Wednesday, July 23, 2014

A few things the USA can do concerning Gaza (Updated)

by oldschooltwentysix

Lift the FAA ban. It singles out and punishes Israel economically while Hamas claims victory. One might argue it was intentionally to pressure Israel, rather than support our ally.

Investigate the UN role, particularly UNRWA, with regards to corruption, the weapons found at its schools (returned to Hamas), and the "humanitarian" use of cement to build tunnels for terrorism rather than infrastructure for peace.

Move to change the definition of a Palestinian refugee to exclude descendants and to turn over jurisdiction to the UNHCR. When we speak of "disproportionate" we need look no further than how much aid is given to Palestinians "refugees," as if their suffering has greater meaning than others in far greater numbers and more dire situations.

Work to get the ICC prosecutor to commence an investigation of the leaders of Hamas, especially Meshaal, for the undisputed war crimes and crimes against humanity it engages in, admitted by the Palestinian representative to the Human Rights Council.

Yes, some of these things may fail, but sometimes it is important to place things in the sunlight, force the wrongdoers to defend their abuses, and expose the malice they intend.

Past time for America, like Canada, to show without equivocation which side it is on.

Feel free to add your own ideas in the comments.

UPDATE: The FAA lifted its ban. More European carriers that followed suit in effecting their own ban, have decided to keep it in effect. Air France said it was suspending its flights "until further notice." No matter the intent of the Americans, they have hurt Israel in this matter.  

13 comments:

  1. All sound like a great start to me. The sooner on any of them, the better.

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  2. The FAA ban is cowardly. Contemptible.

    MH17 was shot down at cruise altitude over the Ukraine with equipment that Hamas does not have and could not be used from Gaza against passenger planes using Ben Gurion or anywhere else..

    Can that be said of planes flying over or using airports in Egypt, Libya, Lebanon or a dozen other places?

    The missiles from Gaza are no significant threat to Ben Gurion. One hit in Tel Aviv confirms that. Iron Dome is not 100% but it could be 99%. Ben Gurion is the most protected airport in the world. Even if a rocket got through the chances of it hitting a plane are as thin as knocking out a jumping mullet over a lake with a stone.

    Islamist fanatics who want to target planes with missiles have many softer targets. .

    The FAA right now must ban many other national airports and airspaces on safety grounds. Take your pick. They probably stretch from Nairobi to Uzbekistan. The experts can come up with a short list quick smart of places that rank above Israel to ban on the grounds of the risk of terrorist attack on passengers. .

    It would be negligent of FAA not to do that. If a scheduled American airline at cruise altitude on a route over Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Nigeria or the Sudan,say ... by the Taliban, Hezbollah, AQ or ISS,, for instance, with equipment looted or supplied from leaky arsenals anywhere from Libya to the Ukraine, say, next week, would not be a good look after MH17.

    Not good at all especially now that the US has boycotted the safest country in the region and its best friend in a display of timidity that must have them sniggering at you across half the world..

    If the FAA takes the message from MH17 and one missile strike in Tel Aviv that Israel at war must cop an instant boycott from its most important friend, then the US has a national security crisis on its hands. Your enemies are laughing at you and learning how easy it is to spook the US these days and how.

    The US has a problem with its national security and the way of the world is that is a problem for all of us.

    Tend to it..

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  3. The FAA ban is probably not cowardly, although contemptible is probably accurate.

    The reason that it is not cowardly - or so I suspect - is because it has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with Barack Obama putting his knee on Israel's neck.

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    Replies
    1. I kind of suspected that.

      Does Obama have influence over FAA administrative decisions about airline safety? Is that a naive question?

      Sheesh. Maybe its not just your national security issues that Americans need to tend.

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    2. Look at this from a US senator

      https://twitter.com/TarekFatah/status/492078953629495296/photo/1

      My point exactly. Generations have paid with their lives to keep politics out of regulation. Pay that man.

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  4. The FAA ban does not portray a sense of friendship to Israelis from their ally in time of need.

    Obama says he cares as a friend, but he seems to act from obligation. He acts toward Israelis as he acts toward Republicans, as they are the cause of the problems.

    No wonder most Israelis do not trust him, and a growing number of American Jews as well.

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    Replies
    1. This is huge and it will get virtually no play among diaspora-left Jews.

      In fact, this may represent the foremost way in which the Obama administration really smacks Israel around in order to ensure compliance to demands.

      To my view, it is nothing less than a direct threat from the Obama adminstration to the Jewish people, because it is nothing less than a direct threat from the Obama administration to the Jewish state.

      He no longer needs to concern himself with the Jewish vote and he knows if he can undemine Israel's life-line to the rest of the world he can force compliance on other issues.

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    2. A big and public victory for Hamas especially across the ME delivered for free by the US. This while IDF soldiers have their lives on the line in a gutsy fight with life hating lunatics any one of whom would throw away his life in an instant if he could take an IDF soldier with him. Any Jew really.

      It's hard to believe that the US has done this.

      If you want to get in or out of Israel right now, at a time of war with boys at the front and all the stress that comes with all this shit that the Israelis do not need, then this thanks to Uncle Sam.,how the fuck are people supposed to get in or out of Israel?

      It's just been extended another 24 hours according to Australian news.. It is a complete fucking outrage. I don't know what the Israelis are saying, probably what they can ... but it is a truly pitiful display of American impotence. A steely determination to cut and run like hell t and abandon friends in the rush for the door

      Of course it encourages it.Obama is spreading the seeds of war across the fields and there is certain to be a harvest in the Spring. If not earlier.

      Americans will pay with their lives for this lame president of yours. Not just Americans.. Belligerence is unnecessary and dangerous but weakness is certain death. .

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  5. The FAA hasn't banned flights to across or over Ukraine, Pakistan or Libya. The FAA hasn't offered up any warnings for Malaysia Air, or that Taiwanese carrier that went into the sea yesterday or the Algerian carrier that had a crash in Niger today. What Obama did was paint a great big Magen David on Israel and tell the world "Don't Shop Here, This is a Jewish owned business".

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  6. I'm seeing reports the ban has just been lifted

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  7. Apparently Ted Cruz called the White House and told them all State Dept appointees would be held up until the siege was lifted.

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    Replies
    1. I feel a sudden political re-orientation coming on. In the words of Clint Eastwood: "Right turn, Cyde."

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    2. I''m sure the usual flying monkeys will squawk and pooh fling that of course the Jews control all governments.

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