When some 60 leading Israeli actors and playwrights signed a letter stating they would refuse to play in the new theatre in Ariel, one of Israel's largest settlements, the attacks from Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israel's Minister of Culture and Sport and many others were swift and intense. Over 150 leading Israeli academics and writers-including Amos Oz and David Grossman- came to their defense.
We are so deeply proud to introduce the new Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council co-chaired by Rabbis Brant Rosen and Alissa Wise (pictured above).
(October 30, 2009) 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.
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.