Bernstein doesn't call for exempting Israel, the only democracy and open society in the Middle East, of scrutinizing its status of human rights. But he wants the HRW to bear in mind the critical difference between that society and “the Arab and Iranian regimes...most remain brutal, closed and autocratic” and to correct its distorted and obsessive way of dealing with Israel while losing critical perspective on a conflict in which Israel has been repeatedly attacked by Hamas and Hezbollah, organizations that go after Israeli citizens and use cynically their own people as human shields. These extreme Islamist fascist terrorist organizations are supported by Syria and fully sponsored by Iran, which has openly declared its intention not just to destroy Israel but to murder Jews everywhere.

Clearly, Bernstein agrees that even victims of aggression like the Israelis are bound by the laws of war and must do their utmost to minimize civilian casualties. Nevertheless, “there is a difference between wrongs committed in self-defense and those perpetrated intentionally.” It is important to remind the readers that the Israeli military operation last December took place only after 8 years of daily rockets and mortar attacks launched from the Gaza Strip on Israeli civilians, 8 years of Israeli restraint and diplomatic efforts of no avail, to stop these attacks.

One should wonder how many reports were issued by HRW during 8 years of these daily attacks on innocent Israeli civilians. How loud was HRW's voice in accusing Hamas of violation of basic human rights and publicly warming the terrorist organization that in the end of the day a self-defense act by Israel will be a legitimate act! Had they done it, they could have saved the lives of many Palestinian civilians!

If HRW cares about its credibility, like Bernstein does, it should distinguish itself from the chorus of world's worst abusers, the darkest regimes, some of them among the champions of U.N. Human Rights Council that happily sponsored the ridiculous Goldstone Report that treats Israel and Hamas in an equal footing fashion. HRW members should listen to one courageous voice of a British Colonel who decided not to join the chorus (Watch Video at: http://www.unwatch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=bdKKISNqEmG&b=1313923&ct=7536409)

Colonel Richard Kemp, former Commander of the British forces in Afghanistan and an expert on warfare believes that Israel Defense Forces in Gaza “did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in history of warfare.” On October 16 during a special session of Human Rights Council on the Goldstone Report he stated the following,

“I am the former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan. I served with NATO and the United Nations; commanded troops in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Macedonia; and participated in the Gulf War. I spent considerable time in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, and worked on international terrorism for the UK Government's Joint Intelligence Committee.

Based on my knowledge and experience, I can say this: During Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli Defense Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.

Israel did so while facing an enemy that deliberately positioned its military capability behind the human shield of the civilian population.

Hamas, like Hizballah, are expert at driving the media agenda. Both will always have people ready to give interviews condemning Israeli forces for war crimes. They are adept at staging and distorting incidents.

The IDF faces a challenge that we British do not have to face to the same extent. It is the automatic, Pavlovian presumption by many in the international media, and international human rights groups, that the IDF are in the wrong, that they are abusing human rights.

The truth is that the IDF took extraordinary measures to give Gaza civilians notice of targeted areas, dropping over 2 million leaflets, and making over 100,000 phone calls. Many missions that could have taken out Hamas military capability were aborted to prevent civilian casualties. During the conflict, the IDF allowed huge amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza. To deliver aid virtually into your enemy's hands is, to the military tactician, normally quite unthinkable. But the IDF took on those risks.

Despite all of this, of course innocent civilians were killed. War is chaos and full of mistakes. There have been mistakes by the British, American and other forces in Afghanistan and in Iraq, many of which can be put down to human error. But mistakes are not war crimes.

More than anything, the civilian casualties were a consequence of Hamas' way of fighting. Hamas deliberately tried to sacrifice their own civilians.

Israel had no choice apart from defending its people, to stop Hamas from attacking them with rockets.

And I say this again: the IDF did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.”

Colonel Kemp is not just a military hero but a man of civil courage and integrity.

Raphael Gamzou is the representative of the Israel Economic & Cultural Office in Taipei.