The United States Congress embarrassed itself last week. To her credit, however, Madison Democrat Tammy Baldwin did not participate in the charade.

At issue was House Resolution 867, which called on the Obama administration to do everything in its power to prevent serious consideration of the Goldstone Report, a study of alleged violations of international human rights laws and humanitarian standards by the Israeli Defense Forces operating in Palestinian territory on the Gaza Strip.

The fact-finding mission, led by former South African Constitutional Court Judge Richard Goldstone, was authorized by the United Nations Human Rights Council in response to the outcry over the IDF's invasion and occupation of Gaza in the winter of 2008-09. That conflict left as many as 1,400 Palestinians dead, along with 13 Israelis. An estimated 400,000 Gazans were left without running water, and tens of thousands were left homeless.

Goldstone's report accused both Palestinian militants who had fired missiles at Israeli communities and Israeli military forces that entered Gaza of committing crimes against humanity and recommended that bad players be brought to justice.

Reasonable people can and have disagreed about components of the report and the U.N.'s at-times bumbling response to it.

But the know-nothing response of the U.S. House was shameful. As Congressman Keith Ellison, D-Minn., noted before the vote on the resolution: "Congress is poised to oppose the Goldstone Report without holding a single hearing on a document that few members of Congress, if any, have read."

"This is a mistake," argued Ellison, who has spent a good deal of time in Israel and Gaza. "The stance of this Congress will erode U.S. credibility in the post-Obama world, and it will tarnish our commitment to the principle that all nations must be held to the same standards. Rather than undermine the report or Goldstone, we are at risk of undermining Congress' and President Barack Obama's reputation as honest brokers."

In particular, Ellison objected to the smearing of Goldstone as an enemy of Israel. "Why the fear?" asked the congressman. "Judge Goldstone is no Israel basher. He is famous for apprehending Nazi criminals in Argentina, for serving as chief prosecutor for the U.N. International Criminal Tribunals and for chairing the Independent International Commission on Kosovo. He is motivated by his struggle against apartheid in South Africa. A self-described Zionist, he serves as a trustee of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and has said that 'bringing war criminals to justice stems from the lessons of the Holocaust.' "

Ellison's reasoned arguments, which also noted Goldstone's determined efforts to ensure that the inquiry would focus on abuses by both Hamas and Israel, should have carried the day. Jewish groups that believe Israel's long-term security requires a sincere pursuit of peace with the Palestinians, such as J Street and Americans for Peace Now, urged Congress to adopt a more nuanced stance.

But the House voted 344-36 to reject any consideration of the report or response to it. To her credit, Baldwin cast one of the 36 "no" votes. Congressman Dave Obey, D-Wausau, registered a milder objection by joining 22 House members in voting "present."

The rest of the Wisconsin delegation cast "know-nothing" votes that embarrassed themselves and the Congress.

John Nichols is the associate editor of The Capital Times. jnichols@madison.com

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