Taking on Sacred Cows: Ending Israel's Veto on a Just Foreign Policy
By Ed Hunt, AlterNet
Posted on June 19, 2008
The world would be a better place if the U.S. cut the purse strings that embolden Israel's human rights violations and land grabs.
Obama's promise of change apparently comes to a screeching halt at Israel's doorstep. Witness Barack's statement at the recent AIPAC conference, and heard around the world, that the relationship between the US and Israel was "sacrosanct."
More disturbing was the comment on Jerusalem, which he said "will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided." US policy in the Israel-Palestine conflict has never been fair and even-handed. But recent indicators by US politicians reveal an alarming shift to an even more biased policy in favor of Israel's continued ethnic cleansing and land grabs in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Don't forget recent revelations out of Israel that President Bush gave a quiet nod to continued settlement activity on Palestinian land. Hillary Clinton had already been on record as endorsing the annexation of east Jerusalem, and had declared at AIPAC that US policy on Israel was non-negotiable and will "never change."
Actually, stated US policy is supposedly one of opposition to Israeli settlements in any of the occupied territories. There has never been any overt endorsement of the unmistakable Israeli intent to ethnically cleanse East Jerusalem, by any US administration. It looks as though US policy could change, if we take either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama at their word. Contrary to Hillary's recent statement, this would be a change indeed -- for the worse. Tragically, this pushes a fair and just settlement further from reach.
--MORE--
Posted on June 19, 2008
The world would be a better place if the U.S. cut the purse strings that embolden Israel's human rights violations and land grabs.
Obama's promise of change apparently comes to a screeching halt at Israel's doorstep. Witness Barack's statement at the recent AIPAC conference, and heard around the world, that the relationship between the US and Israel was "sacrosanct."
More disturbing was the comment on Jerusalem, which he said "will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided." US policy in the Israel-Palestine conflict has never been fair and even-handed. But recent indicators by US politicians reveal an alarming shift to an even more biased policy in favor of Israel's continued ethnic cleansing and land grabs in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Don't forget recent revelations out of Israel that President Bush gave a quiet nod to continued settlement activity on Palestinian land. Hillary Clinton had already been on record as endorsing the annexation of east Jerusalem, and had declared at AIPAC that US policy on Israel was non-negotiable and will "never change."
Actually, stated US policy is supposedly one of opposition to Israeli settlements in any of the occupied territories. There has never been any overt endorsement of the unmistakable Israeli intent to ethnically cleanse East Jerusalem, by any US administration. It looks as though US policy could change, if we take either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama at their word. Contrary to Hillary's recent statement, this would be a change indeed -- for the worse. Tragically, this pushes a fair and just settlement further from reach.
--MORE--