peaceandlove
01-13-2009, 12:12 AM
Gaza Crisis Causes Some To Question US Israeli Policy
By Joe Murray, The Bulletin 'Philadelphia's Family Newspaper'
http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/01/12/news/world/doc496b57f8e5ccf885797547.txt
Published: Monday, January 12, 2009
The deteriorating situation between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has some lawmakers in Washington :dc: hoping the crisis combined with the incoming Obama administration will permit the U.S. to chart a new course with regard to his foreign policy toward Israel.
At the center of the debate was H. Res. 34, a House resolution titled, “Recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States’ strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.”
The measure was rushed to the floor without practically no prior notice or consideration by the House Foreign Relations Committee. It sparked an intense debate on Capitol Hill as a handful of Republicans and Democrats balked at the notion of blindly supporting Israel in a crisis in which over 800 Palestinians have died amid the Israeli offensive.
“In Gaza, the United Nations gave the Israeli army the coordinates of a U.N. school, and the school was then hit by Israeli tank fire, killing about 40,” U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, said in his statement opposing H. Res. 34.
“The U.N. put flags on emergency vehicles, coordinating the movements of those vehicles with the Israeli military, and the vehicles came under attack, killing emergency workers. The Israeli army evacuated 100 Palestinians to shelter, and then bombed the shelter, killing 30 people.”
The resolution itself focuses solely on the alleged infractions of Hamas and concludes Israel is justified in her response to the rocket attacks that began late last month. The resolution also notes Israel “has facilitated humanitarian aid to Gaza with hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian assistance and numerous ambulances entering the Gaza Strip since the current round of fighting began on Dec. 27, 2008.”
But while some lawmakers recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, they also question the severity of the Israeli response to the Hamas rockets, they worry about the Israeli treatment of Palestinian civilians. They content H. Res 34 fails to take into account the humanitarian crisis created by what they view as Israel’s overreaction.
“As an opponent of all violence, I am appalled by the practice of lobbing homemade rockets into Israel from Gaza,” U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, said in opposing H. Res 34. “I am only grateful that, because of the primitive nature of these weapons, there have been so few casualties among innocent Israelis. But I am also appalled by the long-standing Israeli blockade of Gaza — a cruel act of war – and the tremendous loss of life that has resulted from the latest Israeli attack that started last month.”
Article Continues Here: http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/01/12/news/world/doc496b57f8e5ccf885797547.txt
By Joe Murray, The Bulletin 'Philadelphia's Family Newspaper'
http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/01/12/news/world/doc496b57f8e5ccf885797547.txt
Published: Monday, January 12, 2009
The deteriorating situation between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has some lawmakers in Washington :dc: hoping the crisis combined with the incoming Obama administration will permit the U.S. to chart a new course with regard to his foreign policy toward Israel.
At the center of the debate was H. Res. 34, a House resolution titled, “Recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States’ strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.”
The measure was rushed to the floor without practically no prior notice or consideration by the House Foreign Relations Committee. It sparked an intense debate on Capitol Hill as a handful of Republicans and Democrats balked at the notion of blindly supporting Israel in a crisis in which over 800 Palestinians have died amid the Israeli offensive.
“In Gaza, the United Nations gave the Israeli army the coordinates of a U.N. school, and the school was then hit by Israeli tank fire, killing about 40,” U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, said in his statement opposing H. Res. 34.
“The U.N. put flags on emergency vehicles, coordinating the movements of those vehicles with the Israeli military, and the vehicles came under attack, killing emergency workers. The Israeli army evacuated 100 Palestinians to shelter, and then bombed the shelter, killing 30 people.”
The resolution itself focuses solely on the alleged infractions of Hamas and concludes Israel is justified in her response to the rocket attacks that began late last month. The resolution also notes Israel “has facilitated humanitarian aid to Gaza with hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian assistance and numerous ambulances entering the Gaza Strip since the current round of fighting began on Dec. 27, 2008.”
But while some lawmakers recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, they also question the severity of the Israeli response to the Hamas rockets, they worry about the Israeli treatment of Palestinian civilians. They content H. Res 34 fails to take into account the humanitarian crisis created by what they view as Israel’s overreaction.
“As an opponent of all violence, I am appalled by the practice of lobbing homemade rockets into Israel from Gaza,” U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, said in opposing H. Res 34. “I am only grateful that, because of the primitive nature of these weapons, there have been so few casualties among innocent Israelis. But I am also appalled by the long-standing Israeli blockade of Gaza — a cruel act of war – and the tremendous loss of life that has resulted from the latest Israeli attack that started last month.”
Article Continues Here: http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/01/12/news/world/doc496b57f8e5ccf885797547.txt