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Pro-Palestinian Protesters at Obama's Hawaii House
KAILUA, Hawaii - A small group of placard-waving pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered near U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's vacation retreat in Hawaii on Tuesday to protest against the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
Protestor Ephrosine Daniggelis holds a placard in front of U.S. president-elect Barack Obama's vacation compound in Kailua, Hawaii December 30, 2008, during a protest against the Israeli attacks on Gaza. (REUTERS/Hugh Gentry) Obama has made no public comment on the strikes, which Israel launched on Saturday. Aides have repeatedly said he is monitoring the situation and continues to receive intelligence briefings but that there is only one U.S. president at a time.
Some critics, however, say Obama did choose to speak out after the attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai in November in which gunmen killed nearly 180 people, condemning them as acts of terrorism.
Obama, who takes office on January 20 from outgoing Republican President George W. Bush, has also spoken out on economic issues facing the United States.
"He is talking about how many jobs he is going to create but he is refusing to speak about this," said one of the protesters, Carolyn Hadfield, 66.
Hadfield was one of eight protesters standing with placards reading "No U.S. support for Israel" and "Gazans need food and medicine, not war" near Obama's rented vacation home in Kailua, an upmarket suburb on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, where Obama is in the second week of a vacation with his family.
Obama had not left the compound on Tuesday morning and did not see the protest.
Obama has in the past called Israel one of the United States' greatest allies and has vowed to ensure the security of the Jewish state.
He has also said he would make a sustained push to achieve the goal of two states -- a Jewish state in Israel and a Palestinian state.
Israel on Tuesday pressed on with air strikes in Gaza that it says are in response to rocket fire by Hamas militants deep inside the Jewish state. Medical officials put Palestinian casualties at 383 dead and more than 800 wounded.
The Bush administration has so far backed Israel's actions in Gaza and demanded the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas stop firing rockets into Israel and agree to a lasting ceasefire.
"We are very upset with what is going in Palestine. There is a very great need for change in U.S. foreign policy toward Israel and Palestine. We need to stop giving Israel a blank check," said another protester, Margaret Brown, 66.
The protesters were rebuffed when they tried to hand a letter signed by dozens of U.S. activist groups to a Secret Service agent guarding the access road to Obama's beachfront compound.
Reporting by Ross Colvin; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
- Posted in
77 Comments so far
Show AllObama will say nothing of importance as he cares not a whit for the fate of Palestinians as he made clear in his kowtowing AIPAC speech. As I wrote earlier, Obama is making it clear he's the enemy of those seeking peace and justice, which was also easy to discern prior to the election. Since he voted for all the bills providing Israel more monies and weapons to kill Palestinians, he is already covered in Palestinian blood, like most of the US government.
The only difference between Obama's swindle and Madoff's is the deadliness of Obama's.
karlof1,
As ardee alluded to below, Obama is not yet president. While I would like to hear him condemn the Israeli tactics (especially they're refusal to allow humanitarian aid), he is cognizant of the fact that multiple voices from the US will not help.
Also, it's important to note that there are two voices of diplomacy: One goes out for general consumption, and one goes through back-channel means. For all we know, Obama may have contacted the Israelis through back-channel methods. Of course, we don't know what he might have said, though I seriously doubt that he is pleased with Israel.
Finally, it is unfortunate that Obama had to kiss AIPAC's ass. He knew they were a key ingredient to the Jewish vote, which only proves just how influential the Israel Mafia is in this country.
"All Nature's difference keeps all Nature's peace." Alexander Pope
Keep in mind the video footage of Obama wearing a skullcap when he visited Israel last year. I felt betrayed when I saw it, felt that his message of change was perhaps conditional, even hollow.
That he's remaining silent during the genocide in Gaza is revealing. If he's scared of the Jewish Lobby then he doesn't have the balls to be a great President. And if he's secretly supporting Israel's American-style imperialism and militarism, then get ready for WW3!
www.dangerouscreation.com
.I am far from a supporter of the President-Elect and have made my opinion known frequently here. However, this silence of his seems simply understood; he is not yet the President, we still have one of those ( however awful he may be) and for Obama to speak of policy, or to attempt to set or alter policy is not yet his right.
.
We see things, not as they are, but as we are.
Anais Nin
Sorry ardee, but I must say BS, as Obama has said much about various policies, especially domestic economics. I think it more realistic to say he's been hired to continue the killing of Palestinians, since that's the bottomline of US/Israel policy, and he's perfectly fine with that as he made clear in his AIPAC speech. The man is a fraud as many of us knew prior to the election and others are continuing to discover. From the Palestinian POV, it's clear there's no difference between Obama and McCain as both said they would do nothing to keep Israel from killing them.
The enemies of the people are the Global Economic Elite and the politicos they employ to do their deeds and stifle the democratic aspirations of people everywhere. From the elite perspective as Chomsky has pointed out again and again, real participatory democracy poses a grave threat as they would lose their status by the leveling nature of the socio-economic justice such democracy would enjoin. Obama is one of those politicos employed by the elite to maintain their status at all costs, with one of those costs being continued support for Israel's crimes.
karlof1
Ardee is completely right here. He and I frequiently disagree on some things, but Obama should say nothing about this except how terriblr it is. He is not President yet. And the awful one Ardee alluded to is. It would be absolutely wrong for Obama to speak about this at all.
And he certainly does not aupport Obama. I do, but voted for him at the last minute, so not a believer, just a hoper.
yet he can't even say how terriblr it is. how pathetic is that. you voted for him last minute? hmmmm, sounds like your a doper not a hoper
He is not supposed to say anything about it. It's pathetic that everyone would expect it and not know better.
.Perhaps getoffyourbutt should get off his butt and familiarize himself with the rules concerning proper and improper actions by a President Elect?
.
We see things, not as they are, but as we are.
Anais Nin
If Mr. Obama does not want to speak as president elect, then he can rightfully speak as a US Senator. His actions show his diminution.
I am surprised that people are surprised.
Can someone tell me what Israel "our greatest ally" has done for us to deserve that title? Any country that allies itself with us in our current behavior (the last 50 years or so) I find suspect. I think Israel, who seems to play a large role in running this country, at least in Mid-East policy, is one of the greatest receipients of our aid and weaponry. We might be their greatest ally, but I don't think the sentiment is returned, and for Obama to pander to them in that way is disgusting. We have proxys in the Mid-East who cost less and do more. That is why I believe Israel plays such a large part in decisions made by our own government (such as who gets aid) One more lobby that directs our elected leaders attention away from "we the people". I wish our country was the greatest exporter of construction equipment rather than destruction equipment. We could be making the world a better place and would be more respected. The hand that feeds is seldom bitten. That is Homeland Security!
"Can someone tell me what Israel "our greatest ally" has done for us to deserve that title?"
"The USS Liberty incident was an attack on a neutral U.S. Navy technical research ship, USS Liberty, by Israeli jet fighter planes and motor torpedo boats on June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War. The combined air and sea attack killed 34 and wounded more than 170 crew members, and damaged the ship severely. The ship was in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula, about 25.5 nautical miles northwest from the city of Arish.[1]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident
Maybe this helped the Israeli governments status with the ruling elite within the USA government. The ruling elite have been selling us out for decades.
Please please please Obama, you are expected to be different. This is the first great test: don't fail the world.
It is so sad reading some of these comments. Today. 2008. In the U.S. With access to million and millions of sources of information, even that not learned in school.
Surely you folks belly-aching about PE Obama not solving "the middle east crisis" and not this uninformed.
George W. Bush is the President of the United States, not Obama.
Just what would have him do?
Not only that, but this is a bunch of backstabbing.
Obama promised to ensure the safety and security of Israel.
And we elected him on that platform.
Why is everyone so shocked and outraged?
It's not he has done anything drastic or unexpected. For example, he hasn't deployed any troops.
All this proves is that Obama is honest and a straight shooter. He is not just another lying politician.
Remember, he has also promised Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel - just warning you... Sheesh.
I didn't elect Obama; I opposed his election. So your "we" is totally wrong. It was very clear that Obama would become the new enemy of global peace and justice seekers along with the oppressed we champion. Now he is proving that to be the case.
Well, then I'm not referring to you, am I?
Apparently, you were helping to elect McCain.
Dave,
I take your point about joehope.
I would not call Obama the same as McCain and Bush. While his cabinet is not the most forward-looking, this is no guarantee that Obama won't attempt to broker peace in a new fashion. We'll all see as time goes on. If Obama turns out to be the same, then I will have egg on my face. Though, I seriously doubt it will be as bad as if McCain had won.
"All Nature's difference keeps all Nature's peace." Alexander Pope
Joehope,
Mr. Obama has as Sec. of State Mr. Clinton's wife. She is rabidly pro Israeli. No change of policy will be had with the corporate shill Mr. Obama, you fool.
Please don't vote and don't reproduce. Save the world by not carrying on your stupid genes.
That's my point, not that he's a shill (why are you so insulting?), but that there is no change of policy. He's honest. Clearly, that makes him better than Bush.
And yes, Bush and Obama will agree on certain things (i.e. helping AIDS patients in Africa is a good thing). But just because they have some agreements does not mean they are the same. Obama is a million, nay, a trillion times better than Bush. Anyone can see that.
Just because you keep saying they are the same, doesn't make it true. You can't even back up your assertion with evidence. Possibly because you have none.
Obama is better than Bush or McCain. Period. End of discussion.
To you all.
Obama is not the President yet.
When it comes to US Imperial Policy, the only difference between Obama and Cheney/Bush is skin color, a la Powell and Rice.
Everyone thinks that Obama is the Messiah--the man who will solve all problems and bring paradise to earth. In reality, Obama is a Chicago politician, nothing more, nothing less. (see Jesse Jackson, Mayor Daley, Sr and Jr. and Rod Blagoevich)
We have a disaster in Gaza. Obama is, has been and will be, Pro-Israeli. His chief of staff is an Isreali dual citizen, his foreign policy team in pro AIPAC. So is he.
Waiting for Obama to resolve the crisis in the Middle East is like waiting for Godot. It aint gonna happen.
What it to be done? Well, Israel feels insecurce, as well they should be, and Palestinians feel on the brink of disaster. We need UN/NATO/Someone intervention. We need to "Pull a Kosovo":
Every day Israel grows larger and Palestine grows smaller. They were supposed to share the land of the "Palestinian Mandate" -it's now Israel 80%, Palestinian 20%
Israel and US preach a two state solution but they practice the creeping erasure of the Palestinian people.
People rebel under such desperate circumstances. Let's hope there is some power to get Israel to stop just like NATO stopped the Serbs from attacking Kosovo.
Dr Wu, I'mn just an ordinary guy
Obama is AIPAC baby. Otherwise, he stands for nothing.
OBAMA IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE PREDIDENT.
If you don't know the obligations of the president vs the president-elect, the learn to use the google.
No one should be surprised about Obama's "no comment" response. If you paid the slightest bit of attention during his campaign he made it clear to whom he was going to support so please don't act surprised now and write how you feel that you've been let down.
but, the people of Gaza don't need progressives, liberals, radicals arguing with eachother on a website. they need us to turn out in massive support and show that we along with other members of this earth demand peace and love for all its citizens.
don't expect obama to change it. he is to busy working out in hawaii and playing golf with his friends. you must do it. many cities are having protests this afternoon. please participate. your online now. google your cities local peace party site and find out what you can do to participate.
one love. power to the people.
ps. get off your butt Obama and say something!
To all of you who want PE Obama to say something, do something, whatever, call your local news stations and the national talking-heads gasbag shows to insist that instead of talking about the PE eating ice cream on the beach, call the PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH to task for hiding out in TX.
OBAMA IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE PREDIDENT.
If you don't know the obligations of the president vs the president-elect, the learn to use the google.
The very people who want the man who is not the president to do something or say something will be very same people who will be belly-aching about how Obama is usurping the man who president should PE Obama take a position.
IT IS NOT HIS JOB TO TAKE A POSITION. THE U.S. HAS A SITTING PRESIDENT.
His name is George W. Bush and the fact that he is hidding out in Texas in not Obama's concern.
Just because American schools no longer teach the subjects of Government and Civics is no excuse for so many people to not have learned, in 2008, how the government works. The best thing to do when you are clueless is to stop commenting. It is so tiring.
Sammy, I'm not going to get into a put down fest with you. it is not productive and not what anyone needs right now. Comment all you want on my perceived lack of education I don't mind. My point is, whether you are the president elect, or the current president or the guy behind the counter of the 7-Eleven shouldn't we all have a comment on what is going on? and if you campaigned on a platform of "change" wouldn't this be the time to actually show the world you meant it? as for calling out Bush to do something, that hasn't worked for 8 years on anything, so why would people expect him to do anything about it now?
He is very nearly President, and he could drop hints. Sometimes I wonder if America isn't the tail being wagged by the Israeli dog.
He has an almost impossible task. I wish him luck.
"He has an almost impossible task. I wish him luck."
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/black_man_given_nations
"Sometimes I wonder if America isn't the tail being wagged by the Israeli dog."
Way way back the 1950 the answer would not have been so easy to give.
AIPAC was then called the "American Zionist Committee for Public
Affairs". Back in those days, Jewish Bankers began flexing their
muscles in America with overwhelming success. Without that success,
Israel would still be known as Palestine. Israel could not have formed
without American support.
Control of money can buy a lot of influence. ("Permit me to issue and
control the money of a nation and I care not who makes the laws." Mayer
Amschel Rothschild, founder of the Rothschild international Banking
Dynasty, 1790).
All major media organisations now have zionists in key positions. Bank
loans elevated Rupert Murdoch (a jew from his mother's side) from being
just another newspaper entepreneur to the major force he is today.
95% of our politicians enjoy all expenses paid trips to Israel. Take note
next time you see a politician taking a trip to Israel. They
also enjoy the campaign money that does not come directly from AIPAC
(They are not so stupid), but AIPAC has the power to turn the money on or
off, and to permit businesses owned by politicians suceed or not.
In general, perceived loyalty by a politician to some county other than
the USA would be a liability. The exception is Israel, where any
politician wanting to succeed MUST declare loyalty to Israel in order to
have a chance.
Today, Zionist influence over our media and our politicians is complete.
But to say so is to be labelled an antisemite. If you doubt this, then
watch videos of an AIPAC conference. See each politician, in turn, pay
homage to their true masters. All politicians must pay homage to
Israel, and further, to declare Israel's enemies as their own. Obama,
Pelosi and Clinton did. That is why they occupy powerful positions.
Ron Paul and Kucinich did not, that is why our media passed them over as
not serious candidates.
Just as an exercise, if you look closely at the motivations for the Iraq
war, you will find control of the world's oil supply there. Look
deeper, and you will find that it would not have happened without
zionist bodies such as PNAC, or without Rupert Murdoch. I am not a
historian, but what I know comes from this single issue. Who pushed
what into place in order to bring about the Iraq war. The Iraq war
has Israel's hands all over it.
"Sometimes I wonder if America isn't the tail being wagged by the Israeli dog."
It most definitely is. http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/mear01_.html
"All Nature's difference keeps all Nature's peace." Alexander Pope
I believe that it was Mark Twain who penned an old southern saying, which goes like this.
"A good reputation is worth its weight in gold; but--------------
a bad reputation is like having a turd in the punch bowl at the wedding reception".
If the USA were to "clean up its own house first"; it would have a "good reputation"; then they could "inform others on how to clean up theirs".
As it is now , when the USA speaks of the short comings of others;
they just "serve up a cup of that punch" mentioned above.
Israel has been an illegal state from 1948, and the USA has continued to send billions to them. Even the USA can't have it 'both ways' there---maybe here for awhile longer, but never 'over there'---
I do give the USA credit for one thing: Even when they are losers, they are persistent at it.
Good luck America, you really need it.
Because with america the ONLY thing that matters is :
":AMERICA IS NEVER WRONG...she only makes mistakes".
Mark Twain also railed in his newsletters against America's first , or one of the first "overseas" imperial projects -- the subjugation of the Philippines under mckinley and T roosevelt - where he railed against the way the americans built what turned out to be the FIRST slave/concentration camp in the world - and the massacre of over half a million natives who - after the us defeated spain in imperial contests - also did NOT want ANOTHER foreign power.
there is a part near the end of Twain's novel : Huckleberry Finn, i believe, where his friend - the black boy - remarked after they many travels and experiences - meeting all kinds of people:
"why....huck....all this time. we've met so many o' these folks...so high and mighty,..the pastor, the rich ladies, the bankers....the businessmen....the judges..the police...the teachers...they're so educated and grown up and all....but huck....they' is all just plain RASCALS."
Nice quote from Twain.
"Israel has been an illegal state from 1948"
This is puzzling. I thought you supported the UN and International law? The UN voted Israel into existance in 48.
Not a rhetorical question.
The UN move was political in nature, and illegal.
The absurdity of the UN "giving" Palestine to the Jews, and evicting the legal owners the Palestinian People is the same logic that has the USA making arguments for a Democratically elected Palestinian Ruling party, then rejecting Hamas when they win the election.
If the UN ruled tomorrow that the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was null and void because the USA has not complied with the conditions of that treaty, and that Texas would be returned to Mexico in 90 days notice: would you still be so willing to accept the UN and international law, or would you be taking Spanish classes. Or most likely you would be preparing to "die for Texas".
You often make postings that not only contradict logic, but often border on the absurd.
And as much as you would like to; you cannot have it both ways.
Ok.
I know Obama is not President.
He's spoken out on other issues.
By not speaking out on this issue he is actually saying a lot=
America will continue down it's imperialistic path of oppression and domination.
Just compare the ACTIONS of Obama and his primary opponent Cynthia McKinney! Cynthia put her life on the line for her beliefs.
The wrong candidate was nominated if anyone really wanted change.
I guess AIPAC rules.
But I could be wrong !
The USA must deport all pro-Israelis from our country. Start with those in the House and Senate and then give walking papers to their three enclaves NY, Calf, and Florida. Resettle them in the Virgin Islands. We wonder why we are hated::: Look no further than our foreign aito Israel which allows them to be a bullt. We build houses for them with our tax dollars while their reps and senators in our confress haven't helped our own victims of Katrina.
You don't take a captive population within a restricted area, very heavy population density, and bomb the shit out of them for a couple of rockets, using this excuse. Repulsive, ugly, fascist, wrong. If Obama doesn't find killing women and children wrong he's lost me as a supporter.
Everyone should write to the Obama team and tell them what you think:
http://change.gov/page/s/yourvision
As always, specifics and a polite tone work best. Point out the hypocrisy of Israel's relationship to the Geneva Conventions or UN Charter. Point out that our unconditional support of Israel is a big part of "why they hate us". Don't send abusive tantrums, they hurt our case.
If you think it won't matter and you don't speak truth to power, you are not doing what you can do to help.
Do you know how these responses are handled-----who reads them? What do they do with these "visions for the country"? Who is the "power" we are speaking to? I sent my vision in and got a response before my finger had time to leave the send key!
If this is the "power" that the (understandably) outraged gay/lesbian spoke truth to regarding their opposition to Rick Warren speaking at the inauguration, it doesn't bode well for "change" and the people being listened to.
Just curious.
It is the waste of time to write to 0-bama. He knows what is right but he will only do what his masters from AIPAC tell him to do.
If you are fed up with Neocons, Zionists, and AIPAC (as everybody is by now) then next time vote for Kucinich, McKinney or Nader.
Cynthia McKinney cannot be bought by smelly AIPAC money. Neither can Ralph Nader. Do not vote for Clinton, Schumer, Bloomberg or anyone else who represents a foreign country at expense of the American people. They can legally run for Knesset.
OK, so go to a chatroom and bitch about how everything would be OK if the people who got less than 3% of the vote had won. Or, wait 4 more years and then vote again, but in the meantime spend your energy saying "I told you so" and doing nothing.
You call that being an activist?
Doing nothing = complicity.
I am fully aware that Obama himself does not read the messages. It is important that they get a flood of protest, in every form.
Or, go back to bed because your candidate(S) did not win.
Why in the world would anyone think Obama would denounce Israel's illegal war in Palestine and violation of the Genevea Convention?
Obama didn't even raise an objection when the President of his own country did virtually the same thing to Iraq.
The law is dead.
The President is King.
Chaos rules.
Obama says we cannot afford to look back.
I cannot bear to look forward.
None of this would be happening in Gaza if George Bush was sitting in a cell awaiting his date with a rope.
By responding to rockets attacks and targeting active militants who are hiding among civilians, Israel didn't break any international law. They are operating according to UN charter, article 51.
The Hamas however, when indiscriminately targeting civilians, clearly, and without dispute, commits war crimes according to the 4th Geneva Convention.
.I understand that you are only doing your job with the numerous deceptive and increasingly slimy untruths you post here in defense of the indefensible, rough job it must be to bury your conscience so deeply.
Another and far more authoritative opinion:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090112/falk?rel=hp_currently
Israel's War Crimes
By Richard Falk
December 29, 2008
Editor's Note: This statement was issued December 27 in response to Israel's attack in Gaza by Professor Richard Falk, United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in the Occupied Territories and a longtime member of The Nation's editorial board.
The Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip represent severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war.
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Israel's War Crimes
Richard Falk: Israel's airstrikes on Gaza are severe and massive violations of international law--and nations that have supplied weapons and supported Israel's siege of Gaza are complicit in the crimes.
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Those violations include:
• Collective punishment: The entire 1.5 million people who live in the crowded Gaza Strip are being punished for the actions of a few militants.
• Targeting civilians: The airstrikes were aimed at civilian areas in one of the most crowded stretches of land in the world, certainly the most densely populated area of the Middle East.
• Disproportionate military response: The airstrikes have not only destroyed every police and security office of Gaza's elected government, but have killed and injured hundreds of civilians; at least one strike reportedly hit groups of students attempting to find transportation home from the university.
Earlier Israeli actions, specifically the complete sealing off of entry and exit to and from the Gaza Strip, have led to severe shortages of medicine and fuel (as well as food), resulting in the inability of ambulances to respond to the injured, the inability of hospitals to adequately provide medicine or necessary equipment for the injured, and the inability of Gaza's besieged doctors and other medical workers to sufficiently treat the victims.
Certainly the rocket attacks against civilian targets in Israel are unlawful. But that illegality does not give rise to any Israeli right, neither as the Occupying Power nor as a sovereign state, to violate international humanitarian law and commit war crimes or crimes against humanity in its response. I note that Israel's escalating military assaults have not made Israeli civilians safer; to the contrary, the one Israeli killed today after the upsurge of Israeli violence is the first in over a year.
Israel has also ignored recent Hamas diplomatic initiatives to re-establish the truce or ceasefire since its expiration on 26 December.
The Israeli airstrikes today, and the catastrophic human toll that they caused, challenge those countries that have been and remain complicit, either directly or indirectly, in Israel's violations of international law. That complicity includes those countries knowingly providing the military equipment including warplanes and missiles used in these illegal attacks, as well as those countries who have supported and participated in the siege of Gaza that itself has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
I remind all Member States of the United Nations that the UN continues to be bound to an independent obligation to protect any civilian population facing massive violations of international humanitarian law--regardless of what country may be responsible for those violations. I call on all Member States, as well as officials and every relevant organ of the United Nations system, to move on an emergency basis not only to condemn Israel's serious violations, but to develop new approaches to providing real protection for the Palestinian people.
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We see things, not as they are, but as we are.
Anais Nin
The list of Israel's war crimes would fill a large book. We can go all the way back to 1947 when the state of Israel was born on the blood and ashes of Palestinian villages decimated by Jewish terrorist groups. After the 1967 war, Israel continued to violate international law by building settlements in occupied territory. The land theft and targeted assassinations continue to this day. Israel broke the cease fire in November and has, for the past two years, placed a blockade on Gaza refusing to let in food and medicine--including cancer medicine. War crimes? Let's get straight who is the aggressor and who is the victim. Israel's game of playing the victim cannot fool all of the people all of the time. Even though our governments are in collusion with this criminal state, the people of the world see the truth.
I don't see anyone in Obama's cabinet or among his close advisors who would advise him to speak out. Certainly not Rahm Emmanuel who is also and Israeli citzen and fought in one Israel's many aggresive wars.
Personally, I would like to see some of the change Obama claims is going to "come from him" right now.
This isn't a war, it's shooting fish in a barrel. The Palestinians have been under seige by the Israelis for years. They have received no help from the world community, they have no army, no airforce and way to defend themselves from F-16s. What is happening is criminal.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on earth. Dropping bombs on such an area is in direct defiance of the Geneva Conventions. So is starving civilians and denying them medical attention.
Hamas was the elected government of the Palestinians until the Abbas faction conspired with Israel and the US to overthrow the election in rest of the ragged remains of Palestine. They weren't successful in Gaza so Abbas and Israel with the tacit support of the US are trying to pound it into submission.