Jilani: Approaching the Matter with an Open Mind

Last Goldstone post for today, I promise. (Eventually he and his report will slip into the dustbin of history where it belongs; I'm just doing my two bits to smooth its way).

Hila Jilani is the Pakistani woman who was on the Goldstone Commission. I don't know much about her, but if you believe her own words, it's pretty clear why the HRC people thought she would make a fine member:

Jilani said the panel was aware of Israel's record of ignoring
international law and discriminating against Palestinians internally. And that
Israel had held probes that had effectively whitewashed its military actions in
Gaza. Yet the panel wanted the council to give Israel a chance to hold
transparent and credible investigations...
Yet Israel has "absolute responsibility as an occupying force toward the
civilian population, a responsibility that has very clearly been violated."
Israel has kept the Palestinians "under an extremely repressive occupation for
40 years" and, then, launched the war on Gaza – "a step too far."

Rule number one when setting up a commission: always choose the members to insure the result you wish to have.