Ros-Lehtinen bashes occupation and illegal settlements

by on June 18, 2012 10
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The congresswoman has a bold piece up in the Washington Times. Boy does she get it. In Cyprus, that is.

By its occupation, Turkey is “guaranteeing” nothing but a creeping annexation. It is time for Turkey to withdraw its military troops, end all support for illegal immigration to Cyprus and let the true inhabitants of the island determine their own future. Only then will the long-suffering Cypriot people finally enjoy the peace and security they have been trying so desperately to achieve for decades.

Is this about Israel too? Bashing Turkey?

About Philip Weiss

Philip Weiss is Founder and Co-Editor of Mondoweiss.net.
Posted in American Jewish Community, Israel Lobby, Occupation, US Politics

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

  1. Kathleen says:
    June 18, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    Ros Lehtinen is one of the most aggressive Israeli firsters in congress. Wondering why not much attention on this Israeli report
    link to haaretz.com
    Report slams Israeli PM over deadly flotilla raid
    link to rt.com

  2. American says:
    June 18, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    With Ros-Lehtinen everything is about Israel or Castro’s Cuba.

    • DICKERSON3870 says:
      June 18, 2012 at 2:17 pm

      RE: “With Ros-Lehtinen everything is about Israel or
      Castro’s Cuba.” ~ American

      HERB KEINON OF THE JERUSALEM POST AGREES: “Among the other strong pro-Israel Cuban-USAian politicians are Florida Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who like [Miami mayor, Carlos] Gimenez was born in Havana. . .”

      SEE: “Miami mayor: ‘Settlements’ is wrong word to use”, by Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post, 11/20/11

      (excerpts) Israel should be describing Jewish communities beyond the Green Line as developments, not settlements, Carlos Gimenez, the recently elected mayor of Miami-Dade County, said on Friday. Gimenez, on a six-day visit to Israel with four other mayors of large US cities as part of Project Interchange, an educational institute of the American Jewish Committee, said the reality of the settlements as opposed to the stereotype that the word invokes was what surprised him most during his first visit to the country. . .
      . . . With some 2.5 million people living in Miami-Dade country, Gimenez, 57, elected in June, is mayor of the eighth most populous county in the US. It is also the metropolitan area with one of USAia’s largest Jewish populations, one of the reasons he said he was keen on visiting Israel. Asked if he expected to be criticized for visiting Israel on a trip sponsored by a US Jewish organization, Gimenez said he could have come under criticism had the trip been funded by Miami-Dade taxpayers, but “taxpayer money didn’t fund this, I was invited by the AJC.” . . .
      . . . With Hispanics the fastest growing demographic in the US, Israel and various Jewish organizations are keen on making inroads into a community not seen as having a strong, emotional pro-Israel reflex.       The exception, however, are Cuban-USAians. Gimenez, who pointed out that there were many differences and nuances within the US Hispanic community, characterized Cuban-USAians as “more conservative in their outlook and very pro-Israel.” . . .
      . . . Among the other strong pro-Israel Cuban-USAian politicians are Florida Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who like Gimenez was born in Havana and immigrated to the US as a child; and Florida Sen Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, and a Republican whose name is often mentioned as a possible 2012 vice-presidential candidate. . .

      SOURCE – link to niqnaq.wordpress.com

      • American says:
        June 19, 2012 at 3:33 pm

        I don’t think anyone ‘born’ in a foreign country should be allowed to hold office. Very undemocratic of me, but the instances of those like Ros-Lehtinen, who as children were influenced by their parents resentment and bitterness of fleeing from other country, particluary when cost them their former privilaged status, are too numerous to take a chance on their being reps of American interest.
        There was another Cuban American in Bush Jr’s era who ran and got elected to the house who published this speech in the Miami papers that said his “Sole” goal in US politics was lining up policies for US aid after Cuban Americans “retook” Cuba so they could return “home”.
        Can’t remember his name but I posted it here on MW a long time ago.
        Also before he even ran for congress he was appointed to some agency, Treasury I think. Not the kind of political “purposes” I want in people within my government.

  3. DICKERSON3870 says:
    June 18, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    RE: “Is this about Israel too? Bashing Turkey?” ~ Weiss

    MY COMMENT: It’s probably about securing for Israel as much as is possible of the natural gas in the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea.

    • Cyprus seeks to buy Israeli gas (6/14/12) – link to globes.co.il

    • Apology dispute avoids lucrative Turkey, Israel natural gas partnership (3/18/12) – link to todayszaman.com

    • Turkey rattles sabres over Cypriot natural gas drilling (9/19/11) – link to thenational.ae

  4. lysias says:
    June 18, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    Congress and Obama have just put a new pro-Israel piece of legislation into law: New Visa Legislation Enables Israeli Investors to Create American Jobs:

    Last week, President Obama signed into law H.R. 3992, bipartisan legislation introduced by Rep. Howard Berman (CA28), which would further open America to direct investment by Israeli investors, provided Israel reciprocates with similar opportunities for American investors. The law adds Israel to a list of 80 countries whose citizens are eligible for E-2 investor visas.

    E-2 visas are temporary visas granted to investors from a particular list of treaty countries. To qualify for this visa, foreign national investors must intend to come to the United States to develop and direct the operations of a business in which the foreign national must have invested — or be in the process of investing — a substantial amount of capital in the enterprise. In Fiscal Year 2011, the United States issued 28, 245 visas for this purpose.

    Israel is a significant trade partner with the United States. In 2011, bilateral trade with Israel totaled $26.9 billion, and it is among the U.S.’s top 10 largest per capita export markets. Israel is a world leader in security and defense technologies, medicine, agriculture and clean energy. As we work to build an America Built to Last, and get our economy back on track, the Obama Administration is focused on supporting and generating investment in these and other critical industries.

    This legislation was co-sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans and passed the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate unanimously. As Rep. Berman stated the day the legislation passed, “This bill sends enterprising Israeli investors a clear and unambiguous message: the United States is open for business. The expansion of Israeli enterprises here will result in job creation for American workers.”

    To read the text of the Rep. Berman’s bill, click here.

  5. traintosiberia says:
    June 18, 2012 at 4:27 pm

    This is the lady has supported war against Iraq,Lebanon,Syria,Yemen,Libya,and Iran.She wants to attack Pakistan and Sudan and Alzeria. I may be wrong on one or two of these counts. But I am sure she in due course will agitate to start war against that one or two countries ,she may not have yet started. Why i am saying this? Often people ask me to name the person with references.I tell them that they are so numerous and so common, if you have not heard it yet, you will soon.
    Its like the rabid dog off its leash. Has it bitten that guy over the other side of the fence? The fence is the Israeli wall.

  6. lysias says:
    June 18, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    Palestinians might go to UN for statehood this month, Erekat tells Times of Israel:

    The Palestinians might seek the status of a nonmember state at the United Nations as early as this month if the prospect of a peace agreement with Israel remains elusive, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said recently.

    In an interview with The Times of Israel, Erekat said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was currently mulling whether to meet Vice Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz, but he emphasized that he does not believe tangible progress would result from any such encounter, suggesting the Kadima chairman had no authority to make important decisions not sanctioned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    “If I can’t achieve peace 20 years after the signing of an agreement and negotiations, the least I can do is preserve a Palestinian state with its borders at the UN,” Erekat said in the interview. “That’s the only legitimate thing for me to do.”

    Abbas last year applied for UN membership, but the United States made clear it would veto the move in the Security Council. However, the Palestinians, who currently have observer status at the UN, could secure a resolution at the General Assembly that would grant them the status of a nonmember state, similar to the Vatican. Under such a resolution, Palestine would be considered a “state under occupation,” according to Erekat.

    While Palestine would not have a vote in the General Assembly, it could join the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court.