By Aly Kamadia, Editor-In-Chief, iDose
Warning: This article contains video clips that the reader may find distressing. View at your discretion.
Given that the United States (US) is the most powerful country in human history, it’s intriguing that no contemporary US President has had the courage to meaningfully publicly question any Israeli policy vis-à-vis the Palestinians. This includes some Israeli behavior that has been judged by most of the world as constituting clear war crimes.
Indeed, one question that Israeli-Palestinian conflicts remind us of is whether it is in Washington’s strategic interest to unconditionally support Israeli actions.
In considering this question, I was recently reminded of some remarks given by then-Centcom Commander David Petraeus, to a US Senate Committee in 2010:
“The enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbors present distinct challenges to our ability to advance our interests in the AOR [Area of Operations]. Israeli-Palestinian tensions often flare into violence and large-scale armed confrontations. The conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel. Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples in the AOR and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilize support.”
To reiterate, in the words of General Petraeus, “due to the perception of US favoritism for Israel… al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger [‘Arab anger over the Palestinian question’] to mobilize support”.
Put succinctly, the perception that America favors Israel is exploited by terrorist groups to mobilize support.
Given this fact and recent events, can anyone doubt that certain enemies of the US will have potent messages to fuel their malicious causes?
Consider the astonishing attack on what is viewed as the third holiest Mosque in Islam.
While thousands of worshippers were praying during the holy month of Ramadan in the al-Aqsa Mosque, stun grenades, tear gas bombs and rubber bullets were used by Israel to carry out multiple assaults.
The breathtaking events at the Mosque are part of a broader picture that has fed the current conflict. As an example, former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami has been explicit in noting that evicting Palestinians from their homes, as well as other factors are at the root:
“Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem, its humiliating control of access to the al-Aqsa mosque, the ever-present memory of the 1948 Nakba (the displacement of 700,000 Palestinians when Israel was founded), and the grievances of Israel’s Arab minority are all fueling the current flare-up.”
What has the reaction been of the world’s most powerful country, who provides Israel with roughly $4 000 000 000 (Billion) worth of annual aid and all types of additional support?
The Biden administration has given Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu a complete green light to continue to ‘defend itself’.
Thus, while Biden recently gave a fancy speech at home stating that America needed to stop putting its knee on Black America’s neck (i.e., referencing the late Geroge Floyd), Biden has not offered the slightest sympathy to young and innocent Palestinian children whose blown up faces and bodies are too unpalatable to even glimpse at.
While Biden rightfully spoke out against Trump’s attacks on the free press not long ago, the current US President has been silent as Israel destroyed two buildings housing more than a dozen media organizations, including the Associated Press and Al Jazeera news. (A.P.’s president, Gary Pruitt, stated that, “The world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what transpired”.)
While Biden has spoken eloquently about enhancing America’s prestige to lead the free world, the US has blocked, three times so far (i.e., at the time of this writing), United Nations resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. (The resolutions also condemn Israel, which Washington will not tolerate.)
None of this is surprising. Biden’s glowing green light to Israel is a continuation of contemporary US posture in the region.
But in the age of “Black Lives Matter” and social media, it will likely become increasingly difficult for the US to unconditionally support an apartheid state while Israel commits some inexplicable acts of war. Horrific pictures and videos emerging from the conflict will become less tolerable to outraged publics across the globe, including more Americans. Reiterating the straw man argument that “Israel has the right to defend itself” – which no sensible person disputes – will provide less cover.
Until the policy of unconditional American support concludes, however, the pursuit of justice on this matter will primarily lie in the hands of peaceful and non-violent activists, as well as relevant institutions operating in the arena of civil society.
Without these ingredients, any expectations of ‘leadership’ from most American elected officials borders on insanity – at least insofar as history provides any lessons.
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Aly Kamadia is Editor-In-Chief of iDose. To read selected articles by Kamadia, click here.
Note: The views expressed in this article are the author’s, and not the position of Intellectual Dose, or iDose (its online publication). All rights reserved unless stated otherwise.
