Congress Overwhelmingly Endorses Ariel Sharon’s Annexation Plans

[Classical_Liberal]

Congress Overwhelmingly Endorses Ariel Sharon’s Annexation Plans
by Stephen Zunes


On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives, in an overwhelming bipartisan vote, endorsed right-wing Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon's efforts to colonize and annex large sections of the Palestinian West Bank, seized by Israel in the June 1967 war.

This was not just another “pro-Israel” (or, more accurately, “pro-Israeli right”) resolution, but an effective renunciation of the post-World War II international system based upon the premise of the illegitimacy of the expansion of a country’s territory by military force.

House Concurrent Resolution 460, sponsored by right-wing Republican leader Tom Delay, "strongly endorses" the letter sent by President George W. Bush to the Israeli prime minister in April supporting his so-called "disengagement" plan. This unilateral initiative calls for withdrawing the illegal Israeli settlements from the occupied Gaza Strip, but -- far more significantly -- would incorporate virtually all of the illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank into Israel, leaving the Palestinians with a series of non-contiguous and economically unviable cantons, each surrounded by Israeli territory, collectively constituting barely 10% of historic Palestine. (Even in the case of the Gaza Strip, Sharon's plan would allow Israel to control the borders, the ports, and the airspace, as well as having the right to conduct military operations inside Palestinian areas at will.)

The vote was 407 in favor of the resolution and only 9 opposed.......

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0625-03.htm

[mitchtv]

1. what a disgrace- sometimes I wonder about

the Dems.then I think of the alternative.

[Classical_Liberal]

2. The Greens have nominated Cobb

Both Nader and the Dems are abusive and take liberals for granted, without offering any hope of real change. Nader refuses to run an intelligent campaign that doesn't turn spoiler, and dems refuse to act like Dems.

I am very hopeful about Cobb's strategic voting campaign.

[papau]

3. University of San Francisco's Professor Zunes is spinning a bit - IMHO -but

I agree Taba or Geneva are the real choices if you want peace - but I disagree as to "right of return" - Arafat's latest concession on this puts him into Geneva - maybe - and our Professor appears to not like the concession.

Likewise border adjustments do not seem an idea the Professor agrees with.

And the Cantons disconnected from each other is a proposal should the Eastern Wall ever be approved - he infers its approval from the changes on the ground wording.

When Kerry gets in we will get back to Taba/Geneva.

[Classical_Liberal]

4. I hope your right, but by approving of this present plan and the

Wall he has already moved away from Taba and Geneva, and the Democrats in Congress will likely betray Kerry if he does move back to it, particularly Nancy Pelosi.