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Obama: Gaza Siege ‘Forced on Israel’
Do you think Obama is thinking of all those elderly Jewish voters he has to face in Florida in a few weeks? And of his need to fend off a potential Clinton attack from his political right?
Dear Ambassador Khalilzad,
I understand that today the UN Security Council met regarding the situation in Gaza, and that a resolution or statement could be forthcoming from the Council in short order.
I urge you to ensure that the Security Council issue no statement and pass no resolution on this matter that does not fully condemn the rocket assault Hamas has been conducting on civilians in southern Israel…
All of us are concerned about the impact of closed border crossings on Palestinian families. However, we have to understand why Israel is forced to do this… Israel has the right to respond while seeking to minimize any impact on civilians.
The Security Council should clearly and unequivocally condemn the rocket attacks… If it cannot bring itself to make these common sense points, I urge you to ensure that it does not speak at all.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
This letter is a perfect example of how election campaigns prostitute legitimate policy objectives. Of course, Israel was NOT forced to put Gaza under siege. To say otherwise is first of all to pander to the right-wing portion of the Jewish electorate and second to distort reality. Israel certainly has the right to respond to the Qassams but the method it has chosen has MAXIMAL impact on civilians. Unfortunately, Obama neglected to consider that fact.
Also disappointing is that Obama didn’t call for the UN ambassador to add a denunciation of the siege with his condemnation of the Qassam attacks. How many Arab-American voters do you think there are in Florida? Not many–just as I thought.
It’s no accident that this letter was first published by AIPAC’s favorite columnist, Shmuel Rosner. In fact, except for a few details in it, like the expression of concern for Gaza civilians, the letter could’ve been written by an AIPAC staffer. In fact, that’s a very strong possibility in this instance. Thanks to Racheli Gai who discovered this via the Tikkun daily newsletter.
There was talk earlier today that the Obama campaign denied he’d written the letter. But the U.S. UN Mission press office confirms that the Ambassador did receive a letter from Obama. And Rosner swears to it as well.
Kathy said:
Did Clinton send the same letter?
Lamont Phemister said:
Message to Zionists:
The Jews lost the land about AD133 when driven out by Roman Emperor Hadrian.
The land has been owned by the Muslims for the last 1400 years, since Omar took it from
the Byzantine Romans Christians. Omar permitted a few Jews to return, but there were
not more than 40,000 in Palestine by 1914, shortly before the British permitted the
start of a flood of Jews to return. Righteous Jewish scholarship has now revealed that the
Zionist leaders intended from the start to expel the Arabs from their land.
Israel claims the land “because God gave it to us.”
Some Christians and Jews agree. But, orthodox Christian doctrine for 2000 years rejects
this, believing the Old Covenant is superseded by Jesus in the New Covenant.
Israel claims the land “because we won.” The UN Treaty of 1945 outlaws taking land by war.
Israel claims the land “because the UN voted partition.”
This vote was done by US arm twisting in violation of the ownership rights of the Arabs.
It can have no legitimacy.
The Jews introduced terrorism to Palestine against the British. Future prime minister, Itzak
Shamir argued openly that “neither Jewish ethics nor Jewish tradition can disqualify
terrorism as a means of combat.” and, he said there would have been no Israel without
terrorism.
The Arabs have the right of self defense to fight against invasion and expulsion. To call
them terrorists is dishonest.
The conclusion of these facts is that Israel has not right whatsover to any part of Palestine.
Some,like Prof. Dershowitz, claim Israel deserves the land because of Christian persecution.
Surely Christians owe Jews something because of persecution but that does not extend
to support of Israeli oppression and expulsion of the Arabs from their land.
American support of Israeli is destructive to this nation, makiing us complicit in their
oppression, and stimulating the rise of Muslim extremists and entangling us in wars
against Muslim people with whom we should be at peace.
Israel is not our friend - Israel killed 34 of our sailors in deliberate attack on the USS Liberty,
and spies aggressively on us and gives our military secrets to China.
Israel as a democracy is a joke. Israel is an apartheid regime that does not treat its citizens
equally under the law.
Israel is a liability, not a strategic asset, and America should not be an antagonist to the
Muslim world.
Hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers in the Occupied Territories are a violation of the
Fourth Geneva Convention. For crushing Arabs in their homes with bulldozers, for
restricting Arabs to 1/7 the per capita water resources the settlers get, for reprisal
against groups, for expropriation of lands and wanton destruction of croups (over
300,000 olive trees uprooted), and shops, for arrest and execution without due process,
for building a wall around the West Bank which blocks farmers from their fields and
creates the world’s largest prison, for massive retaliaion with heavy artillery, tanks,
and aircraft, Israel is an abomination against justice.
A two state solution is a delusion because any treated signed by Israel will be on terms of
surrender and perpetual subjugation that Palestinians cannot endure.
The only just and enduring solution is for the Zionists to come to the United States to live
without oppressing others.
There is something wrong with people who are happy to live with their boots on the necks
of people their victims, The State of Israel is an abomination to fair minded people.
Zionists, get out of Palestine and come to America to redeeem your souls.
Gratification of your emotional desires to have your own state is not worth the price of
evil that you commit.
Jewish Americans, be thankful that you have not done such evils, but do not be complicit in
the evil that is Israel. Tell the Zionists to live here as you do.
Leila said:
Rami Zurayk, an agricultural specialist and social justice blogger, reprints a long report from Gaza about the situation for farmers and food there. It’s heartbreaking:
http://landandpeople.blogspot.com/2008/01/long-update-from-gaza.html
Violet said:
It’s a pity that Obama or whoever wrote that tripe didn’t engage their brain before typing. Saying Israel was forced to place an entire population under siege so that they can’t even get hold of day to day necessities is like an abusive spouse saying that the victim of their abuse forced them to abuse them. How can anyone have the gall to make that comment and then follow it up with ‘while seeking to minimize any impact on civilians’?
mattes said:
May I cross post this excellent article to a couple liberal blogs??? I will link back to this site.
Steph said:
I have not doubt that Obama was pandering to right wing voters, but Florida!? The State Democratic Party violated the rules by scheduling their primary early and therefore no delegates from Florida will be recognized so there’s not much campaigning going on there. In any event, the letter is to be condemned!
Richard Silverstein said:
Steph: The NY Times yesterday wrote that despite the supposed non-primary in FL both Clinton & Obama’s are seeing FL as important as a precursor to Feb. 5th. So while what you say is correct, in light of Obama’s S.C. victory FL looms much larger than it previously did.
But you’re right in the sense that Obama’s interests may be larger than merely FL. On Feb. 5th, he’ll be trying to win Jewish votes in lots of states with substantial Jewish populations like NY, NJ & CA.
MuzzleWatch » Obama fights nasty whisper campaign said:
[...] also released a seemingly gratuitous letter to the United Nations regarding their impending condemnation of the illegal and disastrous Siege of [...]
Lewis said:
What was the famous Daily Express headline? “Jews declare war on Germany”
Mary Baine Campbell said:
I’m still not convinced about the authenticity of this troubling letter. It’s very strangely written, and the mysterious ellipses would surely have been edited out before being sent to Khalilzid by the office of a leading candidate for the presidency of the United States. That the UN received it is no guarantee that “Obama” wrote it. If some student intern wrote it for him, the fact that it wasn’t better written or edited–that indeed it doesn’t seem to have been vetted at all–is a bit alarming itself. No trouble believing that presidential candidates would stoop to anything, and contradict themselves with a hand on the Bible, but it doesn’t sound like Obama. And it got so invisibly little press in the US, where most of the voters live: what would have been the motive to sell his soul, apologizing thus inaudibly for a crime against humanity, an infraction of international law not too different from the kind he promises we’ll stop making ourselves?
Richard Silverstein said:
Alas, Mary it IS authentic. Obama’s staff confirmed they sent it. They are getting flack for it and deserve getting more. The reason it doesn’t sound like Obama to you (& it certainly has none of the wonderful rhetoric he’s capable of) is that he didn’t write it. If we’re lucky it was written by a staffer for him. But it’s entirely possible it was written for him by AIPAC & that he merely affixed his signature to it.
While I don’t defend this awful letter, he IS in the fight of his political life for the nomination & feels he must innoculate himself with pro-Israel chicken soup to confirm his credentials. He’s worried that if he leaves a stone unturned that Hillary will go after him & take advantage of such a weakness. Remember that FL has become a crucial contest even though it is non-official & Super Tuesday has many states w. substantial Jewish populations.
Steven said:
everytime i notice the US elections .. i feel it as for israel.. both dems and republicans go to AIPAC to appease the zionists by rhetorics against supposed enemies.. in order to attract votes and money.. it’s shame in my opinion .. that instead of thecandidates to vow for peace.. they support a thug in ME which increase the hte agains US.. the american should wake up and take the lead instead of some zionists which harm the image of US among the world.!