US Internal Politics and Isreal [Zionist] LobbyIsrael and Palestine
Most agree that the US is key to resolving the conflict but what are the US internal political ramifications? Is the US held hostage to its own internal politics and religious pressures? Recent discussion has brought the "Israel Lobby" more clearly into focus ...
Monday, June 20, 2005
"Bolton Delay Offensive to Jewish Community, Says JINSA"
U.S. Newswire : Releases : "Bolton Delay Offensive to Jewish Community, Says JINSA": "6/20/2005 12:05:00 PM
To: National Desk
Contact: Jim Colbert of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, 202-667-3900
WASHINGTON, June 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The ongoing effort by John Bolton's Senate detractors to hold up his confirmation as UN ambassador is especially offensive to the Jewish community, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs declared today.
'It was Bolton's determined leadership and diplomatic mastery that, in 1991, caused the United Nations to finally revoke one of its most outrageous resolutions - equating Zionism with racism,' said JINSA executive director Tom Neumann. 'It was a truly Herculean task, but Bolton succeeded where many predecessors had failed because he made the effort and took the time to engage the UN members one by one.
'The Jewish community will always be grateful,' Neumann noted. 'We should remind our elected representatives of that.'"
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Oops! We're governed by racists! people aren't antagonistic towards Judaism and Jews, they're aghast at Israel riding roughshod over world opinion wi
Oops! You're Racist.: "Oops! You're Racist. | Nothing says bias like the federal government protecting against discrimination... of only one ethnic group. | By Matt Hutaff Jun 14, 2005
'It is not anti-Semitic to criticize the policies of the state of Israel.' – Colin Powell.
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Last October the Washington Times announced George Bush's plan to establish an office in the State Department for the sole purpose of monitoring anti-Semitism around the world. Passed by both houses of Congress, the bill required tax dollars be spent solely on documenting condemnation of worldwide Jewry.
Oops! We're governed by racists!
Seriously, federal law should not support one group over another. The melting-pot evolution of the United States has borne thousands of different faiths, cultures, creeds and ethnicities – all supposedly equal; a policy of discrimination favoring one group is only a disservice to everyone else.
As well as completely unnecessary. The State Department balked at such legislation because it already monitors a number of groups – including Jews!
'We opposed creation of a separate office [...] and opposed the mandating of a separate annual report,' spokesman Richard Boucher said. 'We expressed the view that separate reports on different religions or ethnicities were not warranted, given that we already prepare human rights reports and religious freedom reports on 190 countries [emphasis mine].'"
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Unfortunately, combating anti-Semitism is now politically intertwined with hatred for Israel's disastrous policies. The association is by design, as Israel has worked to blend any criticism of its goals of warmongering and genocide into contempt for all Jewish people. The resultant deflection marginalizes earnest discussion of the woes in the Middle East at the expense of the collective Jewish reputation.
However, Israel does not speak for all Jews, and sweeping generalizations that brandish critics of Israel as anti-Semites are a far greater crime than a defaced cemetery or vandalized car (as many of these "hate crimes" are ultimately hoaxes). Jews are no more responsible for the actions of Israel than Catholics are for the actions of the Vatican.
So why can't the United States government learn to separate the two entities from one another? Representative Tom Lantos (D-California) introduced the above-mentioned legislation because of concerns over "rising" anti-Semitism in Europe and the Middle East.
News flash, Tom – people aren't antagonistic towards Judaism and Jews, they're aghast at Israel riding roughshod over world opinion without penalty. Considering the number of scandals Israel racks up, that's not unreasonable in the slightest.
Israel is currently in violation of more United Nations resolutions than any other nation in the world. It continues to build a separation wall through and around Palestinian lands in disregard of international law and has essentially seized Jerusalem – a city long decided as beholden to no particular country – for its own. It also continues to develop illegal settlements in territories that do not belong to them using taxpayer money!
Men, women and children are murdered by Israeli Defense Forces with little or no provocation. Amnesty International has condemned the government as complicit in war crimes; their soldiers admit to murdering Palestinians for revenge.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
'if I had to chose between America and Israel, I would choose Israel.'
Haaretz - Israel News - Women-only council planned for pro-Israel evangelical lobby group: "By Daphna Berman | May 27, 2005
At the National Religious Broadcasters convention in California earlier this year, Christian Zionist leader Kay Arthur declared in a since memorable speech that despite her love for the United States, 'if I had to chose between America and Israel, I would choose Israel.'
According to reports, the gathering, which included the who's who in the religious broadcasting world, responded with 'tepid' applause, a few faces 'cringing with embarrassment.'
Arthur, who was in Israel this week, had apparently crossed a sort of fine line, that until now most outspoken Christian Zionists have managed to delicately, for the most part, maintain."
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"I completely stand behind my speech at the conference," she insisted. "God has chosen Israel above all the nations of the earth, and because I love God, I have to follow God's heart and be dedicated to the land and the people of Israel."
