Why is the US not condemning Israel for its actions?
January 13, 2009 at 3:50 pm by Michelle StarkPresident Bush said yesterday during his news conference that Hamas must stop firing rockets into Israel if any sort of ceasefire is going to take place.
Surprise!
Never mind the Israeli offensive, or its recent incursion over the border and into Gaza. It is not surprising that our nation’s leader is once again turning a blind eye to the atrocities perpetuated by the Jewish nation and placing the majority of the blame on the Palestinians.
From a purely humanitarian aspect, Israel’s actions are wrong, and should not be supported by the United States. As the most powerful and influential country in the international system (more debatable now, given our current economic woes), America shouldn’t be supporting the blatant killings of hundreds of Palestinian CIVILIANS.
According to the New York Times, “Israel is facing intensifying accusations from around the world that its offensive is disproportionate to the damage caused by Hamas rocket fire into Israel, and that it has created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Gaza medical authorities are reporting 908 deaths, including at least 380 civilians.”
Now, while the loss of even one life is devastating, it is ridiculous in light of these numbers to view Israel as a defensive or weak nation, doing only what it must to protect itself, as our top leaders maintain. Gaza may have fired the first rocket this time, but the means used by Israel to contain the Palestinian people – such as restricting their right to movement with chain link fences and concrete walls – are just as detrimental to peace in the region. The Palestinians must not be viewed as the pesky little brother of Israel, antagonizing the latter out of enjoyment or frivolity. They have legitimate concerns about their land and have been stifled by the Israelis for years.
Why is the United States not joining the rest of the world in condemning Israel’s actions? What is so unique about Israel that America is afraid to deliver even a slap on the hand — to a hand that has killed nearly 1,000 Palestinians?
Israel cannot physically keep people from seeing their families in the next neighborhood, or from going to school down the street, cannot restrict the Palestinian’s access to proper medical care and food and expect complacency. Since the Palestinians were physically driven from their land by the Jews with the initiation of Zionism, the Palestinians have been struggling to get it back.
Why would we, as a country, not support this disadvantaged, oppressed group of people? We do in plenty other places of the world.
Our unflinching support of Israel is baffling, disappointing, and, at this point, sickening.
Michelle Stark is a USF mass communications student and CL intern.
