Action on Goldstone

House Resolution Denounces
U.N. "Goldstone Report" on Gaza

Urge Representatives to Reaffirm Israel 's Right to Self-Defense
by Cosponsoring Ros-Lehtinen/Berman Resolution

On September 15, 2009 the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, led by Judge Richard Goldstone, released its report, commonly referred to as the "Goldstone Report." This report accuses Israel of committing "war crimes" during its defensive operation last winter against Hamas terrorists in Gaza . The notoriously anti-Israel U.N. Human Rights Council endorsed the Goldstone Report and recommended U.N. General Assembly consideration. Labeling the report "deeply flawed", the United States opposed this measure. Libya and the Palestinians are now pressing for U.N. Security Council action.

Members of the House of Representatives have introduced a resolution (H.Res. 867) urging the Obama administration to oppose "any endorsement or further consideration" of the Goldstone Report. The resolution was introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) and Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY). The resolution denounces the "irredeemably biased" Goldstone Report and expresses support for Israel 's right to self-defense. The resolution is expected to be voted on by the full House of Representatives this coming Tuesday, November 3.

ACTION

Contact your House member and ask them to cosponsor the Ros-Lehtinen/Berman resolution (H.Res. 867):

EMAIL

* Click here to send an e-mail to your members of Congress through AIPAC's Take Action page.

PHONE

* Click here to find contact information for your House member. You will be prompted to enter your zip code. You can also reach your Representative through the Capitol switchboard at (202) 225-3121.

* Sample phone script: "I am calling to ask the Representative to cosponsor the Ros Lehtinen/Berman resolution, which opposes enforcement and further consideration of the Goldstone Report."

* You may have the opportunity to speak with a staff person or leave a message at your member's office. In most cases, the person who answers the phone will listen to your message and take notes, but not engage you in a lengthy conversation.

* If you have questions or feedback, please contact Julie Peretz at AIPAC: jperetz@aipac.org or (202) 639-5192.

talking points

* The report of the U.N.-appointed Goldstone Commission is a highly flawed and biased document that wrongly equates Israel 's defensive measures that thwarted attacks against its citizens with the very terrorism that forced Israel to take such steps.

* Rather than illuminating the real causes of the Gaza conflict—eight years of Hamas' unrelenting rocket attacks on Israeli civilians—the Goldstone commission merely rubber-stamped the U.N. Human Rights Council's predetermined conclusion that Israel had committed so-called "war crimes."

* Efforts by the Palestinians and Arab states to have the U.N. Security Council endorse the findings of the Goldstone report—which the Obama administration has described as "deeply flawed—only serve to isolate Israel and undermine U.S. peace efforts.

* This resolution voices Congress' strong support for the administration's rejection of the report's findings and its efforts to end Israel 's isolation at the U.N. and other international fora.

* The resolution also sends an important message to the world that Congress strongly supports Israel 's right to self-defense as others continue to criticize the Jewish state for taking defensive measures to protect its citizens.

CURRENT COSPONSORS (27)

American Samoa: Faleomavaega
California: Berman, Chu
Florida: Buchanan, Klein, Mack, Ros-Lehtinen
Illinois: Shimkus
Indiana: Burton
Kansas: Moran, Tiahrt
Michigan: McCotter
Minnesota: Bachmann, Paulsen
Missouri: Blunt
Nevada: Berkley
New Jersey: LoBiondo
New York: Ackerman, Crowley, Engel, McMahon, Towns
North Carolina: McHenry
Ohio: Latta
Tennessee: Roe
Texas: Sessions
Virginia: Cantor