A debate worth noting

What follows are a few excerpts from some of those who spoke:
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA): “The tragic deaths of innocent civilians in Gaza and the devastation brought upon their homes, schools, and infrastructure has worsened a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored. Residents of Gaza and the West Bank continue to lack appropriate access to the most fundamental needs, including food, fuel, water, sanitation, education, health care, and the basic materials needed to rebuild their communities.”
Congressman William Delahunt (D-MA): “This resolution came to the floor on suspension without a hearing, despite the willingness of Judge Goldstone to come before the United States Congress and answer any questions that we might pose to him.”
Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA): “My friends who have described the Goldstone Report, as a colleague just did, I’m not sure if they have read it. Unlike most of my colleagues here, I have been to Gaza and I have read in its entirety the Goldstone Report. And I will tell you he says many things that, though unpleasant, are true and must not be obstructed. Do not pass this resolution. Support this fine jurist. Give justice, true justice, a chance to be heard.”
Congressman John Dingell (D-MI): “Neither Israel nor Hamas, nor any other country or other non-state political actor is exempt from international human rights laws or free of consequence for violations of them. If nothing else, the Goldstone Report should serve as a document that Israel, Hamas, and the rest of the international community can use to ensure that future human rights violations do not take place in civilian areas…”
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH): “Almost as serious as committing war crimes is covering up war crimes, pretending that war crimes were never committed and did not exist….Because if this Congress votes to condemn a report it has not read concerning events it has totally ignored about violations of law of which it is unaware, it will have brought shame to this great institution.”
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN): “This resolution seeks to hide the ugliness of the Gaza war by covering up violent excesses committed against innocent civilians by both Hamas and the Israeli Defence Forces. Why does the US House want to reject an accounting of Hamas’ terrorism against Israeli civilians, as if thousands of rockets were not fired at Israel? And why would this resolution want to deny that hundreds of Palestinian women and children and elders were needlessly killed?”
Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA): “I think that in this body’s haste, we’ve overlooked some of the depth of unspeakable tragedies that have occurred during the war on Gaza. Innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives were lost.”
Congressman George Miler (D-CA): “I fully support efforts to provide clarity, honesty and accuracy to the debate about the conflict in Gaza, just as do many of my constituents who have contacted me this week urging me to oppose this resolution.”
Following this extraordinary debate, with both Democratic and Republican leadership actively pushing their members to vote for the resolution, passage was a foregone conclusion. But, the final vote, though appearing to be lopsided, yielded more votes in opposition that in any previous similar vote on an AIPAC supported resolution, with: 344 For, 36 against, 22 present, and 30 not voting (against and present votes are opposed, and about one-half of those ‘not voting’ were also opposed).
What this debate and vote point to is the growing resolve of some significant members of Congress (a Committee Chair and several sub-Committee Chairs, the Chairs of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus, and some Jewish members) to speak out and challenge pro-Israel orthodoxy.
It should not go unnoticed.
The writer is the president of the Arab American Institute, Washington DC.