Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal
2/19/11 – President Obama – That is what the United Nations said yesterday with 130 nations sponsoring the resolution and 14 of the 15 Security Council members voting for it. Unfortunately America vetoed the resolution. America caved in to pressure from Israel and some backward thinking members of Congress. America told the entire World Screw You!
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said that while the United States agrees about "the folly and illegitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity..." If that is true, why the veto? There is no plausible explanation of America's actions. If anything this resolution, if passed, would put tremendous pressure on Israel to finally sit down and negotiate a peace settlement with the Palestinians. The recent Palestine Papers have clearly shown that it is Israel who refuses to negotiate.
Six months ago this may have been expected, but the Middle East has awoken from decades of U.S. supported dictators and country after country has spoken loudly that they will not take it any longer. Your administration held out until the last moment in support of the Tunisian and Egyptian regimes, before finally speaking out in favor of peaceful protests. Your administration is now sitting on your hands while Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Bahrain, and Yemen are holding daily protests that have resulted in numerous innocent people being killed by the very dictators you are supporting. Last Tuesday your Secretary of State never even missed a beat when American thugs tackled a peaceful protester while she was giving a speech. She was telling the audience how America loathes governments who don't allow their citizens to peacefully protest. She said nothing as an American, whose only crime was to stand up and turn his back to her, was violently assaulted and arrested.
What's wrong with this picture. Surely you cannot be so blind that you cannot see the damage America is doing with its double standards and one-sided support of the continuing illegal activities of the Israeli government. Everyday the hatred of America justifiably grows and yet you do nothing to reverse what can only result in a devastating outcome for America.
Thomas Daly
Retired California Newspaper Publisher
www.tomasdaly.com