Brandeis site has report on the debate between Judge Goldstone and the mustachio’d Dore Gold last night.
[Dore] Gold called the report "the most serious and vicious assault on the State of Israel since" U.N. General Assembly passage in 1975 of a resolution declaring Zionism a racist, imperialist ideology that threatened world peace….
"Let me be absolutely clear," [Judge Richard] Goldstone said. "International law allows, and indeed requires, Israel to defend its citizens. Hamas and others committed serious war crimes against the citizens of southern Israel…. " However, he said, there is evidence that Israel’s policy in the latest fighting was to direct its military might against civilians and civilian infrastructure as a way of deterring future rocket attacks, a policy he said "completely undermines the foundations of international law."
Goldstone said his central criticism of Israel is that its strategy intentionally applied disproportionate force in Gaza to inflict widespread damage on the civilian population. His report found that the Israeli air and ground attacks destroyed 5,000 homes; put 200 factories out of operation, including the only flour factory in the country; systematically destroyed egg-producing chicken farms; and bombed sewage and water systems.
“If that isn’t collective punishment, what is?’’ Goldstone asked.
