Israel Matzav

WaPo: Israel is a liability for US

From the newspaper that told us six months ago that Israel was a 'mistake', now we are being told that Israel is a 'liability' for the US:

Hat Tip: Little Green Footballs

Ramallah, Palestine - While the departure of Rumsfield and Bolton from the political scene, the bipartisan Baker and Hamilton report, and the frank talk of Jimmy Carter are all signs that Americans are finally beginning to realize that Israel is a liability and not an asset to their global interests, I think we are still a long ways away from the end of the U.S. hegemony in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Israel unfortunately is still a domestic issue in the U.S. and AIPAC's strength hasn't weakened despite attempts by U.S. academics to expose them.

The exaggerated and ridiculous blind support for Israel is being exposed. Hopefully, the way will open for a more sane U.S. foreign policy that takes into account what the rest of the world thinks. So far we are a far cry from what is needed to put a real end to the misery caused by the injustice of the nearly 40-year-old occupation of Palestine. What is needed is a more proactive U.S. role that can do what Bush senior and James Baker III tried to do with the Shamir government on the eve of the 10 billion loan guarantees and the Madrid Peace process.

Kuttab (who, by the way, is published regularly in the Jerusalem Post) needs a history lesson. First, there is no such thing as 'Palestine.' The name was made up by the Romans in an effort to make the Jews forget their land after the destruction of the Second Temple.

Second, the Palestinian Mandate consisted of all of Israel, including Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and what is known today as 'Jordan.' 'Jordan' sits on 78% of the land that was part of the Mandate, and it's population is about 80% 'Palestinian.' Were it not for the fact that the British decided to appease the Royal Family for having lost out to their cousins the al-Sauds in Saudi Arabia, there would be no Jordan today. But if there needs to be a 'Palestinian' state, Jordan is it.

Third, the 'occupation' of which Kuttab speaks came about as a result of the Arabs attacking Israel on three fronts in June 1967. If the 'occupation' only started forty years ago, what was the problem then? Why did the Arabs attack? (Hint: Because the 'occupation' isn't the problem. The problem is that the Arabs cannot reconcile themselves to a Jewish presence in the Middle East. I discussed some of the reasons for that here).

Fourth, Mr. Kuttab needs a lesson about Americans. Thank God, Americans are a proud, strong and independent people. As a result, most of them could not care less what the rest of the world thinks. They don't accept the kind of 'groupthink' that is all too common in the Middle East. They think for themselves. And God willing, they will continue to think for themselves.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:26 PM