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Bipartisan US Support For Israel |
By
Stephen Lendman |
| Both countries have been strong allies since Israel’s 1948 creation -
at the expense of Palestinians grievously harmed, their fundamental rights
ignored. America was the first country to officially recognize the new Jewish state - moments after midnight on May 15, 1948. A special relationship began - rock-solid today politically, militarily and financially. Israel clearly benefits enormously. America arguably loses more than it gains. Both countries threaten regional and world peace. United they endanger humanity, partnering in each other’s high crimes. At the same time, much has been made about an Obama/Netanyahu rift. Neither leader likes the other. Disagreement between them is palpable - especially over the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu tried undermining it by outrageously arguing his case before a joint congressional session - despite no Obama administration invitation to Washington, an unacceptable affront. Cool-headed Israelis consider Netanyahu wildly irresponsible. He's arrogant, offensive, duplicitous, thuggish, and dangerous - an embarrassment to legitimate governance. At a November 2011 Nicolas Sarkozy/Obama press conference, a hot microphone caught the then-French president saying “I cannot bear” Netanyahu. He called him “a liar.” Obama responded, saying “You're fed up, but I have to deal with him every day.” Was Friday’s Security Council vote affirming the illegality of Israeli settlements payback for years of putting up with his bluster, effrontery and insolence? It’ll have no effect on longstanding bilateral relations, especially with Trump succeeding Obama. On Saturday, he tweeted “(t)he big loss yesterday for Israel in the United Nations will make it much harder to negotiate peace. Too bad, but we will get it done anyway! Decades of so-called peace talks were stillborn each time announced. Netanyahu once called them a waste of time. Israel wants endless conflict and instability, not resolution and calm, hostile to its imperial agenda, the same way America operates - at least through Obama’s tenure. With no public record, it’s unknown how Trump intends governing, especially geopolitically. His actions, not rhetoric, will prove the measure of the man once in office. Obama and nearly the entire Congress staunchly support Israel, backing its imperial wars, approving billions of dollars in largely annual military aid. It’s used for occupation harshness, mercilessly brutalizing Palestinians unaccountably, terror-bombing Syria, maintaining Israel’s illegal nuclear, chemical and biological weapons arsenals, along with instigating regional violence, instability and chaos. Israel is far and away the largest recipient of US aid. Last September, a new $38 billion package was agreed to over the next decade, $3.8 billion annually, up from $3.1 billion currently, beginning in 2018 after the current agreement expires. The announced deal is just for starters. Over the next decade, additional amounts will be forthcoming on request. What Israel wants it gets - besides various other special benefits Washington affords no other country on its handout list. The least deserving is the most rewarded, US taxpayers funding Israel’s killing machine. Both countries are the world’s leading human rights abusers, waging war on humanity at home and abroad. Friday’s Security Council resolution affirming the illegality of Israeli settlements changed nothing on the ground. US/Israeli relations remain solid, both countries partnering in each other’s high crimes, no matter the cost in human lives and suffering. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. |