Last Monday, in the final stage of a lecture series titled ‘The Brahimi Panels’, debate continued at a packed and politically charged public lecture focusing on the Goldstone Report and the Peace Process.
The event was chaired by Lakhdar Brahimi, previous UN diplomat and envoy, who chaired the study effort to address the dysfunctions of the UN particularly in regards to its information gathering. The panel consisted of Ami Ayalon, former head of Israel’s Secret Service and Head of Navy, Karma Nabulsi director of the Civitas collective project and two members of the UN fact finding mission in Gaza: Professor Christine Chinkin at the LSE Professor of International Law and retired Colonel Desmond Travers of the Irish Armed Forces.
Brahimi and other UN members released the Goldstone Report in September 2009 after a four month investigation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. They concluded that both Israel Defence Forces and Palestinian militants were guilty of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity. They suggested that both sides publicly investigate these allegations. Israel deemed the report as prejudiced. Hamas said it made inaccurate claims about their use of human shields.
In Ayalon’s opening remarks he said, “War is horrible. If we don’t understand it, we understand nothing. There is no ideal war.” He continued to say he had been against the winter 2008/2009 military Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, termed by the Israeli government as a war against Hamas. Ayalon declared that the room had a choice: “to discuss Goldstone or discuss peace. We can’t do both.” He concluded that international politics should move away from “blame and guilt” and look to an era of “responsibility” to create peace in the Middle East.
Nabulsi, speaking for Palestine, argued that Israel’s present position does not achieve peace. She said that international law and politics must be split for the region to progress.
She concluded that well implemented international law would ensure justice for both sides.
One audience member shouted at the close of the meeting that Ayalon had ‘blood on his hands’. Others remarked on Hamas’ using women and children as human shields.
Last week, the European Parliament endorsed the Goldstone report.
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