Published on Friday, May 25, 2007
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has gone on unresolved for almost half a century, leaving angry Palestinians in the West Bank besieged and occupied by Israeli forces. Facing Palestinian resistance, Israelis have imposed an iron-fisted occupation policy while persisting in the construction of scores of illegal Jewish settlements throughout the West Bank. The settlement policy especially puts the lie to Israel's stated objectives of peace and is the source of widespread anger in the Muslim world.
Jimmy Carter, in his recent book "Palestine - Peace Not Apartheid," lists Israeli abuses and says Americans are ignorant about what is going on. He labels Israeli policy as apartheid and says Palestinians are treated worse than blacks were in South Africa. More than 9,000 Palestinians are in Israeli jails. Why does America continue to support Israel and its harsh policies? Why does it matter?
The short answer lies in the power and influence of the Israeli lobby. It matters because it undercuts our Middle East policy and makes the war on terror unwinnable.
The Israeli lobby is a loose but disciplined coalition of individuals and organizations who work to influence U.S. policy in Israel's favor. A major player is the hard-line America-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). With a $50 million budget, AIPAC is the second-most-powerful lobby in America, behind only the AARP. The lobby also includes several prominent Christian evangelicals, leading Republicans and Democrats in Congress, and neoconservatives such as Vice President Dick Cheney, John Bolton, Donald Rumsfeld and Scooter Libby. All support the Iraq war and a pro-Israel, anti-Iran, anti-Syria agenda.
Money for weapons
Since the 1967 Six-Day War, the United States has provided close diplomatic, military and financial support to Israel. The lobby plays a central role in this policy. Financial support for Israel totals $140 billion, dwarfing that provided any other country. It has received $3 billion in weapons assistance and gets about $3 billion yearly in direct assistance. It is the only country not required to account for aid it receives. Since aid is "fungible," U.S. taxpayers facilitate construction of roads and settlements on Palestinian land, a violation of U.S. policy and U.N. Resolution 242. Some aid may pay for congressional lobbying operations. Three billion dollars has been provided for weapons development. It receives sophisticated weaponry such as Blackhawk helicopters, F-16 fighters, missiles and cluster bombs; all have been used against Palestinians.
Consistent diplomatic support has repeatedly blocked International Atomic Energy Agency inspection of Israel's nuclear arsenal, undercutting efforts to limit Iranian nuclear development. The United States has vetoed 42 U.N. Security Council resolutions critical of Israel, more than the total cast by all other Security Council members.
Israel claims Syria and Iran and groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah are a shared threat. These entities may threaten Israel but are no threat to the United States. Terrorist action against Israel is not unprovoked but is a response to Israel's colonization of Arab land. Lawrence Wright says one motivation for the 9/11 attack was Osama bin Laden's sympathy for the Palestinians, a fact omitted from the 9/11 Commission Report. We have a terrorist problem, but largely because of our close ties to Israel.
Silencing critics
The lobby works behind the scenes to control Congress, the executive and information about Israel. It tries to defeat any candidate opposing Israel. Most members of Congress, including members of the Montana delegation, have accepted money from the lobby - and toe the line. Information control is through ownership or appointment of Israeli sympathizers to governing boards of major newspaper chains and broadcast networks. Critics of Israel are labeled as either "anti-Semitic or self-hating Jews." By silencing critics and open discussion, the lobby violates the very foundation of our democracy.
The lobby discourages Israeli peace efforts, marginalizes moderate Palestinian leaders and empowers groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. It is derelict to order our troops to fight against Islamic insurgents and terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan while the lobby, our own government, and many Americans undermine their efforts by aiding and abetting Israel's harsh treatment of the Palestinians.
Auzie Blevins of Billings is a geographer and retired federal employee. Vince Larsen is a petroleum geologist in Billings. Their sources include: "The Israeli Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, www.lrb.co.uk; "The Looming Tower: Al-Queda and the Road to 9/11," by Lawrence Wright; "Second Chance," by Zbigniew Brzezinski; and "On Israel, American & AIPAC," New York Review of Books, April 7, by George Soros.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
Update
Former U.S. defense chief: Israel must not attack Iran
No reason for war with Iran
Behind the eyes of the warmongering US hawks
UPDATED: Cheney aide clearing road to Iran strike
May 26 Update
Excellent article! Spread truth!
"I may not agree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it"...Voltaire
Guess that deal with the devil isn't working out so well! After the Zionist state is put to rest, the Zionist elite will be made to pay back all the money they co-opted from Americans and Palestinians.
This is a good article. Has this been blogged here by the authors? It doesn't seem to have been. I can't seem to find it anywhere else on the net, apart from the CrimesAndCorruption blogsite.
{" Terrorist action against Israel is not unprovoked but is a response to Israel's colonization of Arab land.}" And NOT just Arab land, I suspect, but of the world itself.
This is a guest editorial which the authors contributed to their their local newspaper in Billings, Montana. Do it yourself where you live.
Former U.S. defense chief: Israel must not attack Iran
No reason for war with Iran
Behind the eyes of the warmongering US hawks
UPDATED: Cheney aide clearing road to Iran strike
Why don't you start a blog?
Of course, I beg to differ with you on israel's so-called "right to exist" - it has none.
Only human beings have "rights" - states have only the "privilege" to exist at the pleasure of the people it affects.
Wait until you see what else the glorious state of israel has in store for the Middle East if they get what they hope for (war with Iran) - I'm sure then you'll change your mind post-haste, but by then it will be too late.
Nevertheless, I like your style and your spirit is pointed in the right direction, so join us in our struggle to put an end to the Madness of the Middle East.
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"Money" has no value - people do.
I couldn't agree with your philosophy more, Qrswave. I deplore any group that forces it's ideals on, or opresses others, especially a country with institutionalized racism and ethnic cleansing policies.
All the people of Palestine must be treated equally, and reparations must be made to the displaced Palestininans. Is it fair that Germany pays it's 'victims' every year (as if they're the only ones), yet the Israelis pay nothing, displace, occupy lands, imprison, ethnically cleanse, tax and withold funds from the Palestinians? They forment war between factions of Arabs, over and over again; today in Lebanon, yesterday in Gaza. Don't get me started on Iraq and Iran, etc, etc.
We have those bastard international merchant bankers to thank for this, they are the enablers of most despicable regimes.
Who Wants War With Iran?
YES!