[Peace-discuss] Rachel Corrie Continues Towards Gaza: WillObama Let Israel Attack?

[Laurie Solomon]

Well Bob,  I personally just do not think that Israel really gives a damn what the international community says or passes unless it is backed up with significant actions and has the support of the US.  If UN could and would place a quarantine on Israel and establish a blockade of its air service and ports, that might have some effect on Israeli actions; but the Us would not let such UN action happen. If the nations in the international community would break their diplomatic relations with Israel, that might get their ear; but we know that none of them have the balls to do that since it would alienate the US.

Israel released the detainees for a number of reasons; but I doubt that international pressure and condemnation are among the reasons.  Bad press - except possibly in the US - has never really influenced Israel.  We can cite all kinds of instances where the international community and world press have criticized and condemned Israel for its actions and policies to no avail.  The siege of Gaza as well as the invasion is but one example; the continued development of settlements on Arab land and the eviction of Arabs from their houses so that Jewish Israelis can  have and use those properties is another.  Israel took the detainees because they knew they could and would not suffer any retaliation from other countries - except the hurling of words and declarations; they released them because they had proven their point that they could detain them without any punitive response by the outside world and they were no longer needed as hostages against any possible retaliation for the actions that Israel had taken in international waters by other countries.  Their detention was a symbolic act at best and not one that was intended to implement any national security measures or anti-terrorism investigations.


From: Robert Naiman 
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 3:45 PM
To: Jenifer Cartwright 
Cc: Peace-discuss List 
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Rachel Corrie Continues Towards Gaza: WillObama Let Israel Attack?




I empathize with your frustration, Jenifer, but it just isn't so, and from an activist point of view, it's important for people to understand that it isn't so. 


Actions of the Israeli government are not impervious to external criticism.


Exercise: compare UN Security Council resolutions supported by the United States which are critical of Israeli government actions and subsequent actions by the Israeli government. 


Example: This morning, the UN Security Council passed a resolution which, among other things, called on Israel to release the detainees.


Now - later the same day - it is being reported that the Israeli government has decided to release the prisoners. 


Is that significant? Well, first of all, of course, the prisoners have the right to go free. But secondly, the moment they are free they get to tell their story - surely a motivation for their previous continued detention. Already, lots of stories are coming out with headlines saying, "released activists dispute Israeli government account," etc. 




On Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 4:09 PM, Jenifer Cartwright <jencart13 at yahoo.com> wrote:

        I'd like to think the US has that kind of power over Israel, and that Obama would turn this around if he could.  I once believed it did (or must have had, considering the amt of US $upport), but I'm beginning to think that Israel, under Netanyahu most especially, is marching unstoppably to its own mad drummer, willfully oblivious to anything or anyone... as crazy and as hell-bent on its agenda as decades ago Germany, current N Korea, and (it could be argued in some instances) the US since its inception...   
         --Jenifer   

        --- On Tue, 6/1/10, Robert Naiman <naiman.uiuc at gmail.com> wrote:


          From: Robert Naiman <naiman.uiuc at gmail.com>
          Subject: [Peace-discuss] Rachel Corrie Continues Towards Gaza: Will Obama Let Israel Attack?
          To: "Peace-discuss List" <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
          Date: Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 12:04 PM


          The Irish Times reports that the Rachel Corrie is "ploughing ahead
          with its attempt to deliver aid to Gaza despite yesterday's attack by
          the Israeli navy on Gaza-bound ship the Mavi Marmara." Would the Obama
          Administration permit an Israeli attack on the Rachel Corrie, as the
          Obama Administration permitted the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara?


          Rachel Corrie Continues Towards Gaza: Will Obama Let Israel Attack?
          http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/rachel-corrie-continues-t_b_596014.html
          http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/6/1/111035/2833
          http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/596

          --
          Robert Naiman
          Policy Director
          Just Foreign Policy
          www.justforeignpolicy.org
          naiman at justforeignpolicy.org

          Urge Congress to Support a Timetable for Military Withdrawal from Afghanistan
          http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/feingold-mcgovern


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-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org

Urge Congress to Support a Timetable for Military Withdrawal from Afghanistan
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/feingold-mcgovern




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