EMAIL SIGN UP!
Most Popular This Week
- One American Who Isn't For Sale
- Edward Snowden: Saving Us from the United Stasi of America
- Major Loss to Organic Farmers as Court Rules in Favor of Monsanto
- The Judicial Lynching of Bradley Manning
- Remembering Satyajit Ray’s Hirok Rajar Deshe: On Edward Snowden, Resistance and Inverted Totalitarianism
Popular content
Today's Top News
No Freedom for Palestine, Thunders Washington
Could we see a great leap forward next week on the Palestinian’s long quest for statehood?
Not quite. The Palestinian Authority (PA) says it will ask the United Nations General Assembly to upgrade from being a non-voting “observer entity” to an “observer state.” This bureaucratic-sounding change hardly seems earthshaking. The Vatican is an “observer state.”
But the earth is shaking. A majority of the world’s nations are fed up by the endless suffering of the stateless Palestinians and support creation of a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza.
Turkey’s increasingly influential premier, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, went to Cairo last week and spoke for the world: “Let’s raise the Palestinian flag and let that flag be the symbol of peace and justice in the Middle East.”
The United States is desperately scrambling to head off a favorable vote in the UN. Washington threatens to veto any pro-Palestine vote in the Security Council - that alone can grant statehood status to a new state. The US is exerting huge pressure on allies and dependant states to vote against any resolution in the General Assembly.
Threats and blackmail aside, the US, Israel and newly pro-Israel Canada are largely isolated on this issue. Israel is in a panic and is using all its mighty influence to sidetrack a vote. Its hard rightwing government is threatening the Palestinian territory with unspecified “grave consequences.’
A special Congressional election in New York City last week gave Israel and its American supporters powerful new ammunition. A Democratic candidate in a long-time Democratic district was soundly defeated after he and President Barack Obama were denounced for “throwing Israel under a bus.”
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading the anti-Palestinian diplomatic drive. She clearly has future political ambitions and is buttering up Israel’s supporters. Her goal is to arm-twist the feeble Palestinian leadership, which critics call a stooge of Israel and the US, to accept some sort of diluted compromise that does not upset Israel.
Israel’s right- wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu clearly controls Washington’s Middle East policy through its US lobby. This has poisoned US interests in the Muslim world at a time that American domination of the turbulent region is weakening.
Turkey’s Erdogan just called Israel, “America’s spoiled child,” a view shared by many. The 9/11 hijackers who attacked New York and Washington made plain they were doing so to punish America for its unquestioned support of Israel’s repression of Palestine. Other attacks are likely to follow.
In a black comedy, US efforts to make PA leader Mahmoud Abbas back down are being led by Dennis Ross, one of Israel’s staunchest partisans in the US government. The US Congress, ever responsive to Israel’s demands, threatens to cut off all funding for Palestinian refugees and any UN organ that supports them.
Israel, now no longer quietly assisted by Egypt’s former ruler, Hosni Mubarak, or Turkey’s rightwing generals, is feeling increasingly isolated. But it can still count on unquestioning US support.
Many outsiders believe a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians is possible provided irksome details can be resolved. This writer, who recently published a book on the subject, does not share this rosy view.
Israel’s hard right Likud Party and its semi-fascist coalition allies are determined to retain the entire West Bank and Golan Heights. According to the closest thing Israel has to a real sage, Uri Avnery, Likud not only refuses to define Israel’s borders, it has a powerful faction that wants further territorial expansion into Syria and Lebanon.
Israel’s strategy has been to hold endless, phony “peace talks” while rapidly expanding West Bank and Golan settlements. As one Palestinian aptly noted, his people and Israel are negotiating over a pizza while Israel is eating it up.
Now, as President Obama steadily weakens, Israel’s right sees a Republican victory in 2012 that will bring in a new president and Congress even more pro-Israel than Israel’s own Knesset.
An upgrade of Palestine’s orphan UN status won’t do anything to address these basic problems. But it will at least keep the plight of Palestine before the world’s view. It will certainly put the US and Israel on the wrong side of history and justice.
Comments
Note: Disqus 2012 is best viewed on an up to date browser. Click here for information. Instructions for how to sign up to comment can be viewed here. Our Comment Policy can be viewed here. Please follow the guidelines. Note to Readers: Spam Filter May Capture Legitimate Comments...
24 Comments so far
Show All"(Israel's) hard rightwing government is threatening the Palestinian territory with unspecified 'grave consequences.’"
I think "grave" is fairly specific.
"Collective Punnishment" is an international crime for both the Zionist State and the USA. Should the US veto Palestinean Statehood I shall never vote for the Genocidal Monsters from either AIPAC controlled political party.
" It will certainly put the U.S. and Israel on the wrong side of justice". Not put Mr. Margolis, leave the U.S. and Israel on the wrong side of justice as they have been on the wrong side of justice for a long, long time.
Since Obama has been in, Israel has expanded its ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians and Obama sat mute as Israel executed an American flotilla member. Suggestions that things will get worse with Republicans are for naught, as for the Palestinians, things have gotten worse with Obama than they were with Bush. The truth is, things are continually getting worse each day with each Israeli land confiscation of the Palestinians, Israeli settlement building and demolition of Palestinians homes; with each of the duopolistic parties taking turns assisting and watching the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.
Obama did worse than "sit mute":
Now the president has been roundly condemned for his callous disregard for the brutal slaughter of one of his country’s own young citizens by no less than the prime minister of Turkey, one of America’s NATO allies. Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan reported on September 10 that in a recent meeting with the U.S. president, he told Obama that Turkish medical examiners had determined that the nine victims had been hit by a total of 35 bullets, most fired at close range and — as we know from the reports — in the back. He later told reporters, “I asked President Obama whether the reason he showed no interest in one of his nationals being killed was because [the victim] was [ethnically] Turkish – he didn’t reply.”
(source: http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/09/15/president-obama%E2%80%99s-shameful-silence-in-the-face-of-israel%E2%80%99s-murder-of-a-young-american/)
Of course, in all fairness, Oblahblah should've responded that the United States never complains or investigates when Israel kills our citizens, regardless of the citizen's ethnicity -- but that would have required honesty or intelligence, neither of which Oblahblah possesses in any appreciable quantity.
Seriously. It has nothing to do with ethnicity -- it's simply the fact that the U.S. never complains about anything that its master Israel does. If Israel nuked a major American city, I am not sure the president would say a word. Well, in fairness he might express "reservations" in that case.
Free Gaza.
and the West Bank.
End Israeli Apartheid!!!
The time is long past due: Palestinian Statehood Now!
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
—John F. Kennedy,
"newly pro-Israel Canada"
While I understand Margolis's statement above it does require elaboration. Canada now has, much like the USA, a government composed of evangelical fundamentalist right-wing Christians. At their Head is Prime Minister Harper sometimes known as "Chancellor or King Harper".
Parliament is what runs Canada, not a president, but now that Harper's Canada™ has a majority he can act more like a dicatator. If he doesn't get his way he simply prorogue's (shuts down) parliament and this he did twice in a prior minority government to prevent his governemnt falling.
Harper's biblical end-times prophecy is what forms his belligerent anti-Islam foreign policy and as such he has unconditional support for Israel, putting that country far above the Canada he is supposed to represent.
Sound familiar?
I don't pretend to understand Canada's form of government. They don't teach about it here in the US, or about Mexico's. Strange isn't that, being so connected geographically? Why aren't we informed as to how these countries work?
"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading the anti-Palestinian diplomatic drive. She clearly has future political ambitions and is buttering up Israel’s supporters.'
I didn't know she was eligible for Prime Minister of Israel. Has she converted? Even if she has would she be recognized as eligible for full citizenship in Israel? I am thinking not.
Oh, wait with Israel's support we are to assume she's electable in this country, but not Israel?
I think what he's saying is that Clinton will run for president after Obama's turn is up and that she is buttering up Israeli interests in the US to help with this. I'm not sure from what you said whether that is your understanding too and you're being sarcastic about it or whether you thought he was saying something else. Either way, it certainly is outrageous that an American politician has to butter up pro-Israel American Jews, some of them with dual citizenships, who are as much or more focused on Israel's interests as on those of the US. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
It's all about access to power, which in Our Great Nation involves running through the AIPAC gauntlet and shining its collective shoes. And Killary Clinton, in truly Lady Macbeth-like fashion, is still trying to wash out the damned spot where Mrs. Arafat kissed her.
"Many outsiders believe a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians is possible provided irksome details can be resolved."
What are those "irksome details"? Israeli settlements anyone? And which outsiders are those?
I am all for a two state solution. Israel already has statehood, it's time Palestine did as well. I am a little tired of Israel throwing up the fact that Palestine isn't a state.
Who in Washington (exactly) is it is thundering? I didn't hear much thunder when Rachel Corrie was run over, of Furkan Dogan was executed in international waters unarmed on an aid ship. I didn't even hear a low rumble when Israel passed it's anti-prostelytizing law in 1977.
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/history/rel-christians.html
"Israel’s strategy has been to hold endless, phony “peace talks” while rapidly expanding West Bank and Golan settlements. As one Palestinian aptly noted, his people and Israel are negotiating over a pizza while Israel is eating it up."
Ain't that the truth. I think it's time the Palestinians got a little slice of their own.
"Now, as President Obama steadily weakens, Israel’s right sees a Republican victory in 2012 that will bring in a new president and Congress even more pro-Israel than Israel’s own Knesset."
Obama only weakens because he chose to from the get go. The fact is that he chose to with Hillary's assistance stop the latest aid shipments to Gaza. He chose to openly and formally support the Knesset.
If we vote for republicans this time, can it be any worse? I don't think so. One thing if Americans only vote for one term on anyone, no one can guarrantee support to Israel with any long term conviction. Eventually instead of listening to Israeli money, maybe politicians will listen to the voices of the people that actually vote for them. Call me an idealist...but I am not willing to re-elect a Netanyahu apologist.
I prefer to elect a world leader with the strength of his convictions, but I don't think we'll be given that option in 2012, In which case I elected a pansy last time, I won't re-elect him, I'll suffer through 4 years of an idiot before I do that again. That little athletic jog I see my current president doing everytime he's being filmed, isn't doing anything for me anymore. I can't even feel connected with the dog he picked. Whoever he hired to handle his pr campaign was overpaid and incompetent. Which translates into a leader with not much potential to lead.
But to be honest he lost me with his acceptance speech for the Peace Prize. When he chose a Kennedy kennel dog over a shelter dog, he finished it. I am not stupid.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6083226.ece
You maybe very smart, but not about selecting a dog for a pet.
I would like someone to explain the difference between 1947 and 2011 in terms of the Middle East peace process. One of the 2 parties in this conflict is 0-1 so far in making a 2 state solution a reality...I think their name starts with a "P".
Please sign the petition NOW ...
http://www.avaaz.org/en/independence_for_palestine_en/
It's not surprising that the United States is vetoing the UN vote for Palestinian Statehood, especially because the United States, to my knowledge, has NEVER been an honest broker when it comes to the I/P debacle.
The Palestinians also need and want normalization and self-determination in the form of their own independent, sovereign nation-state in West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, alongside Israel, and they've got the right to that. If the United States can't or won't pressure Israel to do what's necessary for their own survival, as well as that of the Palestinians, then maybe it's time for the UN and the rest of the International community to step in and pick up the slack, if one gets the drift.
I can't help but think that anyone who thinks that the Obama administration is in a weakened position is severely underestimating the cynicism which is at the core of this government.
Just watch as Obama and the democrats start to sweet talk the masses (with lies), while the republicans will go way, way overboard in their sadistic fundamentalist myopia,
all for the benefit of their corporate owner's amusement.
Israel is their perverse altar and the spilling of blood is their creed.
Meanwhile, the United Nations is allowed to deliver a vacuous sermon on the evils of what they must allow.
she clearly has her future ambition insight. that is why she is buttering up israeli supporters.the writer refers her to hilary clinton. in my judgment, this women has no loyalty to the US, just for israel. one might call this is as a lackey, appealing to israelis for her future than to the american patriots. and, frankly, that goes very much for the political establishment in the US, judging by how members of congress 's standing ovations for an israeli whose aim was to stirr them up against their duly elected president.and he succeeded, boy how much he succeeded.
Israel is a nuthouse just like the US - as well it should since they are both, essentially run (down) by the same destructive forces. From the last week alone, one look at the headlines will show the madness, paranoia and fear grappling Israel and infecting the USG by remote control.
First, bouncer Lieberman threatened to take extreme measures against the Palestinians. Then, the Israeli governments announcements that laws will be re-enforced, changed and adapted to suit the situation. These threats of violence were followed by international outcry so they seemed to back down. Last night, however, they conducted a night raid in the West Bank and arrested a bunch of Palestinians. Today, Iran's PressTV was reported that they were firing at Gaza again for unknown and unprovoked reasons. To top all that off, our illustrious sold-out Congress submitted a resolution supporting Israel's "right" to annex the West Bank if the Palestinians continue to petition the UN for statehood. You just can't make this shit up! I wasn't around then, but wasn't WWI and II started over things like these?