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By Donald H. Harrison
 SAN DIEGO—Congressman Bob Filner (Democrat-San Diego) split from other Jewish members of Congress and voted against the resolution Tuesday condemning the Goldstone Report which accuses Israel of having committed war crimes during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. He was also the lone member of San Diego County's congressional delegation to oppose the resolution.
San Diego Jewish World requested a comment yesterday from Filner's office on the congressman's vote, but there was no immediate response. The United Nations General Assembly, meanwhile, debated the report with over 50 countries signed up to give speeches.
Morris Casuto, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said in an interview he hopes that Filner would explain his reasoning for voting against the measure.
"This was an important issue not only for the Jewish community but for the nation as a whole," Casuto said. "This resolution was important for both Jews and Christians, and so I think it is a legitimate question to ask of Congressman Filner: 'on what basis do you vote against a resolution that is of such importance?'
Casuto said that it is "disappointing that Congressman Filner wouldn't add his voice" on this issue. "This (Goldstone) report has been condemned across the globe," he said.
Steven J. Morris, chief executive officer of the United Jewish Federation, declined comment on Filner's vote on the Goldstone report, as did Murray Galinson, a Jewish community philanthropist who is also active in Democratic party affairs.
The vote for House Resolution 867 co-sponsored by Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican, Florida) and Howard Berman (Democrat, California) was 344 ayes, 36 nays, and 22 who voted "present," the latter being tantamount to an abstention. The majority in favor of the measure was comprised of 179 Democrats and 165 Republicans.
The 36 nay votes were cast by 33 Democrats and 3 Republicans, including Filner, the two Muslim members of Congress, Democrats Andre Carson of Indiana and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, as well as a 2008 presidential contender from each party: Democrat Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Republican Ron Paul of Texas. Those voting "present" included 20 Democrats and 2 Republicans.
In contrast to Filner, Jewish members of Congress who voted in favor of the bill were Arizona's Gabrielle Gifford; California's Brad Sherman, Howard Berman, Adam Schiff, Henry Waxman, Jane Harman, and Susan Davis; Colorado's Jared Polis; Florida's Alan Grayson; Robert Wexler, Debbie Schultz-Wasserman and Ron Klein; Illinois' Janice Schakowsky; Kentucky's John Yarmuth; Masssachusetts' Barney Frank; Michigan's Sander Levin; Nevada's Shelly Berkley; New Hampshire's Paul Hodes; New Jersey's John Adler and Steven Rothman; New York's Steve Israel, Jerrold Nadler, Anthony Weiner, Elliot Engel and Nita Lowey; Pennsylvania's Allyson Schwartz; Tennessee's Steve Cohen; Virginia's Eric Cantor and Wisconsin's Steve Kagen. One Jewish member of Congress, Gary Ackerman of New York, was recorded as not voting.
Also in contrast to Filner, the San Diego County congressional delegation who supported the measure included Democrat Susan Davis and Republicans Brian Bilbray, Duncan Hunter and Darrell Issa.
The World Jewish Congress, in its coverage of the House vote, noted that House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer " said it was important to adopt an official resolution against the Goldstone report as it 'paints a distorted picture.' The report 'epitomizes the practice of singling Israel out from all other nations for condemnation,' he said, adding:
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"'The Goldstone Report largely neglects the context within which Israeli actions took place. Why is that context so vital, and why is the report so empty without it? Because, for years, Israel has been the target of asymmetrical warfare – of terrorists who hide behind civilians and aim to kill civilians… More than 6,000 rockets have fallen, indiscriminately, on southern Israel’s cities and towns. Each intended to kill the
maximum number of civilians; each was a war crime, by definition.'"
Most of the rockets fired from Gaza by Hamas were aimed at the city of Sderot and the surrounding communities of Sha'ar Hanegev, the partnership region of the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County.
Previously, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee had called on Congress to support Ros-Lehtinen's measure and gave four arguments in support of that position:
1) "The United States has rejected the findings and methodology of the Golstone report." 2) The Goldstone report failed to recognize Israel's right to self-defense after years of rocket attacks against its civilians; 3) "The Goldtone report is part of a pattern of the U.N. of singling out Israel for criticism and condemnation." 4) Israel's actions in Gaza were consistent with international law and subject to rigorous internal legal scrutiny."
Ira Forman, chief executive officer of the National Jewish Democratic Council, also had called upon Congress to adopt the resolution, saying:
"The Obama administration has made it abundantly and repeatedly clear that they stand with Israel against the distorted Goldstone Commission report. And as this legislation correctly asserts, the report is indeed 'irredeemably biased.' We concur with the findings of the Ros-Lehtinen/Berman resolution that this report is deeply flawed, and that the U.S. government should do all in its power to stop this report in its tracks at the U.N., lest it be used to undermine Israel’s fundamental right to self-defense in the future.
"NJDC is mindful that the Gaza incursion, like all military conflicts in urban areas, was accompanied by tragic loss of civilian life. There is a great deal of evidence that indicates that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) made extraordinary efforts to protect civilian life in the conflict. Moreover, those who call for investigations of 'war crimes' should be mindful of Israel’s extraordinary record of investigation into allegations of military misconduct and to the extreme likelihood that the Hamas regime in Gaza would never undertake any credible investigation of its own misconduct.
"This resolution deserves to be supported by Democrats, and indeed by all members of Congress. NJDC encourages a “yes” vote."
Among the first to comment after the congressional vote was the Republican Jewish Coaliton which said that 21 percent of the Democratic contingent in the House of Representatives opposed Israel either by voting "nay" on the resolution or by voting "present."
RJC's Executive Direcctor Matthew Brooks said "We are very concerned that 21 percent of the Democrats in the U.S. House (53 of 256) refused to support H. Res 867, including many top Demcoratic leaders and important and influential House committee and subcommittee chairmen. Democrats continue to campaing in the Jewish community as unwavering friends of Israel, but when it comes to acting on those promises, leading Democrats fall short."
Although Brooks did not mention Filner by name, Filner is chairman of the House Committee on Veteran Affairs.
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