M E C is a working committee of Women Against Military Madness focusing on Palestine
original post: January 12, 2010
Unconditional Support for Israel Must End
By Florence Steichen
(Minneapolis) The parties must be held accountable for their actions. I focus on Israel, the occupier and stronger power, which the U.S. can influence.
I think the most helpful thing would be to cease our unconditional support for Israel. Beginning with diplomatic support, I strongly recommend that the U.S. no longer veto UN resolutions that are critical of Israel’s actions, considered illegal by most of the world. Specifically the recent Goldstone report, which was critical of both Hamas and Israel, ought to have been supported, rather than condemned. Israel is very conscious of its image, and needs to know there is a price to pay for illegal actions, such as its assault on Gaza last year.
The next step would be to discontinue the massive aid that funds the occupation. We pay for the weapons of war, e.g. the white phosphorus used in Gaza, and for the infrastructure, e.g. the apartheid wall, checkpoints, and by-pass roads, that make normal life impossible for the Palestinians. All this gives rise to the rage that fuels Palestinian violence. If the U.S. cuts off funding, the occupation will end sooner, Palestinian violence will have lost its rationale, and Israel will be secure.
Florence Steichen, CSJ, is President of Middle East Peace Now and a member of the WAMM Middle East Committee. Florence was the Registrar at Bethlehem University, Palestine, 1987-1992.
