Stop supporting the Israeli government
9/18/09 - President Obama - I have
written to you before about the continuing Israeli/Palestinian
Conflict. The occupation and suppression of the of Palestine by the
Israeli government is criminal and America's 60-year support of
Israel in its apartheid efforts should end. On September 15, 2009 the
United Nations released a 575-page fact-finding mission report on the
Gaza conflict that concentrates mainly on the serious violations by
the Israelis which continue as I write this.
“We came to the conclusion, on the basis of the facts we found, that there was strong evidence to establish that numerous serious violations of international law, both humanitarian law and human rights law, were committed by Israel during the military operations in Gaza,” the head of the mission, Justice Richard Goldstone, told a press briefing.
“The mission concluded that actions amounting to war crimes and possibly, in some respects, crimes against humanity, were committed by the Israel Defense Force (IDF).”
Reaction to this report has been swift by people whose only mission is to confuse the issue claiming that it is Anti-semitic in its views. Nothing could be further from the truth and it is high time that America wakes up to this fact. Israel, which had refused to cooperate with the investigation, claimed Goldstone’s investigation was biased against Israel. Everyday more and more Israeli people join in the protests against their government and here in the West, there is a breakup of liberal Jewish support for Israel. Again, this has nothing to do with Anti-Semitic views. This is simply a case of Jews worldwide who are fed up with the efforts of the Israeli government.
The slaughter of civilians in January and the continuing construction of settlements in the Occupied Territory, coupled with the UN report should give you all the ammunition you need to Change direction in America's attitude and support of Israel. You are not supporting the people of Israel, you are only giving billions in dollars and arms to a criminal government.
America's support of Israel's government plus America's occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan are the leading cause of every so-called “terrorist” threat.
I applaud you for canceling the insane plan to put missiles in Poland. Now you need to take the same kind of bold steps to force Israel into accepting peace and getting America's troops (and private contractors) out of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thomas Daly
Retired California Newspaper Publisher