A trip to Palestine

The situation is tremendously depressing, as Israel is carrying on a kind of slow-motion ethnic cleansing, severing the Palestinians from Jerusalem but various bureaucratic measures and home demolitions. It is sad both for itself – to see the extent to which Palestinian every day lives are regulated by Israelis with guns; for the peace process – because there will be no peace unless the Palestinians and Muslims world in general have some access to Jerusalem, which is a holy city for Muslims and Christians, as well as Jews. And because America, as Israel’s only ally and benefactor, makes all this possible – indeed encourages it by the supine nature of its dealings with Israel.

The House Republican Study Committee’s budget-cutting plan includes cutting off $250 million per year to Egypt. It’s a good idea to cut off all foreign aid to all countries, including Israel.

Here’s how it works:

Cantor takes Israel off the foreign-aid dole and hides the Israel subsidy in the DoD numbers til Lieberman takes over from Gates. That way Cantor can vote his heart out against foreign aid without having to explain why Israel – the biggest international welfare case in human history – gets to keep draining the American taxpayer of his lifeblood.

Neat, huh?

If America is seen doing justice in the Middle East, there will be no need for billions of dollars on security. All Americans I met are nice people yet Americans are hated round the world because of their foreign policy that hasn’t changed at all. I grew up in Damascus, witnessed 3 Middle East wars. when I was a young child, during the Israeli bombings, my mum used to hide us in the toilet (being the strongest part of the house) and cover the doorway with her body in case a bomb dropped in the house. Those were American bombs. I grew up hating America and Israel. I try now not to be angry. I don’t want my children to grow up in a hate environment. But it is hard. Everytime I see America doing something positive in the Middle East, I see 10 or more negative things. For humanity’s sake, why can’t America do what fair and just for everybody?

Two recent polls (one by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and one by the Brookings Institute) found that 2/3 of the American people want America to take no side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet, both parties in our Congress are staunchly pro-Israel.

Our representatives do not represent us. The Israeli lobby has stepped in to fill a void because most Americans are totally ignorant of the true history of that conflict and the current situation. That’s why, K. Shbib.

Our media is totally complicit in this, and that is also why; Americans just aren’t getting the truth, and don’t know any better and thus do not seek out other news sources such as the BBC, Guardian, Independent, Ha’aretz, Forward, etc.

Labels: Palestine, politics