Israel Seizes Ship Bound For Palestine

The picture above is of the Finnish-flagged ship, the Estelle. It sailed from Naples on October 7th. The ship had about 20 people of eight different nationalities aboard, and was carrying a cargo of medical supplies and construction materials (mostly cement). It was bound for the Gaza Strip in an effort to end the Israeli blockade and get needed supplies to the desperate Palestinian people.

The effort failed though, as the Israeli Navy once again violated international law. They seized the ship as it was 30 miles off the coast of Gaza. That means the ship was not in Israeli waters, but was instead still in international waters -- making the seizure nothing more than an illegal act of piracy. The Israeli government said there were no injuries among the Estelle's passengers (unlike last time when some were killed and injured by the Israeli Navy), and the ship had been taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

The Israeli's are trying to claim that they are just trying to defend themselves by preventing military materials from entering Palestinian lands. That is nonsense. If that was true, then the ship should have been allowed to continue to Gaza after being searched (since it had no arms or other military supplies). It should not have been seized and taken to Israel.

The truth is that the Israelis are trying to force the Palestinians into submission by denying them their basic needs, like food, medical supplies, and construction materials. The have been unable to suppress the Palestinian desire for their own country, free from Israeli control, so they are now trying to starve them into submission by denying them the basic commodities necessary for a minimally decent standard of living. This blockade of the Palestinian territories is an abominable crime against humanity, whose victims are innocent people (mostly women and children).

It is time for the United States (and other nations) to put their foot down, and demand that Israel stop the illegal blockade -- and also stop building new settlements on Palestinian land, and negotiate a two-state solution in good faith. Israeli actions have made it clear that they do not want to negotiate in good faith. They want to continue stealing Palestinian land suppress any dissent with their harsh blockade. Israel is in the wrong this time, and it is time for the international community to make that clear.

Israel Is The Obstruction To Peace

In the 1967 Arab/Israeli War the state of Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula. The Sinai was returned to Egypt as a result of the peace agreement brokered by President Carter. Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981 even though the move was condemned by the international community (and the land is still claimed by Syria).

But those are side issues. The real key to Mideast peace is what happens to the West Bank and Gaza. Most of the world, including the United States, thinks these two pieces of land (all of them) should form a Palestinian state. In fact, President Obama has just followed the lead of previous U.S. presidents and announced that this Palestinian state should be established using the borders in place before the 1967 war. This makes imminent sense and would be fair to both sides.

But the Israelis want no part of such an agreement. For many years now they have been establishing illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory and recently announced plans for more settlements to be built there. And even though these settlements have all been built in violation of international law, Israel has no intention of returning any of the land they have stolen to build the settlements. Netanyahu admitted this after his discussions with President Obama -- Israel will not go back to the 1967 borders and give up any of the illegal settlements.

This is the real obstruction to Mideast peace talks. Israel likes to claim that it is the Palestinians who are blocking negotiations by refusing to recognize Israel's right to exist. But most Palestinians do recognize that right and the rest have said they are willing to negotiate it (in return for a Palestinian state). The only thing that is beyond negotiation is the Israelis keeping the land they have stolen, and it is Israel who refuses to negotiate that (because they have no intention of giving any of it back).

There will be no peace talks for a while because Israel doesn't want any talks. They will not agree to any talks until they have finished stealing all the Palestinian land they think they can get away with -- and even then they will only agree to negotiate if they are assured they can keep the stolen land.

America has always been a supporter of Israel (probably because of a lingering guilt over actions not taken in World War II). But America needs to re-examine that support in the light of today's reality. Israel is no longer the victim. They are aggressors now -- who not only continue to steal Palestinian land, but keep the Palestinian territories as virtual ghettos where poverty and want are rampant.

It is time for the United States to act. The U.S. needs to cut off all foreign aid to Israel until it agrees to return to the peace table and negotiate with whatever representatives the Palestinians choose to represent them -- and the illegal settlements should be part of the negotiated settlement. Until the U.S. acts the Israeli's will just continue to delay and to steal more land.

Israel Wants Territory - Not Peace

Most Americans think the government of Israel would like to have peace with the Palestinians, and the only thing that prevents that from happening is the refusal of Palestinians to recognize the right of Israel to exist. That was true back in the mid-1960s, but that was a long time ago and things have radically changed.

The fact is that most Palestinians already recognize the right of Israel to exist, and the rest (like Hamas) have said they are willing to negotiate that with the idea of a two-state solution. It is not the Palestinians that are standing in the way of negotiating a fair and lasting peace -- it is the Israelis. For years the Israelis have been building settlements in the West Bank (and in East Jerusalem) -- land that was not a part of Israel originally, and should rightfully be a part of an independent Palestinian state.

The chart above shows just how extensive the Israeli settlements have become (each blue dot on the map represents an illegal Israeli settlement -- and they continue to build new settlements). The Isrealis know that most of the rest of the world consider the building of these settlements to be against international law. They just don't care, and they have no intention of giving up any of these settlements in a peace negotiation.

Even the United States government has asked the Israelis to stop building new settlements on Palestinian land. But the Israelis know the U.S. is not willing to back up that request with action, so they ignore it. The longer they can put any peace talks off, the more land they can steal. As the map shows, there are only small parts of the West Bank that doesn't have Israeli settlements (and they may well be planning to take most of that land in coming years).

And why should they negotiate a peace? No one is willing to force them to do it, and the longer they can put it off the more land they can take for their own (and to hell with international law). It is to the advantage of these land-grabbers to put off peace negotiations as long as possible.

Right after World War II the Israelis had legitimate moral authority to create the nation of Israel and defend it against anyone who would deny them the right to exist. But that is not the situation anymore. None of the Arab nations in the area pose a real threat to Israel anymore. They would all like to see a two-state solution and a real peace. Israel has the strongest and most modern military in that part of the world, with the latest in military technology. They even have nuclear weapons. They are far from the weak victim they once were.

In fact, they are now the bullies. They have bottled the Palestinians up in what can only generously be called ghettos, and they are systematically stealing their land. And they get away with it by continuing to play the "victim" card. And most Americans are still buying that false and tired old argument.

Even many progressives still believe the Israeli victimhood argument. Rep. Anthony Weiner, who I normally agree with on most issues, can't seem to fathom the truth about Israel. He remarked the other night that there are no Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. That's ridiculous. Does he really believe there are no Israeli soldiers defending all the settlements shown on the map above (and the highways connecting those settlements)? Of course there are Israeli soldiers in the West Bank (and East Jerusalem) -- hundreds of them, and they have no intention of withdrawing them (or dismantling the settlements).

It is time for the American government (and the American people) to adjust their thinking to reflect the realities of the 21st century. Israel is no longer a victim, and they should be forced to the negotiating table (and made to stop building the illegal settlements).

Israel Is Just Wrong

The state of Israel is not being fair. They want support from the West, including millions of American dollars, but they are not willing to negotiate for a peace settlement. Yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu asked the Pope to speak out against the "hate speech" directed at Israel from Iran. But when the Pope mentioned the need for a Palestinian state so there might finally be peace in the Mid-East, Netanyahu refused to even consider it.

It is time that Israel understood they do not live on a one-way street. They cannot keep expecting money and support from Western countries, and then expect to keep the Palestinians as virtual prisoners with no rights in Gaza and the West Bank.

The Israelis have tried starving the Palestinians into submission, and they tried to force them to submit with military power. Neither has worked. Isn't it time they tried negotiating with Palestinian leaders the creation of a free and independent state? That is the only way to peace and a truly secure Israel.

I don't think the United States should abandon Israel. We should guarantee their existence. But we must also be fair and help the Palestinians create their own free country. Maybe it's time for the U.S. to cut off monetary aid, until Israel is ready to negotiate seriously.

The Palestinians deserve the same right to freedom and self-government that the Israeli's do.

Bush Not Accepting Palestinian Reality

Bush has said he wants to create a true Palestinian State that is at peace with Israel before he leaves office next January. But he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of doing that the way he's going about it. There is a flaw in his personality that will prevent it.

Bush absolutely refuses to talk to anyone he doesn't like (and he doesn't like the leaders of Hamas). Bush is trying to push talks between the more moderate Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Israelis. This is fine with the Israelis who share Bush's flaw.

The problem is that Abbas does not control all of Palestine. Gaza is controlled by Hamas, who were elected by the people there. Hamas is also very powerful in the parts of Palestine led by Abbas. Hamas simply can't be shut out of any settlement talks.

Whether Bush and Israel like it or not, any agreement reached without the approval of Hamas will be worthless. Hamas cannot be forced to accept a treaty they had no part in negotiating.

But there is an opportunity right now to approach Hamas and try to include them in the negotiating. Hamas has offered a 6-month truce. If the truce is accepted, and they are shown some respect by including them in the talks, there is a chance that a real agreement could be reached.

However, I don't think this old dog can learn a new trick. Bush has never talked with people he didn't like, and I doubt he will be able to do so now. That one fact will prevent any progress toward peace.