Some of you who are Americans, and are of a certain age, will remember the cartoon figure Pogo, drawn by Walt Kelly. The most famous line Pogo ever spoke was, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
These words of wisdom — the most appropriate I could think of — came to me today as I surveyed the news.
For what I encountered was this:
The AIPAC (American-Israel Political Action Committee) — an American organization — is holding its policy conference in Washington this week. As always, at the end of the conference, the delegates who have attended flood Capitol Hill and lobby their respective Senators and Congresspersons. Tomorrow the lobbying will be done. And guess what these delegates will be asking of their representatives? To sign on to a letter that will go to Obama that specifically calls for a “viable Palestinian state.”
This is how a “pro-Israel” group is supporting the Prime Minister of Israel, who has declined to talk about a Palestinian state or a two-state solution. Their rationale is that they can be a “bridge” between Obama and Netanyahu.
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According to a Jerusalem Post report on this, there will be several draft letters included included in the packet provided to the delegates.
One sets out “basic principles” for negotiations, another insists upon an absolute Palestinian commitment to ending terrorism, etc.
Dr. Aaron Lerner, on the IMRA website today, calls AIPAC the “pigs can fly chorus” — supporting a Palestinian state that would “ensure” peace, which is in fact an impossibility.
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Add to this a statement by Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, also, at least in theory, one of ours, who Sunday attended a closed door forum for AIPAC’s largest donors. This was the moment of truth, he told them. The ability to confront Iran depends upon progress in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Give us a break!! This argument does not fly either.
Actually, the very reverse is true, for the stronger Iran is, the more it foments terrorism via Hamas, and the less likely peace with the Palestinians is. As to moderate Arab states, they will not predicate support for confronting Iran on this, for they very much want the Iranian threat defused for their own sakes.
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This, then, is what our Prime Minister will be walking into when he goes to Washington and meets with Obama on May 18. A very, very difficult time.
Each of us, however, can lend him support. It is, in fact, important that we do so.
Below you will find contact information for Prime Minister Netanyahu. Sending a fax is the best option.
Those of you who are Israeli citizens, please contact him: Let him know that you are a citizen, and that you support him as he goes to the US. Ask him please to stand strong and to resist pressure to accept a “two state solution.” Tell him that this is what his nation needs of him right now, that we need him to speak in the best interests of Israel and to speak out for Israeli rights.
Those of you who are American citizens can also contact him. But you will need to say something different. From Americans he needs to hear that not everyone in the US wants a two-state solution. Tell him briefly about how you personally work to support him from within the US: rallying support via e-mails, holding discussions with people, writing letters to the editor, contacting your Congresspersons or Senators — or whatever else you do.
Whether here in Israel, or in the US, please share this broadly by forwarding. Remove the “forwarding” data from the subject line and at the head of the message, and, if you wish, add your own introduction.
Fax: 02-670-5369 (From the US: 011-972-2-670-5369)
Phone: 03-610-9898 (From the US: 011-972-3-610=9898)
E-mail: pm_eng2@it.pmo.gov.il
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Very soon I hope to have more information on how you can help.
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