Two nights back BBC’s “World News America” anchor, Matt Frei, stood up more for America in the face of Israeli-government intransigence than the American Congress and press.
The BBC hid its provocative interview behind a bland precis, “Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak talks to Matt Frei from the United Nations in New York about the prospects for peace,” but it nevertheless violated several taboos that limit press freedom in the U.S. Ehud Barak didn’t “talk to” Matt Frei about peace. Instead, Frei actually pressed Barak about the money: “Now, over the years, over the decades, America has given Israel unwavering support, as well as billions of dollars in aid,” as well as “What are you giving them at the moment [in return]?”
Barak, seemingly surprised at Frei’s effrontery, fobs him off with the usual spiel: “Oh-oh….America keeps giving a lot to Israel a lot….making sure our security is okay and making sure there is a qualitative military edge for the Israeli Defense Forces….we are part of the American, Western, way of life….the only democracy in the Middle East…surrounded by an ocean of different kind of systems. And I think that that’s a great contribution…now at the forefront against, terror, radicalism, proliferation, rogue states….”
Frei tries to interrupt Barak’s recitation. Finally, Frei repeats his question about the dough, the massive generosity from the U.S. that receives no return from Israel: “Fine, but considering the amounts of money flowing in your direction from the United States, considering the unwavering declarations of friendship from this country, don’t you think that Israel should be giving a little bit more at the moment in order to facilitate a peace process which both sides have agreed to?”
Barak “….We have to do it not because are getting a lot of support from the United States but because it is in the real interests of Israel, …region and the world as a whole [NO mention of the U.S. interests]….we owe it to ourselves…not doing a favor to the Palestinians by making a peace….core issues…break the deadlock and achieve an agreement.”
Frei asks a third time about the U.S. generosity and Israeli lack of reciprocity, this time crossing a new line, imagining that Americans might one day cut Israel off from the spigot: “But the real danger politically in this country is that you have a whole number of people throwing hands up in despair, Hillary Clinton for one, the American public for another. Is it not possible that at some stage, that that unwavering friendship and the money that comes with it is just going to run out?”
Barak: ” I don’t think so and I hope not,….share with the American people a way of life….democracy, freedom, and so on….Peacemaking takes two…it’s like tango, not like war….Palestinians have to make tough decisions on their own.”
Frei brings up U.S. support for Israel an unprecedented fourth time and hints again that it could be curtailed: “But the American administration is very frustrated by what Israel has been doing, especially when it comes to settlements and settlement freezes. Are you not worried that at some stage they will really throw their hands up in despair and say ‘Enough is enough: you’re on your own!’?”
Barak’s answer seems almost to hint at blackmailing a weak U.S. President who needs the (fake) “peace process”: “I don’t think so, I think that too much has been invested…too much is dependent on it…major challenges, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran…radical wave of Muslim terror….proof of the pudding is in the eating, so we still have to deliver and we intend to.”
This interview would be less than the bare minimum if the U.S. press would actually report facts or Congress act on them. Matt Frei didn’t introduce Ehud Barak as the “Defense” Minister who plotted the war crimes committed in the 2008-9 attack on Gaza, killing hundreds of imprisoned Gazan civilians–a bombardment planned well before Israel pledged itself to the previous six-month truce with Hamas. Frei didn’t remind viewers that Israel first broke the ceasefire on Nov 4, 2008, and then after Hamas then offered to renew the truce indefinitely, exploded the calm with a surprise attack on Dec. 27.
Nevertheless, Frei and BBC out-do the American news-“readers.” In a fair world, we wouldn’t have to feel glad for so little truth, but against the censorship now silencing salient facts about Palestine and Israel, Frei’s willingness to keep asking about American money and Israeli ingratitude makes me grateful today. Would that our press and Congressional representatives would do as much. After all, the flow of such gargantuan amounts of money should be the obvious premise of every debate about Israel–for that indulgence enables its illegal Occupation of Palestine–let alone the rights to justice and self-determination of the Palestinian people.
