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PM Netanyahu meets with US Secy of State Clinton in Jerusalem (Photo: GPO)

Building in the settlements:

PM Netanyahu: I said that we would not build new settlements, would not expropriate land for addition for the existing settlements and that we were prepared to adopt a policy of restraint on the existing settlements, but also one that would still enable normal life for the residents who are living there. … The issue of settlements and the issue of territories and the issue of borders, these will be engaged in the negotiations and they’ll have to be resolved for a peace agreement to be achieved, but you can’t resolve it in advance of the negotiations, and you certainly shouldn’t pile it on as a pre-condition. 

Secretary Clinton: Well, I would add just for context that what the Prime Minister is saying is historically accurate. There has never been a pre-condition, it’s always been an issue within the negotiations. What the Prime Minister has offered in specifics of a restraint on the policy of settlements which he has just described - no new starts for example, is unprecedented in the context of prior-to negotiations. … You know, there are always demands made in any negotiation that are not going to be fully realized. I mean negotiation by its very definition is a process of trying to meet the other’s needs while protecting your core interests, and on settlements there’s never been a pre-condition. There’s never been such an offer from any Israeli government and we hope that we’ll be able to move into the negotiations where all the issues that President Obama mentioned in his speech at the United Nations will be on the table for the parties to begin to resolve. 

Watch the press conference on video

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Human Rights Council holds Special Session (UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre)

Despite the significant improvement in the vote on friday October 16th, when compared with the original vote (12 Jan 2009) establishing the Goldstone Mission, Israel rejects the one-sided resolution adopted today in Geneva by the UN Human Rights Council, and calls upon all responsible states to reject it as well.
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Goldstone's report-  latest statements and articles:

The Washington Times: The U.N. sides with terrorists- October 19th

Statement by Ambassador Leshno Yaar to the Human Rights council- October 15th. 

Statement by Amb Shalev to the UN Security Council- October 14th.

The Miami Herald- End wretched charade over human rights- October 14th.

The Goldstone Report: Articles from the world press

 Gaza Facts- The Israeli Perspective

On the evening of October 12th, a large explosion took place in the house of a senior Hezbollah member which was being used as an arms cache in Tayr Filsay, a village approximately 15 km east of the coastal city of Tyre and south of the Litani River. During the explosion, a number of people were injured, including the home's owner, Said Issa.

Following the explosion, Hezbollah began to remove the remaining weapons from the cache, isolating the scene and preventing UNIFIL or LAF access. Similar to the prior incident at Khirbit Salim, the LAF failed to quickly respond to the event. The Hezbollah then moved the weapons to another arms cache in the center of Dir Kanoon a-Nahar village, 3 km SW of Tayr Filsay. A large truck was used to transfer the weapons, which, based on the size of the truck, likely included rockets or rocket launchers. In an attempt to divert responsiblty to Israel, Hezbollah said that the explosion was a result of an Israeli shell left from the Second Lebanon War.

This is the yet another manifestation of the ongoing violations of UNSCR 1701 in Lebanon in the past four months (Khirbit Salim, July 14th), reflecting Hezbollah's continued operations in Southern Lebanon despite UNIFIL efforts. Hezbollah's deployment throughout Southern Lebanon relies on exploiting local civilian infrastructure to conceal military infrastructure.

 ( IDF Spokeperson)

View a video of removing evidence from the scene 

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Photo: UN Photo/Marco Castro

"In 1947, this body voted to establish two states for two peoples - a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews accepted that resolution. The Arabs rejected it. We ask the Palestinians to finally do what they have refused to do for 62 years: Say yes to a Jewish state."

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US President Obama watches Israeli PM Netanyahu and Palestinian President Abbas shake hands during trilateral meeting in New York, September 22, 2009 (Photo: Reuters)

PM Netanyahu in CNN interview:"Any time we have encountered an Arab leader who wanted to make peace, we made peace... If the leader of the Palestinian Authority genuinely steps forward and says, we recognize the State of Israel, we're willing to make peace with the Jewish state, and it will be a peace of the recognition and security, then my government will make peace."

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See also interview with PM Netanyahu on ABC News

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The report

This detailed Paper discusses a range of factual and international legal issues relating to the military operation undertaken by the Israel Defence Forces (“IDF”) in Gaza in December 2008-January 2009 (the “Gaza Operation”).
The Paper has been prepared at this time in order to place the Gaza Operation in its proper factual and legal context.

The Paper also gives a detailed account of Israel's efforts to coordinate and facilitate humanitarian relief and assistance to the Palestinians in Gaza. It also documents repeated Hamas abuses of these arrangements, including Hamas’ launching of attacks during humanitarian pauses and directed at crossing points, and Hamas’ hijacking and theft of humanitarian supplies intended for those in need.

Israel deeply regrets the civilian losses that occurred during the Gaza Operation. But Israel has both the responsibility and the right under international law, as does every State, to defend its civilians from intentional rocket attacks. It believes that it discharged that responsibility in a manner consistent with the rules of international law. Israel is committed to a thorough investigation of all allegations to the contrary and to making the results of these investigations and subsequent reviews public when they are completed.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                    

FUll REPORT - click on the picture

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Picture: Mission of Israel

FM Liberman: We had very constructive discussions, which also marked 50 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and the EU.

 We are pleased to note the progress made throughout these years and acknowledge the mutual benefit of engaging and enhancing the concrete economic, commercial, scientific, technological, educational and cultural ties between the parties.

We welcome the EU’s contribution to the efforts aimed at attaining security, stability and prosperity that will lead to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

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