The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict

Our dear friends Phil Weiss and Adam Horowitz of Mondoweiss at an event organized by Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) to launch of their new book The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict, an edited version of Judge Goldstone’s U.N. report documenting war crimes during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. It includes essays by Raji Sourani, Leila El-Haddad, Ali Abunimah, Rashid Khalidi, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Brian Baird, with a forward by Desmond Tutu and an introduction by Naomi Klein.

The event was chaired by Penny Rosenwasser of MECA. Also speaking at the event were Prof. George Bisharat of UC Hastings Law School and Barbara Lubin of MECA.

The Middle East Children’s Alliance marked the Bay Area release of the new book “The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict” with co-editors Phillip Weiss and Adam Horowitz at the First Congregational Church in Oakland. Phillip Weiss and Adam Horowitz of Mondoweiss, along with UC Hastings Law School professor George Bisharat, discussed specific instances of human rights violations and war crimes committed during Israel’s war on Gaza in 2008–2009, the U.N. fact-finding mission headed by Richard Goldstone, and the political ramifications of the resulting report on the Gaza War. Also discussed were the pressures applied to Judge Goldstone after the monumental and scathing report was released, leading to his partial recanting of elements of the report in a recent op-ed published in the Washington Post and what, if anything, that means for the movement for accountability in Israel and justice in Palestine.

The Oakland book release event was a fundraiser for MECA’s Maia Project which provides clean drinking water for the children of Gaza. The event was co-sponsored by KPFA, National Lawyers Guild, US Palestinian Community Network, Jewish Voice for Peace, Global Exchange, Bay Area Women in Black, Code Pink, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.

It was announced that on May 21st through 24th in Washington D.C. activists will be countering the annual AIPAC policy conference with an event of their own called “Move over AIPAC: Building a New US Middle East Policy.” Codepink, together with over 100 peace and justice groups, are organizing the gathering to expose the AIPAC lobby and build the vision for a new US foreign policy in the Middle East. It will feature creative actions, keynote speakers, book signings, workshops, and cultural events.