January 31, 2010
On December 27th, 2008, Israel launched an invasion of the already blockaded
and hungry Gaza Strip. The operation Cast Lead, which ended on January 18th,
2009, caused massive destruction and a massacre of 1.400 people, 313 of whom
were children.
In its aftermath, the UN Human Rights Council rightly commissioned Judge
Richard Goldstone to conduct an investigation to determine whether war crimes
and crimes against humanity had been committed during the Israeli operation.
Judge Goldstone and his commission concluded that, indeed, war crimes were
committed, and, possibly, crimes against humanity.
Following the release of the report, Israel itself and her powerful supporters,
abusing their right to speak on behalf of the Jewish people as a whole, launched a
campaign to denounce the report, change the laws of war and defame Judge
Goldstone, himself a proud Jew and dedicated Zionist.
We laud the honesty, thoroughness and courage of the Goldstone Commission
and condemn the attempt of Israel to label Judge Goldstone and his report as
anti‐Semitic.
In our opinion it is our moral duty as Jews to demand an accounting for the
conduct of the Israeli operation in Gaza and Israel’s treatment of the people of
Gaza. The blockade of Gaza is illegal and we, the European Jewish organizations
affiliated to EJJP, meeting in a convention in Paris, declare our support for the
Goldstone report. We call for the implementation of its recommendations and
request the UN Security Council to act upon them.
While Israel is repeating its threats to invade the Strip, we call upon the Jews and
the Jewish organizations of the world to join us in repudiating the merciless
collective punishment of the people of Gaza. We call for the implementation of
international law and the end of the siege.
European Jews for a Just Peace Convention, Paris, January 31st, 2010