All the experts predicted that with the approach of the elections, Bush would abstain from anything liable to arouse the anger of the Jewish and the Fundamentalist-Christian lobbies. But lo and behold, Washington is giving public, and almost official, support to the Nusseibeh-Ayalon and the Geneva Initiatives. President Bush expressed relatively strong disapproval of Sharons acts, side by side with his routine condemnation of the Palestinians. He also deducted a symbolic sum from the American loan guaranties given to Israel.
That is not much. In fact, it is very little. But we are not pampered even small American gestures can mean a lot. For Sharon, his American connection is the jewel in his crown, more important than anything else. The smallest change will set off an alarm in his head."
Miguel Angel Moratinos is full of it. As Avnery correctly points out above, it is patently rediculous to 'hope' for an Israeli antiwar movement without an effective antiwar movement in the US that has as its centerpiece the demand for the total boycott of the state of Israel. That'll get a "peace movement" going there, real quick, because Israel is an utter dependency of the USA.
But what was easy to conclude with regard to South Africa seems impossible with regards to something even more sinister - as in worse - Israel. That is because an honest and rational discourse on _what to do_ about Israel continues to be impossible in the US, including its left. And yes, Doug, that is the problem. Otherwise, why isn't there a strong boycott/sanction Israel movement, like there was with South Africa?
-Brad Mayer