Support of Goldstone’s report by the Human Rights Council has surprised and aggravated many people, including one of founders of Human Rights Watch, Robert Bernstein.  On Oct. 19, 2009, The New York Times published his article in which he condemned this one-sided report.  Even Richard Goldstone himself, in a recent interview with the Swiss newspaper “Le Temps,” has recognized that in his report “there is no phrase with condemnation of HAMAS”.

The decision of the UN Human Rights Council will have a negative effect on the continuation and development of the peace process in the Middle East.  In the resolution approved by 25 out of 47 members of Human Rights Council, there is no mention of the criminal and terrorist characteristics of HAMAS activity.   In addition, nothing is mentioned about the long-term bombardments of Sderot and other cities of Israel from Gaza prior to the IDF operation.  During eight years of incessant rocket bombardments of Israeli territory, the United Nations kept silent and never adopted a resolution protecting Israeli civilians.  When Israel finally decided to end the bombardment of its cities, the Human Rights Council endorsed a resolution that demonized Israel and its army in the eyes of the international community.

The resolution supported by Russia undermines the interests of those moderate forces in the Palestinian autonomy which would be willing to establish peace with Israel.  Goldstone’s one-sided report strengthens HAMAS’s position and sharply weakens the position of the Palestinian government led by Mahmud Abbas.  As a result of the Human Rights Council’s resolution, the “Hezbollah - Syria – Iran” Axis, has gained support, legitimacy and international approval.

Additionally, Goldstone’s report has strengthened Israel’s belief that all of their attempts to negotiate a peace with the Palestinian Arabs, including voluntary withdrawal from Gaza and other territorial concessions, will always be ignored by the international community.  At the same time, reciprocal steps against terrorists will lead to condemnation by the United Nations.

Lastly, approval of Goldstone’s report will lead to new problems in the struggle against terrorism.  In Gaza, HAMAS and JIHAD widely applied the tactic of using civilians as a “human shield".  Thus, the resolution of the Human Rights Council has actually proven this is a successful form of terrorist activity.  This resolution will complicate the struggle of civilized countries against terrorist activity.  It is surprising that Russia, whose citizens constantly suffer from actions of terrorism, has voted for the resolution, thereby justifying these "human shield" tactics.

Russian-speaking Americans have a number of close relatives and friends in Israel.  But there is another reason for our anxiety about the unilateral position of the UN Human Rights Council.  Israel is a deeply peaceful country, the only democracy in the Middle East, surrounded by autocratic regimes.  In Israel, more than 80 human rights organizations freely operate, a free press exists, and the judicial system often rules against other branches of its government.  There are many political parties, democratic elections, liberal journalists, a politically active and creative scientific community, and independent courts.  This is the country accused of deliberate attacks against civilians and crimes against humanity?

In the last few years Israel has undertaken many steps for rapprochement with Russia, including the canceling of visa requirements for Russian tourists.  I was born and raised in Moscow, and still hope that Russia will become a strategic partner of Israel and will not always automatically vote in the United Nations, as the USSR did, for anti-Israel resolutions. We in America hope that the Russian government aspires to achieve peace in the Middle East, instead of creating new problems and conflicts. A country of such great culture and greater human achievements can not be on a par with rogue countries such as Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, and Syria.

I thank you for your attention to this matter, and I hope to receive a concrete and constructive answer to this letter.

Respectfully,

Alec Brook-Krasny
Member of the Assembly
46th District