SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
One-Sided Deal
Imagine a sheriff offering the head of a criminal gang the following
deal: 'If you agree to stop stealing from your neighbours for three
months, I'll give you cutting edge weaponry and block any efforts by
other law enforcement authorities to restrain your criminal activities.'
Nov 15, 2010
Imagine a sheriff offering the head of a criminal gang the following
deal: 'If you agree to stop stealing from your neighbours for three
months, I'll give you cutting edge weaponry and block any efforts by
other law enforcement authorities to restrain your criminal activities.'
Sounds absurd? Then how about this:
in return for a three-month freeze of illegal construction in the
occupied West Bank (but not in occupied East Jerusalem, where it may
continue), Barack Obama has promised to deliver 20 F-35 fighter jets to
Israel, a deal worth $3 billion. Moreover, his administration has vowed
to curb action by the United Nations on the Goldstone Report, block
anti-Israel UN resolutions concerning the Gaza flotilla raid, and defeat resolutions aimed at exposing Israel's nuclear programme at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
In
such situations it's important to keep in mind that the sheriff (Obama)
and not the gang leader (Netanyahu) is the major culprit.
This article appeared first appeared on the LRB blog. Neve Gordon can be contacted through his website www.israelsoccupation.info
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Neve Gordon
Neve Gordon is a professor of international law and human rights at Queen Mary University of London. He is an Israeli activist and the author of "Israel's Occupation" (2008) and co-author (with Nicola Perugini) of "The Human Right to Dominate" (2015) and "Human Shields: A History of People in the Line of Fire" (2020).
Imagine a sheriff offering the head of a criminal gang the following
deal: 'If you agree to stop stealing from your neighbours for three
months, I'll give you cutting edge weaponry and block any efforts by
other law enforcement authorities to restrain your criminal activities.'
Sounds absurd? Then how about this:
in return for a three-month freeze of illegal construction in the
occupied West Bank (but not in occupied East Jerusalem, where it may
continue), Barack Obama has promised to deliver 20 F-35 fighter jets to
Israel, a deal worth $3 billion. Moreover, his administration has vowed
to curb action by the United Nations on the Goldstone Report, block
anti-Israel UN resolutions concerning the Gaza flotilla raid, and defeat resolutions aimed at exposing Israel's nuclear programme at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
In
such situations it's important to keep in mind that the sheriff (Obama)
and not the gang leader (Netanyahu) is the major culprit.
This article appeared first appeared on the LRB blog. Neve Gordon can be contacted through his website www.israelsoccupation.info
Neve Gordon
Neve Gordon is a professor of international law and human rights at Queen Mary University of London. He is an Israeli activist and the author of "Israel's Occupation" (2008) and co-author (with Nicola Perugini) of "The Human Right to Dominate" (2015) and "Human Shields: A History of People in the Line of Fire" (2020).
Imagine a sheriff offering the head of a criminal gang the following
deal: 'If you agree to stop stealing from your neighbours for three
months, I'll give you cutting edge weaponry and block any efforts by
other law enforcement authorities to restrain your criminal activities.'
Sounds absurd? Then how about this:
in return for a three-month freeze of illegal construction in the
occupied West Bank (but not in occupied East Jerusalem, where it may
continue), Barack Obama has promised to deliver 20 F-35 fighter jets to
Israel, a deal worth $3 billion. Moreover, his administration has vowed
to curb action by the United Nations on the Goldstone Report, block
anti-Israel UN resolutions concerning the Gaza flotilla raid, and defeat resolutions aimed at exposing Israel's nuclear programme at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
In
such situations it's important to keep in mind that the sheriff (Obama)
and not the gang leader (Netanyahu) is the major culprit.
This article appeared first appeared on the LRB blog. Neve Gordon can be contacted through his website www.israelsoccupation.info
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.