Beijing will oppose discussing the Goldstone Commission's report at the UN Security Council and allowing the document to serve as a basis for law suits against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Chinese members of parliament told a visiting delegation of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in Beijing on Wednesday, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The Goldstone report, which stated that Israel had committed possible war crimes during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, called on the UN Security Council to refer the matter to the ICC, which could prosecute individual Israelis.

The Chinese statement came after MK Tzahi Hanegbi (Kadima), who chairs the committee, slammed China for voting in favor of a resolution endorsing the Goldstone Report at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session on Friday.

Despite Israeli lobbying efforts, the resolution passed 25-6, with 11 countries abstaining and five declining to vote. Russia, along with India and China, all voted against Israel at Friday's meeting that sent the report to the UN General Assembly.

The Chinese MPs stressed that the UNHRC has the tools to look into the report, which accuses Israel of war crimes, without the involvement of other international institutions.

Speaking of the Chinese and Russian votes at the UNHRC, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said on Sunday, "This is very disappointing. We are going to check this through diplomatic channels with these countries. Russia and China are very serious countries which we respect and appreciate. We do not understand why they would vote against their own interests."

In related news, a UN official in New York on Monday announced that the UN General Assembly would hold a special session to discuss the Goldstone report before the end of 2009, Israel Radio reported.

According to the report, the exact date for the session would be set after consultations with the relevant parties and representatives of UN member states.