Has Kerry made any statements on what's going on with Israel?

[babylonsister]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1663675

[Mass]

1. Not to my knowledge, but I imagine that his statement would not be

different from the other Democratic senators (sigh).

[babylonsister]

2. Thanks, Mass. It's been asked so thought I'd find out if

he's issued any press releases. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[kerrygoddess]

6. There has been any. N/T

[politicasista]

3. I was wondering the same thing

Natives are restless around here. :hide:

[Mass]

4. I am getting more and more bothered by the antisemitism on GD.

These are the same individuals as always, but they dont seem to see the difference between opposing the Israeli reaction and being anti-semitic. This is really mindbogging.

[ray of light]

5. I agree. They say, "We're against the leadership"

as they go "Israel did this or that..Iraq...etc..." all sorts of theories. Then they don't seem to realize that the mideast problem encompasses all the Arabs as well! Not just Israelis. And furthermore, what upsets me is why are they upset about all the Israeli deaths over the last ten years since Arafat began that new intifada--despite the Israelis giving them 97% of what they asked for!

[JI7]

7. there are some whose goal IS the destruction of Israel

but it's not all Arabs. one problem with the Israel response and my criticism of it is that it is just ineffective. they have been doing the same for years but it's not changing anything. all it does is end up killing many innocent people who get angry and just makes things worse.

of course my view is that Hezbollah and other terrorist groups do the attacks on Israel because they WANT Israel to respond with such force and end up killing civilians. and in turn make more people angry at Israel.

a lot of the blame goes to western govts who refuse to put pressure on the arab governments because of the oil issue. despite the claims by many that we are pro israeli, we also aren't that tough on the arab governments anytime oil is involved.

[ray of light]

8. I meant in terms of governmental policies...not "all" as in all the people

any more than it's all the israelis. (poor typing!)

And i meant why aren't they upset...

[politicasista]

9. The Senate unanimously supports Israel

According to a thread in GD. Some will say it's like supporting the Iraq war and why we need a non senator in the WH.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1676262

[karynnj]

10. The problem is they will have no one to vote for

Clark has already given a plan on the O'Reily show that they will not agree with. None of the governors will condemn Israel. Gore and Edwards are unlikely to condemn Israel - so that leave?

[politicasista]

11. Good observation

I don't think even the Congressional Black Caucus will condem Israel either.

[ray of light]

12. Israel doesn't need condemning...what it needs is help & diplomacy

and there's a huge difference between those two actions.

Right now there is nothing but silence. That's what's not good. We should have Condi there, or send Clinton or for God's sake have Clinton go on his own!

But Israel shouldn't be condemned anymore than Lebanon should be condemned. Hezbollah needs to be condemned and a diplomatic resolution that helps Lebanon fight Hezbollah with an international peace keeping force.

[Mass]

14. Yes, but unfortunately, the dems accepted to co-sponsor a resolution

with the ultra-neo-cons that is more bent on attacking Iran and Syria than trying to help to find a diplomatic solution. I dont exactly understand what went thru their mmind, but if they think that the solution to this problem is to co-sponsor another resolution that does nothng, I am a little worried.

[Mass]

15. Most of them do not vote dem anyway. and Kucinich. as I said, did

not condemn Israel.

[karynnj]

16. Sorry, you are right - I misunderstood - so I edited my post

[Mass]

13. Kucinich's bill does not condemn Israel. It asks Bush to act to get

the diplomacy working over there. It is actually a very good bill and it is unfortunate that the Senate Dems rushed to co-sponsor a bill with the neo-cons.

It is really disturbing to see that all 44 Democratic senators are co-sponsors of a bill that proposes absolutely nothing while moderate Republicans like Chafee, Hagel, Warner, Lugar understand that this bill is a problem.

[ProSense]

17. Another assessment of Hezbollah

Lebanon battles raise Hezbollah questions

By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer Wed Jul 19, 4:37 PM ET

BEIRUT, Lebanon -
Israel said Wednesday it had wiped out half of Hezbollah's arsenal in a week of fighting, but the Shiite guerrilla group and some experts say that claim is wishful thinking. With supply lines disrupted and no early cease-fire in sight, the big question is how long Hezbollah can hold out.

Snip...

But many experts believe Israel has little chance of eliminating the rockets entirely unless it launches a ground offensive to push the group's rocket launchers back so they cannot reach Israel.

And a ground offensive could be costly in terms of casualties, at a time when Hezbollah chief Sheik Hassan Nasrallah has made no secret of his wish to see his guerrillas take on Israelis face-to-face.

Without a ground operation, said Israeli counterterrorism expert Boaz Ganor, "It can be assumed that they will get new rockets from Iran and Syria. I think they have room to breathe for weeks. If they get more supplies ... it can last longer."

Snip...

Hezbollah also has other assets — beyond its rockets — that could help ensure its long-term survival as an effective fighting force: The religious conviction of its guerrillas, their mastery of traditional guerrilla tactics and the popular support they enjoy among Lebanon's 1.2 million Shiites, particularly in the south.

Snip...

Mostly drawn from the region, Hezbollah's estimated 5,000 to 6,000 fighters can easily blend into the local population, relying on residents for food, water and shelter.

Hezbollah also is known to have mastered concealment, with much of its hardware buried underground or hidden in olive and orange groves.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060719/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_hezbollah

[Mass]

18. GD is more and more deadly. I have never seen a question

divide people that deeply. Usually, the lines are fairly predictable, but here, this is absolutely insane, as if nobody was ready to consider the two parties (Lebanese and Israelis).

Either they support the Israeli govt without any conditions or they support Hezbollah (whether they want or not) because they are not ready to condemn it while they overcondemn Israel, though I have met more of the second type than of the first type.

Cant people remember that both sides are human beings and that these people have done nothing that justify for them to be killed or wounded.

I got crazy when some started to quote Buchanan and contest the fact that he is a big racist, antisemitic. I dont really see how these people can call themselves progressives.

[ProSense]

19. It's hate (or ignorance). This is why cool heads need to prevail

July 19, 2006
In Break With Bush, Iraqi Leader Assails Israel
By EDWARD WONG and MICHAEL SLACKMAN

BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 19 - Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq on Wednesday forcefully denounced the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, marking a sharp break with President Bush's position and highlighting the growing power of a Shiite Muslim identity across the Middle East.

"The Israeli attacks and airstrikes are completely destroying Lebanon's infrastructure," Mr. Maliki said at an afternoon news conference inside the fortified Green Zone, which houses the American embassy and the seat of the Iraqi government. "I condemn these aggressions and call on the Arab League foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo to take quick action to stop these aggressions. We call on the world to take quick stands to stop the Israeli aggression."

The American Embassy did not answer a reporter's request for a response.

The comments by Mr. Maliki, a Shiite Arab whose party has close ties to Iran, were noticeably stronger than those made by Sunni Arab governments in recent days. Those governments have refused to take an unequivocal stand on Lebanon, reflecting their concern about the growing influence of Iran, which has a Shiite majority and has been accused by Israel of providing weapons to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant group.

The ambivalence of those governments has angered many Sunni Arabs in those countries, despite the centuries of enmity between the Sunni and Shiite branches of Islam.

Snip...

Sunni Arab leaders in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf Countries have complained that since the rise of a Shiite majority governing Iraq, and with Iran pressing ahead with its nuclear program, Tehran stands to emerge as the regional power. Unlike the other countries, Iran has only a tiny minority of Arabs, with Persians making up a slight majority. (Azeris are the second-largest ethnic group there.)

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/19/world/middleeast/19cnd-shiites.html

This could easily spiral out of control!