A True Friend of Israel
The Israeli government and its lobbyists will tell us that out of all the preceding Presidents, Bush has been the best friend to Israel. This means he gave Israel money and weapons, turned a blind eye to the so-called Targeted Killings, all while condemning any aggressive action coming from the Palestinians’ side by using the key word of the day, Terrorism.
But what has Bush really achieved in Israel and Palestine? Empty calls for Democracy were mixed with suppression of Palestinian hopes for a viable State. Just add the missing ingredient—inadequate oversight over funds and the ensuing Fatah corruption—and you get the perfect recipe for the rise of Hamas. Rockets from Gaza to Israeli towns continue. Palestinian laborers are denied entry into Israeli territory, which means growing unemployment and desperation for Palestinians and the opening of immigration gates in Israel to illegal workers, who are brought in and kicked out on the basis of cheap-labor supply and demand.
So what has Israel gained from Bush’s friendship? Illegal immigration has given rise to a new frustrated underclass, a battlefield of gangs in Gaza could restart at any time, more rockets, the descent of moderate Palestinians, and the rise of those vowing for struggle. And a big, ugly wall.
A Democratic candidate cannot hide his or her inaction behind slogans like Friendship and Special Relationship. A true friend of Israel will not see Palestinian action and Israeli reaction but a cycle of violence that must be stopped. A true friend will see that half of the Israeli population struggles for peace and that the Jewish vote will follow a strong candidate who will have the chutzpah to say, “The world is tired of inaction. The world is tired of ‘facts on the ground’ settlements, roads, and trains that run through East Jerusalem and cut at the heart of Palestinian hope and Israeli prosperity, the world is tired of people in Israel being afraid to board buses in Tel Aviv and leave for work in Sderot. The world is tired of the word Terrorist.”
The time has come for a true friend of Israel to say, "Mr. Olmert, tear down this wall."
14 comments:
A true friend would indeed see that the current route has no chance of success and would take firm and decisive, cruel-to-be-kind action, such as saying: no more weaponry for you; it's time for you to find a peaceful solution. But we all know that the US and Israel aren't actually "friends". It's more a pusher/addict relationship.
America, fuck yeah! Comin' again to save the motherfuckin' day yeah!
So I don't understand the Friends of Israel movement. It reminds me of Friends of Hillary, which means people who give Hillary money, which is probably a relevant parallel.
I'm reading about William Safire and at the bottom of his wikipedia page I found, "He is a staunch defender of policy in favor of Israel and for this reason received the Guardian of Zion Award of Bar-Ilan University in 2005." Tell me, PitS, why don't we love the Sudan like we love Israel?
durante vita
Mark, the Israeli Lobby has managed to fool Jewish people in the US into thinking that their views are shared by everyone in Israel, but half of the Israeli people know this supposed friendship only harms the entire region.
Woozie, I think that might be the first time I got your reference without you needing to add a link.
Durante, see, that's what I'm saying. Who's decided Safire was a staunch defender of Israel? He's obviously a defender of the policies of the current Israeli government, but half of the people in Israel see all those pro-Israel Americans as harming Israel. He gets the award from the people who have something to gain from declaring him a Guardian of Zion, but the other half sees in his defense of the continuation of the cycle of violence a candidate for the Destroyer of Zion award.
You know, I dated a cultural (not religious) Jew--don't get it twisted or it will suck to be you...--for a few years and I conveniently became very pro-Israel. It wasn't until I saw parts of CNN Christiane Amanpour's God's Warriors--I was ironing, which is quite taxing--that I realized that Israel isn't perfect. With that, I would like to hear from the other half you mention. So, would that be called Friends of Palestinians? I kid.
durante vita
The problem as I see it is that any debate on Isreal has been limited by the far right of both countries. If you step even slightly out of the little box they've created, you immediately get labeled an antisemite. It's been proven that the hard line ideas of AIPAC and the neocons are far from mainstream in either country. But no politician is willing to address the issue in an honest way for fear of being labeled antisemitic (even though most people with half a brain would see through it). Even Obama who is not afraid to call bullshit when he sees it is willing to speak honestly about Israel. And of course this fuels the fires for the real antisemites as "evidence."
Durante, I've never ironed. The other half is vocal in Israel, but because the government and the Israeli lobby are right-wing, you wouldn't know that. Actually, there was an article today about Reform Jewish leaders (in the US, not in Israel, but in principal they make the same point), who refuse to align with the so-called Christian Zionists. I'll give you a quote, in case you don't want to read the whole article:"Christian Zionist support for Israel is harmful, he said. It's not "unconditional support for the Jewish state," but rather support for certain leaders, certain parties, for a political agenda that is unacceptable to Yoffie and, he believes, to a majority of Israelis."
And you see, that idea that pro-peace means pro-Palestinian (and by the same definition, anti-Israel) is right-wing propaganda. Half of the people in Israel want peace, if only because it will make their own lives better. Nothing wrong with that.
Jason, for a moment there, all the news channels were talking about Obama's Jewish problem, and what an uphill battle it is for him to appease the Jewish vote. But since when do Jewish people care only about how hawkish a President is regarding the Middle East? Jewish people have been at the front of every radical movement and every civil rights movement. What happened to these Jewish voters? The Israeli voice and the true Jewish voice in the US have been hijacked by right-wing lobbyists.
People, the Christian Zionists are scary as shit! Not only is their support conditional, but it's all because they want to hasten the apocalypse. I really wish that mainstream Israelis and American Jews could get their voice over this lunatic fringe who are loudly claiming to represent them. How do we make this happen?
Jason, I don't think Israelis on either side care too much about these people. I don't think they realize or care about the power these people have. Especially after Bush. Even if McCain wins, he's already disassociated himself from John Hagee, to a degree, which is a positive thing. Frankly, Israeli people think these groups are as ridiculous as all other Christian pilgrims following the footsteps of Jesus.
But as for the Israeli politicians, they use these groups as much as they can. The Israeli Ambassador to the US will thank them for being Israel's friends just like Israeli and Palestinian street vendors sell Holly Land sand to the pilgrims.
Now, if these groups had the power to bring about the Apocalypse, then it would have made sense to see them as enemies. Hopefully, when Bush goes home, they will lose their political power and continue to be just a tool of Israeli hawks.
But you're asking about Jews in the US. I still... I want to believe a vocal fringe group controls the Jewish voice and narrows down the scope of Jewish intellectual thinking into the way a candidate fits with "Friend of Israel" equation. But I might be wrong.
I'm writing this paper, and one critic believes there are two views. Another critic, responding to the first, argues that there are three views. So, I agree, that pro-peace doesn't have to mean pro-Palestinian, and in effect anti-Israel. If it wasn't for all this damn research, I might be a fool for that kind of propaganda. Ick.
And, I would expect that (Reform Jews, not aligning themselves with Christian Zionists...) Is that judgmental? Maybe that's because if I were Jewish, I would be Reform, or Reform to the second power. *snaps fingers with attitude*
durante vita
I probably would have joined them if they didn't align themselves with that whole God thing.
But one has to acknowledge that Reform Judaism is distancing itself from fundamental Christians while standing for gender and sexual orientation equality. In many ways, it is a last remnant of Jewish leadership standing at the forefront of any struggle for civil rights.
I think, that you are absolutely right. Violence only make more violence and ordinary people in both countries - Israel and Palestine, want only peace. I think, that Jude and Muslim people can live together in harmony. And Bush only want 3th world war
Agreed. The policy is a mess. It can't go on this way.
I think some of the neocon goys also want to turn Israel into a religous theme park.
Susan, I don't understand... I can't keep up with this stuff... I erased the previous comment because it was obviously spam. But are you spamming me too? You're sending me to a website that sells fireplaces. Without fire. Or some shit like that. Good luck, you know?
Ricardo, right now, all I can do is hope the next President does better. People around the world depend on the next President understanding a blind-eye policy helps no one.
Post a Comment