Israel Matzav: Europeans deeply divided on Goldstone

Europeans deeply divided on Goldstone

Last Thursday, the day I arrived in the US, I devoted nearly all my blogging time to the Goldstone report and the debate with Dore Gold at Brandeis. There was a story I didn't cover that was related to the Goldstone report that I'd like to talk about a bit now: The United Nations General Assembly vote to approve the Goldstone report.

That the resolution passed the General Assembly was a foregone conclusion. What's surprising and disturbing is how many countries that ostensibly recognize how biased the Goldstone report is could not bring themselves to vote against it. This is especially true of the European Union.

The 192-member General Assembly approved the resolution by a vote of 114-18, with 44 abstentions and 16 countries not voting.

This non-binding resolution recommends the report be referred to the UN Security Council and the contracting parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention for further consideration.

The European Union was deeply divided on the issue.

Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia voted against the resolution, while Austria, Britain, France, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Latvia, Sweden, Romania, Greece, Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Luxembourg and Spain abstained.

I'm most surprised at Britain and France, and slightly surprised at Denmark. One would have thought that they would take a stand. One would have been wrong.

There aren't that many Jews in Denmark to start with (there are some). Many of France's Jews have left or are leaving - every one of my kids has French-born kids in their class in school. Will England be next?

Israel Matzav: Europeans deeply divided on Goldstone