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