A/S BRIMMER'S SEPTEMBER 29 MEETING WITH ISRAELI

UNCLAS STATE 104212 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNGA SUBJECT: A/S BRIMMER'S SEPTEMBER 29 MEETING WITH ISRAELI UN PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE SHALEV ¶1. SUMMARY. A/S Brimmer met with Israeli Permanent Representative to the United Nations Gabriela Shalev on September 29 on the margins of the 64th UN General Assembly (UNGA). Shalev was accompanied by Deputy Permanent Representative Daniel Carmon, Mr. Amir Weissbrod, and Mrs. Keren Shahar Ben-Ami of the Israeli Mission. The discussion focused on the Goldstone Report. END SUMMARY. ¶2. At a meeting with IO Assistant Secretary Esther Brimmer, Israeli Permrep Gabriela Shalev discussed Israel's concerns over the Goldstone report. She said Israel was very upset about the report for many reasons. Shalev said the announcement was made in an unacceptable place, as "the report has nothing to do with New York," and at an unfavorable time, the opening day of the 64th session of the General Assembly. Shalev said that Israel's decision not to cooperate on the report was, in hindsight and despite some debate in Israel, the correct decision. If Israel had cooperated, it would be party to an unacceptable document. Shalev said that accusations that the Israeli military committed war crimes and that the Israeli justice system was biased were "upsetting and one-sided." ¶3. Israel was preparing to react, Shalev said. Consideration was being given to conducting a thorough investigation in addition to the 70-plus page report already completed by the Israeli Army. Shalev stated, "I know for sure that there were no war crimes." She continued, "Gaza was a war, a complicated war, conducted under impossible conditions." Israel sympathized with innocent Palestinians whom Hamas used as human shields. Some events happened that should not have, she conceded, and perhaps there were "areas where soldiers weren't careful enough." Israel was investigating some 80 to 90 individual incidents, and some cases were still pending. Shalev said that Israel's enemies were already using the report as propaganda at the General Assembly. In summary, Shalev said that the Goldstone report was very painful for Israel, which could accept the report or any consequences resulting from it. Shalev indicated that the Russian Federation would also support keeping consideration of the report in Geneva. 4 In other matters, Ambassador Shalev said that Israel would co-sponsor the UN Security Council resolution on sexual violence in conflict situations on September 30.(Note: Passed by consensus as UNSC Resolution 1888. End Note.) She also praised her good relationship with USUN, saying, "We don't always agree, but we don't allow rumors and negativity to ruin the relationship, which is rooted in common values of human rights, human dignity, and equality." ¶5. Ambassador Carmon, at the end of the meeting, raised the possibility of a follow-up visit to Washington by Israeli MFA Deputy Director-General Eviatar Manor in the next few weeks. Noting that she had last met with Manor in June 2009, A/S Brimmer said she welcomed such a visit. CLINTON