Senator Reid (D-NV) stated that the resolution would :
"..."strengthen our historic bond with the State of Israel by reaffirming Israel's inalienable right to defend against attacks from Gaza, as well as our support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process."
Senator McConnell (R-KY) made perhaps the strongest statement about why the United States continues to back the Israeli military action in Gaza, saying that Israel
"...responding exactly the same way [the US] would if rockets were being launched into the United States from Canada or Mexico."
This is a perfect example of why I love the United States. The U.S., like Europe, has strong commercial interests in the Arab world, not to mention U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. It would be expedient to criticize Israel to protect those perhaps larger interests in the Muslim world. The U.S., unlike Europe, rarely if ever does that. There is an understanding of the history involved and a moral clarity that transcends the almighty dollar or partisan politics. There is a certain dishonesty in those who would condemn Israel and yet would demand action much like that taken by Israel if their own nations and families were under fire.
Sadly this resolution by the U.S. Senate today received little or no coverage in the American media. I had to go to the Jerusalem Post to find the story.
UPDATE: The Senate resolution actually passed unanimously, as did an identical resolution in the House of Representatives. Every single U.S. member of Congress, without exception, voted to support Israel.
1 comment:
I can lay no claim to scholarly accomplishments. I will not belabor the brutality of the holocaust. Rather, I think about the disapora of the Jews many, many years ago. I think of the Jew in refugee camps and detention centers after world war 2 ended. And it seems that many were either callous or were disappointed that Hitler had not been able to complete his goal of extermination. I think about Ruth Gruber and her efforts. I think about how, with the official creation of the renewed Israel there was a plan to have two states, one for the Israelis (Jews) and one for the Palestines. And then I think about how within a few hours a group of Arab nations declared was on Israel and attacked. They effectively blocked that plan and have continued to. The Palestinians are not of any great importance to them except as political pawns. In 1976 I watched an interview on TV during which a young black man was asked if the returning to Africa was for him like the return of Jews to Israel. He replied that there was no similarity because Israel had only existed since 1948. I hope his knowledge of history has improved since then. I understand that some would vehemently prefer that Israel had not been recreated. To them I can only say, "Get over it". And God help the Israelis and Palestinians. And God help the non-players, the ones who only want to live in peace, wherever they are found.
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