From the Goldstone report:
QUESTION 9 - Why is the United States the only country in the world that supports Israel in the UN (aside from 3 minor Pacific Island countries)?
Does the entire rest of the world (dictatorships and democracies, Muslim and Christian alike) know something that the US refuses to acknowledge? And no, it's not "universal antisemitism". That's unwarranted paranoia left over from World War 2. Israel is a pariah precisely because of their treatment of the Palestinians. In addition, Israel has violated by far the most UN Resolutions of any country in the world. The US is only number 2 in that regard. Remember that UN Resolution violations was one of the excuses the US used to invade Iraq in 2003.
QUESTION 10 - Why does Israel have discriminatory (against Palestinians) laws (50 by some counts), many passed in the 1950s and 1960s?
Many of Israel's laws are based on (and thus favor) Judaism, not unlike Sharia Law is based on Islam. Both result in theocracies to some degree, and bad governance and human rights violations. One absurd example is that Israel built some good roads in the West Bank on which Palestinians are specifically prohibited from driving. What connection does that have to terrorism (if that is the excuse given for the differential treatment)? Note that even if you were black in the southern U.S. during the 1950's, you could (legally anyway) drive on all roads in the country. How is that not apartheid, like South Africa's apartheid used to be?
QUESTION 11 - What's wrong with talking with so-called terrorists?
Not only is one man's terrorist another man's freedom fighter, but history shows many examples where genuine dialog with terrorists produces peace (the IRA in Ireland, and South Africa come to mind), whereas continuing to do what hasn't worked for over 60 years and expecting different results is often defined as insanity. In addition, the first leaders of Israel were terrorists against the original British occupation of the region.
Of course, the dialog must be genuine, and both sides must desire peace rather than using the dialog for posturing and propaganda purposes. One side wanting peace while the other side constantly sabotages peace guarantees failure of the peace process and continued conflict.
Peace will come to the Middle East when both sides can (from the Beautiful Wave movie): Look into the eyes of your enemy, and when you can see yourself, then you can talk.
The Mission is of the view that actions of the Israeli Government during and following the military operations in the Gaza Strip, including interrogation of political activists, repression of criticism and sources of potential criticism of Israeli military actions, in particular NGOs, have contributed significantly to a political climate in which dissent with the Government and its actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is not tolerated.
QUESTION 9 - Why is the United States the only country in the world that supports Israel in the UN (aside from 3 minor Pacific Island countries)?
QUESTION 10 - Why does Israel have discriminatory (against Palestinians) laws (50 by some counts), many passed in the 1950s and 1960s?
Many of Israel's laws are based on (and thus favor) Judaism, not unlike Sharia Law is based on Islam. Both result in theocracies to some degree, and bad governance and human rights violations. One absurd example is that Israel built some good roads in the West Bank on which Palestinians are specifically prohibited from driving. What connection does that have to terrorism (if that is the excuse given for the differential treatment)? Note that even if you were black in the southern U.S. during the 1950's, you could (legally anyway) drive on all roads in the country. How is that not apartheid, like South Africa's apartheid used to be?
QUESTION 11 - What's wrong with talking with so-called terrorists?
Not only is one man's terrorist another man's freedom fighter, but history shows many examples where genuine dialog with terrorists produces peace (the IRA in Ireland, and South Africa come to mind), whereas continuing to do what hasn't worked for over 60 years and expecting different results is often defined as insanity. In addition, the first leaders of Israel were terrorists against the original British occupation of the region.
Of course, the dialog must be genuine, and both sides must desire peace rather than using the dialog for posturing and propaganda purposes. One side wanting peace while the other side constantly sabotages peace guarantees failure of the peace process and continued conflict.
Peace will come to the Middle East when both sides can (from the Beautiful Wave movie): Look into the eyes of your enemy, and when you can see yourself, then you can talk.
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