Washington, DC – U.S. Senators James Risch (R-ID) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announced today that a bipartisan resolution calling on the United Nations Human Rights Council to rescind the anti-Israel Goldstone report passed the U.S. Senate. The Senators introduced the resolution with the support of more than 30 Senators after Judge Richard Goldstone retracted key conclusions of his flawed and inflammatory report.
In a recent Washington Post op-ed, Judge Richard Goldstone retracted his premise that Israel committed war crimes during the 2008 war in Gaza and intentionally killed Palestinians. Goldstone wrote in his op-ed, “If I had known then what I know now, the Goldstone Report would have been a different document.”
Last week, Senators Risch and Gillibrand led a Senate effort urging the UN panel to stop carrying out the report’s recommendations and take measures to ensure that the panel no longer launches false attacks and accusations against Israel.
Senator Risch said, “The Goldstone report must be rescinded by the UN Human Rights Council. It is a grossly flawed, one-sided document and for the United Nations to continue using this report shows a bias against the nation of Israel. Every country has a right to defend itself against terrorist attacks.”
Senator Gillibrand said, “Goldstone’s admission of error is not enough to undo the damage and libel made against Israel. Legitimizing this erroneous report sends a dangerous message to countries defending themselves against terrorism. The UN Human Rights Council members must put Judge Goldstone’s words into action and immediately revoke this inflammatory, anti-Israel document.”
The resolution was co-sponsored by: Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Max Baucus (D-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Scott Brown (R-MA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Robert Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim DeMint (R-SC), Al Franken (D-MN), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), James Inhofe (R-OK), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Mike Lee (R-UT), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), David Vitter (R-LA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
In September 2009, Senators Gillibrand and Risch sent a bi-partisan letter to Secretary Clinton urging the United States to take action to block the erroneous report from reaching the UN Security Council.
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