Last night I watched the United Nations Security Council successfully deliver on finally passing Resolution 1860; a so-called “binding” statement calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the departure of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and the transport of humanitarian aid to the 1.5 million Palestinians trapped and wounded there. Though the text pretty much reads like an “all deliberate speed” document with no clear timetables or deadlines for Israel’s retreat; I still find it appalling that the United States refused to vote in its favor. I watched Dr. Condoleezza Rice represent the United States while serving up the talking points of the U.S.-Israeli War Machine reversing cause and effect – blaming Hamas’ rockets on the most recent holocaust in the Gaza Strip while never saying a word about Israel’s Occupation and aggressions against the Palestinian people which precipitates the actions of desperate and/or utterly dismayed, oppressed people. (It would be as ludicrous as saying that the riots in Oakland are what caused the Bay Area Transit Officer to shoot Oscar Grant in the back as he lay handcuffed, face down on the ground.)
Though this weak resolution passed in the UN Security Council on Thursday night, TODAY, the U.S. House is prepared to vote on a resolution probably handwritten by the American Israeli Political Action Committee throwing its full support behind “Israel’s right to defend itself from attacks from Gaza.” The Resolution, submitted by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader, John Boehner, makes no mention of the dire humanitarian crisis that existed in the Gaza Strip prior to Israel’s launching of military action via the blockade. The Resolution totally ignores Israel’s initial refusal to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza – a breach of international law specifically raised by the UN Ambassador from Mexico and Austria at the Security Council hearing. If Israel – or any member nation-state for that matter, can defy International Law with impunity, it calls to question the integrity of the entire council! The U.S. Senate already passed the resolution with unanimous consent.
Jewish Voices for Peace, U.S. Campaign To End The Occupation, and many other organizations are asking that people call their House Representatives and urge them to vote against the one-sided resolution. I’ve sent an email already to my representatives and though it is 12:29AM as I finish this last sentence, I will be calling Congressman Elijah Cummings to push him to reject this unjust resolution. I will also be calling Senator Barbara Mikulski and Jewish Senator, Ben Cardin to voice my displeasure with their votes and my commitment to take this into consideration as I’m walking toward the voting booth in November 2010.
Related posts:
- Because of this video, I was called an “Anti-Semitic” I was blessed to join about 50 others last night...
- Cynthia Mckinney and other Humanitarian Workers blocked from giving aid to Gaza by Israeli War Ships. They rammed them!! Embedded video from CNN Video Will Barack Obama show leadership...
- Two days after Christmas, the Slaughter of the Innocents continues Today, I preached a sermon entitled, “Hanging on to Christmas”...
- A message from the Baltimore United for Peace & Justice Coalition Dear Rev. Brown, As a resident of the Govans Community,...
- CNN.com – Olmert: Gaza operations to continue – Jul 10, 2006 So let me get this straight – The Palestinians called...
Ironically, I just stopped in at the main library in Sunnyvale California, one of my frequent haunts, to see if I left a disk here earlier in the week. I thought, why not check my email messages, and what do you know? I plan to support the protest march planned for tomorrow that is to take place in San Francisco California.
I have often wondered, who is Israel’s God? Today, America is Israel’s number one partner in crime. A half-century ago it was the Soviet Union. And before in antiquity, Israel was actually aligned with the Babylon of that day, just as it with the apparent and current occupiers of Babylon today the United States government of Babylon. Israel will clearly get in the bed with anyone! Now that terrorist Arel Sharon is no longer, you can see that not much has changed.
When all other nations of the world boycotted the Nation of South Africa 2 decades ago, given its prolonged mistreatment of black South Africans, only Israel continued selling weapons to the racist apartheid governent, while at the same time, receiving aid (our tax dollars) from the United States – and these weapons were used against blacks! Frankly, I am just as tired of the government of Israel as I have been of our own government. And just as it is in the United States with the majority of American people, I understand that the majority of the Israeli people do not agree with the tactics of their imperial government. I understand that many of the Israeli and Palestinian people socialize together, work and play together. One has to wonder what spirit operates in the Israeli government, just as one has to be concerned about the spirit that operates in ours. Condi and the USA will continue to offer cover, solace and support for Israel, no matter how they misbehave.
I am wondering whether our incoming president will have the moxy to do something about America’s 51′s red state!