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It's Time for US to Cut Israel Off
The crowd that gathered outside New York's City Hall on Jan. 7 included a lot of Jews like me. We were there to protest Mayor Michael Bloomberg's enthusiastic support for what the Israeli army is doing in Gaza. For years now, many American Jews have been begging the U.S. government not to use us as an excuse for sending Israel the helicopters and the F-16s.
It was cold and rainy, and we all had better places to be. But it was unbearable to think we were represented by people like President Bush and Mayor Bloomberg, who lay all the blame on "terrorists." "New Yorkers know what terrorism is all about," Bloomberg said from near the Gaza border. "If we were threatened in New York, we would do everything in our power to protect our citizens." What is 9/11 doing here? Considering the inequality of arms and the inequality in the number of victims, a better analogy for Gaza and Israel would be David and Goliath.
In international law, and as a matter of human decency, the Israeli government has a responsibility to protect not just its own citizens, but also the Palestinians in Gaza. Though the Israeli army left in 2005, it has never stopped controlling everything that goes into or out of Gaza. It has stopped fuel and medicine from going in, thereby creating what is called a "humanitarian crisis."
One also hears Gaza described as "hell on Earth." I grew up with that phrase. In the 1950s it was applied to the concentration camps.
I know, Holocaust analogies are supposed to be taboo. But when a whole population is fenced in and deprived of food, water and electricity, when anything that moves risks being shot, and when you can also get blown up without moving at all, like the people seeking shelter at the United Nations school, it's natural enough that there will be analogies drawn to the camps.
There were signs at the protest on Jan. 7 that used the word "genocide." It's probably not the right word. The Israelis are not trying to kill every single Palestinian. They are merely trying to crush Hamas and humiliate the Palestinians, accepting the deaths of some hundreds of civilians as collateral damage along the way. That's bad enough. And the numbers are going up every day.
Who's to blame? Hamas fired the rockets at civilians, and that's wrong. But Israel kept Gaza in a state of siege, and that's wrong too. Then they retaliated against the Gazans for democratically electing Hamas. There is no end to the blame game. What's clear and final is that according to the Anti-Genocide Convention of 1948, a civilian population can never be punished collectively, as Israel is now punishing the Gazans, for the actions of militants in their midst.
It's also clear that none of this had to happen. According to Israeli government figures, the number of rockets fired out of Gaza in July, August, September and October 2008 was, respectively, 1, 8, 1, and 2. In the two months before the cease-fire, the numbers had been 149 and 87. In other words, the cease-fire was working. It was broken on Nov. 4-5, when Israel launched air and ground attacks against Hamas while the attention of the world was focused on the U.S. election. Whatever started this new and massive round of atrocities, it was not a few more rockets, rockets that may not have been fired by Hamas at all. Israel's government is clearly pursuing other strategic objectives.
If you care about Israel's security, then you will not want to encourage the pursuit of these objectives. Driving the 1.5 million people of Gaza to new heights of fury and despair will not stop the rocket attacks. It will not ensure the well-being of Israel's citizens in the long run.
No one who cares about peace and justice for everyone in the region wants U.S. military aid going to people who unashamedly turn their guns on civilians. For myself, I don't want any of my tax dollars going to a government that shells schools and hospitals, keeps the press from reporting on what it is doing, and even takes the cell phones away from its soldiers so as to stop the truth from spreading, Abu Ghraib- style.
During the long and callous years of the Bush presidency, we may have forgotten what respect for human rights looks like. Now we should ask President-elect Obama to suspend all aid to Israel until it complies with the pertinent U.N. resolutions.
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Show AllAnd time for our President-elect to end his unjustifiable silence!
Obama's silence regarding the carnage in Gaza speaks volumes. How can there be gaiety and celebration on inauguration day while we, citizens of the US empire, are sanctioning (through our leader's silence) and participating (through our supply of funds and weaponry) in the death and destruction occurring in Gaza?
Obama has called on Americans to honor Martin Luther King Jr. by volunteering to good causes----to be of service. Obama proudly stated that he and his family will volunteer their time next week. Mr. President-elect, what do you think MLK would say about your choice to remain silent on the Palestinian humanitarian crisis?
The most honorable and courageous thing Obama (and all Americans)could do to honor the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. is to call for an immediate cease fire and condemn the violence being perpetrated----- by Israel and the US----- on the Palestinian people.
Savanna:Nicely put. Beautifully stated. Thank you.
Americans should stop wasting their time hoping that Obama will end his silence. Obama has been anything but silent. Most famously, he said his support of the Israeli position was “unwavering”. More recently his pick for top diplomat, Clinton, said she is 100% behind Israel.
So you either missed all that or you think Obama’s team is secretly going to do things 180- degrees opposite to what they profess.
Perhaps four years from now, after thousands of tons of more bombs have been delivered to Israel and subsequently dropped on Palestinians. After four more years of the world looking on in disgust, perhaps Americans will vote in politicians who demonstrate their readiness to live in peace with the rest of the world.
We heard resoundingly from our elected Congress last week with no dissent from Obama. Congress voted overwhelmingly to support the Israeli terror campaign ostensibly against Hamas. It was really against the Palestinians who had the temerity to democratically elect who they desired to lead them.
At least they can support Hamas actions - our democratically elected officials just ignore their constituencies.
Everyone keeps asking for statements. The vote last week was pretty convincing. The U.S. - US - supports and encourages state-sponsored terrorism against unarmed civilian populations using inhumane and illegal weapons - WP for example. We support killing innocents in what the innocents considered sanctuaries.
We elected these officials so they are our employees and whatever they do IS IN OUR NAME. Nobody else put them in office. They are doing nothing to stop the murders. That technically makes us culpable as their employers(we do pay them and even gave them a raise this year for a job welldone -IN OUR NAME).
But I could be wrong !
You miss the point jlocke-----it is not about sitting around hoping Obama will magically transform into something he is not, it is about speaking out and taking action when necessary.
I do not engage in delusional thinking by believing that, "Obama’s team is secretly going to do things 180- degrees opposite to what they profess".
I listened to Obama speak before AIPAC last year when it seemed the writing(his position on Israel/Palestine) was on the wall.
It comes as no surprise that Obama is silent regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But that doesn't mean WE must remain silent about our country's appalling sanctioning/support of this carnage.
Let's hope that those who continue to speak out are not smugly scolded by those, such as you, who imply that we are either ignorant regarding Obama's appointments or where he stands on issues (I am from Illinois, I know his record well)or that we are living in some fantasy world where we believe he will do a 180.
I am not an Obama fan. This does not mean I must turn a blind eye to our President-elect's actions or lack thereof. Or, as you suggest, simply wait (and hope?) for the day when "Americans will vote in politicians who demonstrate their readiness to live in peace with the rest of the world".
Actually, you have more hope than I do regarding the political process. I feel we may be nearing the end of a dysfunctional, destructive Empire---our ailing two party political system will go down with it.
This does not mean, however, that we do not keep working for peace.
Oops, wrong post. Moved to the correct location.
Cut off Israel?
You must be joking?
Then Gringolandia would have NO friends.
Gringos are so fixated on "making friends" that they bully every non-gringo they can--and then complain that their responses are not "nice".
FUCK YOU. The USA is not necessarily all Gringos as you claim ! If I were your husband, I'd be giving you a TOUGH COWBOY SPANKING and pounding you with a DAILY HEADACHE just to discipline you and pull you out of your stupid prejudice even if you had to cry ! Someone needs to beat the SHIT out of you for being a fucking racist !
WYGUNSTON,
Serena is most assuredly a racist but that doesn't warrant violence. Don't belittle yourself to her level by advocating physical harm.
The only thing to do with somebody as racist and ethnocentric as Serena is to ignore them.
You're right. Maybe my anger again got the best of me. I mean, sure the USA has done plenty of dumb things and sunk all the way to rock bottom but calling America a gringo nation just made my blood boil with anger. I'd like to see Europe, Mexico, or even Venezuela elect an Afro for president if they're so great as Serena claims. I'll try to control my anger on my next posts as best as I can. My apologies for the violence talk.
Chavez is a member of the ethnic majority while Obama is a member of an ethnic minority. I think this is what your referring to, if i'm mistaken i apologies.
The reason Obama's election is significant is that this is the first time an ethnic minority has been elected President in the world-i believe i know for sure it's the first time its happened in an industrial nation.
Chavez is African? I was always of the belief he was Hispanic....
I didn't know that about him. Intersting.
An industrial nation is a euphemism for a developed nation or '1st world' nation. Ogama is the first minority to be elected leader in one of the large economy nations.
It took the big boys a bit longer than the little guys to elect a minority...kinda funny isn't it. Although i will point out that the minority candidates put forth in the past we're really poor candidates.
Jesse Jackson and Harry Belafonte are two i can respect but Danny Glover is just an idiot.
Danny Glover has done many good things for minorities but he has lately been losing reason.
His position that Texas is a racist state offends me. Yes Texas has racist in like every other state but to say that the government itself is racist is ludicrous. Hiss reasoning behind it is that Texas executes so many people and a majority of them are minorities.
His opinion of Fidel Castro is what really bothers me. Castro has done many good things in Cuba and he's done it with practically no help form the outside world. The fact that Cuba hasn't starved to death is a testament to him.
Having said that, Castro is a tyrant.
He imprisons opposition members and refuses to hold elections. While i praise his accomplishments i cannot excuse him methods. He has murdered hundreds maybe thousands of innocent people and imprisoned thens of thousands so he may hold that power which doesn't belong to him.
Glover demands for Human Rights seem to end at the Cuban Shore....
So b/c my government has engaged in human right violations i am no longer permitted to comment on the human right violations committed by others?
You must see that the end result of this logic you profess will be a world where NOBODY can can speak out!
You deny that Fidel Castro has never held an election?
You deny that Fidel Castro has imprisoned Cubans b/c of their political beliefs?
My sources regarding Cuba or not Fox News, i never watch the crap, or the State Dept but rather the UN, EU, Amnesty Int'l, Human Rights Watch, OAS, and numerous other NGO's as well as the Cuban exile groups...we can't trust the Cuban news sources b/c they are controlled by the state!
By the way have you ever been to Texas or are you just following propaganda?
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR25/001/2006
So once again your advocating that Cuba can commit all the Human Rights Violations is wants b/c the US does as well...
There is only one political party permitted by Cuban Law. Thats hardly an open, fair election.
You can vote in Cuba but you can only vote for Castro's party...that makes it a totalitarian government!
You say Miami Mafia, so anybody who challengers the Cuba government is in the mafia?
What about Armando Valladares? The prisoner of conscience in Cuba for 22 years he was tortured in Cuban jails. At one point he was denied water for a prolonged period of time and to make him stop moaning for something to drink the guards urinated in his mouth so he wouldn't bother them anymore...YOU ARE DEFENDING THIS?
By the way, Valladares was only released when the President Mitterrand of France personally demanded his freedom.
You go on protecting Fidel's torture palaces though, yes the US is doing horrible acts in Guantanamo but they then again they aren't doing anything different that what you'd find in any Cuba Prison.
"It's Time for US to Cut Israel Off"
Who is US? If by 'US' you mean you and I then yes, by all means.
But if by 'US' you mean the Bush/Obama government then good luck
because it is the same genocidal gangsters that rule both the US and Israel.
I'll go even further - it's time to disband the State of Israel. The experiment has been a total failure. Over the past 60+ years Israel has proven over and over again that they can't live peacefully with their neighbors. Between land grabs and the outright slaughter of innocents, Israel has demonstrated that they are nothing more than a terrorist nation according to the U.S. Code - google 18USC2331 to read the definition.
It's sad, really.
At one time it seemed like a beautiful dream: making the desert bloom, the kibbutzim, etc. But it's apparent that they've gone over to the dark side. I'm not sure when it happened. Maybe when they made their pact with the U.S. military-industrial complex. Or maybe it was a bad idea from the beginning.
Israel and Palestine should be put under U.N. administration for at least 25 years with the next phase to be determined -- probably some kind of secular single-state arrangement. Jerusalem should be returned to its status as an international city, maybe the U.N. headquarters.
As to that "making the desert bloom" myth, it is well known that fruit trees take some years to produce. What the Israelis used to show as proof of this "miracle" were groves stolen from the Palestinians, who, by the way, did not exist.
Indeed:
"There is no such thing as a Palestinian people... It is not as if we came and threw them out and took their country. They didn't exist". - Golda Meir, statement to The Sunday Times, 15 June, 1969.
"A land without a people for a people without a land" was I believe another one of her cute sayings.
On the desert bloom quote I always laugh because I think about Dubai and how the Arabs managed to turn the desert into a ski resort (mall of the emirates has an indoor ski slope)! So this proves the Israelies aren't the only ones who can transform the desert.
Good one.
I was a big supporter of Israel in the 50's. I was so duped by this statement. I really believed it was an empty desert.
Joe
"...the word "genocide." It's probably not the right word. The Israelis are not trying to kill every single Palestinian."
Title 22 of the United States Code, Section 2656f(d) statute contains the following definitions:
The term "terrorism" means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant (1) targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience. . . .
(1) For purposes of this definition, the term "noncombatant" is interpreted to include, in addition to civilians, military personnel who at the time of the incident are unarmed and/or not on duty.
Genocide is NOT about killing every single target.
It's Time for US to Cut Israel Off
Best of luck. AIPAC (American Israeli Propaganda And Confusion) will battle you tooth and nail . . . and they have many teeth and many nails.
The United STates will not cut off Israel since they are actually part of the US. I know this because the US Congress has never denied Israel anything they want, even when Israel bombs our ships and kills American sailors. We even supplied the planes and bombs to kill our people. Why would Israel ever think that we the people are serious when our representatives keep on sending them anything they want., We even encourage them to bomb the UN humanitarian aid because it would go to children who are starving and Israel wants them to die. We ok their bombing hospitals and schools just on the false supposition that there MAY be someone from Hamas there even if it is a clerk.
Prior to the so-called Apiac resolution in Congress, I called both of my senators and my representative begging them to oppose the resolution that was written by AIPAC. They, of course, ignored me as usual.
Kitty Lady
there is a lot of anti-jewish rhetoric on these posts as a result of this latest massacre and were the leadership of israel not as insane as they are they might be well advised to give pause and consider the overall cost of what they are doing
the hatred will linger long after the dust clears from their american made phosphorous bombs
and what will they accomplish?
israel is not at risk
their military can defeat any arab state or indeed any combinatioon of arab state who may attack them
this is about the ongoing land grab
it is going to coming to shit
but i want to say this about the jews: these comments are not about regular people in their animosity
jewish culture is both deep and wide and my own list of personal heroes, who have inspired me in my life to be braver and more humane to the people i meet are well populated with jews
noam chomsky has been enlightening the whole world about power and power structures for decades
i remember mrs goldberg, from the 50's sitcom, who was the most wonderful woman in the world
the jews who fought the nazis were among the most courageous warriors who ever lived
this list could go on and on
but let's have a bit of humanity for the palestinians
penned in like animals, humiliated, murdered in their homes, denied the right to eat, drink, to work, to travel
the state of israel must be stopped, land returned, barriers taken down
the jewish state has been emboldened into an ill-advised war state by american guns and bombs and in doing so forfeit their right to piss on about the holocaust
they have reduced the holocaust to propaganda and they quite obviously have no humanity to extend to the occupied palestinians
when i read, as i did today here in another article, the jew state insisting the palestinians need to get their mind around the fact that they are "a defeated people" - it turns my stomach
i think that was the message the nazis had for the gas chamber victims
get your mind around the fact that you are a defeated people - the jew state is in a mad gutter of death at this moment
they need to reconsider
cheers, b
Please don't confuse Anti-Israel talk with Anti-Jewish talk. For me, it's the State of Israel that is the problem and it would be the problem whether it was a Jewish State, a Christian State, an Islamic State or an Atheist State.
dcostello:some people do not make the distinction between Israel and Jews, as you so well put it, Anti-Israel talk and Anti-Jewish talk. I read and hear some who flip from one to the other; it's long held bias for some.
Nycartist, so true, so true...
Elderlady
Martin Luther King, Jr., once said:
"In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Mr. Obama's silence, on the plight of the Palestinian people, has been deafening.
However, of note is this: Many others are speaking out.
Isreal is losing credibility. Many are losing their sympathy for the State of Israel. Even more are running out of patience at the way the IDF treat their neighbors.
I've written my Congressional representatives. I hope all will do the same --- regardless of how effective you think it may be. They need to hear.
We found out, in this past election --- that a lot of us, giving what little we could, doing what little we can --- translated to a big difference in our political landscape.
It's a formula we need to continue to use.
Well said, Elderlady! Thank you for an inspirational, positive post and the Martin Luther King Jr. quote---how true.
I too have written my Congressional Representatives and have written notes of appreciation to the five, brave souls who had the courage to vote against a House resolution expressing congressional support for Israel.
Me,too.
Only when China and Japan flip the foreclosure switch on the USA will the USA be forced to cut Israel off and let Israel prove that it can really be itself. Europe too should leave Israel alone completely and let it actually fend for itself. A TRUE Libertarian would say the same.
The US cannot support separate but equal Palestines. The US can only support a unified, secular, democratic Palestine. The federal government must withdraw all support from Israel and insist that Israel comply with international laws concerning its boundaries, human rights, and weapons of mass destruction. Until such time as it does so, it should rightfully be characterized as a rogue nation.
The USA does not support any nation that is truly secular. They support India as a fake "secular", or as some call it sick-ular, nation only because terrorism from fundamentalist terrorists in the Christian and Muslim camps coupled with rising Hindu vigilante groups proving to be dangerous are growing. But the USA crush Iraq's secular status and now it's another fundie land getting to be like Saudi Arabia.
Boycott Boycott Boycott. The zionist have informed us that it will work by beggin us on their blogs to not boycott. Do not buy, keep a Palestinian Alive!
I almost feel like Israel is doing this to enrage the Muslim extremists around the world hopefully prompting them to attack us again. Nothing made Israel happier than having us in the same sinking boat as them. Google 'dancing israelis 911'
Could there have been some Machevillian strategy by the Israelis to have Hamas win the democratic election, thus giving Israel an excuse to remove the regime forcebly? Anything is possible.
Professor Robbins is sensible and right. Unless Israel stops this so-called "war", the US should suspend all further aid to teach Israel how to behave.
Olmert, Livni, and Barak had better stop fighting one another and agree on stopping the carnage before they ruin the name of Israel forever.
Actually Israel was against Hamas being in the election but it was insisted on by the US that Hamas be permitted to run.
Genocide is most definitely the right word. One need only consult the internationally accepted definition to ascertain that Israel's treatment of its Palestinian neighbors over the last half century plus easily satisfies its requirements:
http://www.preventgenocide.org/genocide/officialtext.htm
Nowhere in the text of this definition does it state that the offending party must be in pursuit of total annihilation of the target population.
The barbarity of early European settlers in North America, which also constituted genocide, was about stealing land and dispossessing the American natives, not about trying to kill every last one.
Israel is engaged in the act of genocide, and this is a fact.
Actually, eliminating all of the Indians was an option that was considered by some in the 19th century. Also, Israel wants the land, free of Arabs, much as we wanted the land, free of Indians.
The fact is, we provide Israel with the weapons and aid to do what they do. We support Israel, and so are equally responsible.
The American people continue to vote for the lesser evil, and so vote evil in, lesser or not, every 4 years, and they support Israel's policies because they are our policies.
Monkey sees , Monkey does
Kurt
In their non-violent phase, what the Israelis are doing is confining the Palestinians to Gaza and letting them gradually die off from reduced food, medical care, water, sewer services, and other intrastructure benefits because they are determined to take the land that is Gaza for their own. A quicker "cleansing" the land of Palestinians is the military attack them while they are trapped. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
The author mentions only that the Israeli government is anti-Hamas as their motive for the warfare. That isn't true. They'd do the same thing to any group of people who refused to give over Gaza to them.
THEY are the two-legged beasts.
Actually, Kurt, you shouldn't offend two-legged beasts that way. Birds are two-legged beasts, and they are sublime.
Actually it is more clearly Genocide; Sheridan" The only good Indian is a dead Indian" Sand Hill Massacre (Covington?) "Kill them all and let god sort them out" Conneticut and Illinois(?) giving smallpox infected blankets as gifts.
whether the terms if genocide or "war of defense by israel" - or "collective punishment" - or "collateral damage" -- the result is the same, regardless of what the reasons are .
children, old people, already sick people, women, along with those "intended targets" - die and suffer needlessly as a result of POLICIES by the Israelis that are a continuation of the WAY israel was established -- which is subjugation, dehumanization and suppression of another people for their land and their OBEDIENCE.
as mahatma Gandhi said:
"what does it matter - if the women, the children , the old and weak die and suffer with bayonets or bombs, or in the name of country, or socialism, or fascism, or the Holy Name of Democracy ? ..they are still dead".
Maybe "Ethnic cleansing" is more accurate that genocide?
It has been ethnic cleansing for the last eighty years. Some zionist consider all Gazans to be Hamas and are hoping to kill them all.