Monday, March 25, 2019

O’Rourke says special relationship with Israel goes against US values of equality and dignity

Philip Weiss onMarch 22, 2019
On Wednesday night, Beto O’Rourke spoke at the University of New Hampshire and said that Palestinian conditions don’t meet American values of “fundamental human rights and human dignity” and that the relationship with Israel is hurting America’s image in the world.
Asked if he would condemn Israeli, Saudi and Turkish human rights violation, O’Rourke said:
These truths that we hold so dear — that we are all created equal– “all of us” needs to mean, “All of us,” not relationships of convenience for short term security gains but relationships that allow us to continue to be the example for so much of the rest of the world. And we cannot be that if we do not believe in the fundamental human rights and human dignity and safety of our fellow human beings regardless of what side of the line they may stand or sit on.
The only way that I know that we can help to secure that in the Middle East specifically with the Palestinian Authority and Israel is to have two states whose people are guaranteed their security, their safety, their dignity and their political rights. Right now of course we do not have that.
O’Rourke was responding to a Palestinian-American woman. “As an American who stands for the ideals that this country was supposedly built on, dignity justice and equality, I really want those ideals to be seen in Israel and Palestine for both Palestinians and Israelis,” she said, and then went on to ask O’Rourke if he would “hold Israel accountable for its human rights and international law violations,” as well as Turkey and Saudi Arabia too. She was cheered by the crowed.
Then O’Rourke went on for a couple of minutes in this by the questioner.
Thank you for your questions and the way in which you posed them and the context that you provided for everyone here. You’re right, we’ve got this opportunity to live our values. And these truths that we hold so dear, that we are all created equal. All of us needs to mean, All of us, not relationships of convenience for short term security gains but relationships that allow us to continue to be the example for so much of the rest of the world. And we cannot be that if we do not believe in the fundamental human rights and human dignity and safety of our fellow human beings regardless of what side of the line they may stand or sit on.
The only way that I know that we can help to secure that in the Middle East specifically with the Palestinian Authority and Israel is to have two states whose people are guaranteed their security, their safety, their dignity and their political rights. Right now of course we do not have that. And we have problems on both sides. I don’t know that we have a willing partner on the part of the Palestinian Authority.
I know that in Prime Minister Netanyahu we have someone who has openly sided with racists in that country, someone who has warned about Arabs coming to the polls, someone who seeks to exploit division and fear and hatred, that is not somebody who is negotiating in good faith.
When I visited the West Bank and met a young woman perhaps your age… What surprised me when I was talking to her about a two state solution is that she said I don’t care. Whether it’s one state or two state, I want to be treated with dignity. I don’t want to be patted down and searched every time I go to work or try to go to school. I just want to live like everyone else just wants to live.
We are about to lose the last best chance for a two-state solution. On one side wee are changing the facts on the ground. If we continue to allow settlement construction and expansion. On the other side, we are going to fail an opportunity for good faith and good will to make sure that we can guarantee the security of the Israeli people.
So, dignity, safety and security for all concerned, that has to be our policy and our actions have to follow suit.
The questioner later wrote on her Facebook page that O’Rourke had failed to answer her questions re Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, and refunding UNRWA.
While I am most definitely disappointed by Beto’s inability to answer my concise questions regarding UNRWA, BDS and accountability for our allies, I am glad that so many people in the audience during my question and after felt compelled to tell me that they also thought he didn’t answer the question and voiced their concern for the situation in Palestine as well. I am glad that the dignity and human rights is an important issue even to Americans who are disconnected from the conflict and I hope we can continue together to hold our politicians accountable and show them that we will not accept progressive politics that exclude Palestinians.

4 comments:

  1. "O’Rourke has become a reliable vote for the pro-Israel lobby since then — for example, supporting the largest Israel aid package in history, as all Democrats did. Meanwhile, Palestinian activists complain he’s nowhere to be found on issues important to them, such as a resolution barring US money from being used to imprison and torture Palestinian kids. He opposes BDS, and has written that “the UN is dangerously preoccupied with Israel . . . and clearly biased against her,” supporting the US vote against a UN resolution condemning illegal Israeli settlement building. In case it needs to be said, such positions are increasingly out of step with the increasingly pro-Palestinian Democratic base." https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/12/beto-orourke-president-2020-senate-race

    ReplyDelete
  2. The truth is American Politicians are too weak and afraid to openly and honestly criticize Israel. AIPAC has way too much control, and they know it. (imo)

    ReplyDelete
  3. When it comes to dealing with common skin conditions like tinea versicolor, many individuals are seeking effective, Home Remedies for Tinea Versicolor that not only provide relief but also address the root cause of the issue.
    Home Remedies for Tinea Versicolor
    Organic Remedies for Tinea Versicolor
    Natural Ways to Treat Tinea Versicolor

    ReplyDelete
  4. Exploring the Best Treatment for Granuloma Annulare.Granuloma annulare is a common skin condition characterized by raised, ring-shaped lesions, usually occurring on the fingers and hands. While this condition typically goes away on its own within two years, it can sometimes be stubborn and linger longer. Many patients seek out granuloma annulare natural treatment to reduce symptoms and speed up recovery. Below are some of the potential benefits associated with managing granuloma annulare with natural methods.

    ReplyDelete