United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday evening that he supports Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in his desire to submit the Goldstone Committee report on Operation Cast Lead to the UN Human Rights Council. Ban and Abbas discussed the issue during a telephone conversation, said spokeswoman Michele Montas.
The report accuses Israel of committing war crimes during last winter's counter-terror campaign in Gaza. Abbas was heavily criticized for not proceeding immediately with Human Rights Council consideration of the report.