Israel Matzav

Goldstone's retraction an attempt to escape ostracism?

Natalie Wood claims that Richard Goldstone's retraction of the infamous report that bears his name is nothing more than an attempt to regain acceptance into the Jewish community.

Indeed, Israel’s Ynet News reported that his decision was influenced by the constant harassment and cascades of threatening letters and emails he received in the wake of the report which bears his name.

Goldstone’s friend, Dr. Alon Liel says the ‘hell’ that he endured contributed to his decision to write his retraction.

"When Israel decided to boycott him, it was an overwhelming insult. 'I'm a Jewish judge, a respected Zionist – and Israel doesn't trust me?', Liel quoted his friend as saying. He was a broken man.

"I'm not saying that the threats he received and the hell he went through are what made him publish his article, but there is no doubt in my mind that it influenced his decision," says Liel.

Alon Liel. Former Director General of the Foreign Ministry. What a perfect soulmate for Goldstone. Alon Liel, who tried to pretend that Israel bears no responsibility or obligation to Jonathan Pollard. Alon Liel, who tried to trick the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee into believing that Bashar al-Assad wants peace and it's all our fault that we don't have it. Alon Liel, who urged then-Education Minister Comrade Yuli Tamir to prevent Israeli students from hiking in the Golan. Yes, Alon Liel is a perfect soulmate for Goldstone. A mendacious shmuck.

But I digress. Let's go back to Goldstone. It seems things aren't quite working out as planned.

While his unexpected intellectual somersault has caused much cynical mirth on social networking sites, it has generated even more serious anger. Thus far his efforts at social rehabilitation have been thwarted.

...

Moreover, far from welcoming the prodigal back into the bosom of his extended ‘family’, the international Jewish community is considering further social ostracism.

Bwahahahahaha.

Wood also cites unnamed "other lawyers" who say that Israel should have argued its case in front of Goldstone. You've got to be kidding. Refusing to appear before a court that you believe has no jurisdiction is one of the oldest and most respected tactics in the book. Had Israel appeared before Goldstone and (as is likely) had the same conclusion been reached, Israel would have no avenue of appeal, and it would be far less likely that Goldstone would have written a retraction.

Goldstone is a long way from re-acceptance into the Jewish community. And deservedly so. Unlike the kapos of the Nazi era, he cannot even claim that he did what he did to save his own life.

Labels: Alon Liel, Goldstone Report, Richard Goldstone

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:43 AM