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UN backs Goldstone report into Gaza

October 16, 2009 13:12
GAZA 1

ByJessica Elgot, Jessica Elgot

1 min read

The UN Human Rights Council has adopted the Goldstone Report, with a huge majority voting in favour of referring the report’s recommendations to the UN Security Council.

Twenty-five members voted in favour, with six voting against the report, including the US. Eleven countries, including Britain and France, declined to vote.

Israel does not have a seat on the Human Rights Council, but Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak personally telephoned European leaders, including Gordon Brown and David Miliband, urging them to vote against the report.

The Conservatives have voiced their opposition to the resolution. Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said: “Unless the draft resolution is redrafted to reflect the role that Hamas played in starting the conflict, we would recommend that the British Government vote to reject the resolution.”