In de onderstaande brief, overgenomen van de al-Jazeera website, protesteert een Amerikaanse kandidaat voor het senatorschap tegen de acties van Israel. De inhoud is niet wat het nieuws maakt, wel het feit dat een Amerikaanse politicus zich zo openlijk durft te uiten. Dat is nog zelden gebeurd. De vraag is of Zeese zijn politieke carriere hierna niet kan vergeten.

U.S. should speak out against Israel’s barbaric terrorism

In the open letter below Kevin Zeese, a U.S. Senate candidate in Maryland nominated by the Green, Libertarian and Populist Parties, is calling on one of his opponents, Rep. Ben Cardin to speak out against Israeli terror tactics targeting civilians in Gaza and Lebanon. Zeese has written Cardin three previous letters concerning the attacks on the Gaza Strip.

July 17, 2006
Rep. Ben Cardin
2207 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Via email rep.cardin@mail.house.gov

Re: Speak out against the escalating violence in the Middle East – Tell Israel to obey international and U.S. law and stop terrorizing civilians

Dear Rep. Cardin:

The violence in the Middle East, in particular the brutal terrorist attacks by Israel on civilians in Lebanon and Gaza, threatens to escalate if Israel is not told it is violating many laws, UN Resolutions and treaties and has gone too far. The following points need to be conveyed to Israel, and a pro-Israel legislator running for the U.S. Senate, like you, would be an excellent messenger:

1. Israel is violating the Arms Export Control Act (Public Law 90-829) which limits the use of U.S. weapons given or sold to a foreign country for “internal security” and “legitimate self-defense.” Further, U.S. weapons may not be used against civilians. The intensive bombing of Beirut and other Lebanese cities, and the killing of civilians are not legitimate acts of self-defense. This conflict began with the capture of two Israeli soldiers in an effort by Hezbollah to negotiate the release of three Lebanese civilians who were seized on Lebanese soil and have been held by Israel as bargaining chips for several years.

2. Israel is violating international law by its collective punishment of civilians in Lebanon and Gaza. Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states, “No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited. Pillage is prohibited. Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited.” Under the 1949 Geneva Conventions collective punishments are a war crime. Israel is committing war crimes with weapons we have provided to them – making the U.S. complicit. Remaining silent, protecting Israel in the UN or in other ways increases U.S. responsibility for these war crimes.

3. A cease fire is needed immediately. Hopefully you at least care about the 25,000 Americans caught in the conflict. (There are likely to be as many as ten times as many Americans in Lebanon as 25,000 is only those who have reported to the American Embassy.) No doubt if a country other than Israel were preventing more than 25,000 Americans from leaving a battle zone, where American lives are at risk, you would be complaining to the nation to cease fire so Americans could be removed. Why the silence when Israel is threatening U.S. citizens? At least speak out for American civilians – or do you represent Israel before you represent Americans?

4. Finally, according to CBS News: “There were Lebanese media reports, which could not be confirmed, that Israel had used phosphorus incendiary bombs and vacuum bombs, which suck up the air and collapse buildings.” See: http://wfrv.com/topstories/topstories_story_197091650.html. I hope you will call for an investigation as to whether Israel is using illegal weapons of mass destruction in Lebanon.

The extreme overreaction and targeting of civilians by Israel is being deplored throughout the globe except in the United States – the only country that can stop Israel because it funds and protects Israel. The toll is continuing to rise: reportedly more than 215 people, almost all civilians (only 14 were not civilians), have died in Lebanon in the Israeli onslaught with hundreds more wounded. In Gaza more than 60 Palestinians have been killed. A few examples of the condemnation of Israel from around the world:

– The Vatican deplored Israel’s attack describing it as “an attack” on a sovereign and free nation. Further, the Vatican said: “The right of defense on the part of a state does not exempt it from its responsibility to respect international law, particularly regarding the safeguarding of civilian populations.”

– The European Union criticized Israel for using “disproportionate” force in its attacks on Lebanon saying “actions, which are contrary to international humanitarian law, can only aggravate the vicious circle of violence and retribution, and cannot serve anyone’s legitimate security interests.”

– The European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he was planning a peace mission to the Middle East saying: “The European Union is greatly concerned about the disproportionate use of force by Israel in Lebanon in response to attacks by Hezbollah on Israel.” According to Finland, which currently holds the EU’s presidency: “The presidency deplores the loss of civilian lives and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. The imposition of an air and sea blockade on Lebanon cannot be justified.”

– France’s Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy condemned Israel’s attacks as “a disproportionate act of war.” He said France would support the Lebanese request that the UN Security Council take up the issue as soon as possible.

– Arab nations are also speaking out against the Israeli actions. Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit said: “Targeting civilians under the pretext of fighting terrorism is unacceptable and unjustified. Israeli practices violate international law.” Jordan, another country that has signed a peace treaty with Israel condemned “Israel’s use of force against unarmed civilians and the outcome in terms of the human loss and destruction of civil institutions.”

Israel has fired missiles destroying infrastructure in Lebanon including roads and bridges, the airport and power stations. Israel’s warships have blocked Lebanese ports. These actions have shut down land, sea, and air movement (among the reasons why U.S. citizens and Lebanese civilians are trapped while Israel continues its terror bombing attacks). Not only has Israel trapped civilians but it seems to be trying to starve them. Israel has even destroyed silos holding wheat!

This military assault on Lebanon – thorough and well-planned – is consistent with a plan put forward for Benjamin Netanyahu in 1996, “A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm.” See: http://www.iasps.org/strat1.htm. The strategy noted that the border with Lebanon was a problem that could be dealt with saying: “Syria challenges Israel on Lebanese soil. An effective approach, and one with which Americans can sympathize, would be if Israel seized the strategic initiative along its northern borders by engaging Hizballah, Syria, and Iran, as the principal agents of aggression in Lebanon.”

It seems that this plan is being put forward today. Indeed, as the Israeli peace group Gush Shalom reports in an article by Uri Avnery on July 15:

“The real aim is to change the regime in Lebanon and to install a puppet government.

”That was the aim of Ariel Sharon’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982. It failed. But Sharon and his pupils in the military and political leadership have never really given up on it.

”As in 1982, the present operation, too, was planned and is being carried out in full coordination with the U.S.”

This invasion by Israel must be viewed in the context of the long-term border issues in the areas. Israel invaded in 1982, under false pretenses, occupied Beirut, and did not leave most of the country until 2000 – it still occupies Shebaa Farms ,a key agricultural area, and raids Lebanon at will.

Now Israelis are saying that they want to finish off Hezbollah – but Israeli actions actually strengthen Hezbollah – just as the organization was created as a result of Israel’s illegal occupation of Lebanon it will be strengthened by these attacks. A mass political movement among 1.35 million people cannot be ended with military terror. And, it is important to understand Hamas and Hezbollah are organizations working in a number of areas – political, social, economic, religious, and military. (Hezbollah is the second largest employer in Lebanon.) These groups have widespread support because of Israel’s terror tactics. More Israeli terrorism will strengthen them and further destabilize the region.

Please consider the safety and security of Americans before Americans are killed. When Israel bombs a civilian airport, bridge, road, utility and civilian neighborhoods in Beirut – when it kills families including small children – because of the population of Lebanon a lot of the worlds Catholics and 1.4 billion Muslims blame the United States. The world knows that Israel is given billions of dollars every year by the United States for the weaponry that is now being used in this illegal attack.

Israel’s actions are increasing anti-Semitism around the world. The terror military policy of Israel is not good for anyone, including Israel.

How many future Bin Ladens is Israel, with U.S. acquiesance – and the silence of U.S. politicians – creating? How many Americans will die because of the support of the United States for Israel in reaction to its abusive behavior? Is it made more difficult to speak out in an election year because of the power of the “Israeli Lobby”?

I urge you to take three steps:

1. Urge Israel to immediately enter into negotiations to trade Israeli soldiers for Palestinian and Lebanese civilians being held by Israel.

2. Urge an immediate ceasefire so negotiations can begin, U.S. citizens and civilians can leave the area in case military action continues before Americans are killed (7 Canadians have been killed).

3. Introduce a Resolution in Congress deploring the actions of Israel in Gaza and Lebanon and warning that a fund cut-off of U.S. aid will follow if Israel does not stop its’ illegal military actions.

Former New York Times Middle East Bureau Chief and author Chris Hedges predicts the consequences of the failure to act:

“. . . if we do not find a new way to speak, and soon, there will be untold suffering-not only for many innocents in the Middle East but eventually innocents at home. It was the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon that spawned and empowered Hezbollah. It was the decades-long occupation and humiliation of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank by Israel that spawned and empowered Hamas, and it is the brutal American occupation that has bred the legions of extremists in Iraq. And when Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promises ‘open war’ against Israel, as he did in an address shortly after his Beirut offices were bombed, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he won’t cease his attack until Israel is secure, it is time to run for cover, especially when George W. Bush is our best hope for peace.”

Please do not leave this to George W. Bush, use your own voice to speak out against daily or indiscriminate mass Israeli violence.

Sincerely.
Kevin B. Zeese

Kevin Zeese is a candidate for U.S. Senate in Maryland. See www.ZeeseForSenate.org for more information or visit his wiki Campaign site www.Zeese.US to participate in making policy and helping to organzie the campaign. Zeese is also director of Democracy Rising, see www.DemocracyRising.US.