Opinion Editorials, October 2009

The Obama Memo Eliminating Tariff on Israel, Moyers, Abbie, Jon, and Back to Goldstone

By Eileen Fleming

ccun.org, October 30, 2009


On October 23, 2009, Journalist and executive director of If Americans Knew. Alison Weir, reported "President Obama just signed a presidential memo eliminating a tariff on Israel that protected American dairy farmers and that raised money for the American economy. [1]

Council for the National Interest President, Eugene Bird noted, “Once again we see Israel receiving special treatment, at the cost to Americans. Even American citizens who oppose protective tariffs want to see a fair and equitable policy. Instead we have a policy change -- implemented without public input or debate -- that benefits one of the richest nations on earth, and a nation that consistently flouts US laws and policies in violation of US trade agreements [and] has been blocking some American products entirely.  A serious look should be taken at how Israel has prevented certain American products from being imported into Israel, for example orange juice.” [Ibid]

For decades Israeli policies have prevented Palestinian exports causing Palestinian farmers to lose their livelihoods, reaping unemployment and malnutrition at what the Red Cross has called “devastating” levels in Gaza.

Bill Moyers plays the consummate Devil's Advocate to Judge Goldstone here:
 
Judge Goldstone on Bill Moyers 1

This Wednesday night, the delightfully cunning, Jon Stewart's guests are former Palestinian Authority Presidential Candidate Dr. Mustafa Barghouti and the eloquent beautiful Jewess, Anna Baltzer author of "Witness in Palestine."

The after show-show should be highly viewed-catch it here:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/

In 1989, just prior to expiring due to a fatal alcohol and Phenobarbital combo, Abbie Hoffman told his sister he had a plan to solve the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

Co-founder of the Yippies/Youth International Party, Abbie was the grandmaster of The Groucho Marxist's and once pulled off a mass media manipulation when he convinced the press to turn out for a demonstration at The Pentagon which promised 50,000 people using psychic energy would levitate The Pentagon, causing it to vibrate it, rotate, turn bright orange and End the War on Vietnam.

In 1968 Chicago, Abbie Hoffman addressed the children of the '60's who had planned on spending the night in a city park after their long day of 'lobbying' at the Democratic Convention.

Mayor Daly sent word to Abbie that the multitudes were not welcome in his park and the cops were on the way in. Before the Chicago mob with badges descended upon the heads of America's youth, Abbie stood at a microphone and quoted Christ:

"I send you out like little lambs into a wolves den. Remain as harmless as doves and cunning as snakes."

If the doves had consulted Webster's, they first would have had a laugh at the two words cunning is sandwiched between.

Then they would have learned that cunning means one must be skillful, clever, sly, crafty, and do things with skill and ingenuity. To be cunning is to be attractive; cute and cleverly proficient.

On October 26, 2009, the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict Goldstone Report: Human Rights in Palestine Conclusions and recommendations went online.

Article 1975: To the international community:

(a) The Mission recommends that the States parties to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 should start criminal investigations in national courts, using universal jurisdiction, where there is sufficient evidence of the commission of grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Where so warranted following investigation, alleged perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with internationally recognized standards of justice...


[d] The Mission recommends that States involved in peace negotiations between Israel and representatives of the Palestinian people, especially the Quartet, should ensure that respect for the rule of law, international law and human rights assumes a central role in internationally sponsored peace initiatives.

1976: The Mission recommends that appropriate mechanisms should be established to ensure that the funds pledged by international donors for reconstruction activities in the Gaza Strip are smoothly and efficiently disbursed, and urgently put to use for the benefit of the population of Gaza;

1978: To the United Nations Secretary-General, the Mission recommends that the Secretary-General should develop a policy to integrate human rights in peace initiatives in which the United Nations is involved, especially the Quartet, and request the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the expertise required to implement this recommendation. [2]

2009 is the final year of the UN's Decade of creating a Culture of Nonviolence for ALL the Children of the World. The US is on the record as abstaining because to support such a goal would make it too hard for US to go to war.

"Every age and generation must be as free to act for itself, in all cases, as the ages and generations which preceded it. Man has no property in man; neither has any generation a property in the generations which are to follow."-Tom Paine

Notes:
 
1. http://www.ifamericansknew.org/

2. http://acdn.france.free.fr/spip/article.php3?id_article=550&lang=en
--
Only in Solidarity do "we have it in our power to begin the world again."-Tom Paine


Eileen Fleming,
Founder of WeAreWideAwake.org
A Feature Correspondent for Arabisto.com
Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory"  
Producer "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu"