This newsletter-type-thing just came in from Jewish Voice for Peace:
Dear Jonas,
Frankly, I’ve had enough of the lies and distortions surrounding the UN Goldstone Report. I’ve had enough of the maneuvering by Israel, the US, and other countries in order to dismiss the report and its authors and bury it altogether.
If you are as dismayed as I am, sign at SupportGoldstone.org, and we’ll let key Israeli officials, members of Congress, and Goldstone himself know how many of you support the report.
What we need, instead of the smear campaigns, is discussion of the report’s substance: the use of phosphorus that literally burned people alive (I saw the terrible impact with my own eyes on a recent trip to Gaza); or the use of metal darts called flechettes that twist when they enter the body; or the long term impacts of contaminated land and water.
Early next week the report heads to the floor of the US Congress and the UN General Assembly, and we’re expecting continued pressure to have this important document roundly dismissed.
The continued attacks on the Goldstone Report prevent accountability for the civilian victims before, during and after the attack on Gaza — both Palestinians and Israelis — and shred the rule of law.
That’s why we are asking you to say: I support the Goldstone Report. Once you sign, we’ll tell you how to easily and quickly lobby Congress and your UN Ambassador in the next few days.
The truth is that the Goldstone Report is a well-researched, fair-minded report. It accuses both Israel and Hamas of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during the attack on Gaza, and it calls on Israel and Hamas to conduct credible, independent investigations or face the International Criminal Court.
Israel decided not to cooperate with the investigation and now claims that the report and its results are biased. Worse yet, Israel claims that the report negates its right to defend its population, when in reality, all the report does is insist that such a defense take place within the bounds of international law.
The United States and other countries are repeating the same lines, and have exerted great diplomatic pressure to kill the report.
The US Congress is getting ready to pass a resolution next week calling on President Obama to do everything he can to bury the Goldstone Report. The UN General Assembly will vote on it. Israel might launch its own investigation, if it is pressured enough to do so. And if it does, our task will be to ensure that the investigation is comprehensive, impartial, and aimed towards addressing, punishing and preventing future human rights abused – and not at changing the laws of war such that another blatant assault on civilian life and property as the Gaza war will ever become acceptable under international law.
Please join us in supporting the Goldstone Report now.
Thanks,
Cecilie Surasky
Jewish Voice for Peace
I’d like to ask my readers to take the time and show some support for the Goldstone Report. The situation in Israel is an ongoing travesty of international law and human rights, and every little thing we can do to improve that situation is worth doing. (And yes, before someone starts commenting about the evil anti-Semites criticizing Israel, this comes from a Jewish organization. Because there are good people on all sides.)
