AK and all citizens of the resistance the gesture was very honorable.The Polish
  Catholic Church send a letter to their German brothers promoting reconciliation and lo and behold ,as a surprise to the world Karol became the Pope.My point is not to forget history ,on the contrary ,it must be understood .Given the chance I do believe that the Russians will accept the obvious historical truths ,but they are going to have make peace with their own citizens first, afterwards many things will change.American hegemony and treaties are not the solution to Europe's problems at the moment with regards to the average working individual ,it is based more towards maintaining the status quo amongst the wealthy ,as it has been for a thousand years .By being a little more opened minded towards the Russians and Germans ,Polska could benefit from increased trade instead of being an American/British wedge.
  
  PS i am a fan of 007 stefan ratkiewicz
• stefan ratkiewicz 07.11.2009 00:44 Ed thanks for your comprehension and your concerns. stefan ratkiewicz
• Free Poland 07.11.2009 07:02 Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorsky has not called on Washington to place US troops in Poland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims. Further, it is demanding a retraction of earlier news reports by Russian media.
  The Thursday reports said during his visit to Washington, Sikorsky was allegedly asking for a US military presence on Poland’s soil as a protection from Russia’s “possible” aggression. Free Poland
• Mario 07.11.2009 20:17 I wish Poland was as forgiving when it comes to war crimes committed against its own people. Mario
• John B 07.11.2009 23:39 Mario is the Russian spy. John B
• John B 07.11.2009 23:40 I wonder how the Jews would vote on a Polish question? John B

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