House Dems Align With Bush On Gaza

House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that leading House Democrats are currently drafting a non-binding congressional resolution to support Israel's Gaza incursion. The resolution, being drafted by the office of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), will offer tacit support for Israel and look into conditions for peace without explicitly demanding a ceasefire.

The report quotes Hoyer:

"Certainly it would not demand a cease-fire," Hoyer said. "It would speak to the conditions that would justify a cease-fire. A cease-fire is not a just cease-fire when it's just Israel" holding fire.

These House Democrats' stance is notably aligned with the Bush administration's current position towards the conflict. The "one-sided ceasefire" point has become a mantra for Bush and Secretary of State Rice since Israel's air strikes began on December 27th. And, as Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu reports here, it has also become the position of the European Union, under the nascent leadership of the Czech Republic.

As Gedalyahu reports:

"At the moment, from the perspective of the last days, we understand this step as a defensive, not offensive, action," said Czech EU presidency spokesman Jiri Potuznik.

...

While the U.S. is using diplomatic efforts to halt violence and is concerned with the economic situation of Gaza residents, President Bush stated, "Another one-way ceasefire that leads to rocket attacks on Israel is not acceptable. And promises from Hamas will not suffice -- there must be monitoring mechanisms in place to help ensure that smuggling of weapons to terrorist groups in Gaza comes to an end."

Gedalyahu also points out that this position conflicts with that of the EU's former leadership, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as with much of the Arab world. It is not yet clear if there will be any strong congressional opposition to the Democratic resolution. Though President-elect Barack Obama has kept himself at arm's-length from the conflict thus far, he has just spoken out against civilian casualties. However, he is also often quoted from his visit to the assailed Israeli city Sderot as sharing the House Dems position. Passage of the House resolution would be the first formal Congressional response to the conflict.

Comments

[betz55]

AIPAC is a political action committee that lobbies expressly on behalf of a foreign power; Israel. For another, it is not just the amount of money it gives, it is the political punishment it can exact. Since the mid-1980s, no Member of Congress has even tried to take on the lobby directly. As a Senate staffer told this writer, it is the "cold fear" of AIPAC's disfavor that keeps the politicians in line.

Any disagreement with Israel's policy, any talk of cutting our foreign aid to them, any vote in the UN or Congress that doesn't give them what they want is labeled "anti-semitic." Israel has become America's favorite sacred cow and any voice that dares censure them is libeled with the accusation of anti-semitism.

Proof that AIPAC has too much influence over our legislators? Watch the parade of our Senators and Representatives and Presidential candidates going before them, promising to always maintain our "special relationship" with Israel. It is disgusting that our national representatives act in such a obsequious manner to an organization that represents only 3-4% of the U.S. population.

End the disproportionate and damaging influence Israel and it's supporters in the U.S. have over our foreign policy.

It's time to be more critical of our alliances. That's what these accusations of anti-Semitism are all about. Israel doesn't want to lose their foreign aid and diplomatic backing from Uncle Sucker.

[betz55]

Surprised? Who is pulling the strings? AIPAC, AIPAC, AIPAC, AIPAC.

AIPAC is the most powerful of the dozen or so major organizations and think-tanks that comprise the “Israel lobby” in the United States. This influential lobby dictates US Middle East foreign policy: “You can’t have an Israeli policy other than what AIPAC gives you around here,” admitted Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC) upon leaving office.

Recently, former President Jimmy Carter pointed out that the Israel lobby makes or breaks American politicians depending on their willingness to promote Israel’s “security” as their number one foreign policy priority: “It’s almost political suicide . . . for a member of Congress who wants to seek reelection to take any stand that might be interpreted as anti-policy of the conservative Israeli government.”

The takeover of Democratic campaign finance by two ultra-Zionist zealots, Senator Charles Schumer and Israeli-American Congressman Rahm Emanuel ensure that every candidate was totally subordinated to the Lobby’s unconditional support of Israel. The result is that there is no Congressional debate, let alone investigation, over the key role of prominent Zionists

It is not their ideology which makes them seem so stupid. It is their chaotic reasoning that their "friends" are allowed to lay waste to every international law and convention without criticism and their "enemies" are not entitled to raise a hand in their own defense without raising Washingtons hackles.

There will be no peace with AIPAC running Congress. Shameful.

[flatus]

Sounds like the Palistino-Americans need to step up their political contributions several notches.

[baffy]

What is this hold that Israel/AIPAC has over our politicians on both sides of the aisle? Israel has been anything but a friend to the US and constantly ignores our requests to pursue peace. This relationship is entirely one sided. We should be telling our elected representatives what we think of them.

[Ramirez]

Israel is an ally to the US. Hamas, not so much.

[betz55]

Hamas is not occupying anyones land. The US media under AIPAC heavy influence and threats of smears portrays it this way all the time, Israel=good, Palestinians=bad. But the way of apartheid south africa will eventually catch up to Israel.

The Arab world knows that Israel is our proxy state and our welfare client. Only the general American populace doesn't generally make the connection. Did Congress ever ask us if we want our money given away to Israel? Why don't we put it to a vote?

The real reason we have no friends in the Middle East (apart from Israel, if you can call them a friend) is that we unquestioningly support Israel with money, weapons, and UN votes to quell any criticism of their actions.

The nature of Zionist ambitions is likely to be ever harder to conceal, as is evident from the tide of opinion polls showing that Western publics, if not their governments, believe Israel to be one of the biggest threats to world peace.

[iblisexpat]

baffy,

WE should"be telling our elected representatives what WE think of them"? But WE don't count because we do not have millions of dollars to spend on candidates but aipac does. With our corrupt electoral system where only money counts, WE are helpless victims to the moneyed-lobbies, the most powerful of which IS aipac. So, they are not really "our elected representatives" they do not represent us. They represent MONEY. Until such time as only government money, with very very low limits, becomes the law for campaigns, we'll be in this hole.

[CaptainHowdy]

Errr... what HAVEN'T the House Dems aligned with Bush on, over the last few years???

You mean there's still people that believe there's any real difference between the 2 major parties?

LOL!!!

[Ramirez]

Democrats and Bush.

In their hearts they know he's right.

[iblisexpat]

I posted it once but it does not show up so I repeat it.

No suprised here. It is well known that our Congress is "Is--ra--eli occupied territory' filled with spineliess members who would do the A I P A C's bidding for as long as they get campaign money to be elected. Some democracy we claim to have.
Now, let us see if it gets posted this time.

[CaptainHowdy]

Very true...

[WorkingClass]

This is why I'm not a Democrat. Elected Democrats sometimes question the policies but never the existence of the American Empire. Corporatists, Blue Dogs, Neo Liberals, Zionists. Oh my. The whole project of American / Israeli hegemony in the Middle East must be abandoned. There will be power sharing with Iran, Russia and China or there will be World War. Israel must be reined in.

The U.S. is insolvent. The American century is already over. Will we require a disastrous military defeat before we understand this? Imagine. Americans could be living in peace, within their means and within their borders.

[CaptainHowdy]

Great post... concise and to the point.

Funny, the American Century lasted all of 8 years.

[SSF]

Where did Hamas smuggle those rockets from, Tijuana!?!

[iblisexpat]

They are home-made by hand some on Egyptian soil next to the border and brought in thru the tunnels.

[MarvBitesBack]

LOL. Do you see those pitiful fireworks? Israel is doing a them a favor by thinning that herd.

[blood1]

This is another great example of the inability of any of the elected representatives in the Congress to actually have a brain and use it.

The same must be said for MSM...as all of them and all those they interview are giving examples that are so ridiculous in nature...they are an insult to the public at large.

Just last week HuffPo reported on the drugwars moving across the Mexican / American borders and people in larger numbers were being killed in San Diego, CA than were being hurt in Israel...but did we go to war with Mexico?

Come on everyone...this is Russia vs Georgia! and we condemned Russia. Are we now so weak as a country and politicians are so busy protecting their elective "asses" that they can't state that Yes Israel was provoked...but their reaction was really over the top.

As of yesterday, there were more Israeli military killed by friendly fire than all the bombs by Humas. This Israeli invasion into the Golan Heights needs to be stopped NOW!

[LeeCalif]

That's why I stopped my campaign contributions to them. Particularly the under 30 house dem club.

Like Pavlov's dog. Anytime they heard the word Israel, dems looked for something to kiss.
Regardless of any atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians.

I guess that's why the term even-handed is considered anathema.
It requires logic, not unconditional support.

[Martymar74]

It's funny how these "public servants" create all of their real agendas behind closed doors of the Bilderberg, Council of Foreign Relations, and other such shadowy groups' meetings. THese groups should be abolished so that we can know his is really running our govt.

[MajorKong]

Pretty small rockets. I used to carry PRACTICE bombs that were bigger than that.

[LeeCalif]

Truly rockets vs. laser-guided missiles.

Now, we hear those missiles seem to be laced with uranium.

[Ramirez]

Imagine what they could do if they could only get bigger rockets.

[Pauper]

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.