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'My Three Cents' Murder Innocent People
Noor
03/09/02 at 10:56:59
From [url]http://palestinechronicle.com/article.php?story=20020307152730521[/url]

By James McIntyre for PalestineChronicel.com

Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had this to say about the recent uprisings in the West Bank and Gaza Strip: "In the current situation, it's either them or us. We are at war and our backs are against the wall. I don't expect the PA to halt terrorism. They are terrorism. Arafat is the father of all terrorism."

To prove he was serious, Israel used American-made F-16s and Apache attack helicopters (paid for by you and I) to destroy "military targets" in Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Hebron. According to the New York Times, an Israeli tank fired on passing vehicle, "killing a woman and her children before the eyes of passing schoolchildren." In Jenin, soldiers opened fire on an ambulance, killing the head of emergency services.

Besides killing women, children, and ambulance drivers, the Israeli army seems bent on destroying every single police station in Palestine. The Israelis demand that the Palestinian Authority arrest those responsible for acts of terrorism. When the PA complies, Israel bombs the police station, thus killing the suspect and avoiding the messy spectacle of a "trial." Sometimes, the Israeli bombs miss the ‘terrorists’, and he is able to escape. But all the police officers are dead, and there is no one to go and re-arrest the ‘terrorists. The Palestinians apparently have grew tired of this game, which is why they refuse to arrest the alleged ‘terrorists’.

In fact, after another attack on a police station in Ramallah, not a single man in uniform was found in the whole city. This is certainly a unique approach to law enforcement, but it does not appear to have been particularly effective. Imagine if the mayor of Chicago ordered all the police stations bombed. That is certainly an inventive way to get "tough on crime." Yet, when it happens in Israel, our government does not seem to grasp the dangerous insanity of the policy.

The United States gives Israel $2.8 billion in foreign aid each year. That breaks down to about three cents per American, per day. That does not seem like much, but when my three cents are used to murder innocent children (and ambulance drivers), it is time to speak out.

America is supposed to be a democracy. In a democracy, the people rule. That means that when our tax dollars are used to murder innocent women and children, and to support a regime whose goal, according to their Prime Minister, is to "increase the number of losses on the other side," we are all responsible.

In a democracy, we do not have the luxury of pointing our fingers at Sharon or Arafat or George Bush or the Congress. [color=Red]Because my tax dollars were used, I am personally responsible for the murder of that woman and her children, and so are you. [/color]

What are any of us doing about it? George Bush continues to attack Yasser Arafat, even while the rest of the world shakes their head at our ignorance. Our President cannot honestly believe that all the violence in the region can be attributed to one old man, who for the past several months has been confined to virtual house arrest. There are tanks parked outside of his home; he is under 24-hour surveillance by the Israeli army.

Our leaders in Congress spread this insanity as well; that Arafat is responsible for all the attacks and that he needs to stop the violence. Several weeks ago, Arafat ordered four people suspected of killing an Israeli cabinet official arrested. Despite their promises to the contrary, Israel continued the blockade of Mr. Arafat's compound. Yesterday, they fired missiles at it. Missiles you paid for.

Sharon called Arafat the "father of terrorism." Just a few days ago, a right-wing Jewish group calling themselves "Avengers of the Infants" exploded a bomb in an Arab high school, wounding 14 students and teachers. Two more bombs were discovered inside the school, and another in a nearby clinic. Is that not terrorism?

What about when bulldozers arrive in the middle of the night and raze your home? Is that terrorism? If my house was leveled in the middle of the night, I can assure you I would be terrified.

[color=Red]Your money - our money - is being used to fund these activities. Not only do we need to cut off our aid to Israel, we need to treat Israel like other countries with similar repressive regimes. [/color]South Africa's apartheid system was punished with sanctions, divestitures, and protests. Israel's apartheid system is rewarded with $2.8 billion per year. I think the American people would agree that there are better ways to use our tax dollars.



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