Bush trip a triumph of form over substance

The following article of mine was published in
the New Haven Register On the same day
that Bush was in Ramallah (Thursday).
For those in CT, please take time to
comment on it
by sending an email to letters@NHregister.com
(You can be sure those opposed to human rights and
International law will write letters!). For those in other
places, please write and contact the media (see action
details at bottom plus a must see video from Al Jazeera
on Bush's disastrous trip).

Bush trip a triumph of form over substance
By Mazin B. Qumsiyeh, PhD
New Haven Register, Jan. 10, 2007

President Bush's visit to the Middle East this week
shows once and for all that status quo lives on under
the attempt to validate the old saying that an ounce of
image is worth a pound of performance. In this case the
image came seven years too late.

In public appearances the Bush administration claims
it supports "the road map for peace". In 2218 words that
"map" lacks any mention of human rights and International
law. But even with this shortcoming, it calls for total freeze
on settlement activities including so called "natural growth".
Israel simply refuses to abide by this. Bush sent a letter to
assure Israel that some settlements will be exempt since
they would stay with Israel under any final deal. In so doing,
Bush himself undermined his own "road map".
It is not surprising that US policy evolved from
describing settlements as illegal to "obstacles" to
"unhelpful" and finally to Jewish neighborhood that
will remain part of the Jewish state.

The US government claimed interest in advancing
democracy is recognized around the world as the
biggest breeding ground for promoting dictators,
violence and terrorism (whether that practiced by
individuals or the more deadly state terrorism).
For example, Hamas was elected in the occupied
Palestinian areas in a vote that this administration
pushed for. Rather than pressuring Israel to comply
with International law (an action which would have
truly built up moderate forces in Palestine), Bush
chose to pressure Abbas to take Hamas on militarily
and thus increase the already high antagonism to the
US and its client state of Israel.

Continuing in this policy, when Bush visits
Ramallah to meet with Abbas, the city will be under
curfew and a virtual marshal law according to
instructions given to Palestinian police. Bush's
security detail demanded no visible nonviolent
demonstrations. Israeli Foreign Minister, daughter
of the terrorist who oversaw the bombing of the King
David Hotel will jovially agree with Bush on fighting
"Islamic terrorism." Bush will look out from that same
hotel to see a wall that the International court of
Justice ruled illegal. Many of the US officials
accompanying Bush were handpicked from
lobbyists and pundits who support Israel
(Clinton was not any better) so he will not hear
the history of that hotel.

Considering the above, the photo opportunities
in occupied Jerusalem will not accomplish any
more than they did in Annapolis not even the hope
of a changed policy after Bush leaves office. Thus,
the decline in the U.S.'s ability to influence events
around the world is becoming more visible (even in
the declining value of the US dollar). There is an
obvious and more honest route to peace, security,
and economic prosperity for all (Palestinians, Israelis,
Americans, Iraqis etc): International law and human rights.

Israel is the only country in the world that gives
members of a particular religion, including converts,
automatic rights (citizenship, land, homes, subsidies),
while denying citizenship to native Christians and
Muslims who were ethnically cleansed. World
leaders who are freed from the pressures of the
Israel lobby have recognized this system for
what it is: Apartheid. Israelis actually use hafrada
(=segregation) to describe their program.
President Carter wrote a book titled
“Palestine: Peace not apartheid.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote:
“In our struggle for justice and peace in South Africa
we had to learn to speak and listen to hard truths.
Our experience should encourage all who strive for
justice and peace in the Holy Land. My visits to the
Holy Land remind me so much of South Africa:
apartheid is back, complete with the “Separation
Wall” and Bantustans. History, it seems, repeats itself.”

A growing International movement of boycotts,
divestment and sanctions, (BDS) coupled with
truth telling is building that will succeed like we
did with cutting U.S. support for Apartheid South
Africa. Israel will then evolve into a democracy
with equality for all (Jews, Christians, Muslims etc.)
and implement international law including,
allowing the refugees to return to their
homes and lands. This is the only way
to allow a functioning Hebrew and Israeli
culture to remain while remedying the
injustice committed against the native people.

Many media outlets, influenced by special interests,
gave support to pro-Israel candidates while
ridiculing those calling for a real change in the
self-destructive US foreign policy
(e.g. Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich).
The jury is thus still out on whether the new
President will continue the same path. More
and more US citizens are seeing the devastation
caused by the alternative strategy (from 9/11
to chaos in Pakistan). Citizen pressure on all
political parties is what achieved ending the
war on Vietnam, ending US support for apartheid
South Africa, and advancing civil rights. It is time
to reclaim our country.

*Dr. Qumsiyeh of Orange is a Christian
Palestinian-American who served on the
faculty of both Duke and Yale Universities.
He is author of “Sharing the Land of
Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli/Palestinian
Struggle.”His web site is located at http://qumsiyeh.org

Article above Also posted on websites:
http://www.qumsiyeh.org/bushinpalestine/
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story-010808191440.htm
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7748

ACTION ITEM: We have a media opportunity in
light of Bush's insensitive remark that his 45 car
motorcade did not have a problem with stopping at
a checkpoint (an amazing statement). Please see
this Al Jazeera video about Bush's disastrous visit
and compare to those you see in the US (CNN etc)
then call and ask your cable company to get Al
Jazeera English channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcHFsTBbDUY

You can certainly call and email both local,
national, and international news outlets and
complain why they don't mention facts like
those about the checkpoints, about King David
Hotel (bombed by Livni's terrorist father who is
considered a hero in Israel) etc. Below is the
phone number of companies to call and ask to
carry Al-Jazeera English channel: