Human Rights Watch backs off blaming Israel

As a followup to my earlier post it appears that Human Rights Watch, which initially blamed the Israeli Defence Forces for the blast, is backing down somewhat:

On Monday, the Human Rights Watch, while sticking to its demand for the establishment of an independent inquiry into a blast on a Gaza beach 10 days ago that killed seven Palestinian civilians, conceded for the first time since the incident that it could not contradict the IDF's exonerating findings.

On Monday, Maj.-Gen. Meir Klifi - head of the IDF inquiry commission that cleared the IDF of responsibility for the blast - met with Marc Garlasco, a military expert from the HRW who had last week claimed that the blast was caused by an IDF artillery shell. Following the three-hour meeting, described by both sides as cordial and pleasant, Garlasco praised the IDF's professional investigation into the blast, which he said was most likely caused by unexploded Israeli ordnance left laying on the beach, a possibility also raised by Klifi and his team.

Of course this will mean nothing to the Palestinians who bear absolutely no responsibility whatsoever for the conflict with Israel.

Hat tip to Dale at QandO who succinctly sums up the likelihood that the Palestinians will apologize to the IDF for falsely accusing them.