The decades-old conflict between Palestinians and Israel is the focus of a new verbal battle between U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, and Republican challenger David Castillo.

    Castillo, an Olympia financial adviser who is running against Baird for a chance to represent Washington’s 3rd District, released a statement Wednesday chastising Baird for his opposition to a House resolution criticizing the so-called Goldstone Report.

    The report, which was sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council, accused both Israel and the governing Palestinian group Hamas of committing war crimes during their conflict in December of 2008 through January 2009.

    A majority of the House of Representatives approved of the resolution denouncing the report on the grounds that it equated Israel’s action with that of Hamas.

    Baird was among the minority when the vote came to the floor, passing by a margin of 344-36.

    Castillo said some consider the document to be “the Magna Carta for terrorists” in that it legitimizes their claim that Israel was the aggressor in the conflict.

    Castillo, a Navy veteran, said in a statement that it is “unconscionable to compare Israeli soldiers defending their sovereignty as a nation and the cowardly act of terrorists indiscriminately shooting rockets into innocent civilian populations.”

    When asked for comment, Baird noted that he has traveled to the Gaza strip — the epicenter of the violence — to see for himself the damage and destruction caused.

    “I’m one of less than a dozen congressional members that have actually been to Gaza. … My hunch is that Mr. Castillo hasn’t been there either,” Baird said Friday.

    Baird said he has “profound concerns” about the crimes of Hamas and that he has mentioned them repeatedly. Still, Israel deserves scrutiny as well, he said. He said that if the United States is to be a fair and honest broker in the peace process, then it must respond equally to potential war crimes.

    He said he saw hospitals, homes and warehouses completely destroyed by Israeli rockets on his trips to Gaza. He also said that supply lines to Palestinians have been choked off, and that many supplies are moved into the area via underground tunnels.

    Castillo minimized the importance of Baird’s trips to Gaza.

    “I think it indicates he lacked moral clarity on this issue” he said. “I recognize the fact that he has been to Gaza and has spent some time there, and was shown around by a handler in a dictatorial state and he saw what they wanted him to see.”

    Castillo also criticized Baird’s appearance on Arab television network Al Jazeera where he outlined the resolution and explained his opposition to it.

    “It was unconscionable, come on,” Castillo said, “They’re the ones that run the tapes of Bin Laden and Al Qaeda for goodness sakes.”

    Baird defended his appearance, though he had not watched the broadcast as of Friday. He said he provided an honest account of the resolution during an interview that lasted only a few minutes.

    The interview is viewable on the Web at www.youtube.com. It can be found by searching “US House rejects Goldstone report.”