Countdown
Black and White in a World of Gray
Volume VII, No. 25
Posted on Thursday July 6, 2006
Black and White in a World of Gray
As usual, the British press can be counted on to provide the balance and perspective so often lacking in American reporting on Palestine and Israel. In an editorial titled, “Mindless in Gaza: Israel’s risky strategy,” the Financial Times boldly took on the Israeli government’s collective punishment of Gaza’s 1.5 million civilians. “No two conflicts are alike, in cause or in contour, but it is legitimate to compare standards of behaviour. Consider, for a moment, what would have happened if, in reaction to the IRA seizing a soldier, the British government had: invaded Northern Ireland; punished its people by destroying its electricity supply, transport links and government offices; shelled Belfast and Derry from land, sea and air; cratered the Falls Road; used the Royal Air Force to buzz the offices of the Taoiseach in Dublin; and arrested every Republican it could lay its hands on.” Meanwhile, the New York Times’ “Hamas Provokes a Fight” admonishes Hamas while only suggesting that Israel’s “inevitable” response be “as restrained as possible.” This continued lack of nuance is such a disservice to American readers.
A Do-Nothing Administration
In the Israeli daily Haaretz, Knesset member Yossi Beilin laments the lack of American leadership in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: “I’m trying to think about the past, and I recall the Nixon administration’s involvement in the airlift that saved Israel during the Yom Kippur War; I remember the Carter administration that brought to a successful end the Camp David summit in 1978 and peace between Israel and Egypt; there is the Reagan administration that through its envoy, Philip Habib, contributed to a cease-fire between Israel and the PLO in July 1981 (one that was staunchly preserved by both sides until the Begin-Sharon government decided to embark on the Lebanon War); the government of Bush Sr., which led the way to the Madrid conference in 1991 and opened a new chapter for the Middle East; and there is the intensive involvement of Clinton in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the 1990s, which began with the Oslo Accords, continued with an address before the PLO institutions in Gaza to convince them to change the Palestinian constitution, and ended with his participation in the Sharm-el-Sheikh Conference, aiming to bring about calm in the region following the horrific terrorist attacks in early 1996…President Bush has not visited Israel since he was governor of Texas. The various envoys he dispatched to the area have failed to make the slightest impact.” With regard to the current crisis, Beilin bemoaned, “The White House spokesman on duty did take the time to inform the world that it was Israel’s right to defend itself, but said it should do so carefully. Thanks a lot. Really. A different administration, in a different situation, would have sent a special envoy to the region who would shuttle between Syria, Gaza and Jerusalem, trying to calm things down, threatening, promising, fuming–all in order to end the crisis…The worsening violent conflict in the Middle East is a blatant reflection of the weakness of the American partner.”
HIRC Hears From Palestinian Christians
With the controversial bill concerning Palestinian Christians proposed by Congressmen Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Joseph Crowley (D-NY) now on hold, the House International Relations Committee (HIRC) held a hearing to examine the future of religious pluralism in the Middle East. The hearing included compelling testimony from Father Firas Aridah, a Jordanian priest from the West Bank village of Aboud. Aridah spoke eloquently of the economic devastation resulting from the Israeli occupation and construction of the wall, as well as impediments on Holy Land Christians from freely practicing their faith. “Aboud is primarily a rural village whose economy is dependent on olive trees and grazing land for sheep and goats. The sheep and goats provide cheese, milk, wool, and meat…This wall will block out large areas of grasslands in the face of farmers and shepherds. The olive trees are also an important part of Aboud’s Christian heritage, some dating back a 1,000 years. Our farmers support their families by producing olives and olive oil. Residents have been compensated from between $15-25 per tree. This is not adequate considering that one olive tree yields around $200 of income per season. The economic impact on our village is tragic. Without access and control of our land we have no livelihood.” HIRC Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) made his position known in a strongly worded statement to the committee. “All parties should be held accountable to their international obligations and insist that Israel honor its pledge to stop settlement expansion,” wrote Hyde. “The United States should also press Israel to ensure that the security barrier being constructed is one for legitimate security needs, rather than as a pretext for annexing territory, and that genuine efforts are made to spare Palestinian communities.”
A Gracious Apology
New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg (D) has apologized to the Arab American community for his March remarks surrounding the scuttled Dubai Ports World deal. At an event at a port in Newark, Lautenberg said, “We wouldn’t transfer the title to the devil, and we’re not going to transfer it to Dubai.” After meeting with Arab American constituents, Lautenberg wrote a letter apologizing “for any comment I made that was considered offensive regarding Dubai at the Port Newark Event…. I have respect for our Arab American community and want to work to foster a positive relationship. I believe our discussion clearly confirmed that we have a great deal in common regarding our families, our security policies, and our country.” Arab Americans are still waiting for an equally gracious mea culpa from New York Senator Chuck Schumer (D). When questioned by journalists who suggested that his opposition to the DP World deal was a result of anti-Arab bias, Schumer responded by saying: “Let’s say skinheads had bought a company to take over our port. I think the outcry would have been the same.”
Show me the money!
Anyone interested in the influence of money on the political process should visit the Center for Responsive Politics, an organization dedication to “creating a more educated voter, an involved citizenry, and a more responsive government.” A quick search of the Center’s website for pro-Israel PACs includes information on long-term contribution trends, money to Congress ($1.7 million in the 2006 election cycle), top contributors, and top recipients [the top five are Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)].
