Michael Moore's Dilemma: Israel, Saudi Arabia, and John Kerry (Part 1)
There are two conspicuous absences in Fahrenheit 9/11: John Kerry and Israel. The two absences are dependent on each other.
Bob Dreyfuss asks if Michael Moore is "blind, or a coward" for his total avoidance of the question of Israel in Fahrenheit 9/11 (The Dreyfuss Report, June 30, 2004). From personal experience, I know for a fact that Moore is neither blind nor cowardly when it comes to his support for Palestinians. When news about the decision to hold the third annual conference of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement at the Ohio State University on November 7-9, 2003 -- with the Committee for Justice in Palestine (a registered OSU student organization) as the conference's sponsor -- got around, right-wingers predictably attacked it, pressuring the OSU administration not to allow it on campus. As it happened, an OSU student group Students for Labor and Economic Justice scored a deal to piggyback an invitation to Michael Moore on his appearance at the College of Wooster on October 29, and Moore arrived at OSU on October 30. CJP organizers contacted Moore and asked him to plug the Palestine Solidarity Conference at his OSU lecture. And he did, calling for justice for Palestinians, praising Palestinian solidarity activists, and urging the audience to attend it, despite an awkward moment of several visibly upset students walking out of the Ohio Union ballroom as soon as they got the drift of his talk at this point. We were of course ecstatic about receiving a very strong endorsement from an immensely popular celebrity, at a time when we were confronted with right-wing flaks and a split in the Palestine Solidarity Movement (the other faction held their conference in New Jersey).
So, the only reason for Moore's conspicuous silence on the question of Israel in Fahrenheit 9/11 that I can think of is his support for John "the-cause-of-Israel-is-the-cause-of-America" Kerry. For those who are caught in a dilemma of wanting to "re-unelect" George W. Bush at all costs without being able to support what Kerry stands for, the less said about Kerry, the better -- hence another conspicuous absence in the film (the only time when John Kerry's absence is felt in the film is near its beginning, when we see the Congressional Black Caucus unable to find a single Senator to sign onto their letter to contest the 2000 presidential election).
Imagine what Fahrenheit 9/11 would be like if it turned its gaze on the Democratic presidential candidate's plan for Israel. Here's the John Kerry campaign's latest position paper on Israel, originally "sent in mid-June to a group of people in the Jewish community" (Nathan Guttman, "John Kerry Position Paper Outlines Support for Israel," Haaretz, July 2, 2004) and now available at the websites of Jews for Kerry and The Electronic Intifada among other places:
John Kerry: Strengthening Israel's Security and Bolstering the U.S.-Israel Special Relationship
John Kerry has been at the forefront of the fight for Israel's security during his nineteen years in the US Senate. His pro-Israel voting record is second to none.
John Kerry did not wait until he was running for president of the United States to visit Israel -- he has been there on numerous occasions throughout his public life. Through his meetings with Israeli political and military leaders -- and especially his interaction with ordinary Israelis -- he has experienced the everyday security threat that Israelis face and this has deepened his understanding of Israel's security needs. In short, John Kerry will never do anything to compromise that security.
John Kerry believes that particularly in uncertain times like these we must reaffirm and indeed strengthen our special relationship with Israel, our most steadfast friend and ally in the region. His commitment to a safe, secure, democratic Jewish state of Israel is unwavering. It comes from a personal belief that Israel's cause must be America's cause.
John Kerry understands that anti-Semitism masked in anti-Israel rhetoric is a dangerous trend threatening both Israel and Jewish communities around the world. John Kerry has always fought against anti-Semitism and as president, he will take governments around the world to task for failing to address this escalating threat.
Israel's Right to Respond to Terrorism
Kerry supports Israel's right of self defense to eliminate threats to its citizens, including actions taken by Israel against Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups in Gaza. In spring 2002, when Israel launched Operation Defensive Shield to root out Palestinian terrorists and dismantle the Palestinian infrastructure, Kerry co-sponsored a resolution expressing solidarity with Israel and called for continued assistance in strengthening Israel's homeland defenses.
Supporting Israel's Plan to Withdraw from Gaza
John Kerry expressed support for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unprecedented plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. He recognizes that in any final settlement for Israel to remain a Jewish State, Palestinians must settle in a future Palestinian State rather than in Israel, and that in light of demographic realities, a number of settlement blocks will likely become a part of Israel.
Israel's Security Fence Is A Legitimate Right of Self Defense
John Kerry supports the construction of Israel's security fence to stop terrorists from entering Israel. The security fence is a legitimate act of self defense erected in response to the wave of terror attacks against Israeli citizens. He believes the security fence is not a matter for the International Court of Justice.
New Palestinian Leadership
John Kerry believes that Yasser Arafat is a failed leader and unfit partner for peace and therefore has supported his total isolation. He has demanded a new, responsible Palestinian leadership, committed to ending the violence and fighting terror -- in word and in deed -- and will work tirelessly to ensure that this new leadership emerges.
Foreign Aid to Israel
John Kerry has always voted to maintain critical foreign aid to our ally Israel, resisting any attempts to cut it over his years in the Senate. In the early 1990s, he fought President Bush when his administration restricted aid to Israel through the loan guarantees program.
The UN and other International Organizations
John Kerry has always believed the US must stand solidly behind Israel at the UN and other international organizations. He recognizes the UN must establish more credibility on Arab-Israeli matters and would never hesitate to wield a US veto on the Security Council in the face of anti-Israel/anti-Zionist resolutions.
Fighting to Move the American Embassy to Jerusalem
John Kerry has long advocated moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, Israel's indisputable capital. In 1999, he signed a letter taking President Clinton to task for not moving the embassy.
Maintaining Israel's Military Superiority
John Kerry understands that America must guarantee Israel's military superiority and supports carefully restricting arms sales to Arab countries in the region. He opposed the sale of Maverick missiles and F-15 fighter planes to Saudi Arabia.
As for Kerry's choice for his vice president, The Forward's E. J. Kessler notes: "Lionel Kaplan, a former Aipac president who swung behind Edwards after Senator Joseph Lieberman dropped out of the primaries, said he is 'very happy' with Kerry's choice, which he said 'reinforces' the Massachusetts senator's 'outstanding record' on Israel. Aipac gave its official seal of approval. Spokesman Andrew Schwartz noted that Edwards always has been a 'strong supporter of the U.S.-Israel relationship' and that Edwards traveled to Israel in 2001 on a trip organized in part by an Aipac-linked foundation" ("Here's the Column," July 7, 2004). . . .
<http://montages.blogspot.com/2004/07/michael-moores-dilemma-israel-saudi.html> -- Yoshie
* Critical Montages: <http://montages.blogspot.com/> * Bring Them Home Now! <http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/> * Calendars of Events in Columbus: <http://sif.org.ohio-state.edu/calendar.html>, <http://www.freepress.org/calendar.php>, & <http://www.cpanews.org/> * Student International Forum: <http://sif.org.ohio-state.edu/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osudivest.org/> * Al-Awda-Ohio: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Al-Awda-Ohio> * Solidarity: <http://www.solidarity-us.org/>