BRUSSELS (EJP)---Among the 27 European Union member states, Malta, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia and Cyprus voted last Thursday in New York in favour of the United Nations General Assembly resolution endorsing the Goldstone report on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

The report by a panel of experts chaired by South African judge Richard Goldstone called on Israel and the Palestinians to conduct “credible” investigations into alleged war crimes committed by both sides during the conflict in December-January.

The 192-member General Assembly approved the resolution by a vote of 114-18, with 44 abstentions and 16 countries not voting.  

This non-binding resolution recommends the report be referred to the UN Security Council and the contracting parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention for further consideration. 

The European Union was deeply divided on the issue.

Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia voted against the resolution, while Austria, Britain, France, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Latvia, Sweden, Romania, Greece, Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Luxembourg and Spain abstained.

Israel launched its operation against Gaza’s Hamas Islamist rulers in an attempt to halt years of rocket fire at Israeli towns.

Israel has rejected the Goldstone report as “deeply flawed, one-sided and prejudiced”, while the United States called it “unbalanced and biased” and warned that it will hurt the prospects of achieving peace in the Middle East.