Obama administration affirms that some people have more of a right to exist than others
Today’s mix involves the latest statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who announced that the much touted $900 million in aid to Palestinians — after the weeks of Israeli bombs raining on Gaza — was now being held hostage over a demand for an unqualified statement on Israel’s right to exist. This comes as Israel gets its $30 billion package approved from Obama, par usual. I’m adding here some images of Gaza taken recently and posted on my friend Luma’s Facebook profile. Social network websites are a often a great, underestimated platform, squandered by most.
“In Israel and the Occupied Territories, the Obama administration has announced it will withdraw its entire $900 million aid pledge if the pending Palestinian unity government doesn’t recognize Israel’s “right to exist.” The warning was reportedly delivered by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas last week.” — Amy Goodman
This aid actually needs some qualification, though. and thankfully the U.S. Campaign to End the Occupation has it here: “not one dollar is devoted to the reconstruction of the occupied Gaza Strip. Instead, the money, if approved by Congress, will go towards humanitarian aid ($300 million), budgetary support for the Palestinian Authority ($200 million), and economic and institutional reforms in the West Bank ($400 million). For details on the pledge package, please click here.”
Previous Palestinian statements on Israel’s right inside it’s internationally recognized borders seem not to count: See this one, this one, and this one among scads that are out there. All this for a country that everyone, especially the Palestinians, know exists though it refuses to declare exactly what its own borders are. Meanwhile, so far, we’ve only heard from the European Union on the Palestinian “Right ot Exist.” When do we hear from Israel on this?
Update (via Sabbah):
U.S. President Barack Obama will not cut the billions of dollars in military aid promised to Israel, a senior U.S. administration official said Wednesday. The $30 billion in aid promised to Israel over the next decade will not be harmed by the world financial crisis, the official told Israel Radio. He spoke on condition of anonymity. — Haaretz
“Clinton told Abbas the US Congress won’t approve Palestinian aid unless the Palestinian government also renounces violence,” Democracy Now reported yesterday. “No such conditions have been imposed on Israel. The Israeli government refuses to renounce violence and has never recognized the right of Palestine to exist. Palestinians have also criticized the demand they recognize Israel’s “right to exist” because it forces them to go beyond recognizing Israel within secure borders, but in fact affirm the legitimacy of their dispossession and ongoing occupation.”
In February, Representatives Brian Baird and Ralph Ellison went to Gaza following the mass bombing that mostly killed civilians, and who know, maybe that Israel soldier who’s still missing there all these months and is used as an excuse for pretty much anything the military wants to do. After his visit, Baird stated “If this had happened in our own country, there would be national outrage and an appeal for urgent assistance.”
He downplays the potential U.S. response, of course. We’d likely find some reason to blame it on Iraq and then take the country over for the next two decades. Still, Baird continues that “We are glad that the Obama administration acted quickly to send much needed funding for this effort but the arbitrary and unreasonable Israeli limitations on food and repair essentials is unacceptable and indefensible.”
Baird should have held off on this one, as now the Obama administration has decided to freeze the bulk of any actual aid in wait for another statement that iwll likely be ignored and thrown away by the U.S. in a matter of months and once again fall on deaf ears in Israel. And he should refine his statement in light that none of the potential aid will even be going to rebuilding Gaza.
Still, that he went took no small amount of courage, both in going and in the potential backlash that could wait back home. His website currentl contains a photo gallery of the damage that he witnessed first hand.
Whether the Washington State Representative lets what he’s seen influence his voting record will soon be put to the test; Not one to be left out of the bashing needed to keep AIPAC happy, The House of Representatives has brought us H. CON. RES 29, a resolution by that questions support for the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA). This resolution, without merit, alleges UNRWA supports militant organizations and has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
And, to end this post on a slightly ridiculous note, to better represent the U.S. policy on this issue, here’s this: A February 25 press briefing from U.S. Department of State Spokesman Robert Wood, on whether pasta can be considered a political weapon. He dodges the entire issue of whether israel should keep food out of Gaza in general and I’m sure his performance will lead him to getting a permanent position as opposed to his current “acting spokesman” role.
QUESTION: A new topic? On Gaza, there have been some reports that the United States is quite displeased with the Israeli government about the amount of goods that the Israeli government is allowing into Gaza. For instance, they’re making such restrictions on dual use that is kind of arbitrary and not necessarily in line with what the humanitarian needs are in Gaza. Can you say what, at this point, the State Department assessment of the amount of aid that’s going into Gaza right now?
MR. WOOD: I’m not prepared here to give you an assessment of the type of aid that’s going in, but we have –
QUESTION: Are you satisfied with the level of aid?
MR. WOOD: Well, look, the situation on the ground there, as you know, is very complicated. And what we have been trying to do is ensure that, you know, humanitarian assistance gets to the people of Gaza. We will continue to try to do that, but as I said, it’s complicated. And we have had discussions with the Israelis about the situation. Other countries have, as well. And we’ll continue to push to get as much in the way of humanitarian supplies into Gaza as we can. It’s the best assessment I can give you.
QUESTION: Well, just one example that is (inaudible) on the press that the Israelis are not letting pasta into Gaza, only rice, because that’s a humanitarian – because that’s only on their humanitarian things. Do think that all food and medicine should be allowed into Gaza right now?
MR. WOOD: Well, look, there are a number of players on the ground trying to deal with the humanitarian situation. I, from the podium here, can’t tell you whether, you know, pasta should fall into a specific category – into that category of humanitarian assistance or not. But what we’re trying to do is to make sure that the supplies that -
QUESTION: Well, apparently, U.S. officials have been complaining about this particular example. So, I mean, I’m just saying, like, shouldn’t all food and medicine be allowed into Gaza at this point? I mean, is that really a — even a question about dual use?
MR. WOOD: What we want to see get into Gaza are humanitarian supplies that, you know — that the Gazan — the people of Gaza need. I can’t give you an assessment of, you know, whether all of these things are absolutely necessary to meet the humanitarian needs of the Gazan people. That’s better left to those international organizations and NGOs, you know, who are in the area trying to work on this issue. I just can’t make that kind of determination.
QUESTION: Do you think that Israel should be tying the amount of aid and supplies getting into Gaza to the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit? Because as you know, the — some people in Israeli Prime Minister Olmert’s staff have complained that this – that aid is being used as a political tool.
MR. WOOD: Well, it’s not for me, from the podium here, to engage in these types of — on these issues. I mean, this is –
QUESTION: Well, should aid — you don’t — you can’t say whether you think aid should be used as a political weapon?
MR. WOOD: Well, aid should never be used a political weapon. But again, I’m not engaged in those discussions that are going on with regard to, you know, the opening of the borders and with regard to the ceasefire. Those are decisions that will have to be made at an appropriate time. I’m not able to do that from here.
QUESTION: Well, but I mean, do you think that the ceasefire is being honored? I mean, obviously, there have been complaints that Hamas is not honoring the ceasefire. But is Israel honoring the ceasefire in terms of allowing the aid and – under their obligations? Are they meeting their obligations?
MR. WOOD: Well, I’m not able to give you that kind of assessment from here. But my understanding is, is that there are discussions going on amongst a wide variety of parties with equities with regard to this conflict, and they are trying to bring about, you know, a durable ceasefire. They’re trying to make sure that the, you know, humanitarian supplies reach those who need them in Gaza. I just can’t give you that kind of assessment at this point. It’s a very complex situation on the ground, and that’s something we have to be aware of.
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
MR. WOOD: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: No, go ahead.
MR. WOOD: No, I was just going to say – and you have to understand that because it’s complex and there are a number of parties working on it, that you’re not going to get – necessarily get immediate results. But we’re going to continue to push, as I said, to get humanitarian supplies in to the people of Gaza.
QUESTION: But can you imagine any circumstance under which pasta could be considered a dual-use item? Or is there some — you know, is rigatoni somehow going to be used as a weapon? (Laughter.)
MR. WOOD: I’m not involved in those discussions, so I -
QUESTION: Well, I mean — I mean, it just seems to be absurd on the face of it, if that’s what happening.
MR. WOOD: Well, there are people on the ground who are dealing with these issues. And I think we should leave it –
QUESTION: Dealing with the pasta dual-use issue?
QUESTION: Yeah, can you take a question on the pasta, please?
MR. WOOD: I’m not going to take the question on the pasta –
QUESTION: Why?
MR. WOOD: – because it’s -
QUESTION: Well, the United States is obviously pushing it, so obviously it’s something –
MR. WOOD: We’re trying to get humanitarian supplies in – on the ground to the people in Gaza.
QUESTION: Do you think food is a humanitarian supply?
MR. WOOD: Food certainly is.
QUESTION: All kinds of food?
MR. WOOD: I – I’m not able to tell you from here whether it -
QUESTION: Can you get a – can you take the question of what kind of food that the U.S. thinks is a humanitarian supply?
MR. WOOD: I’m not going to take that question, because I don’t think it’s a legitimate question.
QUESTION: You don’t think it’s legitimate that the Palestinians need certain foods and is – should Israel decide what food the Palestinians need?
MR. WOOD: I’m sorry, Elise, I’m not going to – I’ve spoken on it.
Paradox: to embrace Chaos is not to slide toward entropy but to emerge into an energy like stars, a pattern of instantaneous grace — a spontaneous organic order completely different from the carrion pyramids of sultans, muftis, cadis and grinning executioners. After Chaos comes Eros — the principle of order implicit in the nothingness of the of the unqualified One. Love is structure, system, the only code untainted by slavery and drugged sleep. We must become crooks and conmen to protect its spiritual beauty in a bezel of clandestinity, a hidden garden of espionage.
