It's a few days old, but here it is:These two items remind me of President Obama’s odd statement that struck me as at odds with American security. No matter how bold and decisive Obama is said to be with Israel, there won’t be peace until we wake up and realize our positions and actions go against international law and general commonn sense. We need to stand up for what’s right and shake Israel like a bad habit, if necessary. If we can be in harmony with law and friend to Israel, so be it.Remarks by the President in Cairo, Egypt, June 4, 2009:“America's strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is
unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the
recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic
history that cannot be denied.”
I keep coming back to that word. Unbreakable?! *****************Headlines in Haaretz and other publications read: ‘Clinton slams evictions of Palestinians’Here are her remarks:
"These actions are deeply regrettable. I have said before that the eviction of
families and demolition of homes in east Jerusalem is not in keeping with
Israeli obligations," Clinton told reporters on Monday.
"And I urge the
government of Israel and municipal officials to refrain from such provocative
actions.
"Both sides have responsibilities to refrain from provocative
actions that can block the path toward a comprehensive peace agreement," the
chief US diplomat continued.
"Unilateral actions taken by either party cannot
be used to prejudge the outcome of negotiations. And they will not be recognised
as changing the status quo."
Hardly a slam, but the last sentence is a glimmer of hope compared to the usual slap on the wrist drivel that continually travels from Washington to Tel Aviv. Some think this and the settlement position Obama half-heartedly defends amounts to a rift. Perhaps they missed the Cairo speech- unbreakable- even if they bomb our ship, steal secrets and sell them back to us, spy on us...Here is the real story, the proof that this is more than “regrettable” :http://www.imemc.org/article/61265*****************Apparently, a delegation of Republican Congressmen and later, Democrats, are going to Israel. Oh, and they will meet with Palestinians, too, but this is negligible since the stated mission is to improve relations with Israel (???). And to look at the challenges in the Middle East, especially those faced by Israel (???). Have I been missing something? Is Israel the victim, here? Are they under a brutal occupation that imprisons, assassinates, and kicks them out of their homes on a daily basis? By listening to Republicans like Cantor, you get a very different impression of the situation than what’s actually going on! Unbelievable! The guy’s hanging by a thread to reality concerning the Middle East. He might as well be an Israeli politician (far right hardliner, that is). You hear the exact same garbage from them.http://www.france24.com/en/20090731-top-us-lawmakers-visit-israel-palestinians***Top US lawmakers to visit Israel, Palestinianshttp://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ibPj-nqroZ-9TNE9fRhMmj1u6eIg"…worried Obama has pressured Israel too much and demanded too little from the
Palestinians in return and not done enough to confront Iran."
--This guy has to be a spokesman for the Israeli government. Constantly trying to tie Iran to the Palestinian Israeli issues, trying to shift the attention away from broken Israeli promises to Iran.
"The purpose of the trip is to introduce to many members of Congress -- 25 of us
are going -- to the challenges on the ground in the Middle East, especially
those challenges faced by Israel," said the Virginia lawmaker.
--Sounds like an honest broker in the making, right? Sad. I guess it’s good they didn’t try and hide their motives. They are clear about who they want to understand.
--Challenges faced by Israel? You mean trying to look like the victim while oppressing millions of people? You could call that a challenge. That must be the PC term for lies, occupation, ethnic cleansing, subjugation, and apartheid. And here I was thinking Republicans weren’t into PC.
“Cantor said the Obama administration was wrong to demand Israel stop all
settlement activity in the occupied West Bank including annexed east Jerusalem,
which has drawn condemnation.”
--Wrong? Oh, that’s right. We did burn the Geneva Convention in our post 9/11 fury at Iraq/Afghanistan/Taliban/those A-rabs in general. It no longer exists. Human rights? No one deserves rights. You win them by force. Except that Jews have the ‘natural right’ to a state- their declaration of independence says so. And Americans- we have unalienable rights. Israel never cared much for international law anyway except the part of the resolution that recognized its creation. Sorry, Cantor, allowing Israel to build settlements just defies logic from every angle- peace, common sense, law.
"We are very concerned about the attention being given, and focus being placed,
on settlements and settlement growth when the real threat is the existential
threat that Israel faces from Iran, and the impending nuclearization of Iran,"
he said.
--Is this an Israeli official talking, here? I keep forgetting this guy is American. There is no thought to US interests even. Always with the threats to Israel, Saddam, Saddam, Saddam, and now the drumbeat is Iran, Iran, Iran. It is true that Iran is not exactly an ally, but the (stupid) belligerent confrontation Israel wants from us is what will cause the delicate relationship to turn nasty and draw the sort of showdown or war we are trying to avoid! Israel, I mean Congressman, get off our back on Iran!
--There is no attempt to look at the other side. What about the threats Israel poses and causes? Or does he honestly believe as the American Jew in the book I just finished reading that Jews don’t massacre. They are in fact the perpetual victims, regardless of circumstance. Because of the Holocaust, they cannot be blamed for anything; that would be criminal or anti-Semitic. Is this reality? Is it logical?
"We are also concerned about the emphasis on seeking concessions from Israel
without a simultaneous effort to get concessions from the Palestinians," said
Cantor.
--Somebody PLEASE tell me what to Palestinians have left to give?! They are fighting for their lives, livelihoods, and eventually hopefully rights every day. They have conceded land- they lived on 97% of the land, then 45% by some British or UN invention, then 20% by military might (Israel+Europe/US). Israel uses most of the water, blockades them, attacks power plants. What were the Jews prepared to concede to Hitler?
“…predicated on recognition by all of Israel's right to exist."
“But he added that insistence that Israel return lands it has occupied since
the 1967 Six-Day war and accept a "right of return" of Palestinians who fled
their homes in what is now Israel "is just like saying you don't accept the
historical right of Israel to exist."
--If Israel has a right to exist, so does Palestine. I still say the best compromise for all to satisfy the desire for land and rights is for one secular democratic state. Settlements are no longer an issue, right of return is allowed with Jewish immigration, access to holy places is solved, Jerusalem is shared and a capital and not a problem. Some will say this is Israel ceasing to exist and it’s anti-Semitic, but when you have to make ethnic cleansing policy to "exist" (as a Jewish state), then something's got to give- i.e the Jewish state idea. Throw it in the failed experiment category with the socialist utopian kibbutzim.
“And Cantor said he would push the Palestinians for "the continued rejection of
terrorism, and of course the rejection of the demonization of Israel that
continues."
--Perhaps if Israel stopped being a demon, the demonization could cease? Terrorism. Israel’s terrorists were founding fathers and freedom fighters. I guess since Palestinians aren’t gaining any ground with their operations, winning and claiming territory, they are simply terrorists to be crushed than freedom fighters to celebrate? Or is it the whole Christian confusion with Jews as God’s chosen vs. the Islam we know nothing about so it should be crushed.
“Cantor and Hoyer's trips will reportedly be underwritten by the American Israel
Education Foundation, a charitable organization affiliated with the powerful
American Israel Public Affairs Committee.”
--Guess this tells you the purpose of the trip if nothing else does! And it isn’t understanding or peace. It’s to push Israel’s agenda, namely to try and get Congress to forget about human rights, law and Palestinians and to pick their fight with Iran…and fight it for them, of course. Isn’t that what friends are for?
***
Republican delegation in Israel criticizes Obama's policy on Israel settlements
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-ml-israel-us-republicans,0,4638658.story?track=rss
“… is designed to show solidarity with the Jewish state and promote Mideast
peace.”
--Having hawkish, blindly pro-Israel Zionists as this in public office is always hard to watch. The good thing is they generally don’t try and make it look like they are ready for peace and justice, while employing stall tactics.
"Cantor said that instead of focusing on issues such as Israeli settlement
activity in the West Bank, Obama should concentrate on "the primary issue of
import ... and that is the existential threat that Iran poses not only to the
state of Israel but to the United States."
--Cantor and others supported Israel's handling of the eviction of two Arab families from a house in east Jerusalem earlier this week, a move criticized by the European Union and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"I don't think we, in America, would want another country telling us how to
implement and execute our laws," Cantor said.
--Would he say the same about Hitler and his state?? Is he kidding?? Ethnic cleansing against Jews he will no doubt have a problem with, as we all should. Injustice for Palestinians and ethnic cleansing he has no problem with, obviously!
*****************
Here's the Democracy Now blurb, proving once again, if there was any doubt, where Congress stands. We are apparently on the side of Israel before we are even on our own side. We are not committed to peace so much as Israel's interests, such as pro-Western regime change or destabilization of Israel's "enemies" at a minimum.
Meanwhile in Jerusalem, a group of Republican lawmakers met with Israeli
officials Tuesday in what they billed as a solidarity mission with the Israeli
government. Republican Whip Eric Cantor spoke after meeting Israeli President
Shimon Peres.
Republican Whip Eric Cantor: “We are here, first and
foremost, to reconfirm the message that the US Congress stands staunchly on the
side of Israel in its struggle, and we are here to figure out how to strengthen
the US Israel relationship.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/8/5/headlines
question of whether you can accept it or not. They’re doing it.
