The Liberation of Israel/Palestine
Press Action
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
http://www.pressaction.com/news/weblog/full_article/palestine03232004/
How about a little shock and awe for Israel? For all the horror and devastation that Israel has produced in its brief history, perhaps U.S. military flacks could call it Operation Comeuppance. I’m sure Rumsfeld could find some good targets in Israel.
But of course such a radical measure isn’t necessary, in the same way the invasion and occupation of Iraq was a gratuitous deed of a Washington establishment that wanted to inherit some land in the Middle East to build a network of new military bases. As with the assault on Iraq, a U.S. military incursion into Israel would represent a terrible crime requiring severe punishment for all of those, from the ringleaders to the foot soldiers, who choose to participate in such an event. But you must admit that Israel’s leaders, given their history of committing crimes against humanity with impunity, would be more deserving of a punishing blow by the world’s strongest military than Saddam the Pariah and his gang of murderous thugs.
There’s a simpler and more cost-effective strategy for helping to rein in Israel’s reign of terror. The U.S. government could stop giving Israel billions of dollars in taxpayer handouts -immediately. But once again, some would argue that the next step should involve removing the Israeli government from power for its defiance of United Nations resolutions and refusal to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction.
A more practical and moderate approach, however, would be for the United States to sever its relationship with its client in Israel. Although U.S. sponsorship of Israel represents a drop in the bucket in relation to the overall U.S. government budget, saving a few billion here and there, especially those dollars dripping with blood, could help to address the Bush regime’s deficit woes along with its international credibility.
The more effective next step would be for the United States to lead an effort to isolate Israel diplomatically. Citizens around the world also could join the ongoing effort to boycott all things related to Israel and to target outside companies that do business with the regime.
Would these efforts put an end to the decades-long terror campaign of the Israeli state? No, not immediately, especially given Israel’s military might. If there were a united effort around the world to isolate Israel, however, the nation may eventually come to its senses. But it would take a major reversal in Israeli policy, given the tendency of Israel’s leaders over the past 50 years to follow a path toward annihilation in the Middle East instead of one that leads to mutual respect and peace. -Mark Hand