Shulamit Aloni, a former Israeli education minister, minister of communication and minister of science and the arts, in her book published last week, condemned "the domination of the apartheid system in the West Bank, the regime's constant refusal to a peace deal for decades and Israelis atrocities in the Palestinian territories…She further linked the 1995 assassination of Israel's then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to legislation of racist laws since the 1980's, raising the possibility that SHABAK (Israel security agency commonly known as the Shin Bet) might have been behind the killing. Aloni recalled the instigations against Rabin and accused Jewish settlers of ' Mussolini's fascism'. Aloni said, "The Israeli rightists and settlers are not after peace but they want the whole Holy Land without Arabs or mosques," and that calling Israel a democracy is a ploy to give Israel an acceptable image in the world's eye."[1]
"Shulamit Aloni slams mistreatment of the Palestinians by Tel Aviv, accusing it of ethnocracy and racism [and] described the 1992 legislation of the so-called law of "Human Dignity and Liberty", which calls Israel a Jewish, democratic regime, in direct contradiction to the Israeli declaration of independence in 1948." [Ibid]
"Israel is a not a democracy but is an Ethnocracy, meaning a country run and controlled by a national group with some democratic elements but set up with Jews in control and structured to keep them in control."-Jeff Halper, Founder and Coordinator of ICAHD/Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and a Noble Peace Prize Nominee for 2006. [2]
The question to the quartet of professing Christians seeking the White House is are you on the side of democracy or ethnocracy?
President Abbas has presented ideas and demands on the status of Jerusalem, the borders of a Palestinian state, settlements in the West Bank, refugees, security and water resources, but no reply has been received from the Israeli side.
The question for the candidates is and how will an Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin White House deal with a Palestinian partner who is talking and an Israeli partner who is not?
We the people have a right to know where this quartet stands on these issues and all concern human rights. 2008 is the 60th anniversary of Israel, Nakba/Catastrophe and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights- upon which Israel's very statehood was contingent upon upholding.
We the people need to hear from this quartet of candidates regarding their view of The Wall which does not follow the Green Line and has been deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice and which USA taxpayers provide $1.25+ million per mile to construct.
Where is this quartet of candidates on the continuing of Israeli only settlements-all of which are illegal under international law for all are constructed on legally owned Palestinian property?
Where are the candidates on the 500+ checkpoints that deny the indigenous people of that land the right to access their land, jobs and holy sites?
Since 1949, American taxpayers have provided over $108 billion to Israel and "contrary to ordinary U.S. policy, Israel has been and continues to be allowed to use 26% of this military aid to purchase equipment from Israeli manufacturers. According to the Congressional Research Service, "no other recipient of U.S. military assistance has been granted this benefit." [3]
Israel's arms industry is the third strongest in the world and the United States is number one. The U.S.A. has given more money to Israel than to any other country and it has been said that the love of money is at the root of all evil.
2,000 years ago The Cross had NO symbolic religious meaning and was not a piece of jewelry. When Jesus said: "Pick up your cross and follow me" everyone back then understood he was issuing a POLITICAL statement, for the main roads in Jerusalem were lined with crucified agitators, rebels, dissidents and any who disturbed the status quo of the Roman Empire and Military Occupying Forces.
The question to the professing Christian candidates for the White House is how do you reconcile your faith in Jesus, the Prince of Peace who promised it is the peacemakers who are the children of God, with the American-Israeli military empire?
History proves that peace cannot be achieved between any two parties unless both are willing to make concessions and that Israel and Palestine cannot achieve peace on their own.
The question for the candidates is what will you do to ensure that both parties adhere to their obligations, which includes a freeze on settlements by Israel as well as an end to Palestinian violence?
In 1947, approximately 20% of the total population of the Holy Land was Christian, 20% Jewish and the rest Palestinian Muslim. Today, the Christian Exodus has rendered the numbers of the most educated of the population to less than 1.3% of the total. A viable Palestinian state that would foster religious diversity and a pluralistic tolerant Palestinian society is in grave danger due to the indigenous Christians emigrating because of the political and economic conditions that have resulted due to the ongoing 41 years of military occupation.
Producer of "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu" Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" and an e-book; "So, That was 54..."
She has been to Israel Palestine five times since June 2005 and will return November 2008.
Must Read (
Well Said (
News (
Touching (
Funny (
Supported (
Interesting (
Inspiring (
Valuable (
