China joined Russia and France Thursday in opposing discussion of the Goldstone Report by the United Nations Security Council. The report contains findings on Israel's counter-terror Operation Cast Lead in Gaza last winter and accuses Israel -and to a lesser extent Hamas - of committing war crimes during the operation. During a visit of members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to Beijing, Chinese officials also said the country will attempt to block the report being used as evidence in any war crimes trial.
Ahead of his visit to Israel next week, special United States envoy George Mitchell has called the report - which he described as "one sided and deeply flawed." - a setback in his efforts to renew talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.