Rob Malley… Zbig Brzezinski… Samantha Power… Jimmy Carter… Chas Freeman… Mary Robinson

by on August 4, 2009 4
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That’s a list of blackballed White House names (formerly in Power’s case, would-be in Robinson’s). Who’s good enough for the lobby on Israel/Palestine? Jake Tapper just asked Robert Gibbs about Mary Robinson during the White House briefing, and Gibbs said Obama doesn’t have to agree with all her views. Still, we all wonder if he’s sending a signal by giving the Medal of Freedom to someone who has long advocated for Palestinian rights.

Here is a too-long piece in JTA with lots of Supporters of Israel bashing Mary Robinson for advocating for Palestinian human rights, and for her role in the U.N.’s Durban conference on racism in 2001. AIPAC just now issued a long statement against Robinson (news organizations saying it is unusual for AIPAC to do so), and says it is "deeply disappointed" in Obama. AIPAC quotes the late Tom Lantos, of course a Holocaust survivor, on Robinson:

she refused to reject the twisted notion that the wrong done to the Jews in the Holocaust was equivalent to the pain suffered by the Palestinians in the Middle East …Instead of condemning the attempt to usurp the conference, she legitimized it.

Myself, I’ve been to Gaza, and Israel’s savagery against the Palestinians certainly seems to come under the heading of "racism against indigenous peoples," as outlined by the UN. Why isn’t the lobby going after Desmond Tutu, another recipient of Obama’s honor, and a friend to the Palestinians?

About Philip Weiss

Philip Weiss is Founder and Co-Editor of Mondoweiss.net.
Posted in Beyondoweiss, Israel Lobby

{ 4 comments... read them below or add one }

  1. US_Objector says:
    August 4, 2009 at 3:52 pm

    Mondoweiss ought to consider compiling a “Z-100″ list . . . the top 100 Zionists who are currently distorting the dialogue in the I/P scenario. Foxman, Dersh, Peretz, Mort, etc. are all Hall-of-Shamers.

  2. US_Objector says:
    August 4, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    Check out the always great M.J. Rosenberg’s reaction to the AIPAC hasbaric screed to Obama:
    link to tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com

    • Psychopathic god says:
      August 4, 2009 at 4:34 pm

      Helena Cobban has an article on the same TPM page; link to tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com

      She wrote,

      Coincidentally– or not– one of the big campaigns that AIPAC is currently running is to get US legislators to sign onto a letter “urging” Obama to push Arab states to give up-front CBMs to Israel…

      Arab leaders and their citizens have seen this movie before.

      Apparently, Brit Tzedek Shalom is closer to AIPAC than to Gush Shalom. BTS is circulating this position statement and urging members to communicate it to Obama & the Congress:

      link to btvshalom.org

      Building regional Arab support is essential to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
      If Israel is to enjoy genuine peace, it must be secure from all sides. As President Obama has emphasized, Israel?s security ?extend(s) to concerns that they have in a whole host of neighbors where there?s perceived and often real hostility towards Israel?s security.? Including the Arab countries as part of a broader peace deal will allow true normalization among neighboring countries, as Israelis and Palestinians both take on integral roles in the region.

      The Obama administration is urging Arab states to take important steps in exchange for Israeli concessions.
      According to news sources, the administration is privately urging Arab states to implement the following, in exchange for an Israeli settlement freeze:

      * Arab countries in the Gulf would allow Israeli passenger and civilian cargo aircraft to fly over their territory.

      * Israel would be able to open interest sections in other states’ embassies in several Arab capitals.

      * Arab countries would lift bans on the entry of tourists and other visitors whose passports carry Israeli visas or entry stamps.

      * Israeli-registered cell phones would be able to operate on Arab networks.

      * Arab leaders would visit Jerusalem and receive Israeli leaders in their own capitals.

      * Israel and Arab states would hold cultural exchanges.

  3. Shafiq says:
    August 4, 2009 at 4:42 pm

    she refused to reject the twisted notion that the wrong done to the Jews in the Holocaust was equivalent to the pain suffered by the Palestinians in the Middle East …Instead of condemning the attempt to usurp the conference, she legitimized it.

    It’s disgusting how he wants to monopolise suffering.

    As for Mary Robinson, the fact that her popularity ratings went up to 93% when she was President of Ireland, tells us that she’s not the devil the JTA are making her out to be.