The
Lobby Within: America The Proven Enemy Of Liberating The
Palestinians
18 December 2009By Ramzy Baroud
A just and peaceful solution to the protracted
Palestinian-Israeli conflict is only possible when the
US ceases to block every attempt made towards it.
This assertion might raise many questions, for
example, just how is one to define a just and peaceful
resolution? And for what reasons would the US obstruct
such a possibility, considering that stability in the
Middle East is, or at least should be a top American
priority?
A just and peaceful resolution is difficult to define,
considering that the conception of justice varies both
in definition and interpretation. In the case of this
conflict, the long-held assumption is that a just
resolution is one that would be consistent with
international and humanitarian laws, and which would
enjoy the largest possible consensus worldwide.
A consensus is indeed at hand and has been for
decades; it is one that recognises the Israeli
military occupation of Palestinian territories as
illegal and immoral, that unconditionally acknowledges
the illegality of all Jewish settlements in occupied
Palestine and the illegal transfer of Israeli settlers
to inhabit unlawfully acquired Palestinian land.
Strangely enough, despite its very cautious
phraseology, the US, especially under the current
administration of President Barack Obama recognises
these very facts. But then why is the man who leads
the world’s only superpower proving not only incapable
of achieving what should be a practicable feat, but
also going so far as to hinder the efforts of other
parties to simply recognise Palestinian rights or
pinpoint Israeli injustices?
This is precisely what has just taken place, a repeat
of the same infuriating episode for the thousandth
time.
A recent proposal presented by Sweden — the current
holder of the rotating European Union presidency —
called on EU members to recognise an independent
Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. The
proposal was watered down to a mere communiqué, issued
by EU foreign ministers on December 8, which calls for
the division of Jerusalem to serve as “the future
capital of the two states.” Naturally, Israel, as the
occupying power rejected the statement. But so did the
United States. “We are aware of the EU statement, but
our position on Jerusalem is clear. We believe that is
a final-status issue,” declared Assistant Secretary of
State for Public Affairs P.J. Crowley. He further
declared that “this is best addressed inside a formal
negotiation among the parties directly.”
Crowley, like all of his bosses, Obama included, knows
well that Israel is neither keen on ‘direct’ nor
indirect negotiations, and is deliberately prejudicing
any possible just solution with its continuing
colonisation of occupied East Jerusalem and the rest
of the West Bank. Israel’s rightwing extremist
government is not bashful about its true intentions,
and the smart and savvy Obama is not ignorant of the
prospects of a ‘direct’ negotiation between those with
the bulldozers, the tanks and big guns (based in Tel
Aviv) and those with dismal press releases (based in
Ramallah). But it’s not just the rare initiatives of
the EU that are being summarily dismissed by the US.
All initiatives, whether by individual states or
regional groups, for example by the Arab League, or
through international forums such as the United
Nations are rejected, derided and at times suspected
of anti-Semitism.
This is a continuation of a terrible legacy that goes
back decades. The reason such a redundant policy is
being highlighted now — as it should be — is because
Obama promised change and pledged to lead a new
decisive course, led by a gentler, kinder and more
sensible America. In the Middle East, this is hardly
being realised.
Why? Shouldn’t the US, in desperately trying to
maintain its role as a world leader, and to preserve
its economic and strategic interests in the Middle
East, embark on the frequently promised new course —
not for the sake of Palestine and the Arabs, but its
own?
Israeli newspaper Haaretz suggests an answer, one that
many of us have already recognised long prior to
Obama’s presidency, or even his involvement in
politics altogether. “In the case of Obama’s
government in particular, every criticism against
Israel made by a potential government appointee has
become a catalyst for debate about whether appointing
‘another leftist’ offers proof that Obama does not
truly support Israel,” wrote Natasha Mozgovaya on
December 4.
Haaretz highlighted several cases in point, amongst
them the intense war lead by the pro-Israel lobby in
Washington against Chas Freeman, a widely respected US
official nominated by the Obama administration months
ago to chair the National Intelligence Council. He
dared voice guarded critique of US foreign policy in
the Middle East and became a victim of the worst
possible vilification campaign, forcing him to concede
the nomination.
Other examples include Robert Malley, a daring
American political adviser who wished to believe that
his country’s national interests took priority over
Israel’s. He was let go even before the Obama
presidency commenced.
More, a ‘controversy’ is currently ‘raging’ — as in,
the Israeli lobby is not happy — over the appointment
of former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as an
intelligence aide. According to Haaretz, “Republican
Jews have...protested Hagel’s appointment, citing an
incident in 2004 when Hagel refused to sign a letter
calling on then-president George Bush to speak about
Iran’s nuclear program at the G8 summit that year.”
Stephen M. Walt, a Harvard University professor and
co-author of the widely-read The Israel Lobby and US
Foreign Policy, recently wrote that “groups in the
lobby target public servants like Freeman, Hagel…because
they want to make sure that no one with even a mildly
independent view on Middle East affairs gets
appointed. By making an example of them, they seek to
discourage independent-minded people from expressing
their views openly, lest doing so derail their own
career prospects later on.”
Luckily, neither Walt nor numerous other
independent-minded Americans like him are afraid to
speak their mind, to safeguard the independence and
integrity of their country. This should always be the
case.
For the time being, don’t be surprised when you hear
that the US continues to block the path for peace in
the Middle East. At least now you know why.
- Ramzy Baroud (ramzybaroud.net) is an author of
several books and editor of PalestineChronicle.com. He
is an internationally-syndicated columnist. His latest
book is “My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s
Untold Story” (Pluto Press, London), available at
Amazon and www.plutobooks.com.
©
EsinIslam.Com
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