Israel Matzav: A good case against Goldstone?

A good case against Goldstone?

Since the IDF released its response to the Goldstone Report, we keep hearing how the international community won't accept IDF investigations anyway. Amos Harel argues that the IDF report shows that Israel has a good case against Goldstone, and he wonders why, given that, Israel is so wary of a commission of inquiry. The most remarkable details concern the one time disciplinary measures were taken against senior Israeli commanders in the operation:

Following what he saw as unjustified artillery fire at a Hamas compound in the Gaza City neighborhood of Tel al-Hawa, GOC Southern Command Yoav Gallant decided to officially reprimand two officers: a brigadier-general and a colonel.

Their names and the details of the reprimand are not specifically mentioned in the report. [Except that Haaretz mentioned them earlier Monday and they are all over the Internet. CiJ].

The Golani brigade was known to be operating in the area where the shooting took place.

Another revelation is the fact that in November, the chief of staff set up a new General Staff investigative team to investigate one incident in which a mosque was destroyed and another in which many civilians were killed, and also to look into a number of complaints about inappropriate treatment of Palestinian prisoners.

Israel's detailed and well-argued report shows that the country has a reasonably good case against the Goldstone accusations. This naturally begs the question why Israeli leadership is so wary of a state commission of inquiry that could ostensibly clear up matters once and for all.

Here are some of the arguments against a commission of inquiry:

1. One never knows what the commission might recommend aside from any findings of fact. This is especially true if the commission is headed by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak, as everyone assumes it would be.

2. The precedent that IDF investigations aren't good enough could leave us setting up commissions of inquiry every week because of incidents that routinely take place.

3. The army would be demoralized by the necessity of conducting an outside investigation.

4. There will be no real investigation on the Hamas side regardless of what Israel does.

5. The 'international community' will not be satisfied with an Israeli commission of inquiry that does not find fault. They are out for blood.

Feel free to think of more reasons.

Israel Matzav: A good case against Goldstone?