As the M23 crisis has unfolded in the eastern Congo, the US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice has emerged as a holdout within American foreign policy, a sort of minority report to the prevailing criticism of Rwanda and the M23.

The first indication of this emerged in June, when Rice delayed the publication of UN Group of Experts' interim report, insisting that Rwanda be given a chance to see the report first and respond. While these UN investigations are supposed to give the accused the opportunity to respond and explain--the Group says it was refused meetings by the Rwandan government, which Kigali denies--they rarely allow them to see the entire report before publication. In any case, the Group finally did brief a Rwandan delegation in New York in June in New York ...

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Bus explodes in Tel Aviv as Israeli strikes continue in Gaza

Top news: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are meeting with Egyptian, Israeli, and Palestinian leaders in an effort to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, amid ongoing fighting that has reportedly killed 140 Palestinians and five Israelis in the past week. Reports suggest that sticking points in negotiations include a Hamas demand for an end to the blockade on the Gaza Strip and an Israeli demand for a temporary ceasefire.

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Amidst reports of an imminent ceasefire agreement, Israeli missiles have continued to explode in Gaza while rockets hit Israel. The Friends Committee on National Legislation, meanwhile, is calling on the United States to help save lives by pressing for an immediate ceasefire that would end Israel's bombardment and blockade of Gaza and Palestinian rockets in Israel.

You can help work for an end to the violence by urging President Obama and your members of Congress to speak out for a ceasefire and lifting the blockade.

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