Now that the Israel-firsters, or more precisely the rightwing Israeli expansionist faction in support of a Greater Israel and their U.S. lackeys, have given Obama a humiliating defeat by killing Chas Freeman's appointment, the question is:
It is really very important for Americans to rise above the propaganda of the rightwing, militant Israeli ruling elite and consider that Israel is a whole country with a wide range of viewpoints. Those who are surprised need only take a look at the outspoken Israeli press, where freedom of speech is taken much more seriously than in the U.S. media.
What is my point? Protecting Israelis in no way equals swallowing the expansionist line of the elite faction that has captured control of Israeli politics.
Obama should appoint an advisory board on relations with Israel, to give him political protection, and include as many first-rate Israeli and Jewish-American thinkers (not political hacks) as possible. Four good candidates would be Uri Avnery, Ilan Pappe, Bernard Avishai, and Norm Finkelstein. Then, he should put U.S.-Israeli official ties on hold pending a review by that board of how best to protect the people of Israel...from all the threats that challenge them, explicitly including the threat of Israel forsaking democracy and transforming itself into a garrison state.
Right now, Obama looks like a weakling. That is a very dangerous situation for the leader of the world's only remaining superpower.
What is Obama going to do about it?
It is really very important for Americans to rise above the propaganda of the rightwing, militant Israeli ruling elite and consider that Israel is a whole country with a wide range of viewpoints. Those who are surprised need only take a look at the outspoken Israeli press, where freedom of speech is taken much more seriously than in the U.S. media.
What is my point? Protecting Israelis in no way equals swallowing the expansionist line of the elite faction that has captured control of Israeli politics.
Obama should appoint an advisory board on relations with Israel, to give him political protection, and include as many first-rate Israeli and Jewish-American thinkers (not political hacks) as possible. Four good candidates would be Uri Avnery, Ilan Pappe, Bernard Avishai, and Norm Finkelstein. Then, he should put U.S.-Israeli official ties on hold pending a review by that board of how best to protect the people of Israel...from all the threats that challenge them, explicitly including the threat of Israel forsaking democracy and transforming itself into a garrison state.
Right now, Obama looks like a weakling. That is a very dangerous situation for the leader of the world's only remaining superpower.
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