Ten months ago, the last time things heated up between Israel and Hamas, I posted this comment. At the time, a full flare-up was avoided and a six month cease fire was set in place. This time around, the political leadership seems to have convinced the Israeli public that confrontation is the best option. Actually, negotiations were [...]
Continue reading about Feature: Israel’s Three Laws of Action or Lessons Still Not Learned
Glenn Greenwald comments on Israel’s massive bombing of Gaza, and the American political reaction:
Not a word of condemnation of the Israeli blockade — which has caused extreme suffering and deprivation in Gaza — or of the massively disproportionate response or the ongoing and ever-expanding Israeli occupation. It is all one-sided support for whatever Israel does from [...]
Continue reading about The American Political Consensus on Israel
Uri Avnery on Barack Obama and the implications of his election for the Israel/Palestine conflict.
As a footnote to my previous post, exit polls shows Barack Obama won 77% of the Jewish vote - he even did better than Kerry. So much for those who believe American Jews are in the pocket of the Israeli right.
The NY Times has an overview of his career and impact. The take-away lesson of his career is not ever to get discouraged in politics. When I moved to Israel in 1983 it was illegal to meet with a representative of the PLO. Today, the US and Israel are both pushing for the creation of a Palestinian [...]
Israel has come up far less than usual during this election campaign. In fact, over the past year or so Israel has been in the news far less than it used to be. I imagine because the US has so many problems of its own, the Israel/Palestine boxing match just seems less and less relevant. [...]
A few months back, I wasn’t sure I was going to vote for Obama. He is way too conservative for my taste, particularly in foreign policy. His appointment of Biden reinforced that feeling. Since I currently live in New York, I feel it is a safe state for Obama. So I have the “luxury” of [...]
I was going to write something on the Russian-Georgian war. However, Seumas Milne at the Guardian expressed exactly what I was thinking far better than I could. Another intelligent analysis may be found here. And more here regarding today’s announcement on the US-Polish missiles deal.