By Sousan Hammad
Al-Jazeera
"The postponement of the UN Human Rights Council vote on the findings of Richard Goldstone's report into Israel's recent 22-day war on Gaza has raised many questions.
Sahar Francis, a Palestinian Israeli and a human rights lawyer who testified before the UN fact finding mission led by Goldstone, spoke to Al Jazeera about the move and its fallout.
Al Jazeera: On Friday, the Palestinian leadership backed moves to postpone a vote on the findings of Richard Goldstone's report. What does this decision mean for Palestinians?
Sahar Francis: It was such a disappointing step by the Palestinian Authority (PA). I think it is a very wrong move as Palestinians have been fighting for human rights for so long.
It's also very disappointing that whenever we come close to the position of ending [Israel's] immunity, politics comes in the way of implementing international law.......
The US announced that it will postpone any discussions over the Goldstone report for another six months until the next Human Rights Council meeting convenes in March 2010. Why do you think this report is being shelved?
Sahar Francis: I think by delaying the debate, they think people will forget, that nothing will come out of the report and no legal procedures will be taken.
As human rights activists, we should not accept this fact. We should keep doing our work to push the view of this report and try to use it in other ways. It is the individual's responsibility.
By using universal jurisdiction we can take cases of personal victims from the war on Gaza to international courts. It won't be easy, but I believe people should make the change. It should come from the Palestinian people and their supporters all over the world who believe in our struggle, and that justice should come to Palestinians."
Al-Jazeera
"The postponement of the UN Human Rights Council vote on the findings of Richard Goldstone's report into Israel's recent 22-day war on Gaza has raised many questions.
Sahar Francis, a Palestinian Israeli and a human rights lawyer who testified before the UN fact finding mission led by Goldstone, spoke to Al Jazeera about the move and its fallout.
Al Jazeera: On Friday, the Palestinian leadership backed moves to postpone a vote on the findings of Richard Goldstone's report. What does this decision mean for Palestinians?
Sahar Francis: It was such a disappointing step by the Palestinian Authority (PA). I think it is a very wrong move as Palestinians have been fighting for human rights for so long.
It's also very disappointing that whenever we come close to the position of ending [Israel's] immunity, politics comes in the way of implementing international law.......
The US announced that it will postpone any discussions over the Goldstone report for another six months until the next Human Rights Council meeting convenes in March 2010. Why do you think this report is being shelved?
Sahar Francis: I think by delaying the debate, they think people will forget, that nothing will come out of the report and no legal procedures will be taken.
As human rights activists, we should not accept this fact. We should keep doing our work to push the view of this report and try to use it in other ways. It is the individual's responsibility.
By using universal jurisdiction we can take cases of personal victims from the war on Gaza to international courts. It won't be easy, but I believe people should make the change. It should come from the Palestinian people and their supporters all over the world who believe in our struggle, and that justice should come to Palestinians."
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