A Debate Worth Noting
A story universally missed last week was the extraordinary debate that occurred in Congress in advance of a vote on a resolution against the Goldstone Report. It may have been that this story was not seen as newsworthy as others playing out at the same time: the fallout over Secretary of State Clinton's "whip lash" performances in Jerusalem, Marrakesh and Cairo; Palestinian President Abbas' announcement that he would not run in 2010; and Israel's seizure of a ship it claimed was transporting weapons from Iran to Hezbollah.
Then again, the significance of the Congressional debate may have been ignored given what appeared to be the lopsided vote in favor of the anti-Goldstone resolution.
It will be recalled that when the Report was first released, Members of Congress were quick to denounce it using, at times, near hysterical language. Since Goldstone had no vocal champions, when Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Howard Berman and ranking Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen introduced their AIPAC-supported anti-Goldstone resolution, one might have thought that the matter would be quickly resolved with a near unanimous vote.
But that was not to be the case.
For his part, Justice Goldstone mounted a vigorous defense of his work. In an open letter to the Congressional sponsors, the Justice offered a point-by-point rebuttal of what he detailed as the misleading and factually incorrect statements in the resolution. In addition, two Members of Congress, Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Brian Baird (D-WA) who had visited Gaza after the war, wrote articles and pressed their colleagues urging a more thoughtful consideration of the Goldstone Report. And the NGO community (including leading human rights organizations, Arab American and American Jewish groups, and a coalition of Christian churches) mobilized their memberships and addressed letters to Congress.
As a result, instead of a quick and quiet vote, an extended debate took place. At least 16 Members of Congress rose to speak eloquently and passionately about their opposition to the bill.
In their remarks, the Members: defended the integrity of Justice Goldstone and the report; spoke of the importance of defending the rule of law; decried the efforts of some to cover-up the horrors that occurred in Gaza; and expressed concern with the lack of any open and transparent process that rushed this anti-Goldstone measure to a vote.
What follows are a few excerpts from some of those who spoke:
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA),
"The tragic deaths of innocent civilians in Gaza and the devastation brought upon their homes, schools, and infrastructure has worsened a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored. Residents of Gaza and the West Bank continue to lack appropriate access to the most fundamental needs, including food, fuel, water, sanitation, education, health care, and the basic materials needed to rebuild their communities."
Congressman William Delahunt (D-MA),
"This resolution came to the floor on suspension without a hearing, despite the willingness of Judge Goldstone to come before the United States Congress and answer any questions that we might pose to him."
Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA)
"My friends who have described the Goldstone Report, as a colleague just did, I'm not sure if they have read it."
"Unlike most of my colleagues here, I have been to Gaza and I have read in its entirety the Goldstone Report. And I will tell you he says many things that, though unpleasant, are true and must not be obstructed."
"Do not pass this resolution. Support this fine jurist. Give justice, true justice, a chance to be heard."
Congressman John Dingell (D-MI)
"Neither Israel nor Hamas, nor any other country or other non-state political actor is exempt from international human rights laws or free of consequence for violations of them. If nothing else, the Goldstone Report should serve as a document that Israel, Hamas, and the rest of the international community can use to ensure that future human rights violations do not take place in civilian areas..."
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
"Almost as serious as committing war crimes is covering up war crimes, pretending that war crimes were never committed and did not exist."
"Because if this Congress votes to condemn a report it has not read concerning events it has totally ignored about violations of law of which it is unaware, it will have brought shame to this great institution."
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN)
"This resolution seeks to hide the ugliness of the Gaza war by covering up violent excesses committed against innocent civilians by both Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces. Why does the U.S. House want to reject an accounting of Hamas' terrorism against Israeli civilians, as if thousands of rockets were not fired at Israel? And why would this resolution want to deny that hundreds of Palestinian women and children and elders were needlessly killed?"
Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA)
"I think that in this body's haste, we've overlooked some of the depth of unspeakable tragedies that have occurred during the war on Gaza. Innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives were lost."
Congressman George Miler (D-CA)
"I fully support efforts to provide clarity, honesty and accuracy to the debate about the conflict in Gaza, just as do many of my constituents who have contacted me this week urging me to oppose this resolution."
Following this extraordinary debate, with both Democratic and Republican leadership actively pushing their Members to vote for the resolution, passage was a foregone conclusion. But, the final vote, though appearing to be lopsided, yielded more votes in opposition that in any previous similar vote on an AIPAC supported resolution, with: 344 For, 36 Against, 22 Present, and 30 Not Voting (Against and Present votes are opposed, and about one-half of those "Not Voting" were also opposed).
What this debate and vote point to is the growing resolve of some significant Members of Congress (a Committee Chair and several sub-Committee Chairs, the Chairs of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus, and some Jewish Members) to speak out and challenge pro-Israel orthodoxy.
It should not go unnoticed.
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I am tired of the insanity in Gaza. I'm tired of Hamas sending suicide bombers in and I'm tired of Israel advancing into Palestinian land by force and cutting off the jobs/food/resources those people need.
Neither country has a good record - both countries have killed civilians and committed atrocities. You'd think they'd be sick of it by now. Wanting peace between Israel and Palestine that includes Israel stopping the illegal settlements isn't anti-Semitic, it's a step toward the end of aggression. Let Palestine have free use of *its own ports*, roads, and resources. Let Israel build and expand in some *other* direction - don't they have a whole country to live in, not just Gaza?
And Palestine needs to root out the terrorists and jihadists and 'kill all Jews!!' people and get them *out* - and not tolerate their inflammatory actions or words anymore.
And the US? Needs to pump some of the billions we've given Israel back into our own country before any more of our bridges collapse, our schools run out of money and teachers, or our kids die from having no health insurance.
"When the President does it, it's not against the law."
When the United States or Israel does it, it's not a war crime.
(torture, pre-emptive invasions or war, use of DU or willy pete against civilians)
Correction: When the rest of the world does it, it's normal. When Israel does it, it's a war crime.
Which is why only Israelis have been put on trial for war crimes in international court.
Oh wait.
I didn't see Arafat charged with war crimes while he was alive, despite his masterminding of hundreds of suicide bombings.
We're still waiting for Mahmoud Abbas to be charged with the murder of Israeli athletes at the Berlin Olympic games.
You might want to consider adding the Palestinians to your "get away with it" list.
And all the Mossad assassinations over the years.
Congratulations to the Democratic leadership for supporting this Resolution condemning the Goldstone Report. Any report that does not take Hamas to task for provoking the war with thousands of rockets hurled at Sderot, and then using civilians, hospitals, and mosques, as shields, cannot and must not be taken seriously.
The Washington Post agrees.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/14/AR2009111402279.html
Or as Martin Luther King, Jr. so eloquently stated:
"Peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality.”
Amazingly I said the word desert when classifying Palestine in the 1940s and I was attacked by three different people from distorting history. I guess they would feel Dr. King did the same thing in his statements. ooo the conveniently liberal. No matter democrats look so conflicted in congress. Even our base are so contradictory when it comes to issues as sensitive as the middle east. Nothing like distorting the liberal view point to condemn Israel. If you want to fight for palestinians rights thats fine but that is entirely different and not even in the same realm as railing on Israel for defending itself against something as corrupt and undermining as Hamas. As a liberal, I would fight for the rights of the palestinian people but as a supporter of Israel I would villify remarks that Israel is persecuting citizens when it is defending itself against the like of Hamas who would resort to any numbers of evils including slander and personal attacks to promote its goal of Israel's ultimate destruction.
BTW... how many republican votes were against? Still 344 votes for is a huge shame of US Congress sold to AlPAC.
Most members of Congress don't read anything. Regardless, they vote the way they are told to vote by the lobbyists who have bribed them. This vote reflects AIPAC's influence in the US Congress.
American's are just waking up to the fact that the people we voted in to office to represent us do no such thing - they represent the lobbyists aka the corporatocracy.
James,
Your notice of Congressional courage on the part of some (still too few, but growing) has brought out the argumentation in droves by the usual detractors. I think you hit a home run!
I think this is a good time to repost this Wikipedia entry. Everyone who posted here should read it, and for some (hopefully) it will cut a little close to home:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionist_occupied_government
The real question I would ask people that actually believe this is if Jews or any group for that matter controlled the world would they really choose themselves as being the victims of the most vicious and heinous acts in the history of the world? I mean maybe they would want to keep a long profile so as to avoid suspicion but not many people who have control would actively seek out to be persecuted time and again. Its like what is the point of all the power if you put yourself in the most miserable situations anyway?
What is more disconcerting is to me is how quickly leftists (and liberals) like the ones here will ally themselves with white supremacists and others from the far *right* side of the political spectrum.
It's like they're willing to throw their values out the window as long as they can take Israel down with them.
What would Jesus Christ say about AIPAC?
What ever happened to Jesus Christ anyway?
Oh yea.
Right.
He was selectively crucified.
is there a more disgraceful body of spineless cowards than our us congress. justice goldstone summarizes a study that had to be painful for him and our brave members of congress in lock step with aipac have now designated this brave man a pariah. i never thought it possible to have more contempt for that body than i already do but i underestimated their cowardice and total absense of integrety.
*The mandate of the commission Justice Goldstone chaired ... was one-sided and biased, and, even though Justice Goldstone made earnest efforts to alter the mandate, he did not fully succeed... We intend to alter the resolution to take account of Justice Goldstone’s effort
*The commission’s report lacks context. It does not take account of the nature of Israel’s enemy - operating from the midst of civilian populations, committed to Israel’s destruction, and fully supported by state actors Iran and Syria. (In fact, it is rather dismissive of claims that Hamas operated from amidst civilian populations.) The report generally gives short shrift to Hamas’ relentless rocket attacks on Israeli civilians, over a period of eight years, which precipitated the war.
*The report does not take into account the extent to which witnesses from Gaza were likely intimidated by Hamas.
*In general, the report is credulous of Hamas claims but skeptical of Israeli claims.
I find this opinion by the house to be wholly accurate . Fact is accepting this or not has nothing to do with personal feelings about Goldstone himself or his integrity. Nor is an war free of horrors or tragedy or death in this world.
Read the report.
And another "debate" on this that was missed last week by the MSM took place at Brandeis U between Judge Goldstone and former Israeli ambassador to the UN Dore Gold. You can see the whole thing at http://www.jcpa.org
Congress decided that Goldstone report was biased. Next subject..
Yet the HP can't seem to get over it...
Being "mildly critical" of the devastation caused by Israel in Gaza is hardly bias.
News reports and personal first-hand witness statements of Israeli aggression from the BBC, Reuters, the Guardian, Al -Jazeera, AP, the Red Cross, Amnesty International, B'Tselem and the UN arent 'bias'.
What IS bias, however is Israeli apologists on here and elsewhere claiming Israel can do no wrong and is a victimized pantywaist and not a brutal occupying rogue state. Even after openly killing over a thousand civilians in Lebanon and also later Gaza? Israel is becoming a pariah state. Ignore reality if you wish. It doesnt matter. Itll sink in eventually.
The goodwill given to Israel since 1948 is all but dried up. Youre claiming victory, but do you really think this would even be openly and publicly discussed by Congress 15 years ago?
Yes, Sentientbeing09, the verdict of the worldwide audience is based on all the above you mentioned: the international (Europe & Middle East) news coverage of the Gaza carnage, the continuing news about demolitions, settler rampages, lack of equal educational facilities for Palestinian children & the like; the eyewitness accounts of visitors like Congressman Brian Baird which have been reported in the alternative media on programs like James Zogby's "Viewpoint" on Link TV; the Red Cross & other international organizations. As you correctly state, this all in addition to the UN officials who were on the scene during the attack by the IDF & after with the Goldstone investigations. The integrity of the Goldstone Report is NOT questioned by the majority of peoples around the world because they have accessible to them unfiltered news from the region. They saw events as they unfolded, something that didn't occur previously, even in Lebanon '06. The Goldstone, however, is questioned by loyalists in Israel who want to maintain the status quo & their American apologists. It appears that even in the US Congress there are now a growing number brave individuals who will dare to speak up against persecution, demonization of an entire people. Let's hope others will be shamed enough to follow in their footsteps!
"What IS bias, however is Israeli apologists on here and elsewhere claiming Israel can do no wrong and is a victimized pantywaist and not a brutal occupying rogue state."
Hate Israel much? Do you have such strong words for Hamas? How about Hezbollah? How about the Iranian regime who funds terrorism and calls openly for the genocide of a country? How about the folks in Afghanistan and Pakistan who throw water in the faces of girls going to school? How about folks currently committing atrocities in East African countries?
I just dont get the hatred for Israel you display. You call it "Goodwill since 1948" i call it a country returning to its rightful home, beating back repeated onslaughts of genocidal maniacs hell bent on destroying a race of people, all while allowing millions of arabs to live within the confines of its country safely, while being persecuted by much of the world.
I think the reason there was no media coverage of the vote repudiating the Goldstone Report was because there was scant coverage of the findings of the Goldstone Report itself.
But, it's just more of the same. The mainstream media has been obfuscating Israel territorial expansion versus Israel security interests. Basically, all we hear is that Israel and Palestine aren't getting along, as usual.
I think the Israel issue is a big reason why Aljazeera isn't available on the cable networks. I can tell you this much - they're a whole lot less partisan than Fox News/Agenda.
Lots of international news here: http://wwitv.com/portal.htm
Best viewed on the TV out of your video card, if you have a TV out.
Dr. Zogby:
That debate might not have been highlighted in the MSM, but it was not overlooked by millions of people in the global community, by the foreign press, by Americans of all races, creeds and religions who sympathize with the plight of the Palestinian people or as Congressman Miller (D-CA) said, "by significant members of Congress" who in greater numbers than before in recent history, decided to withstand the influence of the Israel lobby and denounce the Resolution.
While there remains many challenges ahead, there is also a ray of hope for the Palestinian people in the fact that American minds and sentiments toward Israel are changing.
PTA:
"Congressman George Miler (D-CA)
Following this extraordinary debate, with both Democratic and Republican leadership actively pushing their Members to vote for the resolution, passage was a foregone conclusion. But, the final vote, though appearing to be lopsided, yielded more votes in opposition that in any previous similar vote on an AIPAC supported resolution, with: 344 For, 36 Against, 22 Present, and 30 Not Voting (Against and Present votes are opposed, and about one-half of those "Not Voting" were also opposed).
What this debate and vote point to is the growing resolve of some significant Members of Congress (a Committee Chair and several sub-Committee Chairs, the Chairs of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus, and some Jewish Members) to speak out and challenge pro-Israel orthodoxy.
It should not go unnoticed."
Yea except at the same time there is more and more willingness to speak out against the UNCHR from without as well as within. And even the members subconscious seems to be telling them they are not acting fairly towards Israel and are upholding a now clear and obvious bias.
Why would they pick Goldstone of all people to do this? Isnt being Jewish make him an inherently biased observer in one way or another?
Why task the mission with the goal of investigating Israel and NOT palestine and later not actually change the written intent but claim they were doing otherwise?
Why did Goldstone who wrote the report ad handed them the report listen to them make the decision based on the report that it was israels fault and then, suffer the indignity of having to be corrected once again by goldstone who said the report in fact blamed both parties
Why is hamas never lablled as a terrorist organization? Why did the 500 mortars and rockets launched at israel and being the major provoking factor not become more central to the report?
I applaud congress for attempting to appear fair in something but do not try to be fair just for the mere sake of appearing fair. That does no good to anyone.
Supporting the mission or the palestinians is not or should not be seen as merely the unbiased approach. BOTH PEOPLE SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR THEIR CRIMES. Singling out one as oppressor and one as victim does this world a tremendous disservice and ignores readily available and undisputed facts, The unbias approach would be to actually investigate the entire conflict and not just read the report and decry Israel.
And criticizing Israel does absolutely nothing to help the plight of the palestinian people or the people themselves. It does nothing at all. What would do something would be to insist their leadership who's leaders claim they hang maps all over their cielings and just cut Israel out of all of them. The continue to say they will not rest until Israel is gone from this Earth. Such radical extremism in leadership is the reason this conflict will not end. When has radicalism accepted compromise? The palestinians and the 7 other Arab countries that encircles Israel has never accepted any bit of compromise. They wouldnt do it in 1948 and they won't do it today. And it has gotten them no where. And when someone in leadership grows tired of a life of struggling realizing that the misery and bloodshed is not worth it and seeks compromise, all of a sudden a younger and far more radical groups pops up and gains prominence. So of course, the middle east cannot find peace.
Does criticizing the Arabs help Israel?
And of course, hamas provokes Israel unrelentingly at the expense of and with complete disregard for the safety of its citizens. Gaza didnt want to be attacked? Then why did they launch thousands of rockets at israel the december before the invasion and kill 28 civilians? You say you want to help the palestinians but condemning Israel is merely just agreeing with them. Who are you helping? We need peace and not 5,000 resolutions on why Israel is bad. I am trying to maintain some sense in this mess but so many commentors on here find emotions and lose all sense of reality in the process.
Dr. Zogby, the raft of comments on this article and on the Goldstone Report itself, reflect the utter irrationality of the knee-jerk apologists for ANYTHING Israel chooses to do and the reflexive rejection of ANY criticism of those actions, the Israeli government, or the IDF. The utter hypocrisy is obscured only by the apparent ignorance of either history or politics in the region. Prof. Ira Chernus has a piece up on truthout.org today (11/14/09) in which he delineates pretty clearly the psychopathology underlying this irrationality/hypocrisy, and is worth a read. Thanks for posting this report.
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