TITLE: Israel Hell-Bent: US Inaction

AUTHOR: Eric S. Margolis

PUB: DAWN

DATE: Sept. 11, 2001

Pre-election concerns that George W. Bush had a weak grasp of world affairs have been confirmed by a succession of ideology-driven blunders and amateurish fumbles made by his administration that have damaged America's interests and image around the globe. To whit, trying to rush the anti-missile defence project when there was no need for haste; the tactless rejection of the Kyoto environment accords; Washington's crude enlistment of India in a new anti-Chinese alliance; boycotting the just concluded UN racism conference at Durban: and, most disturbingly, fiddling while Palestine burns. Who, one wonders, is running US foreign policy? Certainly not the nearly invisible 'stealth' Secretary of State Colin Powell. America's first black secretary of state was not allowed to go to an African-oriented conference in Durban because Israel was being accused of racism. Recently, Bush berated PLO chief Yasser Arafat for failing to end. 'Palestinian violence.' Soon after, Israel assassinated Mustafa Zibri, a senior Palestinian political leader, by firing Maverick missiles from Apache helicopter gunships into his office. The next day, Israeli M-60 tanks and M-113 armoured personnel carriers occupied the Palestinian Christian town of  Beit Jala. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Israel is using the M494 105mm APERS-T tank round against Palestinians. This deadly round, designed for use against enemy anti-tank missile crews, disperses a conical spray of 5,000 tiny, razor-sharp darts known as flechettes. In the past, Israel has also used anti-personnel cluster bombs against Palestinian refugee camps.  All of the above-noted weapons were supplied to Israel by the United States. Israel is also using an arsenal of other US-supplied weapons, from F-16 fighters to M-16 rifles, against Palestinians. Israeli-designed Merkava tanks 'pacifying' rebellious Palestinians were built with US military aid. Israel is the largest ever recipient of US foreign aid - at least $91 billion since 1949, a sum that could have bought four complete aircraft carrier battle groups ( about 80 ships) for the US Navy. Each year, Israel gets $3-5 billion in US aid. The 1998 Wye River 'peace' accords negotiated by President Clinton gave Israel an extra $380 million for Apache helicopter gunships and armoured vehicles - both currently being used against Palestinians. Just before leaving office, Clinton quietly sent Congress a request for an additional $800 million in military aid for Israel, a gift no doubt aimed at securing his future in publishing and Hollywood. Soon after, in a startling coincidence, Clinton received a book contract for $12 million. Many American conservatives and Jewish Americans are praising Bush for giving Israel's right-wing government carte blanche to crush the Palestinian uprising and assassinate its leadership. Vice-President Dick Cheney has repeatedly accused Palestinian of 'terrorism' while praising Israel's 'restraint.' Israel brushes aside occasional tut-tuts from the US state department, and ignores charges its American-supplied weapons are being used in direct violation of the US Arms Export Control Act, which forbids recipients' use of American arms except for national self-defence in wartime. The White House and US Congress, fearful of antagonizing the mighty Israeli lobby, have refused to address this issue. Ironically, it was left to Gush Shalom, the courageous Israeli peace movement, to protest to Bush against the clearly illegal use of American arms against Palestinians. It is increasingly clear that unless the mayhem in Palestine is ended, the entire Mideast could careen towards an explosion. Ariel Sharon, Israel's right-wing prime minister, has painted himself into a corner by vowing to crush the 'intifada' and never allow a viable Palestinian state. Having provoked the current uprising, and vowed to break its back, Sharon now finds himself trapped in a cycle of violence, terror and counter-terror. Sharon's only answer so far is more of what he has done his entire career: blowing up houses, assassinations, martial law, collective punishments. Now Sharon's aides are hinting at attacks against Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and even Egypt. Israeli critics are warning that Sharon is running amok and must be reined in. Given Sharon's adamant refusal to halt Jewish colonization or allow a Palestinian state, Palestinians have no reason to halt their uprising. Only America has the power to push the two sides into an eventual peace agreement. Israel's brutal repression of the Palestinian 'intifada' is being telecast around the globe, producing rage against Israel and its patron, the United States, and a world-wide surge of anti-Semitism. America's strategic and economic interests across the Mideast and Muslim world are being threatened by the agony of Palestine, which inevitably invites terrorist attacks against US citizens and property. After 30 years of intense effort, the Israeli lobby has managed to dominate Congress, bend US foreign policy to its will, and transform America into what increasing numbers of Muslims see as the principal enemy of the Islamic world. Israel's control of Congress now strongly influences US policy towards Russia, India, and Pakistan, the latter of which is being demonized on orders from Israel as the latest 'Muslim menace.' President Bush needs to act urgently. He needs to help Sharon find a way out of the corner in which he is stuck. Sharon has left himself no line of political retreat - other than being seen to bow to irresistible American pressure. Bush and V.P. Dick Cheney should cease helping Israel's right-wing and its American media mouthpieces demonize Yasser Arafat, who, however guilty of condoning violence, is the man with whom Israel has to make peace. Being right-wing does not automatically make one right. Bush's vanishing act over the Mideast has handed the initiative by default to Arab and Israeli extremists. Unless the US forcefully intervenes, Hamas suicide bombers and Sharon's death squads will determine policy. The result will be a disaster for Jews and Arabs alike. Bush is being irresponsible and dishonest by pretending America has nothing to do with this horrible mess. America has everything to do with it and could stop the carnage overnight if the White House showed sufficient political will and courage.  /2001/09/10/op.htm  END   END top