I posted criticism of congressional candidate John Dennis‘ stance on Israel/Palestine. Dennis, who is running a libertarian, Republican, anti-war challenge to Nancy Pelosi, responded. My response:
Dear John Dennis,
I don’t think I misrepresented your statements about Israel. It’s true that I didn’t quote your comment about “not [being] a fan” of foreign aid in a general sense, and instead I supplied a link to the video (at 4:40) so people could hear your full remarks about “how to handle U.S.-Israeli relations in the likely event that foreign aid for Israel continues.” (“Likely” is an understatement!) In the video, you say that the U.S. shouldn’t criticize anything Israel does with U.S. aid, and you say that Israel should be able to build unlimited settlements/colonies without U.S. criticism.
You said you wanted to clarify, and you wish I’d asked you to do so. Fair enough. Here are my questions:
1. In the “likely event” that the U.S. continues to supply military aid to Israel as you say, what would Israel have to do with our military aid to merit criticism? How about stealing and ethnically cleansing Palestinian land, building illegal colonies, violating the Geneva Conventions, committing war crimes, violating the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, and/or building U.S.-funded roads only Jewish colonizers are allowed to drive on? Israel has done all of those actions with U.S. support for decades. I’d be happy to provide sources/references to verify these facts.
2. What is your position on the Gaza war of ’08-09 in which Israel killed hundreds of civilians, including more than 300 children? Why should the U.S. not criticize Israel for using U.S.-supplied arms to oppress and dispossess the Palestinian people? What makes Israel so special that it doesn’t deserve criticism for using U.S. taxpayer-funded weapons to commit horrific, illegal crimes against a civilian population?
3. You say you “would like for nothing more than the people in the Middle East to live in peace.” Great, I’m glad you want to see it happen. But what kind of peace are we driving toward — the peace that results from Israel conquering Palestinian land and crushing all resistance, or the peace of equality and coexistence? I hope you support the latter. While you say you are for peace, you also say the U.S. shouldn’t criticize Israeli settlements. The settlements (colonies) are the primary engine Israel uses to steal Palestinian land, and thereby make any kind of equitable peace impossible. How do you reconcile your desire for peace with not criticizing Israel’s settlements/colonies, or are you open to taking a new position in opposition to the settlements?
4. You might say, “I want peace but that’s not the U.S.’ job.” Have you heard that U.S. military experts have stated that an acceptable outcome on Israel/Palestine is a vital national security interest, given that U.S. support for Israel’s project of conquest has endangered American lives? Further, Osama bin Laden stated in one of his tapes (assuming the tapes are authentic) that 9/11 was partially motivated by U.S. support for Israel’s project of conquest. Given this pressing national security interest, what would you have the U.S. do to bring about an acceptable outcome?
5. Do you favor equality between Israelis and Palestinians, as a principle? Many Israeli and American politicians favor Israeli Jewish ethnic/racial/religious superiority over Palestinians, as a principle.
6. In the video of your remarks, you complimented Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu (Bibi) as a tough, smart guy who’s committed to peace. Are you aware of the following three facts about this tough guy: a) Bibi bragged about destroying the Oslo Process in a private conversation with settlers that was recently made public, b) In the same private conversation, Bibi bragged about how easy it is to manipulate and control U.S. foreign policy to favor Israel, c) Bibi has blessed the construction of illegal, land-stealing colonies/settlements, both during the so-called settlement freeze (not an actual freeze, it turns out) and now that the so-called freeze is over. Do you maintain your support for Bibi in light of these facts?
John, you are running on an anti-war platform, embraced by progressives. I don’t want my remarks to be pure armchair challenges. I want to help you to develop an effective policy. Here’s a shorthand suggestion for a progressive policy on Israel/Palestine:
A) If U.S. aid continues to Israel, then it should not be in the form of military aid, but instead should fund programs that promote equality, reconciliation, healing, integration, and so on between Israelis and Palestinians, with equality being the most important principle;
B) Similarly, no military aid of any kind should be available to Israel until and unless Israel agrees to abide by international law, relevant U.N. resolutions, and all U.S. laws governing arms exports (although A above is far preferable);
C) The U.S. should immediately remove itself as the mediator between Israelis and Palestinians given the U.S. track record of favoring Israel and “being Israel’s lawyer”, and request that a truly neutral third party be the mediator (I’m a professional mediator, and absolutely neutrality is rule number one);
D) The U.S. should take responsibility for the fact that its past military aid has contributed substantially to the dispossession of the Palestinian people, and make amends for this in both word and deed, including material reparations;
E) As a national security imperative, and also because it’s the right thing to do, the U.S. should apply massive pressure to Israel to achieve a just, equitable, agreeable-to-all parties resolution based on the fundamental principle of equality.
Final question: Do you agree with points A-E, and will you make them part of your new and revised platform toward Israel/Palestine? If not, why not?
Hoping you will take a progressive stance on this deeply important matter!
I greatly appreciate your thoughtful engagement with this deeply important matter.
P.S. – The fact that you aren’t willing to guarantee Israel that the U.S. would go to war on its behalf is positive, although a small step toward a truly progressive policy.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Matthew A. Taylor, Jewish, American, Taxpayer
