After Rafah, Europe, Arabs have no excuse for inaction

[Violet_Crumble]

Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 22 May 2004

Things must be bad in Palestine when the United States allows a resolution to pass in the UN Security Council, as it did late on 19 May condemning Israeli actions. By 14-0, with the United States abstaining, the Council adopted Resolution 1544 "expressing its grave concern at the continued deterioration of the situation on the ground in the territory occupied by Israel since 1967," and "condemning the killing of Palestinian civilians that took place in the Rafah area." The resolution also "calls on Israel to respect its obligations under international humanitarian law, and insists, in particular, on its obligation not to undertake demolition of homes contrary to that law."

<snip>

If there were any seriousness at all behind the UN vote, we ought to see at the very least some of the following measures:

The European Union should suspend its Association Agreement with Israel. This agreement is explictly contingent on Israel's observing basic human rights laws, yet these clauses have never been invoked. The EU should also announce an immediate arms embargo . It would be better if the EU could agree on these measures as a whole, but if it cannot its members should take these steps individually.

Because of the moribund state of Arab governments, little can be asked or expected of them. But they should not be let off the hook. It is time for Jordan and Egypt, the two Arab states with peace treaties with Israel to announce the full or partial suspension of these treaties until Israel at a minimum withdraws completely from Gaza, ends all settlement construction and commits to a total and rapid end to occupation as part of a full and comprehensive peace. Both states signed their treaties claiming they were elements of a comprehensive peace. They should demonstrate that now by making it clear to the Israeli people that they face total isolation unless they change their country's course, but that if they change, they will be warmly embraced as full partners in the region, as post-apartheid South Africa has been embraced by its neighbors. The Arab states offered the carrot of full and normal relations at the Beirut summit, but Israelis need to see there is also a stick.

Even if there is no hope for a change in US policy any time soon, Americans too have a responsibility. They should besiege their elected representatives with calls demanding an end to US arms shipments to Israel. Americans need not care about Palestinians and Israelis to understand that limitless support for Israel is fuelling hostility to America like never before. They simply cannot afford this with their current predicament in Iraq.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2734.shtml

[Classical_Liberal]

1. Kick

Though I believe Jordan and Egypt would get their asses kicked if they even slightly recinded peace treaties. Jordan has trade treaties with Israel that could indeed be recinded. Furthermore, I don't think there is a critical mass of Americans in the US informed enough on I/P to care about the issue let alone to besiege congresscritters and in the nearterm I doubt there will be.

[Jim Sagle]

2. Good.

[Classical_Liberal]

3. slam your fist on the table and stomp

. The EU are bigger trading partners with Israel than America, and account for 1/3 of their armament purchases. Asia is a bigger trading partner as well. Where do you think Israel is getting it's oil? Jordan can always disown it's own trade agreement with Israel, without any provocation.

[Gimel]

4. Israel imports oil

from Russia, mostly.

[Vladimir]

5. The last thing the region needs

is the prospect of another wide-scale conflict. And with the Sharon government, there is no guarantee that trying to apply pressure in this way wouldn't lead to exactly that.

[Classical_Liberal]

7. The peace agreement stuff is particularly not smart

but I don't think they would have a provocation for trade agreements and nothing else works.

[Darranar]

6. This is interesting, sort of a reversal...

of "conventional" thought on the matter, using the same logic from the opposite perspective.

Not sure I agree, but some valuable points are made.