The safety of our brethren is endangered!
The safety of our brethren is endangered!
Please write to President Bush and Sec. of State Rice -
Arlene Kushner
A commentary piece in today's Jeruslem Post by Isi Liebler, of the
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, merits considerable attention here. (The Post has not put it up yet on its website yet, so I am sorry I cannot provide a URL.)
In his piece, entitled 'When Seymour met Condi", Liebler writes about the visit Seymour Reich, president of the left-wing Israel Policy Forum, paid to Sec. of State Rice before she came here last week. Reich had the unmitigated gall to encourage Rice to pressure Israel on the Gaza crossings and other matters. He reportedly told her that if she got tough on Israel "she would gain the support of Jewish Americans on both sides of the aisle." Later he boasted that "I have no doubt that we... strengthened her [Rice's] opinion that aggressive American involvement was needed."
Well...
As Liebler points out quite well, diaspora Jews have no business interfering in security matters that may require a sacrifice for Israel.
It is not Reich's life that is on the line if, say, trucks --
ostensibly carrying merchandise but with the potential to harbor weapons and terrorists -- are permitted to come into Israel from Gaza in numbers too large to adequately monitor. But it is my life, and my family's, and my friends'. Decisions on what we risk do not belong in his hands. Yet as a result of the Agreement that he encouraged Rice to shove down our throats, scenarios such as this are on the way to becoming reality.
Simply feeling rage with regard to this is not enough, however. What must be done is to appropriately express that rage -- to counter what Reich did, at some level.
Leibler describes how Rice and Wolfensohn "bludgeoned" Dov Weisglass into conceding ground on security issues, despite appeals not to do so by Israel's top security people. This all makes me sick in the pit of my stomach. This entire obscene deal needs to be reversed.
I have written about these matters before. I have requested that
letters be sent. If things have moved true to form, there are a good many of you reading this who, in spite of the most sincere intentions, have not yet gotten around to writing those letters. I ask again now, in the light of this very specific information, that, if you are an American citizen, you DO write those letters and ask every American you can think of to do the same.
Very simple. Letters to Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice and to
President Bush.
Tell them, using your words, that the Rafah Agreement weakened
Israel's security and sovereignty and that it never should have happened Tell them that you consider it an outrage that there was pressure put upon Israel to make concessions to close the deal -- especially as the PA has done nothing to dismantle the terrorist infrastucture. Tell them that this action has caused you to withdraw your support for them (or has weakened your support for them). If you are Jewish, to Rice, say that you understand that Seymour Reich advised her she would gain support from American Jews by doing this, but you are an American Jew and her action has had just the opposite effect on you. Say to Bush that you understand Rice was advised... however....etc. etc. If you are not Jewish, of course it is still important that you write those letters. Tell them that lots of Americans who are not Jewish also care about Israel's wellbeing. In all instances, identify yourself as a voter and provide your US address.
No e-mails. Hard copy letters, mailed snail mail. Trust me. This is
what captures attention -- when you show you cared enough to bother.
And this must happen in large numbers, because the volume counts.
President Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Sec. of State Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Thanks, everyone!
Posted by Ted Belman at November 26, 2005 12:56 PM
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1.
BobW
said:
I agree with the thrust of Arlene Kushner's article. She has my support.
I believe, however, her suggested route is the wrong path. Writing to president Bush and SecState Rice is in vain.
The effort must be to discredit the capos such as Seymour Reich and his Israel Policy Forum.
The Bush Administration knows that the Rafah Agreement weakened Israel's security. It was well thought out. After all, there were modifications to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty and the US has in Sinai its Sinai Support Mission.
As much as I am dismayed by Pres Bush's Israel policy, I support his overall policy. With the technical exception of US Senator Arlen Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, America's 9 other Jewish Senators are Democrats. America's Jews, for the most part, support the Democrat Party. B43 is more generous than warranted. Democrat Senators Kerry and Clinton would have sold out Israel long ago.
Isi Lieber cannot deal in absolutes and say "diaspora Jews have NO (caps mine for emphasis-BW)business interferring in security matters that may require a sacrifice from Israel.". Some do have a right. Those some are the few senior Jewish people who help Israel. Their voice must be accepted and appreciated. With planning it would not be interference. My favorite example to support my view was in a letter to the editor. Here it is:
"Sir,-On September 30, Prime Minister Rabin is quoted as saying 'American Jews have no right to critize Israel on life-and-death maters...'
Two weeks before the Six Day War the consul general in Philadelphia phoned me. He wanted 10,000 pair of paratroopers boots. I asked him what Israel was considering paying, and his reply was 'Nothing'.
American Jews provided Israel with everything from handkerchiefs to shoes at no cost.
The next time Israel needs equipment - and there will be a next time - will the prime minister gain say 'American Jews have no right...'?
MILTON GOLDSTEIN
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
THE JERUSALEM POST INTERNATIONAL 28 Oct 95
Discredit the capos and we can handle the Arabs as an aside. They will fade back into the salt flats soon anyway.
Kol tuv,
BobW
Posted by: BobW on November 26, 2005 02:55 PM
2.
radiorote
said:
This is bizarre. The article makes it seem as if the pro-Arabist Bushista's never thought about stabbing Israel in the back for their own gain, until some leftist fellow maundered into the White House. Suddenly, this once disfunctional close minded administration decided to change course after a discussion with someone they equate with Moore and Sheehan?
If this article is not a news plant, (and if so, a typically transparent one at that), then it is a prickly pear.
Posted by: radiorote on November 27, 2005 04:33 PM
3.
radiorote
said:
The article by Isi Liebler, that is to say.
Posted by: radiorote on November 27, 2005 04:36 PM
4.
moshe berlin
said:
seymour reich writes (jerusalem post, dec. 6th) that he does not apply pressure on anyone regarding israel's viability. however, he incessantly refers to himself and others of his ilk like the well-known inheritor of wealth from bootleg booze as leaders of the jews. in ny peril as a resident of israel, i find his puerilities disgusting, and in a jocular moment to relieve the pressure, envision reich standing before a mirror each morning and proclaiming: i AM a leader, i AM a leader, i AM a leader, whilst making faces that he perceives exhibit leadership.
Posted by: moshe berlin on December 6, 2005 05:20 PM
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The safety of our brethren is endangered!
Please write to President Bush and Sec. of State Rice -
Arlene Kushner
A commentary piece in today's Jeruslem Post by Isi Liebler, of the
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, merits considerable attention here. (The Post has not put it up yet on its website yet, so I am sorry I cannot provide a URL.)
In his piece, entitled 'When Seymour met Condi", Liebler writes about the visit Seymour Reich, president of the left-wing Israel Policy Forum, paid to Sec. of State Rice before she came here last week. Reich had the unmitigated gall to encourage Rice to pressure Israel on the Gaza crossings and other matters. He reportedly told her that if she got tough on Israel "she would gain the support of Jewish Americans on both sides of the aisle." Later he boasted that "I have no doubt that we... strengthened her [Rice's] opinion that aggressive American involvement was needed."
Well...
As Liebler points out quite well, diaspora Jews have no business interfering in security matters that may require a sacrifice for Israel.
It is not Reich's life that is on the line if, say, trucks --
ostensibly carrying merchandise but with the potential to harbor weapons and terrorists -- are permitted to come into Israel from Gaza in numbers too large to adequately monitor. But it is my life, and my family's, and my friends'. Decisions on what we risk do not belong in his hands. Yet as a result of the Agreement that he encouraged Rice to shove down our throats, scenarios such as this are on the way to becoming reality.
Simply feeling rage with regard to this is not enough, however. What must be done is to appropriately express that rage -- to counter what Reich did, at some level.
Leibler describes how Rice and Wolfensohn "bludgeoned" Dov Weisglass into conceding ground on security issues, despite appeals not to do so by Israel's top security people. This all makes me sick in the pit of my stomach. This entire obscene deal needs to be reversed.
I have written about these matters before. I have requested that
letters be sent. If things have moved true to form, there are a good many of you reading this who, in spite of the most sincere intentions, have not yet gotten around to writing those letters. I ask again now, in the light of this very specific information, that, if you are an American citizen, you DO write those letters and ask every American you can think of to do the same.
Very simple. Letters to Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice and to
President Bush.
Tell them, using your words, that the Rafah Agreement weakened
Israel's security and sovereignty and that it never should have happened Tell them that you consider it an outrage that there was pressure put upon Israel to make concessions to close the deal -- especially as the PA has done nothing to dismantle the terrorist infrastucture. Tell them that this action has caused you to withdraw your support for them (or has weakened your support for them). If you are Jewish, to Rice, say that you understand that Seymour Reich advised her she would gain support from American Jews by doing this, but you are an American Jew and her action has had just the opposite effect on you. Say to Bush that you understand Rice was advised... however....etc. etc. If you are not Jewish, of course it is still important that you write those letters. Tell them that lots of Americans who are not Jewish also care about Israel's wellbeing. In all instances, identify yourself as a voter and provide your US address.
No e-mails. Hard copy letters, mailed snail mail. Trust me. This is
what captures attention -- when you show you cared enough to bother.
And this must happen in large numbers, because the volume counts.
President Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Sec. of State Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Thanks, everyone!
Posted by Ted Belman at November 26, 2005 12:56 PM