Jerusalem - Israel rejected Friday the United Nations Human Rights Council ratification of Judge Richard Goldstone's report on the fighting in and around the Gaza Strip at the turn of the year, and called on other countries to reject the council decision as well. "The adoption of this resolution by the UNHRC impairs both the effort to protect human rights in accordance with international law, and the effort to promote peace in Middle East," a Foreign Ministry statement issued Friday afternoon said.
Calling the UNHRC resolution "unjust, the statement said it "provides encouragement for terrorist organizations worldwide and undermines global peace."
Some 25 states in the 47-member Human Rights Council voted in Geneva to accept the report and 11 delegates abstained. Six nations, including the United States and some European Union nations voted against the resolution.
The report, written by Goldstone, a South African war crimes prosecutor, and three other international experts, concluded that both Israel and the Hamas movement likely committed war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity during their three weeks of fighting.
"Israel will continue to exercise its right to self-defense, and take action to protect the lives of its citizens," the Israeli statement said,and slammed the UNHRC resolution for ignoring attacks by the Islamist Hamas on Israeli civilians.
