Compare two news , the same date . Haaretz is liar

EP endorses Goldstone report

European Parliament endorses Goldstone Report

Israel says EP resolution is 'regrettably flawed and counterproductive, as is the Report itself'

by: Yossi Lempkowicz

Updated: 10/Mar/2010 16:29

The European Parliament urges "both sides" to follow up the Goldstone Report’s conclusions by conducting "investigations within five months”.

STRASBOURG (EJP)---Despite intense lobbying efforts from Jewish groups and attempts by the Christian-Democrats to prevent a vote, the European Parliament adopted Wednesday in Strasbourg a joint resolution urging "both sides" to follow up the Goldstone Report’s conclusions by conducting "investigations within five months”.

The resolution, tabled by the four political groups - the Socialists, Liberals, Greens and the European Left- was approved with 335 votes in favour, 287 against and 43 abstentions.

Goldstone report author, Judge Richard Goldstone. (Archive)

Share |

Last update - 12:02 10/03/2010

Jewish lobbying sways EU against support of Goldstone Gaza report

By Cnaan Liphshiz, Haaretz Correspondent

Members of the European Parliament have backtracked from their plan to pass a resolution demanding implementation of the Goldstone report, in response to pressure from European Jewish leaders, Haaretz has learned.

After leaders of all the major EP parties had agreed on the wording of a draft demanding implementation of the controversial document - which accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza last year and proposed prosecuting Israeli officials in the International Criminal Court - the European Union's legislative body was scheduled to vote on the measure Wednesday.

But Tuesday, leaders of the parties backed away from the draft, after the president of the European Jewish Congress, Moshe Kantor, warned them that adopting it would seriously harm EU-Israel ties.
"It appears inconceivable that while the United Nations itself hasn't yet officially adopted this report, the European Parliament, in this motion for a resolution, calls for and demands its implementation," he wrote in a letter sent to the heads of major EP parties.

The joint motion for the resolution was removed from the plenary session's agenda after the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) blocked it.

"The European Jewish Congress played an important role in blocking the legitimization of the Goldstone report," an official from the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.