Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, speaks about the possible damage to the Middle East and beyond, if Israel gets its way. Israel needs the power of the US to go into attack mode against Iran’s proverbial “existential threat.” Contains a video of his speech.
Donald Trump’s Israel policies may have more to do with outmaneuvering Democrats than they do with any concern for Middle East peace, argues Jonathan Marshall.
Israel doesn’t need to control everything in the US, just the important things: the Israel lobby controls Middle East policy and aid money by controlling all branches of government; the label “anti-Semite” is used as a weapon; media is kept from any meaningful criticism of Israel; and “exceptionalism” allows the Jewish State to waive rules that every other country must obey.
Here’s what we were all thinking as we watched Nikki Haley’s UN speech!
Two major commentators said Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital because he wanted to influence evangelical voters, but left out that Trump’s largest donor was Sheldon Adelson, who has been demanding the embassy be moved to Jerusalem, and that Trump’s campaign promise about the embassy was given at AIPAC’s national convention in Washington DC, not in a red state…
Trump decided to keep his campaign pledge, despite warnings from Mattis and Tillerson that the move would endanger US diplomats, undermine the peace process, and be condemned in both Arab countries and America’s most important Eurpean allies. Domestically, Trump has little to worry about. Democrats have fawned over Israel for 70 years, the Republicans’ Christian Evangelical base supports the embassy move, and the GOP has been desperate to break into what was once a Democrat-only monopoly on Jewish-American political funding—and Jewish votes…
Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian protesters and injured 767… Trump signed waiver to postpone moving embassy, just like previous presidents (see video)…. Original legislation to move US embassy was passed with bipartisan support, including Biden, Kerry, etc… JTA says all major mainstream Jewish groups support Trump announcement, some smaller ones oppose the timing… This post will be UPDATED as events occur…
The House just passed the Taylor Force Act, allegedly on behalf of an American killed by a Palestinian, designed to pressure the PA into “de-incentivizing terrorism” – even though Israel kills far more civilians. Congress and others do not show similar concern for 34 American servicemen killed by Israel…
Background on President Trump’s announcement regarding Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The issue has its roots in history and in the hearts of billions of adherents of the world’s three most populous religions. Billionaire Israel partisan Sheldon Adelson pushed for Trump’s move…
The Hill published a column in favor of ending $300 million in US aid to Palestinians, based on the murder of an American by a Palestinian man unaffiliated with any Palestinian organization. In response, Geoff ONeill submitted a column that suggested suspending $3.8 billion to Israel, based on the Israeli military’s killing of 34 American servicemen. The Hill would not publish that column – but then published a second column by another Israel partisan praising the TFA…