Ali Abunimah has been shut out of the mainstream media. CNN at last grants him a platform to say the peace process is a mockery:
And, after two embarrassing defeats at the Israel lobby’s hands, chances that Obama will use America’s massive financial aid to Israel as leverage are close to nil, especially as midterm elections approach.
The administration’s dependence on the goodwill of the lobby was highlighted by the fact that AIPAC’s new president, Lee Rosenberg, was a key member of the national finance committee for Obama’s presidential campaign, and another AIPAC national board member, J.B. Pritzker — who got a shout-out in Clinton’s speech — was national finance chair of Citizens for Hillary.
In the closely watched race for Obama’s former Illinois Senate seat, the National Republican Senatorial Committee accused Republican Mark Kirk’s Democratic opponent Alexi Giannoulias — and by extension Obama, who is a close Giannoulias friend — of being "anti-Israel." This may foreshadow a national GOP strategy to make unconditional support for Israeli policies more than ever a litmus test in American elections.
It’s not foreshadowed. It’s openly declared.
link to commentarymagazine.com
In both politics and diplomacy, actors must think at least one move ahead. They need to be reasonably sure that when they say or do A, then the other party will say or do B. And they should want the other party to say or do B, otherwise it makes no sense to say A in the first place. The purpose of action isn’t just to act, in other words, but to make sure that the reaction you get advances your purposes and your interests.
Truly atrocious writing. ‘Commentary’ is an embarrassment. Podhoretz is an embarrassment. He can’t be wheeled to the nursing home soon enough.
Would it be too cruel to disengage the brakes and let go at the top of the hill leading to that nursing home?
the attack rhetoric can be countered so easily:
“I am not anti-israel, I am for putting America’s interests first.”
That is definitely the productive approach.
How much farther do these AIPACers think they can push before the American public snaps and decides enough is enough? If they have one thing in common, all US war veterans know how to use rifles and take over entire towns. Coupled with the economic downfall and increasing unemployment and what we have here are conditions ripe for a disaster. Does Obama think he’ll be able to pacify people with a speech or two?
On the 3 billion/year. It seems so attractive, easy to withhold. But it draws all the attention, I wonder what other leverage there is. What if the american military industrial complex wanted to give a message to the Israeli MIC? I wonder what ties they have. Some Israeli violations of trade or copyright agreements that always seem to be postponed maybe?
One thing that deserves attention is the coming Aliyah of Israel into the OECD. They don’t really qualify but some people seem to be willing to make an exception. Maybe after some signs of goodwill from Israel, like easing the blockade of Gaza.
Israel is so bent on branding itself as a rogue state, the OECD may decide they don’t want the company.
I think the OECD thing needs much more attention, there are signals they would finally be accepted in may. In terms of Europe giving up leverage it’s completely daft to do that. It’s too easy to cover up the rogue state factor by for example unblocking the Shalit deal and easing the blockade just before being allowed into the OECD. Ashton recently went to Gaza.
There have been a lot of articles in Haaretz about the OECD. The decision is to be taken end may, in the meeting at ministerial level.
Jonathan Cook has a summary article: link to jkcook.net
- a recent internal review has been leaked , available here link to cryptome.org
The recommendation is to allow Israel to join and demand that they provide correct data afterwards. That sounds like an excercise in keeping a straight face.
Israel has problems at two levels: it violates international right, and it does not satisfy OECD rules.
Countries pushing for Israel are Germany, the Netherlands, Chechya and Spain.
Their claim is that having Israel inside will provide the necessary corrective influence on Israeli behavior. More straight face stuff.
OK, so there’s plenty to be cynical about here. But — Ali Abunimah on CNN? Never thought I’d see the day.
The problem remains, though, that most Americans still don’t really know what settlements are and have no idea who the Palestinians really are. I’m trying to fix that with my book. I just moved to New York to look for an agent and publisher. Wish me luck.
link to fasttimesinpalestine.wordpress.com
Best of luck :) I’m looking forward to your book.