From a Human Rights advocate in Gaza:

Dear All,
Please consider taking these urgent actions and forwarding to all of your contacts. Unless the UN Human Rights Council endorses the findings and the recommendations of the independent UN Fact Finding Mission which found that the Israeli military perpetrated serious international law violations during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza (over 1400 people killed including over 350 children) the perpetrators of these crimes will not be held to account, and undoubtedly further invasions will be carried out which destroy the lives of countless more civilians. The UN Human Rights is meeting in two days (Tuesday 29th September) so this appeal is urgent.

Best wishes,
Sara

ACTION 1: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Gaza: Your urgent action needed today

Dear Supporter,

There is a real danger that the best chance for accountability and justice for civilians in Gaza and Israel could be lost in the next few days – we need as many people as possible to email David Miliband right now to prevent this from happening.

An independent UN fact-finding mission into the Gaza conflict has just published its findings. This major report outlines powerful evidence of war crimes and other violations of international law on both sides, consistent with the results of Amnesty’s own investigations. And the UK Government is reviewing it right now.

The UN Human Rights Council will debate the report next Tuesday (29 September), when a vote will be taken on how its recommendations should be acted upon.

Alarmingly, we understand that the UK Government (a member of the council) is not planning to support key recommendations, which Amnesty believe offer the best chance of ensuring justice and accountability, as a well as a deterrent to future conflicts. Instead, they appear to be taking a lead from the US Government in dismissing the findings.

War criminals are literally getting away with murder. Act now

There can be no long-term peace and security in the Middle East without an end to impunity – please email David Miliband today and urge him to support the Goldstone Report.

During the 22-day conflict from 27 December 2008 to 18 January 2009, some 1,400 Palestinians and nine Israelis were killed. Most of the Palestinians killed by Israeli forces were unarmed civilians, including some 300 children. Indiscriminate Palestinian rocket attacks killed three Israeli civilians and six soldiers.

Sincerely,

Kristyan Benedict
Campaign Manager
Crisis Response & Country Priorities

Email David Miliband
Small actions X Millions = Big change
If you have any queries or feedback about this email or Amnesty’s work, please get in touch with our Supporter Care team on sct@amnesty.org.uk or on +44 (0)20 7033 1777.

Amnesty International UK is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no 01735872, registered office 

ACTION 2: DEFENCE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL

www.dci-pal.org/english/display.cfm?DocId=1256&CategoryId=1

UA – 6/09 : URGENT APPEAL : DCI-Palestine

Location of incident
Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory
Nature of incident
Acts of aggression in densely populated areas
Date of incident
27 December 2008 to 18 January 2009

Number of fatalities
Over 1,400 including 352 children
Number of injuries
Over 4,000 including 860 children

The Goldstone Report

In response to widespread and repeated allegations of war crimes having been committed by both sides during the most recent Israeli military offensive in Gaza, (‘Operation Cast Lead’), the UN Human Rights Council (the Council) established an independent fact finding mission, headed by Justice Richard Goldstone in April 2009 (the Goldstone Mission). Thirty-three members of the Council out of a total membership of 47 (with 13 abstentions), voted in favour of establishing the Goldstone Mission, chaired by a highly respected and eminent South African jurist.

On 15 September 2009, the Goldstone Mission published its 575 page report (the Report), investigating allegations of war crimes in Gaza, as directed by the Council. The report is independent, detailed and methodical. The Report found evidence indicating that serious violations of international law were committed during the offensive.

The Report will be debated by the 47-member Council on Tuesday, 29 September 2009, who will decide what further action should be taken. The Goldstone Mission recommends that, inter alia, the Council endorses all recommendations in the Report, and requests the UN Secretary-General to convey the Report to the UN Security Council as soon as possible and submits the report to the General Assembly and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for appropriate action.

There is a danger that a majority of Council members will not support the recommendations made in the Report and no effective action will be taken, thereby denying the victims of Operation Cast Lead their best chance for accountability and justice in accordance with international law.

Background information

Operation Cast Lead commenced on 27 December 2008 with an aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Israeli ground forces invaded one week later, on 3 January 2009, as the aerial and naval bombardment continued. Israel’s stated aim of the offensive was to minimise rocket attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip.

On 18 January 2009, 23 days after it began, Operation Cast Lead came to an end with Israel’s announcement of a unilateral ceasefire. It is estimated that over 1,400 Palestinians were killed and over 4,000 injured. DCI-Palestine can confirm the deaths of 352 children killed as a direct result of the offensive. Almost 29 percent of these children were eight years old or under, while the average age of children killed was 11.3 years. Fifteen Israelis, including four civilians, were also killed during the offensive, including four by ‘friendly fire.’

There have been persistent and widespread allegations that serious violations of international law were committed during the offensive giving rise to the establishment of the independent UN fact finding Goldstone Mission.

Recommended action

Without accountability and respect for the rule of law, there is little prospect for peace or justice in the Middle East. Accordingly, please send your Urgent Appeal to members of the UN Human Rights Council to arrive before Tuesday, 29 September 2009, asking that:

• Council members endorse all the recommendations contained in the Goldstone Report and request that the UN Secretary-General convey the Report to the UN Security Council as soon as possible and submits the report to the General Assembly and the Prosecutor of the ICC for appropriate action.

A letter sent by the President of Defence for Children International (DCI) to members of the Council can be viewed here.

Appeals to members of the UN Human Rights Council
(Letters to Council members should be addressed ‘Your Excellency’)
1. Angola: Mr. Arcanjo Maria do Nascimento – ambmission.angola@bluewin.ch
2. Argentina: Mr. Alberto J. Dumont – mission.argentina@ties.itu.int
3. Bahrain: Mr. Abdulla Abdullatif Abdulla – info@bahrain-mission.ch
4. Bangladesh: Mr. Toufiq Ali – mission.bangladesh@ties.itu.int
5. Belgium: Mr. Alex Van Meeuwen – geneva@diplobel.fed.be
6. Bolivia: Mrs. Angélica Navarro Llanos – mission.bolivia@ties.itu.int
7. Bosnia/Herzegovina: Mrs. Jadranka Kalmeta – mission.bosnia-herzegovina@ties.itu.int
8. Brazil: Mr. Clodoaldo Hugueney – mission.brazil@ties.itu.int
9. Burkina Faso: Mr. Moussa B. Nebié – mission.burkina@ties.itu.int
10. Cameroon: Mr. Jean Simplice Ndjemba Endezoumou – mission.cameroun@bluewin.ch
11. Chile: Mr. Juan Martabit – misionchile@misginchile.org
12. China: Mr. Sha Zukang – chinamission_gva@mfa.gov.cn
13. Cuba: Mr. Juan Antonio Fernández Palacios – embacubaginebra@missioncuba.ch
14. Djibouti: Mr. Mohamed-Siad Doualeh – mission.djibouti@djibouti.ch
15. Egypt: Mr. Sameh Shoukry – misson.egypt@ties.itu.int
16. France: Mr. Jean-Maurice Ripert – mission.france@ties.itu.int
17. Gabon: Mr. Patrice Tonda – mission.gabon@ties.itu.int
18. Ghana: Mr. Kwabena Baah-Duodu – chancery@ghana-mission.ch
19. Hungary: Mr. Gyula Szelei Kiss – gva.mission@kum.hu
20. India: Mr. Swashpawan Singh – mission.india@ties.itu.int
21. Indonesia: Mr. Makarim Wibisono – mission.indonesia@ties.itu.int
22. Italy: Mr. Giovanni Caracciolo di Vietri – rappoi.ginevra@esteri.it
23. Japan: Mr. Ichiro Fujisaki – mission@ge-japan.ch
24. Jordan: Mr. Mousa Burayzat – mission.jordan@ties.itu.int
25. Kyrgystan: Mr. Muktar Djumaliev – kyrgyzmission@bluewin.ch
26. Madagascar: Mr. Alfred Rambeloson – ambamadsuisse@bluewin.ch
27. Mauritius: Mr. Shree Baboo Chekitan Servansing – mission.mauritius@ties.itu.int
28. Mexico: Mr. Luis Alfonso De Alba – mission.mexico@ties.itu.int
29. Netherlands: Mr. Boudewijn J. Van Eenennaam – mission.netherlands@ties.itu.int
30. Nicaragua: Mrs. Alicia Martín Gallegos – mission.nicaragua@ties.itu.int
31. Nigeria: Mr. Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi – mission-nigeria@bluewin.ch
32. Norway: Mr. Wegger Chr. Strømmen – mission.geneva@mfa.no
33. Pakistan: Mr. Masood Khan – mission.pakistan@ties.itu.int
34. Philippines: Mr. Enrique A. Manalo – mission.philippines@ties.itu.int
35. Qatar: Mr. Nasser Rashid Al Nuaimi – mission.qatar@ties.itu.int
36. Republic of Korea: Mr. Sung-joo Lee – mission.korea-rep@ties.itu.int
37. Russian Federation: Mr. Valery Loshchinin – mission.russian@vtxnet.ch
38. Saudi Arabia: Mr. Abdulwahab Abdulsalam Attar – saudiamission@bluewin.ch
39. Senegal: Mr. Moussa Bocar Ly – mission.senegal@ties.itu.int
40. South Africa: Mrs. Glaudine J. Mtshali – mission.south-africa@ties.itu.int
41. Slovakia: Mr. Anton Pinter – mission.slovak@geneve.mfa.sk
42. Slovenia: Mr. Andrej Logar – slovenie@bluewin.ch
43. Ukraine: Mr. Yevhen Bersheda – mission.ukraine@ties.itu.int
44. United Kingdom of Great Britain: Mr. Nicholas Thorne – geneva_un@fco.gov.uk
45. United States of America: Douglas M. Griffiths Deputy [Email address unavailable] 
46. Uruguay: Mr. Guillermo Valles Galmés – mission.uruguay@urugi.ch
47. Zambia: Mr. Love Mtesa – mission.zambia@ties.itu.int