The Palestine Return Center (PRC) in London and The European Campaign to End the Siege (ECESG) on Gaza express great satisfaction towards approving the Gldstone Report by UNHRC. They both consider the step as turning point to bring justice for victims through chasing the Israeli war criminals.
The vote on the report came after a delay done by the PA early in October. Within two days of prolonged discussions, the report was passed to the Security Council as a majority endorsed it. Twenty five countries voted for Goldstone report while 6 refused beside 11 countries who abstained.
Dr. Arafat Madi, the PRC executive director and head ECESG said that this step comes to support the victims of Israeli offensive in Gaza Strip.
Madi who headed the PRC delegation to UNHRC in Geneva added in press statements that, "This decision of supporting the report is very essential as it clearly condemns Israeli leaders of perpetrating war crimes against the innocent civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip. We have to make use of this chance to bring War criminals to the International Court of Justice in Hague."
According to Madi, reconvening the extraordinary meeting to vote on the report came due heavy pressure exerted by various Palestinian NGO’s, groups and figures over the PA which was postponed it to March 2010.
PRC delegation followed up the 2-day session where serious discussions took place. A Palestinian-Arabic delegation started consultations, Thursday, 15th October 2009, with the Prosecutor of International Court of Justice in The Hague over the report.
It's remarkable that the Goldstone report issued late in September identifies war crimes committed during Israel's war on Gaza between last December and January. Israel was about to be criminalized but the postponement of the report may now allow Israel to once again avoid accountability.
In 27 December 2008 the Israeli military launched its most brutal and savage attack on the Palestinians to date. For 23 days, Israel used all its force against the civilians in Gaza where many were killed and injured.
Israel launched a full-scale offensive in Gaza that left at least 1,400 Palestinians killed and over 5000 injured. The entire infrastructure in Gaza was destroyed as Israeli attacks targeted schools, hospitals, streets, water wills, sewage system, farms and police stations.