The French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, deserves to be congratulated, because he canceled his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. He did not submit to the will of Israel, which wants to prevent him from heading to Gaza.

This minister, who enjoys great popularity in France and the world for his humanity and sympathy for tragedies, was in fact late in visiting Gaza, which witnessed a humanitarian catastrophe and Israeli war that were unprecedented in their destructiveness.

The tragedy of the Gaza war, the resulting casualties and the continued blockade truly require more than a visit by a western official like Kouchner.

Known as “the French doctor,” he always leads the pack of visitors to difficult places, where there are tragedies and wars. He is always quick to head for places that require humanitarian solidarity. However, “Dr.” Kouchner has been unable as yet to visit Gaza.

The reason is Israeli intransigence, which has prevented him from making the visit. Moreover, Kouchner did not want to visit a strip under the influence of both Israel and Hamas.

How long will Israel continue this policy?

The Jewish judge, Richard Goldstone, affirmed with objectivity, and in the interest of the country he loves, that the Israeli army was responsible for what happened in Gaza, along with some elements of Hamas.

When we witness the tragedy of the Palestinian doctor, Ezzeddine Aboul-Aish, who lost his three daughters during the barbaric Israeli bombardment of Gaza, we should ask if it was permissible for the administration of a person who won the Nobel Peace Prize, Barack Obama, to vote against the Goldstone report. This Palestinian doctor was treating Israelis near Tel Aviv, because he is peaceful and wants to practice medicine on all people who are victims of Israeli bombs, without excluding any patient. Ezzeddine Aboul-Aish’s call to deal with the other on a humanitarian basis should be an example for countries that continue to justify these acts by Israel.

France has a special stance here, compared to the US, which is always biased toward Israel. But today, with the ambition of its president, Nicolas Sarkozy, to play a role in the peace process, France is taking incomprehensible steps. It was not present at the vote by UN Human Rights Council session, to avoid voting against the Goldstone report, like the US.

The question is the following: why should France have voted against the resolution, and why did it decline to attend?

Informed sources say that Paris wanted more time to amend the resolution, which combined the Goldstone report and other Israeli practices. However, the excuse is weak, since the Goldstone report is about Israeli acts, and it is an objective document, with Paris saying that it is serious. However, France saw, in the resolution’s recommendations, legal and technical aspects that have nothing to do with politics.

But the content and recommendations of the report reveal crimes by Israel that the west would like to forget about. Western countries do not want the recommendations because they impose their authority on those who are responsible for the acts.

The Gaza tragedy is a human tragedy, amplified even more by Israeli acts. How many more victims, such as those in Dr. Ezzeddine Aboul-Aish’s family, will there be?

When discussions with any western official turn to the reason for the lack of punishment of Israel for all of its violations of international law, the official looks at the questioner as if he is an ideologue and a militant who has nothing to do with the policies of states, since punishment of Israel is impossible.

Europe wants to ease its conscience as a result of the Holocaust against the Jews. But it is not helping Israel securing its future. This boosts the Jewish state’s feeling that it is above punishment and can continue its current policies.

Now comes the official postponement of Kouchner’s visit to the region, because of an inability to secure the needed appointments. The covert reason, which been not announced by state officials, is that Israel does not encourage a visit by Kouchner to Gaza. There is also the Goldstone report, which is keeping Israelis, Palestinians and Arab busy, while embarrassing the west.

The French minister is a humanitarian person. He cannot fail to visit Gaza and the Palestinian territories if he goes to Israel. The best solution is to amend his visit and avoid a diplomatic problem with Israel.