Falling In Line on Israel

[IndianaGreen]

Until the progressive community seriously challenges Democratic hawks, there is little hope that the new Democratic majority can be expected to contribute anything to the cause of peace and justice in the Middle East.

Tom Lantos and Joe Biden were strong supporters of our invasion of Iraq. Lantos in particular, has been a strong proponent of military action against Iran and Syria. They are no friends of ours!

Published on Saturday, November 18, 2006 by Foreign Policy in Focus

Falling In Line on Israel
by Stephen Zunes

The election of a Democratic majority in the House and Senate is unlikely to result in any serious challenge to the Bush administration’s support for Israeli attacks against the civilian populations of its Arab neighbors and the Israeli government’s ongoing violations of international humanitarian law.

The principal Democratic Party spokesmen on foreign policy will likely be Tom Lantos in the House of Representatives and Joe Biden in the Senate, both of whom have been longstanding and outspoken supporters of a series of right-wing Israeli governments and opponents of the Israeli peace movement. And, despite claims—even within the progressive press—that future House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a “consistent supporter of human rights,” such humanitarian concerns have never applied to Arabs, since she is a staunch defender of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his predecessor Ariel Sharon.

For example, when President George W. Bush defended Israel's assaults on Lebanon's civilian infrastructure this summer and defied the international community by initially blocking United Nations efforts to impose a cease-fire, the Democrats rushed to pass a resolution commending him for “fully supporting Israel .” The resolution, co-authored by Rep. Lantos, claimed that Israel's actions were legitimate self-defense under the UN Charter and challenged the credibility of reputable human rights groups. Although groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch documented widespread attacks by Israeli forces against civilians in areas far from any Hezbollah military activity, the resolution praised “Israel's longstanding commitment to minimizing civilian loss and welcom Israel's continued efforts to prevent civilian casualties.” All but 15 of the House's 201 Democrats voted in support.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1118-20.htm

[William769]

1. This is how I frame the argument and it will never change.

Stop the attacks in Israel and then let both sides sit down at a table and talk.

I may be a minority here about this but I don't care.

[Boston Critic]

4. But we're not in the minority among Democrats

While those who defend Palestinian terrorists engage in "Orwellian doublespeak" in order to avoid the obvious implications of their agenda, the Democratic Party and its leaders continues its longstanding support of a safe and secure Israel that has a right to defend itself against terror attacks.

While the platform also recognizes that there will be an eventual Palestinian state, it notes that that cannot happen until Israel's enemies are prepared to live in peace with it.

[IntiRaymi]

2. This is bad news for Israel.

It appears that it is only via Orwellian doublespeak that support for Israel's actions is possible.

[Jim Sagle]

3. Zunes is an anti-Dcmocrat "lefty.".

He obvious but unstated intention is to hurt the Democrats by driving off the Jewish and pro-Israel vote.

Fuck'm - with Pat Pukeannon's dick.