In case some are willing to accept last week’s limited Hamas apology pertaining to the Goldstone report, officials in Gaza over the weekend have retracted the statements, seeking to preserve the integrity of the terrorist regime.

Last week, reports stated Hamas explained that “resistance to the occupation is not high-tech” and as a result, some of the rocket fire emanating from Gaza did indeed strike civilian areas, albeit not intentionally, insisting the terror organization was aiming for military targets.

The Sunday Yisrael HaYom quotes unnamed senior Hamas officials in Gaza, who insist only a small number of Hamas officials saw the statements released by Goldstone and therefore, one cannot necessarily know with absolute certainty if they appeared in the report’s official response. “What is certain however is the fact that the [Israel] Foreign Ministry response did not contribute and if Hamas did extend a friendly hand, Israel was quick to reject it”.

Sderot Mayor David Buskila is uninterested, rejecting the apology in any event, which he called less than genuine. The mayor explains Hamas fired 8000 rockets and planned to murder 8000 people, firing at civilians, not military targets.

In the meantime, the Arab League is working to compel another discussion on Goldstone in the Security Council in the hope of bringing their case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Israel is continuing diplomatic efforts to persuade the United States, Germany, Italy and France to oppose such a move.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)