Palestinian Abbas appears to let Israel off the hook for Gaza war crimes

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas faced growing outrage at home over his decision to withdraw support for a UN report that alleged Israel and Hamas committed war crimes in last winter’s Gaza war. And mystery surrounds his request to postpone a vote on a U.N. fact-finding report prepared by Judge Richard Goldstone, which convicts Israel for committing war crimes.

“It’s mysterious and strange that the Palestinian National Authority asks for postponement of the voting — which clearly convicts Israel,” said As’ad Abu Sharekh, an academic at the Gaza-based al-Azhar university.

He believed that the reason behind the PNA decision “is the Israeli and U.S. pressure on Abbas in order to pave the way for the resumption of the stalled peace process. I think Abbas is paying a heavy price for reviving an illusive peace process.”

Israel, which vehemently denies the war crimes allegations, has warned that dealing with the Goldstone report now would derail peace efforts.

The 575-page report by Richard Goldstone blamed both the Israeli military and the Palestinian fighters for war crimes but it was most critical of Israeli troops for ”targeting and terrorizing civilians”.

Abbas’ reversal came as a result of intense U.S. pressure, Palestinian officials said. The report by respected justice Richard Goldstone will now lie dormant for at least six months rather than be sent to the UN General Assembly with possible recommendations for action.

[Times of India, and Xinhua]