It is no secret that in the Middle East today, and since its creation in 1948, the government of Israel has stood head and shoulders above the neighboring Arab states as America’s most trusted ally. The reward for Israel for this alliance has translated into unqualified support of Israel by successive US administrations in the Security Council, where the US has vetoed or abstained from every resolution critical of Israel without exception. Israel also tops the list of countries which receive financial and military aid from the government of the United States. The Israeli Defense Forces military hardware includes some of America’s most sophisticated and prized fighter planes, tanks and other weapons of war, some of which are not available to any of the Arab states who count themselves as allies of the US, e.g. Saudi Arabia. According to the Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, US Foreign Aid to Israel Update of January 2, 2008:
U.S. military aid has helped transform Israel’s armed forces into one of the most technologically sophisticated military forces in the world. U.S. military aid for Israel has been designed to maintain Israel’s qualitative edge over neighboring countries, since Israel must rely on better equipment and training to compensate for a manpower deficit in any potential regional conflict. U.S. military aid, a portion of which may be spent on procurement from Israeli defense companies, also has helped Israel to build a domestic defense industry, which ranks as one of the top ten suppliers of arms worldwide.The comparative military and financial advantage accorded Israel over the Arab states is in addition to the enormous political influence that Israel exercises in shaping US Middle East policy to its obvious advantage. An example of this is the obligatory consultation of the Israeli government whenever the White House plans major arms sales to an Arab or Gulf State ally. In 2007, when the Bush Administration announced the increase in US military assistance to Israel by six billion dollars over the next ten years in annual increments which will reach $3.1 billion a year by 2018, it went to great lengths to ensure that the wording of the announcement would be crafted carefully to satisfy the government of Israel. Part of the statement by Nicholas Burns, then under secretary of state for political affairs, detailed in the above mentioned Report for Congress, read:
We consider the 30 billion dollars in assistance to Israel to be an investment in peace – in long term peace. Peace will not be made without strength. Peace will not be made without Israel being strong in the future. Of course, our objective as a country and our specific objective as a government is to contribute to that peace, a peace between Israel and the Palestinian people, the creation of an independent Palestinian state willing to live side by side in peace with Israel, and a general peace in the region that has eluded the Israeli people for 59 years but which is, we hope, the destiny of the Israeli people as well as the Arab peoples of the region. Our policy in this entire region is dedicated to that final objective.This obligatory consultation is in sharp contrast to the often high-handed way in which Israel has traditionally dealt with the Palestinians. The thorny issue of Jewish settlements on the West Bank and the other parts of the occupied territories is a good example. Israel continues to build settlements in blatant contravention of the call by President Obama to halt further settlements while the peace process is in progress. Israel also just recently expelled Palestinians from East Jerusalem, an act that is an obvious impediment to the peace process.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - eileen doret
Netanyahu is, today, effectively Israel's rent-boy who prostitutes both himself, and his country, for US dollars and military equipment in order to enforce an illegal occupation. But as with all prostitutes, they soon lose their perceived charm - although it is doubtful that this one had any to start with.
Benjamin Netanyahu tried hard to emulate one of his less than illustrious predecessors, Ariel Sharon - the commander of the militia who carried out the infamous Shatila and Sabra massacre, but our man failed in that also. Whilst Sharon was a deadly weapon, Benjamin is just a pop-gun. Lots of noise but no real bullets, other than, of course, those fired by the IDF last December, in Gaza, that killed three hundred children.
This current leader of the Likud party, in his second attempt at being prime minister, has mortgaged his soul and body to the doctrine of 21st century political Zionism. The fundamentalist doctrine that still envisages a 'Greater Israel' running from Eilat in the south to the occupied, Golan Heights, in Syria in the north and encompassing every centimetre of land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean.
But in the last few weeks, Benjamin and friends, such as the jumped-up, self-styled, Moldavian spokesperson for the new Birth Certificate Validation Movement, have now a specific objective. That is to try to delegitimize the democratically elected President of the United States in the hope that through AIPAC and other pro-Israel lobby groups with strong influence in both Houses, there may be a chance to replace this choice of the electorate with one more sympathetic to the discredited cause of political Zionism: a man more malleable, more acceptable to AIPAC suggestions, a man less rigid in his thinking, a man more ready to please and even more generous with American tax dollar grants, loans and aid packages. In short, an American president willing to be a paid-up member of the Likud party of Israel. Someone should tell Benjamin, 'You've already failed at being Israel's Prime Minister, you have no chance of being the next US president.'
2 - WTF?
The birther group is a Zionist conspiracy?
WTF?
3 - Baronius
Charles, I just want to say in advance that I agree with most of what Ruvy's going to say, except for the part about dragging you through the street and hanging you.
Actually, that's not quite true (not the hanging part...eh, never mind). Ruvy will probably say that Israel has the right to determine its own domestic policy within accepted standards of human rights. That part I agree with. He'll also say that Israel is better off without the US, and I disagree. What you, Ruvy, and I'm afraid President Obama don't get is that the US and Israel need each other in a unique way: we are bound together as beacons.
4 - Ruvy
Netanyahu is, today, effectively Israel's rent-boy who prostitutes both himself, and his country, for US dollars....
That's as far as Eileen has it right. All the rest of her comment is a lot of garbage. But she has it on the money about Netanyahu, Sharon, Barak, and Rabin. All of them were rent-a-leaders who have prostituted this country to get personal gain and profit. Peres was and is the EU rent-a-leader who prostitutes this country to the Europeans for personal gain and profit.
Rabin, of the lot, was the only one who saw where everything was going and tried to pull out of the Oslo nightmare. That is why he was murdered - by Shimon Peres, not Yigal Amir. Peres didn't want the profitable deals he had cut with Arabs like Arafat queered. There is too much evidence around to PROVE that statement. Which is why NO Israeli government leader will dare answer and deny. He himself would get smeared as a collaborator with murder.
Charles, stick with topics that do not have to do with Israel. You just do not have your facts straight. You quote fools like Norm Finkelstein and appear to look to James Earl (peanut brain) Carter, a man who never met an Arab he didn't like, for guidance. You have an awful lot of reading to get a reasonable story out that is closer to the truth.
I'm guessing that you are originally from Africa yourself. If so, you hopefully have some idea of how corrupt most African governments are. The Palestinian Authority, set up by Israel in a vain attempt to get a terrorist to reign in other terrorists, has been, more than anything else a pack of robbers who have bled the Arabs under their rule white. Only the effective castration of the Mahmoud Abbas regime has allowed some prosperity to return to the Arabs who live in Judea and Samaria.
The dictatorship of Hamas in Gaza has been opposed, not because it is the "democratic choice of the voters". The Israeli "leaders" have what most would view as a Stalinist mentality, and they have no idea what democratic means.
The reason Hamas has been so strongly opposed was that the corrupt el-FataH had all sorts of profitable deals with Israeli politicians. El-FataH beleives in a strategy of "loot first and kill later". Hamas has the same goals as el-FataH, the murder and massacre of all Jews in the Land of Israel, but they believe in "kill first and loot later". The practical result of Hamas' policy is that they will not make any money making deals with corrupt Israeli politicians. And the corrupt Israeli politicians want the comfortable old arrangements with el-FataH back. They don't give a damn about Arab terror; they don't give a damn about Jews dying. All they care about is their own pockets. Recognize the species of rat, Charles?
For the rats on Government Hill in Jeruslem, it's all about money - nothing more. And for the rats in Ramallah in el-FataH, it's all about squeezing as much money out of the Jews before they murder them off - nothing more.
That's why both sets of rats have to die.
5 - Charles Euchay
Hello Ruvy,
I think you have failed to read my article sufficiently enough to get to the essence of it. I did not pretend that I was going to get away with ruffling some feathers, as I detect yours have. First of all, I am neither Jewish nor Palestinian or Arab. So, it is fair to say that I have no dog in this fight. As a citizen of the world, I am interested in world peace. The sole aim of my article was to offer a world citizen's view of how peace between Israel and the Palestinians can be fostered and ultimately achieved. I do not come down on any side. But I do feel that US Middle East policy needs to be more even handed in order to appear and act impartially as a mediator in this age old conflict. I might add that I have many friends who are Jewish who have expressed the same sentiments. Like me they long for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. I am sorry that you could not see my neutrality in my article. I am not a politician nor am I any way involved in policy making that is likely to have an impact in this conflict. But I firmly believe in my right to express a view point.
6 - Ruvy
Actually, Charles, I read your article rather thoroughly. I was going to comment on American policy. But the truth is American policy is not our problem here. The cowardice of our leaders and their corruption is. You haven't paid attention to anything I wrote, I see.
American leaders don't give a damn about Arabs or Jews. They only give a damn about lining their pockets either with money (like most Republicans) or with power, like the Democrat in office.
American foreign policy has been pro-Arab for the last 65 years - but when you have lots of Jewish voters and campaign contributors, you cannot do this openly - until recently.
The only difference between Obama and his predecessors regarding Israel is that he is openly an enemy, while the others expressed theior enmity behind closed doors where Jewish campaign contributors would not see.
What has changed is that since most American Jews no longer giove a damn about Israel, Obama can afford to be a lot more hostile in public.
Obama's hostile foreign policy is the best thing that could happen to this country. That is why I was for his election - even though I think he is a fraud from top to bottom.
7 - Ruvy
But I firmly believe in my right to express a view point.
Of course you have a right to express your point of view. You have a right to that....
8 - Franco
Charles
I respect your desire for peace, and your willingness to post your opinions. I have some questions concerning some of your perspectives, which might help me understand you better.
First, you are aware are you not, that most Arab counties what to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, and have since May 15, 1948. This hostility is Arab born and has nothing what so ever to do with whether the US or anyone else supports there right to exist, because most all-Arab countries do not even get along with each other that well. You might say, their hate for Israel is one of the few things that unites them. You have not brought any of these most important facts up, so I am not sure you have done any accounting for it in your position.
Second, you are aware are you not, that Russia, China, and North Korea sells military hardware and software to many of these hostile Arab countries. This is ongoing, and as such, so is Israels own highly advanced military industrial complex, and also the continued US military support for Israel. You have not brought these facts up either.
Third, Israel is not going to go away. Peace will only start to show itself the moment the Arab counties except that fact and seek to get along, thus opening up roads for reconciliation and building a mutual respect. So fare, for the past 61 years, right up to this moment you read this, the Arabs have refused to do so.
Given these three realities, how is supporting the Arabs as you have asserted going to bring peace, when the Arabs only what Israel gone.
For Arabs to except Israel’s right to exist, in their mind they have to except defeat by the Jews. How can they except defeat by the Jews when they’re whole belief structure that is based on there Koran referring to Jews as pigs and apes and calls for them to be subjected, and if not subjected, killed.
How are the seeds of your ideas going to find soild to grow in the minds of Arabs of this mindset?
9 - Ruvy
Franco,
"Progressives" (go to the author's web-site) seem unable to process the realities of Arab blood-lust. Or if they recognize it, they make excuses for it.
When you encounter this bloodlust for the fisrt time, it's understandable to make excuses for theses sick excuses that pass for human beings. I know that I did after the bombing in MaHané Yehúda (the central shouk in Jerusalem) in 1997 right before PessaH that year. But after bombing and bombing, and massacre and assault after assault, I find it impossible to feel sorry for these bastards if the IDF goes in to kill a bunch of them and accidentally kills a bunch of children purposely stuck in the line of fire by cowardly Arab bastards who call themselves "freedom fighters" - which is what happened in Gaza around Hanukkah when the IDF went in to silence the Hamas Qassam rockets that it had been firing in massive numbers.
"Progressives" seem unable to recognize the fact that from 1921 on, Arabs incited violence, murder and massacre against Jews in the Land of Israel. They just sweep this fact under their ideological rug with a firm shove. They continually neglect the fact that when Jews have offered the hand of peace, they have been the first to try to cut that hand off.
So "Progressives" have a "right to state their views" - just as we here have a "right to defend ourselves" - both meaningless rights doled out by the Protestant oligarchs who run America and use Jews as their managers and head-waiters - convincing the stupid Jews in their stud collection that they have a real stake in the process of murdering off their own brothers.
10 - Franco
Ruvy,
I know of the Arabs incited violence, murder and massacre against Jews in the Land of Israel before 1948. I only went back to May 15, 1948 because just getting someone who is unaware as Charles seems to be to input these historical facts into there opinions is a big enough revilation. From there they can find there way to 1921.
Now, if you would be so kind, please expand on this one for me...
"both meaningless rights doled out by the Protestant oligarchs who run America and use Jews as their managers and head-waiters - convincing the stupid Jews in their stud collection that they have a real stake in the process of murdering off their own brothers."
11 - Charles Euchay
Hello again, Ruvy,
As the author of the original article that has now generated these comments (yours included), I have to say that I am saddened by the tone of your contribution to the discourse that I had hoped my article would encourage. I am not sure where what your background is but I am certain that the level of vituperative language of hate and intimidation you bring to this forum is unhelpful both for those, like myself, trying to understand your perspective and those who attempt to express a view point. I came to Blogcritics because I saw it as a place to engage in intellectual expression and exchange of ideas with others of like interests and in so doing, hone my writing skills. I think that one of the ethics of writing is objectivity and tolerance of other points of view. I recall that your first comment to my article was presaged by a veiled threat by Baronius who warned me of what ire and invectives you were about to heap on me. He even hinted rather coyly about shooting me and dragging my body through the streets. While I choose to dismiss such unprovoked violent language as the petulant reaction of a fanatic, I am impelled to remind you that decorum is called for when publicly debating issues with others; yes even issues you feel passionately about. What made Hitler's treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany so abhorrent and worthy of universal condemnation was his attitude that Jews were "sub-human" and unworthy to live. That was a very dangerous attitude then and remains so today, regardless of who is propagating such attitude. My advice to you is to moderate your language while holding on to whatever points of view you belive in. There are going to be other issues and topics of discussion on Blogcritics that will evoke some passion in people. I intend to continue expressing my own views while listening to other people's views, incluk=
12 - Charles Euchay
Sorry for the break in my last comment. I meant to conclude that I intend to continue expressing my own views while listening to other people's views, including yours Ruvy.
13 - Cindy
Charles,
Good article.
Ruvy is a Zionist Jew who went over to Israel. He believes god gave the Jews Israel and Palestinians have no right. After all, god doesn't think Arabs are special and didn't give them that land.
Therefore, like most Zionists, he is not interested in what is Palestine and what is Israel and has no qualms about moving in on Palestinian land. Because god said there is no Palestine.
Do you understand now?
14 - Christopher Rose
Ruvy is also a very angry man, for lots of different reasons.
His anger has led him to make some pretty silly and/or offensive remarks, including a notorious call for the nuking of Tel Aviv; repeated suggestions that 1. Israel should use its nuclear arsenal to nuke both Iran and Saudi Arabia and 2. That the best way to resolve the Palestine issue is to kill all the Arabs in the region.
He also shares the view of the current Iranian President that it is the UK that is the greatest enemy of each of their respective countries.
Oh, and he also thinks that people who don't live in Israel should not have opinions on what goes on there but doesn't seem to think that he should then refrain from commenting on the affairs of other countries.
15 - Silas Kain
In all fairness to Ruvy, he's had to contend with centuries of pent up anger, hostility and repression. What needs to be done in order to break these ancient hatreds is top educate new generations that there is a better way. Why the hell are we still fighting wars that have lasted for all these years? We do our children no good to perpetuate this insidious behavior. Regardless of religious belief, there has to be a compromise on the secular level. Even Christ Himself said render unto Caesar what is his.
The old family Bible which my mother still retains has maps of the Holy Land. There is no mention of Israel. No mention of Gaza. But in large, bold letters is PALESTINE. There's where I have a problem. There WAS and IS a Palestine. It's not far different from the plight of Poland. Three times in history, Poland was obliterated from the map but the will and hearts of Poles were strong and they prevailed. As my Babci (Polish for Grandma) used to say, you will never understand until you see blood on the streets.
What happened on 9/11 may have been dramatic but we Americans tend to blow things way out of proportion. Three thousand lives lost compared to the number of humans slaughtered in the Middle East? Americans have been very fortunate. We could have had it a hell of a lot worse. The attacks on 9/11 were skillfully used by the Bush Administration to promote an agenda for their own gains. Many corporate friends of the Bush Administration have made millions and have used the victims of 9/11 as their catalyst. This is where we should concentrate our efforts. While the majority of us view Muslim thought as archaic, oppressive and violent, we're ignoring what's going on within our own borders. The Far Christian Right has an agenda and they have the cash to drive it forward. Somehow I believe that the facilitators on the Far Right are less inclined to worship God as they are to worship the Dollar. Religion is a great vehicle for raising lots of money -- look at St. Paul. The man from Tarsus established an organization that in many ways has become the business model for Tupperware, Amway and Avon.
P.S. Help me out here, Cindy!
16 - Baronius
But for all of Ruvy's quirky positions, he's correct on the primary question of this thread, the culpability of either side in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
Charles, I was wrong to poison the well about Ruvy.
17 - Franco
13 - Cindy
"Ruvy is a Zionist Jew who went over to Israel. He believes god gave the Jews Israel and Palestinians have no right. After all, god doesn't think Arabs are special and didn't give them that land.
Therefore, like most Zionists, he is not interested in what is Palestine and what is Israel and has no qualms about moving in on Palestinian land. Because god said there is no Palestine.
Do you understand now?"
Cindy, thank you for half the story. Now for the other half of the story.
The Palestinians are radical Arab Islamic fundamentalists. They believe that god gave the Palestinians the land as their third holiest sight, and the Jews have no right. After all, god doesn't think Jews are special and didn't give them that land.
Therefor, like most radical Arab Islamic fundamentalists, they are not interested in what is Palestine and what is Israel and have no qualms about seeking to wipe all Jews off all of the land because god said they are nothing but pigs and apes and must be either subjected, or killed.
Do you understand now?
18 - Cindy
Watch that, Silas.
19 - roger nowosielski
Glad you're here, Charles. Don't get discouraged.
20 - Cindy
Franco, I don't have the patience to talk to you.
I'd rather start from the beginning, with children, before they've undergone a socialization process that causes them to become the progeny of a sick, violent culture.
It doesn't matter what is said anyhow and I'm tired. Maybe some other time.
21 - Cindy
In fact, Franco, I think the most productive thing I could do right now, would be to go talk to my husband in my duck voice. It makes him laugh. That is what I call worthwhile.
22 - Clavos
So, you're resorting to quackery, eh Cindy?
[Ducks and runs for cover]
23 - Charles Euchay
Hey Baronius,
Your apology is accepted, although it would have been more meaningful coming from Ruvy for whom you have elected to be a mouthpiece. I will be interested to hear your own personal views on this and any other issues under discussion in Blogcritics.
24 - roger nowosielski
duck voice. Is that what you had in mind?
25 - Silas Kain
The Palestinians are radical Arab Islamic fundamentalists. They believe that god gave the Palestinians the land as their third holiest sight, and the Jews have no right. After all, god doesn't think Jews are special and didn't give them that land.
With all due respect, failure to capitalize the "G" in God tells me something. I hope others can pick up on it. Palestinians, as a general population, are not as sinister as you would have them be. The Queen of Jordan mirrors the thoughts of mainstream Palestinians.
Therefor, like most radical Arab Islamic fundamentalists, they are not interested in what is Palestine and what is Israel and have no qualms about seeking to wipe all Jews off all of the land because god said they are nothing but pigs and apes and must be either subjected, or killed.
Oh please. Bill Maher brought up a very good point Friday night. He says half of Americans don't even know that Judaism is OLDER than Christianity! And these so-called "good" Christians don't know the difference between the OLD and NEW Testaments. For a country of adherents, we're pretty pathetic. But, in all fairness, it goes back to education. Look at the quotes I refer to in this comment. Study the grammar, spelling and usage of homonyms. If I wrote something like that back in my days in a Polish Roman Catholic School I would have been crucified. I remember once getting a four page hand written note from my 7th grade English teacher telling me that my poor penmanship was a sign of disrespect and inconsideration to my teacher. It traumatized me so much that I became the premier cursive writer in the 8th grade. Folks, I rest my case.