More Senate letters re: Israel/Gaza
Senator Casey wrote me this:
Dear Friend:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the unfolding situation in the Gaza Strip. I appreciate hearing from all Pennsylvanians about this important issue.
Israel has been a key ally of the United States and cornerstone of U.S. policy in the Middle East since its founding in 1948. Israel is one of our strongest allies, and the bond between our two nations can never be broken.
The chief obligation that any government has to its citizens is a duty to protect. Thus, when constant rockets and mortar fire generated by Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip barrage Israeli cities, Israel has the right and the responsibility to defend its population. I deeply regret that a humanitarian crisis has emerged in the Gaza Strip, and I support the continued provision of humanitarian aid to innocent victims there.
A stalemate on Middle East diplomacy will only strengthen extremists like Hamas throughout the region and breed further violence. This is why I continue to support a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peaceful coexistence with secure, agreed upon borders. For this to happen, the United States must reassume its historical leadership position to bring the parties to the table. As President-elect Obama takes office, I look forward to working with him as his administration pursues robust diplomatic engagement to bring lasting peace to this critical region.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.
If you have access to the Internet, I encourage you to frequently visit my website, http://casey.senate.gov. In the months ahead, I will continue to develop the site in order to allow you to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington. If you wish to e-mail me, you can do so on the website.
Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator
So I wrote back to him with this:
Senator Casey (and aides),
You recently took the time to write back to me regarding the current Israel/Gaza crisis. Thank you for taking the time to do so.
I appreciate your desire for peace and stability in the Middle East, but your obvious one-sided support of Israel is unlikely to engender that.
Further, comments like the following:
On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 6:02 PM, Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. wrote:
Israel is one of our strongest allies, and the bond between our two nations can never be broken.
sound insincere and propaganda-like, or at best ill-informed. Clearly, Britain is one of our strongest allies, and for a good deal longer than Israel, and yet also clearly the bonds between our two nations have been broken when the situation merited it. France has been a strong ally and yet we do not march in lock-step with them. When Russia and Georgia had their conflict last August, with a fraction of the civilian casualties, Congress seemed to lose its mind in sympathetic rage. I see no reason why the United States of America cannot civilly express disgust at the evils taking place in the Gaza strip Right Now.
Israel has not taken adequate steps to protect the civilian Palestinian population. That, if nothing else, should be discouraged in the strongest possible ways that diplomacy allows, and yet you do nothing.