Not one cent for tribute: Obama's embarrassing gift to Israel

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Written by Mark Perry Mark Perry

Published: 17 November 2010 17 November 2010

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If only Jefferson could see us now. This weekend, the Obama administration promised to turn over $3 billion in stealth fighters to Israel (supplementing the 20 F-35s it will buy with the $2.75 billion in "grants" it gets from Washington) and veto any U.N. resolution that questions Israel's legitimacy -- all in exchange for Israel's pledge to extend a ten-month partial settlement moratorium for another 90 days. This is a bad idea. And it's dangerous.

In deposition, porn claims made and AIPAC officials admit lack of policy on classified info

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Written by Ron Kampeas · Ron Kampeas ·

Published: 17 November 2010 17 November 2010

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WASHINGTON (JTA) -- AIPAC officials acknowledged in depositions that the organization only recently adopted a stated policy forbidding the receipt of classified information. The depositions also produced claims regarding the viewing of pornographic materials on office computers.

The depositions are part of a brief filed earlier this month in the District of Columbia Superior Court by lawyers for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee seeking the dismissal of a defamation lawsuit by Steve Rosen, AIPAC’s former foreign policy chief.

Rosen was fired in March 2005, seven months after the FBI raided AIPAC offices on Aug. 27, 2004 seeking evidence in a federal case that would charge Rosen and Keith Weissman, AIPAC’s top Iran analyst, with dealing in classified information.

Read more on the JTA web site . . .

Perry: settlement deal is ‘dangerous’ and of a piece with Dogan’s unprotested killing and Kagan emul

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Written by Philip Weiss Philip Weiss

Published: 17 November 2010 17 November 2010

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Here is an amazing post by Mark Perry at Foreign Policy blasting Obama's deal with Netanyahu for a settlement freeze extension as a gutless concession of power. Even Petraeus is afraid of the Israel lobby, which dominates Establishment attitudes, Perry says, and he honorably cites the killing of Furkan Dogan on the Mavi Marmara as evidence of American subjection to Israeli interests. This is a new level of criticism of the Israel lobby, at Foreign Policy no less, as compromising Beltway culture; and why I've always said that Walt and Mearsheimer merely scratched the surface. And why Lincoln's attack on the two-party "conspiracy" of the slave power in our politics should be echoed today by criticism of the two-party agreement on blind support for Israel. I would note that Lincoln included Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney in that conspiracy-- and that Perry goes after Elena Kagan:

If only Jefferson could see us now. This weekend, the Obama administration promised to turn over $3 billion in stealth fighters to Israel (supplementing the 20 F-35s it will buy with the $2.75 billion in "grants" it gets from Washington) and veto any U.N. resolution that questions Israel's legitimacy -- all in exchange for Israel's pledge to extend a ten-month partial settlement moratorium for another 90 days. This is a bad idea. And it's dangerous. There are differences, of course, between the events of the last 24 hours and the crisis that Jefferson faced in 1804. Then, we protested that we were "paying tribute," now we are "providing incentives." Then too, Israel is not making any "demands," they are simply (in Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's words) "insisting." Oh -- and let's not forget -- the pirates of Barbary were America's "enemy." That's a lot different than now; Israel is our "friend."

This administration's decision would be shocking were it not so predictable. Back on October 20, State Department spokesman Andrew Shapiro reassured the press that a $60 billion U.S. arms transfer to Saudi Arabia would go forward because "Israel does not object..."

The tone-deafness evidenced by Andrew Shapiro is now an all-consuming part of public policy, extending to every part of the American government -- and beyond. When Elena Kagan testified during her confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court, she cited Israel jurist Aharon Barak as her model, because he was the "John Marshall of the State of Israel." Kagan might well be a brilliant justice, but I would have thought she would cite Marshall as her model. Reminded that Barak was a judicial activist (and therefore not necessarily acceptable for some committee members), Kagan gave a ready explanation: "Israel means a lot to me," she explained. Enough said. When David Petreaus was criticized by Israel advocates for his March testimony, he backtracked, asking neo-conservative Max Boot (in an email he carelessly sent to a blogger) whether it would help "if folks know that I hosted Elie Wiesel and his wife at our quarters last Sun night?" Petreaus is our nation's most influential military officer since Eisenhower. Guess what? He's afraid of Israel's lobby. And when Angela Merkel addressed the U.S. Congress in November of 2009, she didn't talk about American security, but Israeli security. "Security for the state of Israel is, for me, non-negotiable," she said. "Whoever threatens Israel also threatens us." Even senior aides to the otherwise pro-Israel Congress were puzzled.  "Maybe she thought she was talking to the Knesset," one of them said. Finally, Republican Eric Cantor recently told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the new Republican majority would serve as "a check on the administration" in any dispute with Israel -- a statement so astonishing that one pro-Israel journalist viewed it as not only unprecedented, but "extraordinary."

None of this has been lost on the administration, which is apparently intent on proving to Cantor (and the new Republican majority) that it's as committed to Israel as they are. Or more. On October 25, Dennis Ross, the White House point person on the Middle East, told a meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that not only is America committed "to Israel's security", but that the U.S. commitment "has also been demonstrated in our work to defeat efforts in international organizations to single out or delegitimize Israel."...

The message to American citizens is clear: if a Muslim kills you it's because he's a terrorist, if an Israeli kills you, [Furkan Dogan, American-Turk killed on Mavi Marmara] it's because you're a terrorist. The Obama Administration's newest promise to Israel is abject, embarrassing and gutless. Our country -- our president -- is rewarding a foreign leader who openly boasts that America "is something that can easily be moved," who urges a waiting game with the U.S. because he knows that Israel's friends in the Congress will defy a president who opposes him, who tells his cabinet that he will outfox Barack Obama. We are paying Israel to do something that is in their own interests -- and very much not in ours. That's extortion. The Obama Administration has this dangerously wrong. F-35s? This is not a defensive weapon. The jet is the most advanced air system in the world, with a round-trip capability that puts Tehran in range of Tel Aviv.

Oregon Human Rights Groups Criticize Governor Kulongoski for Ignoring Israel's Rights Violations

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Written by AUPHR AUPHR

Published: 17 November 2010 17 November 2010

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Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights (AUPHR)
For Immediate Release
Date: November 16, 2010

Contact: Peter Miller
Organization: Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights
Tel: 503/230-0616
Cell: 503/358-7475
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Organizations Endorsing this Release:

• Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights, Portland, www.auphr.org
• Lutherans for Justice in the Holy Land - A Ministry of Central Lutheran Church, Portland, http://www.centralportland.org/ljhl
• Portland Peaceful Response Coalition. Portland, http://www.pprc-news.org
• Corvallis-Albany Friends of Middle East Peace
• Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights, Portland State University

Oregon Human Rights Groups Criticize Governor Kulongoski for Ignoring Israel's Human Rights Violations

(Portland, Ore.) Americans United For Palestinian Human Rights (AUPHR) and other Oregon groups expressed dismay over Governor Kulongoski's signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation for business development between the State of Oregon and the State of Israel. "Israel is committing serious human rights violations and racial discrimination on a daily basis against the Palestinian civilian population, both inside Israel and inside the occupied territories," said Peter Miller, President of AUPHR, "This agreement makes all Oregonians complicit in helping to sustain and normalize Israel's occupation and discriminatory practices."

In response, AUPHR has released a new report summarizing the Moral Implications of Doing Business With Israel available on the web at:

http://www.auphr.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4715&Itemid=44and as a pdf at:

http://www.auphr.org/docs/MoralImplications.pdf

Israel has a long history of discriminating against its own Palestinian Arab citizens in housing, access to state resources, and jobs and this summer demolished an entire village of its indigenous Bedouin population. There are over twenty laws in Israel that privilege Jews over non-Jews. A recent Israeli report shows that, even though Palestinians represent 20% of the population, there is "massive under-representation of Arab citizens across most of the public sector, including in government companies and ministries, where the percentage of Arab staff typically falls below two percent of employees." A recent survey found that "83 percent of Israeli businesses in the main professions admitted being opposed to hiring Arab graduates."

In addition, Israel is rapidly expanding its illegal settlements on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It is recognized around the world that a viable Palestinian state requires that Israel stop expanding Jewish settlements. The British Foreign Secretary recently warned Israel that the window of opportunity for a two-state solution to the Palestine Israel conflict is closing because of Israel's ongoing settlement activity. Why is the State of Oregon involving itself in a country that flouts international law with impunity, defies our President, and actively destroys the chances for peace?

Given these very serious concerns and the damage the State of Oregon will do to the human rights of Palestinians by ignoring Israel's abuses, AUPHR asks that the State of Oregon withdraw support for doing business with Israel. "We do not want Oregon to be complicit in serious international violations of human rights and human dignity," said Peter Miller. Should the State of Oregon continue to do business with Israel, the following considerations must be brought to the forefront before it does business with any Israeli company or government entity:

• Is the Israeli organization involved in doing business with or supporting, building, or expanding any of Israel's illegal settlements built on Palestinian lands in violation of International law?
• Does the Israeli organization support Israel's military occupation and domination over Palestinians through development of products or services that enable Israel's human rights violations?
• Does the Israeli organization take advantage of resources, like water or land, which are taken from Palestinians in order to produce products and services?
• Are Israeli citizens who are not Jewish given full rights and opportunities within the Israeli organization? Can a Palestinian citizen of Israel advance into leadership positions within the organization? Are they given the same job opportunities? Are they hired in representative numbers? Do they have the same rights and pay?

Unfortunately, Governor Kulongoski has a history of publicly touting his support Israel and for the right-wing Israel lobby organization the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), saying "support for AIPAC is an article of faith for both political parties. This is as it should be . . ." This new business venture is apparently his attempt to leave a legacy at the expense of Oregon's moral standing.

The response of the governor's office did not attempt to address or even mention the concerns presented.

"We can only hope that Oregon's new governor is more sensitive to the real needs of Oregonians and understands that Oregonians do not want to be forced to support human-rights violations in countries like Israel, " remarked Peter Miller.

Sources:

NEWS RELEASE: Governor Kulongoski Signs Business Development Agreement with Israel,

Governor Kulongoski, 27 October 2010

http://www.auphr.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4703&Itemid=44

Rampant employment discrimination against Palestinian workers in Israel

Jonathan Cook, The Electronic Intifada, 21 May 2010

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11280.shtml

Israel's discrimination against its Arab citizens, Sawsan Ramahi, June 2010
, http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/resources/briefing-papers/1230-israels-discrimination-aga

Window of opportunity for two-state solution closing, Hague warns Israel, Harriet Sherwood November 4, 2010, http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/04/william-hague-two-state-solution-israel

UN envoy: Settlements major obstacle to Palestinian state, JPOST Staff,

22 November 2010, http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=192441

Remarks by Governor Ted Kulongoski, AIPAC Oregon Community Dinner 2006, April 30, 2006, http://www.oregon.gov/Gov/speech/speech_043006.shtml

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