The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict

American journalists Horowitz, Lizzy Ratner, and Philip Weiss provide a comprehensive picture of the 2009 Gaza conflict in this abridged version of the UN Fact-Finding Mission's report on the Gaza Conflict commonly known as "the Goldstone Report." Much more than a simple paring down of the controversial original document, which recounts human rights abuses committed by both Israel and Hamas, this edition is enhanced by oral testimonies and essays from experts following the report's publication. The evocative oral testimonies describing limbs strewn about a bombed mosque and young girls shot in front of their father inject a harrowing human element to counterbalance the report's dispassionate tone. The additional essays, including Tutu's eloquent foreword, offer an array of thought-provoking perspectives on the validity of the report, the vehement debates it has generated, and its effects on judge Goldstone himself, who became the victim of "Jewish excommunication" for what some perceived as a betrayal of Israel. An essential read for those concerned with accurate documentation of historical events and nations' accountability for their treatment of civilians living in war zones. (Jan.)