Post by POA on Mar 23, 2004 11:34:08 GMT -5
''All ye politicians pucker up -- yon Israeli derriere is awaiting''
Printed on Thursday, March 18, 2004 @ 00:05:23 CST ( )
By Raff Ellis
YellowTimes.org Columnist (United States)
(YellowTimes.org) – The political season is upon us and it is with some measure of dread that one watches the contenders stumble over themselves to curry favor with an electorate that represents less than two per cent of the voting public. And that small portion of the electorate that puts Israel's interests first wants its derriere kissed, no doubt about it.
We certainly know George W. Bush's record on this issue, since he surrounded himself with a coterie of Israeli right-wing sympathizers. Michael Kinsley of the on-line magazine Slate wrote that "the role of Israel in the thinking of [President Bush] is the proverbial elephant in the room: Everybody sees it; no one mentions it."
Not to be outdone, John Kerry, the Democratic candidate -- showing that there's not a nickel's worth of difference between the major parties on this issue -- has pledged his strong support for Israel at a meeting with Jewish leaders and politicians and vowed not to follow the Oslo path (spoken like a true Likudnik). He also said, if elected, he'll be the nation's first president with Jewish roots. Now that's some serious kissing-up, and it's not even mistletoe season.
This exercise of power is reminiscent of the papacy during the Middle Ages when Pope Boniface VIII said that no person can be saved unless he or she is subject to him. Even the crowned heads of Europe had to kiss the pope's foot.
Politicians have a herd mentality, following the stampede if they believe it in their interest to do so. They have been led to believe that all Jews in the U.S. are passionate supporters of Israel and since that segment of society wields a lot of power, they are catered to in no uncertain terms. It's not a question of right or wrong for that never enters the equation. Whatever Israel wants, Israel gets including massive financial and military aid. Letters to the sitting president supporting Israel are written and signed by an overwhelming majority of senators and congressmen whenever he shows the slightest sign of faltering in that support. Scorecards are kept of who is a "friend" of Israel and the tacit implication is, if you want to be reelected, you'd better be on that list.
Now, before the usual onslaught of anti-Semitic accusations arrive, let me say that that knee-jerk pejorative has become almost as common as the f-word and has lost its intended impact. It no longer automatically silences honest critics of Israeli policy, that is unless they are running for public office or are members of the Fourth Estate. Israel and its rabid supporters continue their PR job on the world, trying to get any criticism of their beloved rogue state labeled a hate crime. Under the resultant opaque veil, Israel is shielded from criticism for the many atrocities it perpetrates, including the constant Apartheid subjugation of the indigenous Palestinians.
As alluded to above, it is not only the politicians who shrink in fear of the Israeli juggernaut. Its powerful lobby effectively cows those in the media who are not ethnic members of the Israeli clique, resulting in a blackout of their bad acts in the news. Even tenured college professors are not immune from attack if they deign to offer critical analyses of the Middle East that invariably must cast the Israeli state in a bad light (see H.R. 3077 below).
It's no secret that many of the fanatical supporters of the Israeli cause populate important media positions where decisions are made and they use their influence to keep a lid on unfavorable news. For example, there are virtually no mainstream media reports of the daily harassment and humiliation inflicted on West Bank residents. And killing of Palestinians, when reported, is usually justified as the elimination of "gunmen" or "militants" The poor, beleaguered Israelis are just defending themselves with their meager F16s, helicopter gunships, tanks and armored vehicles.
Lost in the coverage is the question of what the Israelis are doing in the West Bank in the first place. It has been tacitly assumed by the American political structure, and consequently the public at large, that they are somehow legally entitled to be there and able to take whatever means they choose to suppress opposition to their occupation. Also lost is any question of human rights abuses that are usually decried when perpetrated by governments we oppose, Iraq being the most recent example. Thus, the legitimacy of Israel's actions never comes into question and they are treated as the victims of "terrorism" instead of the perpetrators they actually are.
The most recent exhibition of political fawning is House Resolution 371, co-sponsored by no less than 71 Congressmen, that supports the construction by Israel of a security fence (my daughter calls it the "Jailing" wall) to prevent Palestinian terrorist attacks and condemns the decision by the United Nations General Assembly to request the International Court of Justice to render an opinion on the legality of the security fence. The U.N., it seems, is only of value to us when it does our bidding. I wonder whose idea this resolution was and why those representatives, whose lips must have received collagen injections, puckered up their support so readily?
Consider a few of the many other oscillatory resolutions offered up, resolutions that:
# Condemn Syria for being in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 520, (No mention of the 60 odd resolutions that Israel has ignored).
# Express recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, (Even though the international community does not support this).
# Express gratitude to Israeli law enforcement officers for the counterterrorism training and consultation they have provided to law enforcement officers in the United States. (Just think what we have to look forward to. The West Bank comes to America!)
# Establishing the United States-Israel Homeland Security Foundation to make grants to joint business ventures between United States and Israeli private corporate entities to develop products and services with applications related to homeland security, and for other purposes. (I knew there had to be a way for somebody to make money in the security business.)
# Urging the President and the United States diplomatic corps to dissuade member states of the United Nations from supporting resolutions that unfairly [my emphasis] castigate Israel and to promote within the United Nations General Assembly more balanced and constructive approaches to resolving conflict in the Middle East. (Of course, the way to do this is to pass more one-sided resolutions.)
# Condemning terrorist bombings against Israel. (The many bombings by Israel, such as the occupied apartment house in Gaza (4/24/02) that killed seven innocent children are OK!)
# Monitor International Studies in Higher Education. H.R. 3077 would establish an Advisory Board to monitor International Studies programs in universities that receive government grants. (College professors would be subject to denial of funds if they criticize Israel. This resolution makes sure that these programs contain no material that Israel and her supporters would deem inimical to their interests.)
Not surprisingly, there have been no bills passed condemning Israel for any of its terrorist acts, including the murder of Rachel Corrie (3/16/03), an American citizen and peace activist who was deliberately run over by an Israeli bulldozer. That wouldn't be politically correct because our Congress seems to care more for Israeli citizens than our own.
One could go on and on showing how the "even handedness" of our politicians contributes to the wellspring of hatred abroad for America and its foreign policies but there just isn't enough space. Anyway, you get the idea, but also consider that the downside of all these kisses could end up being … America's kiss of death.
[Raff Ellis lives in the United States and is a retired former strategic planner and computer industry executive. He has had an abiding and active interest in the Middle East since early adulthood and has traveled to the region many times over the last 30 years.]
Raff Ellis encourages your comments: rellis@YellowTimes.org
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