Don’t let O’Rourke off the hook for his blatant double talk. First he makes a pretty comprehensive list of Netanyahu faults, where he includes “disavowing functionally the two-state solution,” and in the next breath “[b}ut our differences should not hold us captive to being able to advance our cause, which is a two-state solution” He then goes on to exempt Israel from partisan politics and swears an the oath to the “everlasting relationship and friendship” with Israel.
@Eric – I am not a particular fan of Senator Warren, but shame on you for applying Trump’s racist epithet to her.
“arafat claimed that he was willing to accept a Jewish state in Palestine”
Actually Arafat was trying to explain a decision that had just been made at the Palestinian National Council. His words were “The PNC accepted two states, a Palestinian state and a Jewish state, Israel. ” Howeve, the underlying PNC decision was described as follows in the relevant PLO Negotiations document “The PLO’s recognition of Resolution 181, along with their acknowledgment (in the same session of the PNC) of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 as the basis for negotiating a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, signaled the Palestinians’ formal acceptance of a two-state solution.”
Clearly there was no mention of Israel or of a Jewish state, and indeed both Israel and the USA immediately declared that Arafat’s statement did not satisfy their conditions. It seems that Arafat simply was careless. Indeed, the meeting in which he made the statement was with US Jewish leaders, and the final statement after the meeting simply said that “the PNC’s action had ‘established the independent state of Palestine and accepted the existence of Israel as a state in the region” without mentioning its Jewish character.
No doubt the lobby is extremely influential, and because of that Israel often gets away with actions that are against US interests as perceived by “realist” analysts. But the “realist” side is only faction of the US policy establishment, there is also the neocon-military complex that is extremely influential, and in their view Israel serves a very useful purpose. Historically, the Mideast and the Arab world harboured forces that were not under the control of US policy makers – Arab nationalist in the past and now Iran and Shia movements that support it.
Israel is a great regional military power that can disrupt these uncontrolled elements, and that would be an important asset if it came to a military confrontation. Israel has demonstrated its capacities repeatedly, for example by striking nuclear facilities in Syria (and I believe in Iraq), and assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists. It is no accident that there is close cooperation between the US and Israeli military and intelligence apparatuses. I doubt that these close links are simply the result of the US pro-Israel lobby’s influence, would note that such long-standing close relations are hard to break. There is a reason Israel has been called a “US aircraft carrier” in the Mideast.
It could be argued that with the demise of Arab nationalism and Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states abandoning their traditional hostility to Israel and forming closer ties the West, there is less need for reliance on Israeli military prowess. But the destabilisation of the region along with the rise of Iran and the Shia movements, as well as the renewed presence of Russian military and diplomatic influence in the region has perhaps more than made up for the change of heart of Egypt, the Saudis et al.
I would agree with @Donald that both the lobby and “national security” considerations shape US Mideast policy.
Jejasalo – your point is well taken, Israel is a US aircraft carrier in the MIddle East, but I think you underestimate the power of the Israel lobby. Netanyahu was invited by Israel-loyal congressional leaders over the objections of the Obama White House, and when he addressed the Joint Session our leaders jumped up and down giving him standing ovations like Jack-in-the-Boxes. Phil has recounted the anecdote where an AIPAC operative says he can get the signatures of 70 Senators on a napkin within minutes.
echinococcus: “many social/economic conservative people who place themselves on the so-called right are stout supporters of Palestinian liberation. ”
Just for the record would you name a few.
Did she ever say that she wasn’t concerned about the plight of the Jews? She was a revolutionary socialist, defeating the capitalist system, was her priority as it was for many of the other revolutionary leaders. In the midst of WWI that was not such a terrible priority, but then I think your real purpose was to besmirch her memory. Nevertheless, thank you for reminding us about her concern for the Hereros, it was a genocide perpetrated by German colonialism, and clearly shows that her concerns for humanity extended beyond a particular ethnic group.
@ ecchi – you, Fantina, and most of the commentators on Bernie, Omar and others of the new class of progressives are terminally irrelevant to the political process. We all know these people are not perfect or represent “the” solution to US imperialism or Zionist supremacy, but they are certainly making a bigger contribution to fighting it than all your rhetorical militancy.
This is an important victory for those who supported Ilhan Omar and the fight for justice and the rights of Palestinians. However, let’s not kid ourselves. The Israel lobby is going to redouble it’s efforts against us and the politicians who support our cause. I bet they are already frantically searching for candidates to primary Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, AOC and as many as possible of the others who crossed the lobby on this issue. Hopefully, the Democratic establishmen has learned a lesson: When AIPAC says ‘jump’ it is dangerous for them to simply say ‘how high’. We’ll need more such victories to really make that lesson sink in.
Thank you for bringing this great speech to our attention, and thereby highlighting the great obstacles that pro-Palestinian activism faces, especially in Germany and Austria. The repression is if anything worse than in the United States, and it is almost impossible to find people with any kind of public presence to help resist t and to support victims of the Israel lobby’s smears. Ronnie is one of the most dedicated and eloquent activists. I’ve had the honor of meeting him twice in Vienna. The first time when he came from Germany to help BDS Austria disrupt Israeli Justice Minister Ayalet Shaket’s appearance and again during Israeli Apartheid Week 2018.