This is how authoritarianism is normalized

 

I cannot stop thinking about this: It's now been one week since Donald Trump's lawyers told the Supreme Court that presidents should be able to murder political rivals or stage coups—and multiple Supreme Court justices acted like it was a serious argument.
This is how authoritarianism is normalized. I can't stop thinking about it—nor should any of us who are dedicated to democracy.
My head nearly exploded hearing this exchange in particular, with Trump's lawyer arguing that presidents are entitled to immunity for violating criminal laws for any "official act:"
Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked Trump's lawyer: "If the president decides that his rival is a corrupt person, and he orders the military or orders someone to assassinate him, is that within his official acts for which he can get immunity?"¹
Trump's lawyer responded: "It would depend on the hypothetical, but we concede that could be an official act."²
Justice Elena Kagan followed up, asking, "How about if the president orders the military to stage a coup?"³
Trump's lawyer responded: "It would depend on the circumstances whether it was an official act."⁴
This is how democracies die and dictatorships arise. It's truly terrifying.
We cannot minimize what's at stake. And we certainly cannot rely on the courts to save our democracy from Trump. No way. That is as clear as day.
Our only way forward is to defeat Trump decisively at the ballot box in November. And that's why I'm writing today.
The Republican justices last week refused to even consider the facts of the Trump case in front of them and instead were focused on future hypotheticals. By blowing it up into something else, the Republican justices are blowing up Trump's trial—which is exactly their intention. Read for yourself:
Justice Samuel Alito: "I'm not discussing the particular facts of this case."⁵
Justice Neil Gorsuch: "I'm not concerned about this case so much as future ones too."⁶
Justice Brett Kavanaugh: "Like Justice Gorsuch, I'm not focused on the here and now of this case. I'm very concerned about the future."⁷
Trump attempted a coup, but the Republican justices can't be bothered. Not even with Trump poised to be president again.

This message was written and sent by Mr. Robert Reich, the leader of the MoveOn movement, a progressive action body, working on educating younger voters and enlightening them. I thought the article quite lucid and explicit, reflecting a reality of what's taking place at our highest court's level, and in the country.

My profound thanks to all .   

CONFRONTING IRAN AND ISRAEL.....

 

After everything that happened, who emerged victorious from the Iran-Israel war? I answered: Firstly, in wars there is no winner, everyone is a loser, to different degrees. Secondly: This was not a real war, but rather a play agreed upon down to the smallest details. Third: The only beneficiary of this dramatic confrontation is the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Let's start with what was called a war between the Persian state and the Zionist state. Never before in history has there been a direct military confrontation between the Persians and the Zionists, but rather an alliance and service against the countries and peoples of the region. In the modern era, Shahen Shah Iran was an ally of Israel openly, and Khomeini Iran was an ally in secret. Both countries competed to serve Western goals by dividing the region, preventing its union and the growth of its international power and status, always remaining under the umbrella of protection and need for American and European powers, and completely relying on its raw natural resources.

Tehran and Tel Aviv played the role of the “bogeyman” that threatens the security and stability of the Arabs, in the Gulf, the Shiite Crescent, and Yemen from Iran’s side, and in the rest of the regions and countries from Israel’s side. The Arab revolutionaries and their soldiers contributed to the success of their plan, who turned against stable monarchical regimes and turned their countries into socialist camps that stirred up unrest in the surroundings, incited coups in safe countries, and justified the capitals of the Western camp for their intervention with the excuse of defending their interests in the region. They were helped by those parties, organizations and militias that raise the banners of liberation, unity and resistance, and only fire their bullets at the chests of Arabs, and only resist Arab governments.

There are many agreements between the axis of evil extending from the eastern Gulf to the eastern Mediterranean, including rules of engagement and red lines. Over the course of forty-five years, these rules and lines were rarely violated. And each time it is contained by consensus about acceptable and possible reactions.

When Qassem Soleimani was assassinated, Tehran asked Washington, according to the story of former President Donald Trump, which was not denied by the Iranians and confirmed by the facts, for Iranian missiles to bomb the vicinity of the Ain al-Assad base in northern Iraq, at a specific time, and with previously announced coordinates, as a response. The American administration agreed, and the bombing was carried out with empty bomb missiles in the desert, and no one was injured. Iran announced that it had achieved its revenge, and America did not respond as promised.

This time too, Israel violated the rules of engagement and international law by bombing a building attached to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, thus encroaching on land that is considered Iranian by international custom. It killed senior leaders in the Revolutionary Guard, most notably the one responsible for military and security operations in Syria and Lebanon.

The blow was painful and the slap was humiliating and cruel, so there was a need for a response that would save the attacker some face, but without igniting a war between two unequal forces. Israel, and behind it America, Britain and France, is a destructive nuclear and missile power. America does not want to open another front in addition to the burning fronts in Ukraine and Gaza, and the escalating confrontations with Russia and China.

Despite its eagerness to strike the Iranian nuclear and missile programs to death, with Western support and cover, Israel is not safe from suicidal consequences, especially from Hezbollah, which has a huge stock of precision missiles that have not been used to date, and does not wish to open new fronts before ending its predicament in Gaza. .

Accordingly, it was agreed, according to American sources who spoke to the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post and others, through the Swiss embassy, ​​which sponsors American interests in Tehran, and a number of Arab mediators, that a limited, monitored and announced targeting of Israel would be “allowed”, which would facilitate confrontation. It has the fleets and bases of America, Britain, and France in the region, and Israel handles what remains through its Iron Dome, supported by advanced American monitoring and defense weapons.

Indeed, Tehran announced in advance the timing, nature of the attack and its objectives, abandoning the element of surprise that Israel adheres to in all its attacks. The Western air defense network shot down 99% of the hundreds of missiles and drones that were launched from southern Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon towards Israel, while it was in The sky of these countries and Jordan.

As for the missiles that arrived, they were confronted by the American-reinforced Israeli air defense, and only two missiles reached the ground, one of which struck a military base in southern Israel, causing material damage, and another struck a civilian area and injured a Palestinian child.

The head of the Iranian delegation to the United Nations was anticipating the results and announced as soon as the drones were flying and before achieving any success that the Iranian response was complete, and there was no longer justification for further escalation!! Thus, the war ended before it began, and things will return to how they were, as if nothing had happened.

The beneficiary of all this drama is Israel. After its isolation narrowed, international opposition to the war of extermination in Gaza escalated, and demands began to cut off military support and arms sales to it, Israel’s threatening tone from its neighbors and its duty to support and protect it returned. Critical voices in the US Congress and the British Parliament faded, and the international media was preoccupied with Iranian threats to the sea lanes and the bombing of Israel. .

After the US President and the British Prime Minister were threatening to withhold weapons and demand Israeli pledges not to use them against civilians, support returned to higher than it was. The demonstrations in support of Gaza stopped and the international diplomatic and legal movement against it calmed down.

As for Netanyahu, who was facing demonstrations and internal Israeli opposition to his handling of the Gaza war, and his responsibility for the Hamas attack on October 7, he was able to unify ranks with him, direct attention to a more dangerous and greater existential war, and curb all opposition against him.

Thus, intentionally or not, Tehran provided Israel with a lifeline, helped it overcome the repercussions of its failure in the Gaza war, and saved its prime minister and his extremist government from an international siege and internal opposition. If this is not the literal definition of service and secret alliance, then I don't know what is ??

A very factual and realistic analysis, by Dr. K. Batarfi. reflecting the thoughts and mood in most of the Middle-East and beyond. The idea is an old one, not substantiated fully till now, with this new development of Iran attacking Israel, and zero casualties or damages, and the responses of all parties, makes it hard to refute, I'm grateful to Dr. Batarfi for his contribution, that I copied and published for wider viewership and reflection.  

As always , my many thanks to all my readers.   

ARE WE BETTER OFF ??

The other day, Donald Trump took to social media and asked the following question:

ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE FOUR YEARS AGO ???

I could hardly believe he asked the question. I know it may seem like a lifetime ago now, but four years ago — March 2020 — was the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the next few months, Americans would watch as Trump downplayed the seriousness of the disease and pushed pseudoscience instead of the facts.

We watched as the economy spiraled and millions of people faced unemployment.

Then, after he lost re-election, we watched Trump incite a deadly insurrection and attempt to destroy American democracy for good.  

Since then, President Biden and Democrats have put the country back on track:

📈Job growth is at record highs 

📈Wages are up

📉Unemployment is at historic lows 

📉Inflation is coming down 

Put simply: YES, we’re better off than we were four years ago……and we’re only just getting started. 

Yes, these few words come from a politically motivated source, obviously against Trump and pro a Democrat candidate and Biden as its head, the factual truth is that it's true, no one can deny that Americans are better off after four years , and the country is surely well ahead economically, maybe the only factor against this administration is their blind foreign policies they are obstinately trying to follow, implement, while  dragging America into a barbaric genocidal complicity by starving and annihilating millions of innocent civilians.....

As always, my infinite gratitude to all my good readers. 

ARE WE REALLY JUST STANDING FIRM BEHIND CERTAIN PSEUDO ALLIES.......

 

After several vetoes over the last 6 months, the U.S. abstained from a UN Security Council Resolution demanding a ceasefire

Few days ago, the UN Security Council passed resolution 2728 requiring an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan, the release of all hostages from all sides, and the expansion of the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. This resolution marks the first successful attempt at achieving a ceasefire at the Security Council after three previous U.S. vetoes of resolutions calling for a ceasefire.

While this is a step in the right direction, a U.S. abstention does not show the moral leadership that is gravely overdue to permanently end the ongoing genocide. It’s also critical to note that the United States watered down the resolution by demanding the removal of the phrase “permanent ceasefire,” and conditioned the ceasefire and entry of humanitarian aid–required already by international law–on release of Israeli hostages. Effectively, the U.S. pardoned the forced famine of a million Palestinians and shielded Israel from accountability for attacking and obstructing aid shipments and kidnapping thousands of Palestinians with no charge. Over 32,000 lives have been taken by the ongoing genocide and the Administration continues to fund, arm, and enable Israel’s massacre. 

A sane world cannot demand a temporary pause to a genocide, instead; Israel must permanently end the killing of Palestinians and the U.S. must impose a lasting ceasefire.

Following the UN Security Council resolution the United States Congress and President Biden must rescind their decision to defund UNRWA and resume funding to the vital UN agency that has remained one of Gaza’s last remaining lifelines with the infrastructure to effectively deliver aid.

Finally, following the UN Security Council’s vote, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on X that his country would not abide by the resolution. Therefore, we call on President Biden to enforce international law and impose consequences on Israel for its defiance of the UN Security Council. Accountability is essential to ensure compliance with international law and to prevent further disregard for human rights and humanitarian principles, Israel must abide by the UN Security Council’s resolution or face consequences.

And this should lead to a permanent and regional end of this everlasting conflict and carnage, and population transfers. Be it with Lebanon, Palestine or Syria and Iraq, it will engulf Egypt soon if not seriously stopped, America has to join the international community and look for its real interests in that turbulent part of the world.  

This short blog/article depicts the actual situation of our shameful backing to a clear and obvious genocide by inflicting deliberate death by barbaric hunger and sickness, by deliberate sniping and mass bombing on an entire population.  Humanity cannot allow itself to return in time to such barbaric acts even when they are driven and hide satanic strategies behind them....

My utmost gratitude to all my good readers.

Ukraine and Gaza Threaten US Leadership and Politics

Washington Watch, March 18, 2024; Dr. James J. Zogby, President, Arab American Institute

This era’s wars in Ukraine and Gaza are having a more dramatic impact both on global alignments and US politics than the wars in Vietnam and Iraq had in their respective eras. And this is happening without any American troops directly engaged in either conflict. 

The war in Vietnam was fought at the peak of the Cold War during which time global alliances were largely set in stone as the “West” and its allies were confronting the Soviet bloc and the national liberation movements they were supporting. The non-aligned movement of countries who claimed independence from both blocs was largely dismissed by the US as being influenced by the Soviets and China. Despite representing a humiliating American defeat, the Vietnam war concluded without any significant changes in global alliances. 

The real impact of Vietnam was felt within the US as divisions over the war and the military draft of millions of young people spurred mass protests. The resultant broader social discontent ultimately contributed to the breakdown of the dominant culture that had taken hold since World War II. What emerged in its wake was a counter culture that expressed itself in a range of protest movements—cultural, social, and political—that led to “challenges to authority” on all levels. 

The intense opposition to Vietnam tore apart the Democratic Party, resulting in a chaotic 1968 Democratic Convention, and ultimately brought down Lyndon Johnson’s presidency.  

The war on Iraq, occurring in the post-9/11 period, had less of a domestic impact despite mass protests. But as divisive as the war was to some, it took years before the US was forced to withdraw from Iraq—which it did without declaring victory or acknowledging defeat. Despite its costs, in lives and treasure, the war wasn’t transformative to the political culture and had no significant impact on the national debate. Though a majority of Americans from both parties became weary and wary of new wars as a result of the failed and costly efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, there still has not been a calling to account for the lies that led us into these wars or the behavior of US forces or intelligence agencies in combat or the “war on terror.”  

If anything, the toll of the Iraq war was felt internationally. The arrogant unilateralism of the Bush administration alienated some European allies and caused other nations to question the US’ coercive behaviors. We squandered both the political capital we had secured at the end of the Cold War and the sympathy we gained after the horrors of 9/11. Instead of a nation to be admired, we came to be seen as a bully to be feared. 

Now to the present.   

The wars in Ukraine and Gaza are each negatively impacting the US’ global standing in different ways. To be fair, the seeds of the unraveling of the US’ standing in the world predated these wars, going back at least to the turn of the century. Despite our obvious strengths, the damage done by the failed adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq, the chaotic twists and turns in our approaches to the rest of the world from Bush to Obama to Trump and now Biden, and our persistent deference to Israel’s interests instead of the pursuit of a just Israeli-Palestinian peace—all have taken a toll on the respect other nations have for us. They’ve also contributed to strengthening China’s role, together with other nations demonstrating more independence from the US in world affairs. 

America’s European allies were shocked by Russia’s assault on Ukraine and largely supportive of the US-led effort to punish Russia and support Ukrainian sovereignty. They agreed to expand NATO, embraced US sanctions against Russia, and boycotted Russian imports.  Two years into this war, that support is fading. Several months back, French President Macron asked whether it was wise to continue following the US lead in foreign affairs. When we polled public opinion in seven NATO member nations, we found that majorities everywhere agreed that their countries should not. There are signs of this playing out across the continent. With the US Congress unable to pass a new aid package for Ukraine, there are signs of restiveness in some European countries about their continued levels of support.  

For its part, Russia has found workarounds to US-led sanctions that the Biden administration believed would bring the country to its knees. Instead, Russia has strengthened economic ties with China and Iran, both of which have also been contending with US imposed sanctions, and with countries in the Global South that have been unwilling to allow US dictates to trump their self-interests.  

The Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war on Gaza has taken an even greater toll on US leadership. Not unlike the Bush administration’s response to 9/11, Israel squandered widespread support following the Hamas attack of October 7th by launching a genocidal assault on the Palestinian population. For months, the US has repeatedly blocked international appeals for a ceasefire and, despite its feeble calls on Israel to protect civilians, the Biden administration has resisted taking effective measures to restrain Israeli actions, increasingly isolating the US not only in the Global South but also from many of its closest European allies. 

There are differences in the domestic reactions to the US role in these two wars. While a significant minority of Republicans and Democrats are resisting budget outlays for continuing to arm Ukraine, the administration’s backing for Israel has the support of Republicans but is contributing to fracturing the Democrats. Like Vietnam, this internal dissent has resulted in mass protests and various expressions of opposition in local communities across the country.  

Because opposition to the administration’s policies have extended well beyond the Arab community, with many young, Black, and progressive Jews joining the fray, there is a real possibility that this will lead to mass protests at this summer’s Chicago Democratic convention, like the anti-Vietnam protests that rocked the 1968 convention. 

The bottom line: America’s leadership in the world is being undermined and its domestic political cohesion is being fractured by the direction of our involvement in wars in Ukraine and Gaza. While these transformations have roots in past American failures, these wars have only served to accelerate the negative trajectory of our position in the world and our politics.

A good analysis of past and present American policies and standing in the world, depicting as well an interior turbulent political situation. My thanks to Dr. Zogby, a sober politician and analyst, as well to all my good readers all over.  

AND THE SAGA IS STILL AN ONGOING AFFAIR .....

 

A good article by a good friend, it was written early January, now two and a half months later the horrible saga still goes on, and Mr. Biden believes ,as he declared in his recent State of the Union speech that a little temporary dock to offload maritime humanitarian aid will suffice to deter Israel from its diabolical plans to transfer the entire population of Palestine from Gaza and the West bank, including East Jerusalem, invade and take some very fertile and water rich southern Lebanon to border the Litany river and force the solution on Lebanon, the US and the world, there is no limits to fascist supremacy whether it's Israeli or Western politicians or any supposedly super power or theocracy. In the past few decades we in the US, and the West enforced a new concept, terrorists and terrorism, I just wonder who's the more deserving of this honor. 

 

The Netanyahu government is no longer certain that the assault on Gaza is a winner no matter how many Palestinians they kill. Specifically, it is expected that Mr. Netanyahu will be a big loser when this war ends. Therefore it is in his interest and that of his extremist government coalition to prolong the war and expand it to Lebanon for a start and even draw in a war with Iran. Fifty one percent of Israelis support expanding the war to Lebanon as a safeguard against Hezballah. Although the US has been vigorously advising Netanyahu against expanding the war, Netanyahu may go ahead and attack Lebanon. What will the US do? It will be forced to come to Israel's aid. Or will it? 

Until yesterday, the US had two Aircraft carrier groups in the Mediterranean. Yesterday President Biden ordered the Gerald Ford carrier group back to Virginia, leaving only the Eisenhower group. Is that a signal to Israel? And given that there is already a lot of public opinion in the US against Israel's war on Gaza, is the US president confident that engaging the US in a Middle East war will not generate upheaval at home much like the war on Vietnam did?

The official US is pledged to support Israel no matter what. But what Israel? Long supported by the people of the United States as a democratic country, the onslaught on Gaza has unmasked Israel as a blood thirsty supremacist colonial enterprise bent on wiping out the Palestinian people and taking over all of Palestine,  not only Gaza but through expanding settlements in the West Bank. People, especially younger people in the USA, are waking up to what Israel really is and large numbers of Americans are no longer willing to support Israel no matter what. And they are beginning to express themselves. Any US Administration needs to be keenly aware of the changing mood at home. This, at a time when the overwhelming UN General Assembly vote of 12 December for a ceasefire in Gaza showed how isolated the US is in its "no matter what" support of Israel policy. For internal and international reasons, the Administration therefore no doubt feels compelled to question that policy. Maybe the Administration will press much harder to prevent Israel from Expanding the war.

This is a year of US Presidential elections. President Biden is not doing so well and it promises to be a very tight race. So far President Biden's support for Israel's war on Gaza has alienated Arab and Muslim voters in states that count like Michigan and Pennsylvania. That alone could lose him the race. But he could still get that vote if (a) he takes some practical action to hinder Israel's appetite for war, such as withholding some of the armaments and political support and (b) starts visible action in support of his verbal endorsement of a two state solution. Making some nice even-handed talk about Palestine and Israel will not be enough to get him the votes he needs. 

A number of things are at stake: War, internal upheavals in the US, and Presidential elections. Time is of the essence. Israel is ready to strike Lebanon unless the US stops it.

H. 3Jan2024

My many thanks as always to all. 

AARON BUSHNELL......

 

Andalusian Horseman

·

Published in

Visionarye Talks

Aaron Bushnell, may he rest in peace.

On social media in America, the moderators are shadow-banning posts and articles that are related to what happened to Aaron. It seems that the media wants to keep this under wraps as much as possible.

But the damage has been done, and the Russians and Chinese will probably not let this go, because it is such a huge event. Because it wasn’t done by the average American citizen, but by a soldier who put on his uniform to serve his country.

For a soldier to protest against the country he is meant to serve goes to such lengths to not even participate but self-immolate himself. He’s basically elevated himself into a symbol of resistance to sections in American society.

The consequences of this will be far reaching in American society. But I want to draw attention to reactions within the Middle East. Because some people feel that he died for people that hated him and the reactions should hopefully put a rest to those words.

Instead of me writing the reactions, why don’t you see it for yourself.

If this had happened in China or in Russia you’d see the Americans celebrating and praising them as heroes, however, when the same is done in America it’s usually brushed under and is forgotten soon.

But the anger doesn’t disappear, the despair doesn’t magically vanish overnight, it’s still there, under the carpet and it bubbles and simmers.

I don’t need to remind you that this wasn’t the first time this happened, it was the second time and I’m not sure what makes people think this won’t happen again.

But for some who think this could be an American spring, I have bad news, I don’t think it will and if there is an American spring, it won’t come from Gaza or Palestine, it’ll come from the American people.

The genocide in Gaza has deeply divided people in America, right down to the bone, the Arab spring on the other hand, the people weren’t divided. They were united against their own government.

The people were on one side and the dictators were on the other side, in regards to America the people are still split and you can clearly see it, with a large section calling Aaron’s action as mentally ill.But, the issue is, it’s a start.The reason they’re trying to stop this from spreading is because this will lead to an Arab spring, they want to stop that from happening. They don’t want to mention what happened, nothing should be said in regards to Aaron, because they want to silently brush it under the table.

It won’t be. You can’t ignore anger, it cannot go away and it needs to be dealt with firsthand. If it isn’t then you find yourselves at the mercy of it later.

Thanks for reading.

This active-duty airman, who sacrificed his life in protest of a brutal and horrific situation , while stating that he couldn't and shouldn't be part of the current ongoing genocide of an entire civilian population, he is being described by the very few who mention him in the mainstream media as a lunatic and crazy eccentric child, as well an anarchist activist and a leftist. I felt I had to bring him back with this short article, and give him some due respect and honor, my thanks to all. 

TO SUM IT UP .....

 

Nothing goes only one way in life, it's always and invariably a back and fourth way, an action and its reaction, thus the Palestinian cause and the effects of the Israeli actions and reactions.

So when we ask the Palestinian side to reframe and recreate a new leadership to govern their affairs within their enclaves, and vis-a-vis the world and more so Israel.  Before we ask them for moderation and civic behavior and adherence to all international norms of human respect, and abandoning their resistance to occupation, apartheid, barbaric brutality, colonialism in its ugliest forms, and finally genocide. We ought to ask the other side for some civic behavior, some moderation, some actual measures to block apartheid and the ugly racist superiority of hundreds of thousands of settlers on the ground, as well as the Israeli armed forces, the Israeli police, and the entire Israeli political regime. 

Does it not make sense that to eliminate Hamas from the Palestinian psych and minds, we need to counterpart it all with eliminating the Netanyahu/Ben Gvir/Smotrich/ Gallant/Gants type of government, ruling and injecting systematic hate and desperation and ugly racism and superiority among the entire Israeli population.

Sadly, the same exact situation and scenario is taking place on all fronts neighboring Israel, I'm thinking now of what is taking place and the escalation on the Lebanese borders between Hezbollah and the Israeli army and the civilian population stuck in between.

Shouldn't we when eliminating one evil side, ensure the elimination of the other evil side. Assuming of course that equalizing the conqueror with the conquered, the oppressor with the oppressed, the jailer with the jailed is a legitimate action, as they are both equally responsible for a certain situation, a very ugly situation indeed.

Concluding it all with a short article by Jeffrey Sachs criticizing Biden's foreign policies, mostly in regard of the Israeli ongoing genocide. It's entitled; "why Joe Biden is a foreign failure".

Yet Israel is led by violent zealots who make the messianic claim that God has given Israel all the land of today's Palestine, including the West bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. These zealots therefore insist on political domination over the millions of Palestinians in their midst, or their annihilation or expulsion. 

Netanyahu and his colleagues don't even hide their genocidal intentions, though most foreign observers don't fully understand the Biblical references that the Israeli leaders invoke to justify their ongoing mass slaughter of the Palestinian people. 

Israel now faces highly credible charges of genocide in the international court of justice in a case brought by South Africa. The documentary record presented by S.A. and others is as clear as it is chilling. Israeli politics is not the politics of pragmatism and certainly not the politics of peace. It is the politics of Judaic biblical apocalypse.  To quote Jeffrey D. Sachs.... 

As always, my many thanks to all my good readers.                

Things That Should But Can't Be Said

 

 Washington Watch
February 12, 2024

Dr. James J. Zogby ©

President

Arab American Institute

 

Four months into Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza, one might have thought that American policymakers and commentators would have learned some lessons. Instead, their discussions about the conflict appear to remain trapped in the same tiresome and, at times, delusional framing that existed before the current fighting began. As a result, they frustratingly tie themselves in knots struggling to explain what’s happening and what’s to be done in the future. They refuse to step outside the constraints imposed by conventional wisdom and dare not venture beyond the accepted terms of what is defined as correct political discourse. Conditioned, in this manner, there are things that should be said that they will not say. 

 

For example, despite the ruling of the International Court of Justice that Israel’s behaviors establish a plausible case for genocide, that word is verboten. When presented with the numbers of those killed, those facing starvation, and clear evidence of mass destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, policymakers and commentators shift the discussion to the crimes committed by Hamas on October 7th or blame the civilian deaths on Hamas’ use of “human shields.” 

 

They also seek to absolve the US from any responsibility for the deaths insisting that the President and his administration continue to urge the Israelis to take measures to avoid civilian casualties. They then ignore the fact that Israel pays no attention to our “urging” while they continue to resupply Israel’s deadly munitions and block international efforts at a ceasefire. 

 

Equally frustrating is the US insistence that it stands behind efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the desperate Palestinian population in Gaza, while at the same time refusing to hold Israel responsible for the fact that its cumbersome, duplicative inspection regime and continued bombing in the south of Gaza impedes delivery of supplies to those in need. Additionally, the recent US decision to withhold funds for UNWRA—the only agency with the capacity to deliver aid—makes a mockery of our commitment to providing humanitarian assistance. As obvious as these linkages may be, they may not be said. 

 

In acceptable US discourse Israel is never blamed. It’s all Hamas’ fault and the US is doing everything it can to alleviate suffering. As for the decision to cut off UNWRA thereby punishing the entire Palestinian population for the alleged crimes of about 12 of the agencies thousands of staff, it is not allowed to refer to this as collective punishment. 

 

After ignoring the reality that daily Israeli raids into West Bank Palestinian cities and towns have resulted in the murders of over 400 Palestinians and that 500 settler attacks on Palestinians in their homes, cars or fields have resulted in the deaths of eight and the destruction of thousands of olive trees, the US decided to take action by sanctioning four settlers. This was heralded by the pundits as “unprecedented” and “dramatic,” but scoffed at by the settlers as a hollow gesture—which, in fact, it was. But that cannot be said. 

 

What is not discussed are the root problems with the Israeli occupation (a term that Democrats have never allowed in the party’s platform), the ever-expanding settlement enterprise, the apartheid (another word that is not allowed) system that creates impunity for both settlers and the Israeli military. This self-censorship of terms that can be used is infuriating.  

 

Equally troubling are discussions about the “day after” that is gaining momentum in the US media and policy circles. In the first place, this topic is insensitive at best, racist at worst. What is the “day after” for 2.2 million in Gaza? Are they supposed to forget the tens of thousands who’ve died? Their homes and entire neighborhoods that have been reduced to rubble? Where will they live? And what of the trauma to the hundreds of thousands of children who’ve been physically and psychologically maimed by this war? And what of the tens of thousands who are expected to die in the coming months from disease or starvation? 

 

These questions aren’t asked by pundits or policymakers. They’re not part of the accepted discourse. 

 

While official Washington has not yet presented its own plan, they have provided hints of their thinking in speeches and in discussions with journalists. From these we can discern an outline of ideas, that amount to “much ado about nothing.” 

 

It appears that the cornerstone of “the day after” construct is nothing more than “a pathway to an eventual Palestinian state”—reminiscent of the famous ancient Greek philosophers Heraclitus-Parmenides’ debate about the endless “half-the-way to half-the-way to half-the-way” to the never reachable goal. In this fantasy “pathway,” the burden is placed on the Palestinians to create a credible, viable, democratic, functioning state that will pose no threat to Israel. The problem, of course, is that Palestinians must do this while the occupation continues with no restraints on the occupiers’ control over land, resources, borders, and economy. This is no different that the bizarre plan proposed by then President Bush in 2002. The lesson that should have been learned then, but was not, is that as long as the Palestinians are not free to grow their economy and protect their land and people from the acquisitiveness and repression of the Israelis, no such credible state can come into being. The proposal, if it can be called that, is a mirage designed by the US to place the burden on the weakest party, while absolving the Israelis and ourselves from responsibility. 

 

When blame is directed at Israel, it is focused solely on Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist partners, whom the pundits say are the major obstacle to moving forward. This fails to pass muster because any close examination of the Israeli electorate and their views would note that while Netanyahu and company are extreme, there is no conceivable coalition that can replace them that would be willing to end the occupation and withdraw from territories and settlements to allow for a viable independent Palestinian state to come into being. A recent Israeli poll showed that a majority of Israelis would reject the creation of a Palestinian state even if that were accompanied by recognition by Saudi Arabia and security guarantees.  

 

When confronted with the fact that any future Israeli government would either be unwilling or afraid to withdraw from the occupied lands because of negative public reaction, the pundits fall silent out of their concern for Israeli public opinion. This underlies the racism that causes the entire fantasy to evaporate. I say racism, because in the American mind, the opinions and fears of Israeli public opinion are always placed above those of those of Palestinians. But, of course, this cannot be said. 

 

And so Israel’s genocidal assault continues as does the detached-from-reality US political discussion. Change will not occur until we can free ourselves from the shackles of acceptable discourse that has led us into this dead end.

A very good analysis of the present situation in Palestine, honestly we do not have any plan to stop it nor to create a dignified balance between the two people sharing the same land, no idea of how to live in peace, with dignity and freedom, just perpetuate apartheid, colonialism, and barbarity. All my thanks to all.