The US is so far removed from Gaza that there is no way for our congresspeople to evaluate the UNHRC report or the Goldstone report. They are out of it, in a separate reality. I know people who were in Gaza at the time, and they all say the Goldstone report is too limited in scope although he tried to be fair.

and condemned, both with fact and legal basis. You can read it all over the web, if you actually want to. And goldstone too has been condemned, for allowing such a dangerous piece of rubbish to be written either by him or in his name.

It gives one paragraph to the actions of the Palestinians, and does NOT call the holding of Gilad Shalit a war crime. I do want to point out that Hamas, as the democratically elected leaders of the Palestinian people, equate 1000 Palestinian prisoners to one of ours (Gilad Shalit), then the ratio of casualties becomes close to 1:1, excluding all the casualties Israel suffered during the Hamas rocket attacks before the war, Which were ignored in the report. The problem started, as you yourself brought up, in what the report was commissioned for. Please read that, and then say it is balanced.

idiot! stop playing semantics here. GOLDSTONE IS THE REPORT. HAMEED ABOUGHAZE, IRANIAN

If Goldstone wanted to be fair. He would have not accepted the task of preparing the report as he was unable to gather the necessary evidence from independent sources. Just "trying hard to be fair" is hardly something to hang a major indictment on. No, Goldstone just lined his own pockets with UN money to conduct a half-baked dossier of innuendo, half-truths, lies and omissions. That is NOT FAIR and you do not need to be close to Gaza as you suggest to nail a report like this as unbalanced.

Commission members did not ask the interviewed Palestinians questions about the activities of Hamas and the other Palestinian terrorist organizations operating in the Gaza Strip which could be classified as war crimes or that were potentially dangerous to innocent Palestinians. Furthermore, there was no serious consideration of Palestinian "friendly fire" incidents, and we can only guess how many Palestinian civilians were killed or wounded by Palestinian fire. Reports issued by the Palestinian terrorist organizations themselves detailed the fighting in a way that often contradicted the Palestinian witnesses. In addition, the witnesses hid vital information from the commission regarding the presence of armed terrorists or exchanges of fire in their vicinity. To read more visit, http://jcpa.org/JCPA/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DRIT=1&DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=111&FID=442&PID=0&IID=3086&TTL=Blocking_the_Truth_of_the_Gaza_War

(a) We're talking about the report, not minutes of some meeting. The report damns Hamas. But then since you have obviously not read the report, you would not have seen that. (b) For the record, the UNHRC adopted the report: "Condemning all targeting of civilians and stressing the urgent need to ensure accountability for all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law to prevent further violations" -- all targeting, not just Israel, not just Hamas -- all! (c) The Geneva Conventions do not have a minimum number of innocent civilians that have to be murdered before it is a war crime (too bad for Israel). (d) What "tens of thousands"? -- we are talking about the Gaza Conflict and the Goldstone Report, remember? Go back and read the article we're supposed to be commenting on. Fewer than 20 Israelis died in this conflict. Tens of thousands -- what planet are you on?

Have you actually READ the report? It is not "based almost entirely on unverifiable Palestinian claims" -- claims were verified by multiple witnesses, non-Palestinian in many cases and Israelis in some. The methodology was as sound as possible given Israel's active attempts to prevent any investigation whatsoever. Even if the evidence is in doubt, what is the real reason for trying to bury the entire report and avoid open and transparent investigations? Perhaps could it be you know that the results would not reflect well on Israel -- so better to damn Goldstone than face the truth.

George, you are so full of Jew-hatred it is spilling out of your ears. For the record, Israel retaliated in Gaza following eight years of daily missile barrages from Gaza. If you REALLY want to be an apologist for Arab crimes against humanity, then so be it. Just don't twist the facts around to meet your Jew-hating agenda. Be honest, George. What happened? Did your Jewish boss fire you for incompetence? Did a Jewish person fire your mother because she was a lousy housekeeper? What is it, George, that fuels your raging anti-Semitism? Tell us. Inquiring minds want to know.

The US does not own the UN to impose an opinion on it.

Agreed. We just want the truth, here, "observer." Something tells me the United Nations isn't exactly truthful, you know?

I make a number of serious posts, pointing out errors in the arguments and the red herrings in various posts (Sarah B in particular). I even ask some questions, in particular, why is Israel so afraid of an open judicial inquiry if it has nothing to hide? What do I get in response? From Sarah B a vituperative and hateful ad hominem attack on me personally that does not address any of my points or support any of her arguments that I had shredded earlier. Responding to my points simply by calling me a jew-hater and and anti-semite means I win! Thanks. That was easier than I expected.

Its okay. She pretty told me my opinion was invalid because of injustices that occurred in my country before I was born and before my ancestors even migrated here. Usually when people have been defeated, they like moving on to personal attacks instead.

Sarah B refers to Israel retaliating to eight years of missile barrages from Gaza, but for some strange reason, without listing the suppression, restrictions, etc that Gaza has endured for over 40 years. No one seriously thinks any area hasn't the right to defend itself. Some do think however that there's been unnecessary excess and cruelty. In the eight years look at the death toll -- maybe 20 on one side and 1000s on the other. In the January Gaza war alone the tally was 13 Israelis (including four from friendly, ie Israeli, fire!) and from 1100 to 1500 Gazan by others. Gaza is still controlled by Israel, in effect borders sealed, not allowing in some cases cement, wood, and even paper (one wag said it was to prevent Gazans producing airplanes). Gazans couldn't even go to the beach for about 37 years and now there's a barrier along the coast so they can't fish very far. The most modern military in the world against a small area with no army, navy, or airforce? Defend itself, yes. Obliterate and destroy economic viability a weak and disabled country? Pretext, not defence. As for the rest of the message, can't help thinking of "sticks and stones may break my bones...."

When the tawdry, investigation-happy US Congress votes to sweep a report under the rug, you know there's something to hide (think phosphorous and DIME munitions). But in this case, it's too late. What is truly an objective report has been accepted by most of the world and many Israelis. The war crimes are on record. How long will Congress continue to defend what is indefensible?

I can think of no better descriptions for all those in Congress or elsewhere who supported this resolution. The resolution was amply demonstrated to be misleading, inaccurate, and outright deceitful in its misrepresentation of the contents of the Goldstone report. That Congress voted in favor of this fraudulent capitulation to Israeli terrorism is testimony to just how far from American values this Congress has strayed. Anyone who supports this resolution deserves the same fate as the tortured and murdered Palestinians, whose homeland was absconded through deceit and violence, and who continue to this day to suffer persecution at the hands of bloodthirsty Zionist zealots and corporate murderers. The members of Congress who supported this resolution are traitors to America, and true justice would find them suspended from nooses.