Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Points Out the Obvious, While Missing the Point

Writing over at Foreign Policy, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon, points out that the UN Human Rights Council is absurd because so many of the member nations are human rights abusers. Point taken. One of the major problems that has dogged the legitimacy of almost every council and agency within the UN is […]

Israel Continues to Illegally Withhold Palestinian Tax Revenue as Collective Punishment

These funds are not international donations but rather tax revenue that legitimately belong to the Palestinian Authority. Pretty much the entire world, including the EU and US, have demanded requested that Israel turn over the funds. Of course, Israel, being the great ally of the US, Europe, Scandanavia that it is, has once again thumbed […]

Are We Witnessing the Beginning of a Change in Discourse on Israel-Palestine?

It goes without saying that for the past 30 or so years in the U.S., real debate about our policy on Israel and Palestine is almost non-existent in any real sense of the word. The media, politicians, commentators etc. stick to one theme- unwavering, blind, unquestioning support for Israel no matter what, even if it […]

Every Media Outlet Proclaims Israel Accepts Quartet Statement to Return to Negotiations Without Preconditions But Leaves Out Israel’s Demand for Preconditions

This is so frustrating but predictable. I did a search of major news sources- Washington post, MSNBC, NYT, Reuters and even read the State Department press briefing from yesterday and with the exception of the Israeli Daily Haaretz, all are reporting Israel will return to negotiations based on the Quartet statement and is urging the […]

Chutzpah: Bibi Netanyahu to Demand Quartet Change Mideast Peace Plan Statement

After the US and our allies have spent the past however many months running around arm-twisting and cajoling the world to deny the Palestinians any recognition at the United Nations, after the US has intervened on behalf of Israel with regard to deteriorating ties with Turkey, Jordan and Egypt, after the US President gave a […]

How A Strong Sovereign Should Respond to a Slap in the Face From an Ally

While the U.S. rewards Israel for each public and private slap in the face leveled at the President, German Chancellor Angela Merkel demonstrated the appropriate response after being taken for granted by Bibi Netanyahu: German Chancellor Angela Merkel took Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harshly to task Friday over last week’s decision to approve 1,100 housing […]

Why The Two State Solution is Dead

One of the problems with the administration’s foreign policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is that it increasingly ignores reality in favor of political expediency. The so-called “peace process” has become a time-honored endeavor for many, many Presidents and while 15-20 years ago there actually was the possibility of creating two states along lines that would […]

Israel LOVES Obama’s Speech at the United Nations

And well they should. After all, the ultimate goal of perpetual occupation, circular negotiations, continued settlement expansion and American protectionism has been achieved. To hear President Obama speak about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one could be forgiven for thinking that Obama has adopted the philosophy of right-wing Likud. Israel’s far, far, far-right racist Foreign Minister, Avigdor […]

US Brags About Denying Palestinians Legal Redress for Israel’s Human Rights Violations

I just got an email from the White House with bullet-points highlighting all the wonderful things the U.S. has done at the United Nations. There was a section on Israel. Here it is: Defending Israel Standing up for Israel at the UN: The Obama Administration has consistently and forcefully opposed unbalanced and biased actions against […]

The Price of Israel

There is a good article over at Foreign Policy about how most countries, including our European allies, are pretty much fed up with the United States’ constant pandering to even the most damaging, de-stabilizing Israeli dictates. The irony of course is that in doing Bibi’s bidding, the Obama administration is, in essence, validating right-wing Likud […]

The Washington Post Continues to Carry Bibi Netanyahu’s Water

Richard Cohen is a hack, but given his lofty perch over at the WaPo, it’s important to call him out on his shameless need to put the interests of a foreign country over the interests of the United States: Israel’s dilemma is that the Middle East, for all the talk of revolution, is slipping backward. […]

Where is the State Department?

I get all kinds of press releases/statements from the State Department whenever someone in Israel breaks a fingernail but what about this? At least EU High Representative Ashton has the ethics and political will to speak out. She must be so disgusted with the Obama administration’s weakness and pandering to the Israel Lobby.

U.S. Threatens to Cut Off Aid to Palestinians if They Go to UN

This is interesting because the other day the State Dept. press spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, was asked about this issue and she said that Palestinian aid is based on the needs of the people, ie. it’s not a carrot or stick. It seems she wasn’t telling the truth. From Haaretz: The United States will stop all […]

Israel Lobby Gives Clinton & Obama Their Marching Orders

Over at Politico former AIPAC spokesman, Josh Block, argues that President Obama and Secretary Clinton better damn well get on top of this Palestinian statehood thing! Of course, Obama and Clinton are on top of this issue to such a degree that it begs the question, if the statehood declaration is only symbolic and largely […]

Egyptian #FlagMan Climbs Up Israeli Embassy and Removes Israeli Flag

Egyptians are pissed. After the IDF crossed the Egyptian border killing several Egyptian security forces the other day, Egyptians are demanding justice. They congregated outside the Israeli embassy by the thousands- something that would have been unheard of under Mubarak- and demanded that the Israeli Ambassador leave (he did). An Egyptian man, now being referred […]

Gaza: And So It Begins

It really began yesterday with a massive Israeli air assault but it has continued throughout the day and night today. The tragic murder of eight Israelis has brought out the full force of the Israeli military. While it goes without saying that Israel has a right to defend itself, this seems less like self defense […]

Israel Doesn’t Seem to Know Who is Responsible for the Terrorist Attack

But despite this, Gaza is being pummeled. from The Real News Network: From War in Context: The Kalashnikov is the most widely available weapon on the planet. According to Jane’s Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 this rifle is in use in over 70 countries. An estimated 20% of all firearms available worldwide are of the Kalashnikov family. […]

Israel & Palestinians Were Holding Secret Talks…Until Bibi Stepped In & Stopped Them

Yeah, he’s a real peacemaker, that Bibi Netanyahu: Coming up to September and the UN bid by the Palestinian Authority, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu claims that the Palestinians refuse to negotiate with his government, and therefore urges the world to oppose their diplomatic moves, “in the interest of peace.” Many echo this talking point: […]

Call Senator Leahy to Thank Him for Taking a Stand on the IDF’s Human Rights Abuses

Finally, someone in Congress who is willing to take a stand: U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy is promoting a bill to suspend U.S. assistance to three elite Israel Defense Forces units, alleging they are involved in human rights violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Leahy, a Democrat and senior member of the U.S. Senate, […]

A Nice Double Standard: How Israel Responds to Nonviolent Protest

Hundreds of thousands of Jewish Israelis have taken to the streets in recent weeks, demanding economic justice. It’s a truly inspiring scene in Tel Aviv and elsewhere. In response, the police have acted with restraint, even in a few instances where things got a little out of hand. What will happen if the Palestinians peacefully […]