Studies show that US coverage is Israeli-centric. The main bureaus for CNN, Associated Press, Time, etc. are located in Israel and often staffed by Israelis. The son of the NY Times bureau chief is in the Israeli army;"pundit" Jeffrey Goldberg served in the IDF; Wolf Blitzer worked for AIPAC. Because the U.S. gives Israel over $8 million/day - more than to any other nation - we feel it is essential that we be fully informed on this region. Below are news reports to augment mainstream coverage.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Congress passes Goldstone-Gaza Resolution 867

The resolution, which was slightly amended at the last minute, to oppose the Goldstone report and veto any UN actions ended up with 202 co-sponsors (52 added their names on the last day).

This website shows how individual representatives voted: 344 yay, 36 nay, 22 abstained.

JTA - Ron Kampeas: Congress debates Goldstone
...There are three "traffic controllers" this evening: U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the senior Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee who introduced the resolution; Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the committee chairman who co-sponsored the resolution; and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the member who visited Gaza in the war's immediate aftermath, and who opposes the resolution.

Ros-Lehtinen objects to Ellison's request to enter the 574-page report into the congressional record. Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), who opposes the resolution and who accompanied Ellison to Gaza, objects to Ros-Lehtinen's objection, saying that an opening statement allowing the entry of extraneous documents applies generally.

Berman appears to back Ellison's request, although noting that there is a page limit -- no one seems to know what it is ...

...The count, ultimately, is 344 for, 36 against (all but three are Democrats) and 22 "present."

During the debate, much of the opposition has to do with how the House leadership placed the resolution on the "suspension calendar" which brings it straight to the floor, bypassing committees.

...Here's Ellison: Why are you voting on a resolution without holding a single hearing?
Ellison and others on his side want Goldstone to testify...

--Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) quotes David Ben-Gurion: "Without moral and intellectual independence there's no anchor for national independence."

--Baird holds up photos, first of Israeli children in Sderot undergoing a bombing drill, and then of a father mourning three dead toddlers in Gaza....

--Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) is one of several opposing the resolution who note that Goldstone's report has an out for Israel: Investigate yourself.

--Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) both argue that the resolution harms U.S. security by damaging its reputation as an honest broker. "American made white phsosphorous shells were used by Israel in civilian areas, causing horrible burns to Palestinian children," McCollum says. "There must be only one standard for respecting human rights."

--Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.) says he will vote "present," because he is upset his colleagues haven't read the report. "I havent had the time to read 575 pages," he says. "The process has been totally inadequate."

--Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)...comes up with presidential debate -worthy quips about voting for up is down, night is day, etc.

...Most firey in support is the majority leader, U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) [see story for other supporters who spoke.] Full story