Last week, the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, headed by Justice Richard Goldstone, a former member of the South African Constitutional Court and former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, released a 575-page report documenting violations of human rights and international law, war crimes, and possible crimes against humanity committed before, during, and after Israel’s December 2008-January 2009 assault on the occupied Gaza Strip. The reactions of Israel and its supporters were swift and furious. Israel’s President said the report "makes a mockery of history." AIPAC condemned the report as “deeply flawed”

Resources: Read the Goldstone Report (575 pages) Read the US Campaign’s one-page FAQ about the Goldstone Report Read US Campaign Advisory Board member Nadia Hijab’s article “Sinking the Goldstone Report” and watch US Campaign Steering Committee member Phyllis Bennis on Grit TV discussing the report on the US Campaign’s blog

and “biased.” And Rep. Gary Ackerman, one of Capitol Hill’s most vociferous defenders of Israeli occupation and apartheid, accused the authors of the report of living in a “self-righteous fantasyland.”

Members of the UN Mission.

Why are Israel and its supporters so upset by the Goldstone Report? Because it fairly and even-handedly examined the actions of all parties to the conflict and made recommendations to hold all human rights violators accountable through enforcement mechanisms, including compensation and potential prosecution at the International Criminal Court.

As you can imagine, the Obama Administration is under immense pressure to bury this report at the level of the UN Human Rights Council where it will be discussed on September 29 so that it is not referred to international bodies with enforcement powers such as UN Security Council, General Assembly, or International Criminal Court, as the report recommended.

Unfortunately it appears that the Obama Administration is caving into this pressure. Speaking at the UN last week, Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent U.S. Representative to United Nations, characterized the report as “unbalanced, one sided and basically unacceptable.” Assistant Secretary of State Phillip Crowley urged that the “report should not be used as a mechanism to add impediments to getting back to the peace process,” as if holding human rights abusers accountable and establishing peace are mutually exclusive affairs.

It’s a shame that the United States appears to be shielding Israel, yet again, for any accountability for its illegal actions in international forums. It’s even more of a shame coming so soon after the United States, for the first time, assumed a seat on the UN Human Rights Council and, in the words of Dr. Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, stated: “Make no mistake; the United States will not look the other way in the face of serious human rights abuses. The truth must be told, the facts brought to light and the consequences faced.”

The Obama Administration faces a serious test of its commitment to the universality of human rights on September 29 when it will vote on whether to accept the Goldstone Report recommendations.

You can help influence the vote by taking action below.

TAKE ACTION For individuals Contact Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent U.S. Representative to United Nations, before September 29 and urge the United States to vote for the recommendations of the Goldstone Report at the UN Human Rights Council. Phone: 212-415-4062 Fax: 212-415-4053 Email: Click here For talking points, please download our FAQ’s about the Goldstone Report by clicking here or see our open letter below. For organizations Join with the US Campaign, Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights, Code Pink: Women for Peace, International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza, Jewish Voice for Peace, and many other organizations in signing on to our open letter to Ambassador Rice urging the United States to vote for the recommendations of the Goldstone Report at the UN Human Rights Council. The US Campaign will accept signatures on the letter from organizations only please until COB, Thursday, September 24, and will deliver the letter the next day. To read and sign the letter, please click here. Ambassador Susan Rice Permanent U.S. Representative to United Nations United States Mission to the United Nations 140 East 45th Street New York, NY 10017 September 25, 2009 Dear Ambassador Rice, The following organizations are writing to you to express their strong support for the recommendations of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict contained in the Goldstone Report and strongly urge the United States to endorse these recommendations when they are voted on in the UN Human Rights Council on September 29. Earlier this month, the United States assumed a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the first time. Upon assuming this seat, Dr. Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, stated that “We can not pick and choose which of these [human] rights we embrace nor select who among us are entitled to them. We are all endowed at birth with the right to live in dignity, to follow our consciences and speak our minds without fear, to choose those who govern us, to hold our leaders accountable, and to enjoy equal justice under the law. These rights extend to all, and the United States can not accept that any among us would be condemned to live without them.” We strongly agree with this statement and believe that the United States should put these words into action by voting to endorse the recommendations of the Goldstone Report. The UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict did an exemplary job under adverse circumstances of investigating human rights abuses, violations of international law, war crimes, and possible crimes against humanity by all parties before, during, and after Israel’s assault on the occupied Gaza Strip in December 2008-January 2009. The mission was scrupulously even-handed in investigating these violations. As it stated in its methodology, “To implement its mandate, the Mission determined that it was required to consider any actions by all parties that might have constituted violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law. The mandate also required it to review related actions in the entire Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel.” Now that this mission has delivered its report and documented human rights violations by Israel, Palestinian armed groups, and the Palestinian Authority, it is imperative for the United States to support its recommendations. To do otherwise would undermine our country’s commitment to the universality of human rights and contradict Dr. Brimmer’s promise to the UN Human Rights Council: “Make no mistake; the United States will not look the other way in the face of serious human rights abuses. The truth must be told, the facts brought to light and the consequences faced.” The UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict has told the truth and brought the facts to light. On September 29, it is time for the United States to make sure that the consequences are faced for these violations of human rights. We strongly urge the United States to vote in favor of the recommendations in the Goldstone Report. Signed by, National Organizations 1. US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation 2. American Friends Service Committee 3. American Jews for a Just Peace 4. Bangladesh Expatriate Council, USA 5. Center for Constitutional Rights 6. Code Pink: Women for Peace 7. Council for the National Interest 8. Grassroots International 9. International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza 10. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions--USA 11. Jewish Voice for Peace 12. Middle East Children’s Alliance 13. National Lawyers Guild, Free Gaza Subcommittee, International Committee 14. Peace Action 15. Progressive Democrats of America, Middle East Working Group 16. Radius of Arab American Writers 17. Tikkun Magazine 18. United for Peace and Justice 19. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section, Middle East Committee Alaska 1. Alaskans for Peace and Justice, Juneau Arizona 1. Chischilly Pottery, Bisbee 2. Tucson Women in Black, Tucson California 1. 14 Friends of Palestine, San Rafael 2. American Friends Service Committee—Pacific Mountain Region, San Francisco 3. Artios Group, Pasadena 4. Bay Area Women in Black, Oakland 5. Break the Silence Mural Project, San Francisco 6. Bright Morning Press, Fountain Valley 7. Friends of Deir Ibzi’a, Berkeley 8. Friends of South Asia, San Jose 9. IB Globe, Santa Monica 10. Institute of Islamic Sciences, Technology, and Development, Cupertino 11. International Museum of Human Rights at San Diego, San Diego 12. International Solidarity Movement—Northern California, El Cerrito 13. Keep Hope Alive, San Anselmo 14. Mariposa Resources, Mariposa 15. MAY Group, Inc., San Diego 16. Middle East Policy Advisory Council, Oakland 17. Middle East Study Group, Martinez 18. One Earth One Justice—University of California, San Diego, Laguna Niguel 19. Orange County Friends of Palestine, Costa Mesa 20. People United for a Better Life in Oakland (PUEBLO), Oakland 21. Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains, Woodland Hills 22. Progressive Democrats Sonoma County, Santa Rosa 23. School of the Americas Watch—Los Angeles Chapter, San Gabriel 24. Stop AIPAC, Berkeley 25. Surf City Market, Huntington Beach 26. Teach Peace Foundation, Davis 27. Topanga Peace Alliance, Calabasas 28. The Added Edge, Inc., Vineburg 29. The Carpe Diem Voice, Vineburg 30. The Rebuilding Alliance, Palo Alto Colorado 1. Coherent Systems, Woodland Park 2. Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace, Denver District of Columbia 1. Center for the Global South, American University, Washington, DC 2. Ramsay Merriam Fund, Washington, DC 3. Sharing Jerusalem, USA, Washington, DC Florida 1. AGSPEC Enterprises, Inc., Delray Beach 2. Law Office of Ashraf Salem, Tampa Bay 3. Pax Christi Northeast Florida, St. Augustine 4. United Voices for Peace, Gainesville 5. Veterans for Peace, Chapter 14, Gainesville 6. We Are Wide Awake, Clermont Georgia 1. Friends of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees, Atlanta 2. International Business Services, Atlanta Hawaii 1. World Peace Society, Holualoa Illinois 1. Arab Jewish Partnership for Peace and Justice in the Middle East, Chicago 2. Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy, Chicago 3. Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine, Oak Park 4. Jewish Voice for Peace—Chicago Chapter, Chicago 5. Tikkun Chicago, Chicago Iowa 1. Iowans for a Free Palestine, Cedar Falls 2. People for Justice in Palestine, Coralville Kentucky 1. Louisville Committee for Peace in the Middle East, Louisville Louisiana 1. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee—New Orleans Chapter, New Orleans Maine 1. Clark University Students for Palestinian Rights, Freeport 2. Ellsworth Area Peace and Justice, Surry Maryland 1. AG Patents, Silver Spring 2. Howard County Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, Columbia 3. Peace Action Montgomery, Olney 4. The MPRC Group, Bethesda Massachusetts 1. Baza Jewelers, Milford 2. Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights, Boston 3. North Shore Coalition for Peace and Justice, Gloucester 4. United for Justice with Peace, Cambridge 5. Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety, Watertown 6. Women's International League for Peace and Justice, Boston Branch, Newton Michigan 1. A&C International Linguistic Consultants, Menominee 2. Ann Arbor Justice in the Middle East Advocacy Group, Ann Arbor 3. Ann Arbor Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, Ann Arbor 4. Green Party of Kent County, Grand Rapids 5. Middle East Work Group of the Presbytery of Detroit, Detroit 6. MidEast: Just Peace, Cedar Minnesota 1. Center for Interfaith Encounter, St. Cloud 2. Northfielders for Justice in Palestine/Israel, Northfield 3. Students for a Democratic Society, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Missouri 1. Citizens for Justice in the Middle East, Kansas City 2. St. Louis Women in Black, St. Louis 3. The American Muslim, Bridgeton New Jersey 1. Palestinian Heritage Foundation, West Caldwell New Mexico 1. Another Jewish Voice, Santa Fe 2. Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel, Albuquerque 3. Lutheran Peace Group, Jemez Springs 4. New Mexico Muslim Women’s Association, Abiquiu 5. Sadaqa, Sandia Park New York 1. Adalah-NY, New York 2. American Iranian Friendship Committee, Armonk 3. Blauvelt Dominican Sisters, Social Justice Committee, Blauvelt 4. Brooklyn for Peace, Brooklyn 5. Central New York Campaign to End the Occupation of Palestine, Ithaca 6. Middle East Committee--WESPAC Foundation, Pleasantville 7. Peace Action Staten Island, Staten Island 8. Students for a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson 9. Ursulines of Tildonk for Justice and Peace, New York 10. WESPAC Foundation, Pleasantville 11. Western New York Peace Center, Buffalo North Carolina 1. Coalition for Peace with Justice, Chapel Hill Ohio 1. Cincinnati for Justice in Palestine, Cincinnati 2. Cincinnati Palestinian Rights Meetup, Cincinnati 3. Circleville Friends (Quakers), Circleville 4. SOS Art, Cincinnati Oregon 1. Al-Nakba Awareness Project, Eugene 2. Families for Children of Oregon, Portland 3. Individuals for Justice, Portland 4. Socialist Party of Oregon, Portland 5. West Hills Friends Church (Quaker) Peace Committee, Portland Pennsylvania 1. Fisher’s Tax Service, Philadelphia Texas 1. AJ Processing, Austin 2. Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, San Antonio 3. Interfaith Community for Palestinian Rights, Austin 4. Palestinians for Peace and Democracy, Stafford 5. Pax Christi--Austin, Austin 6. Total Truth Sciences, San Angelo Utah 1. Utahns for a Just Peace in the Holy Land, Park City Vermont 1. Kids 4 Peace Vermont, East Ryegate 2. Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, Burlington 3. Why Not News, Lincoln Virginia 1. Pentagon Area Pax Christi Group, Arlington Washington 1. Olympia Friends Meeting (Quakers), Peace and Social Justice Committee, Tumwater 2. Poets West, Seattle 3. Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, Olympia 4. Voices for Middle East Peace, Bellingham Wisconsin 1. Damascus Center for Theoretical and Civil Rights Studies, Appleton 2. Madison Area Peace Coalition, Israel/Palestine Task Force, Madison 3. Madison-Rafah Sister City Project, Madison 4. Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, Milwaukee 5. Peace Action Wisconsin, Middle East Committee, Milwaukee 6. Wisdom’s Well, Madison International 1. British Arab Lawyers’ Association, London, England 2. Centre for Conflict Resolution, Lagos, Nigeria 3. U.S. Citizens against War, Florence, Italy 4. U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice, Rome, Italy Have your organization endorse this letter by clicking here. Again the deadline for signing this letter is COB, Thursday, September 24.

If you appreciate the work that the US Campaign does to challenge U.S. policy toward Palestine/Israel to support human rights, international law, and equality, then please consider making a generous tax-deductible donation to us today by clicking here.