Richard Goldstone defends report about Israel-Gaza war

A heated discussion about what happened during last winter's war between Israel and Gaza as Justice Richard Goldstone debated the former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Dore Gold at Brandeis University. This is the first time Goldstone and a senior Israel official have publicly discussed the report to the United Nations. The Goldstone report, commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council and published on September 15, lambasted both sides in the December-January conflict, which killed up to 1,387 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. The report accused both the Israelis and Hamas of war crimes and gave both sides six months to conduct credible investigations or face possible prosecution in the Hague. Both Israel and Hamas have denied committing any war crimes. During his opening remarks, Goldstone said the issue is not Israel's right to defend itself, but instead whether Israel's military used too much force in its pursuit of Hamas militants and disregarded the safety of civilians. Goldstone insisted there was no doubt as to Israel's role in the bombing of the mosque. As far as the mosque is concerned, we found the remnants of Israeli ammunition, and the tungsten squares were pulled out of the wall in my presence, said Goldstone.