I'm writing from London. And support for Israel is ebbing away here. And by that I mean not just support for Israel in this conflict but support for Israel at all.
I sincerely believe that if Israel does not show a readiness to really engage with peace and realise that the Bush-funded party is over, than the future of Israel is threatened. With every comment by Mark Regev. With every threadbare justification of yet more killings of children. Israel is pissing away all the goodwill it has earned.
The neocon project is over- and that should go for Israel too.
There is nothing more than Israel's survival at stake here.
The arrogance of Prime Minister Olmert claiming that he owns Bush and that The United States Secretary of State has to do what Olmert ordershas lost many friends for Israel. It plays right into the anti-semitic conspiracy theorist's hands. And it shows the lack of sophistication of Israel's diplomacy. The American Secretary of State calls for a ceasefire with 14 other countries and Israel says "I'm telling Bush on you" and the US backs down. What's going on here? And don't you feel ashamed.
That call for a ceasefire had already backed by both the Head of the Reform and Liberal Synagogues in the UK.
thousands of Jews in England are calling for peace because they are proud to be part of that same noble Jewish tradition of justice, which fought so hard for the Civil Rights movement in the USA.
Groups like Independent Jewish voices
US supporters of Israel need to reconsider. The Israel that was being built in the 20's and 30's and was founded in 1948 is a Middle Eastern Country. Take a look at the map if you don't believe me. It exists in the former Ottoman Empire where Jews Christians and Muslims lived together, comparatively peaceably.
. Thousands of Jews were saved by Muslims in Turkey.
And when the dust settles eventually it will remain a Middle Eastern Country. It will have the Mediterrranean on one side, and Arab neighbours on the other. The question is what kind of neighbours will they be? and that's in Israel's hands.
What terrifies me America- and I include you in this Dailykos - is you are not allowing debate about this. I believe Israel-Palestine stories aren't allowed to make the front page here. Why? There's a war going on. This is probably the single most important issue in the world at the moment. It's on the front page of every newspaper. But not here.
I beg especially Jewish Americans. Debate- discuss, listen, watch. You don't have to be anti-semitic, or against the state of Israel. but when I hear ordinarily progressive Jews stating that it is Hamas' fault that Israelis are killing Palestinian children then there is something very wrong indeed. Americans who are ordinarily open-minded, are preventing debate. You are behaving like the neocons you've just got rid of.
You have to realise that Israel isn't one monolithic thing which you have to support right or wrong. The neo-cons and warmongers seized control of politcal debate in Israel as they did in the US. The settlers are imposing their agenda on the rest of the country.
And if you continue to support them unconditionally they will carry on behaving as they do. America - you can stop the killing.
Assaf, who posted a very moving diary here yesterday- and is an Israeli citizen who served in the IDF- said it would only take one phone call from the US president to stop this tomorrow.
I think he's right. Tell Obama- make the call.