The Nation's John Nichols : Obama Should Engage Now for Middle East Peace

[flpoljunkie]

Obama Should Engage Now for Middle East Peace
by John Nichols on 12/29/2008

An Israeli air assault on Palestinian targets in Gaza has taken an estimated 300 lives over the course of the past several days, and the death toll is mounting rapidly. Dozens of children have been killed, confirming that there is nothing "surgical" about these strikes.

Most U.S. media coverage portrays a simple struggle between Israelis on the one side and Gaza's Hamas militants on the other. This is the line that is being advanced aggressively by the Bush administration and that has effectively been accepted by President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, which is maintaining its "Bush speaks for the U.S. until January 20" line even as the crisis mounts. Following Bush's lead, Obama has refused to call for a more nuanced and effective U.S. response to an escalation of the Middle East conflict that Palestinian parliamentarian Mustafa Barghouti on Sunday described as the worst since the 1967 war in the region.

Obama and his aides should be openly counseling the Bush administration to use every diplomatic avenue to promote a ceasefire and, above all, to urge against an Israeli invasion and occupation of Gaza.

Unfortunately, the president-elect is doing nothing of the sort. Some may imagine that this disengaged approach confirms Obama as a true "friend of Israel."

But Jeremy Ben-Ami, the executive director of the U.S.-based pro-Israel, pro-peace advocacy group J Street, argues that: "While (the recent) air strikes by Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza can be understood and even justified in the wake of recent rocket attacks, we believe that real friends of Israel recognize that escalating the conflict will prove counterproductive, igniting further anger in the region and damaging long-term prospects for peace and stability. Respecting Israel's right to defend itself, we urge leaders there to recognize that there is no military solution to what is fundamentally a political conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples."

http://jstreet.org/campaigns/statement-jeremy-ben-ami-executive-director-israeli-airstrikes-gaza

more...

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/392156/obama_should_engage_now_for_middle_east_peace?rel=hp_picks

[EFerrari]

1. Exactly. John Nichols nails it again. n/t

[babylonsister]

2. The * admin has made it quite clear they're not interested in

engaging with anyone, everything is going according to plan, thank you very much.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4732293&mesg_id=4732293

One senior Bush administration official told the Washington Post that he thinks the Israelis acted in Gaza “because they want it to be over before the next administration comes in” and because “they can’t predict how the next administration will handle it.” Indeed, Bush has become fairly predictable in how he manages these sorts of crises.

[bunnies]

3. k&r.

Its getting to the point that Obama really needs to SAY something. Anything. Anything at all, PE... We're all waiting.

[biopowertoday]

4. Dennis K. said there should be a UN probe of this disproportionate bombing and

I agree.

[flpoljunkie]

5. JSteet.org response to the Israeli air strikes on Gaza...

While this morning's air strikes by Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza can be understood and even justified in the wake of recent rocket attacks, we believe that real friends of Israel recognize that escalating the conflict will prove counterproductive, igniting further anger in the region and damaging long-term prospects for peace and stability.

Respecting Israel's right to defend itself, we urge leaders there to recognize that there is no military solution to what is fundamentally a political conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.

Read the full statement here.

http://jstreet.org/campaigns/statement-jeremy-ben-ami-executive-director-israeli-airstrikes-gaza

[biopowertoday]

18. Thank you. I was not award of this organization.

[Political Tiger]

6. "Obama....should be openly counseling the Bush administration..."

Obama and his aides should be openly counseling the Bush administration to use every diplomatic avenue to promote a ceasefire and, above all, to urge against an Israeli invasion and occupation of Gaza.

The problem with that is that I think we all know Bush and his cronies are going to do what they damn well please.

[JuniperLea]

7. It would only piss BushCo off...

Best let those sleeping dogs alone until 1/20/09... who knows what they'd do if Obama got all "uppity" on them.

[Political Tiger]

8. Yes.

And it wouldn't surprise me if Bush did the opposite of what Obama suggests just to spite him.

[JuniperLea]

10. Indeed!

He's just that sort of childish asshole. I'm sure he's doing all he can to make it tough on Obama already. No need to fuel that fire!

[EFerrari]

9. But at least the level of public debate would be changed.

[Uzybone]

11. Easy to say from the sidelines OP ed

Obama is not the president. We would all like to remove Busy yesterday but Obama is not president. Apart from being unseemly, it would be counter productive for Obama to openly counsel the current president on a foreign affairs issue of this sort.

[Cha]

12. Rec'd~ This sounds right to me..thanks John NIchols..

"But Jeremy Ben-Ami, the executive director of the U.S.-based pro-Israel, pro-peace advocacy group J Street, argues that: "While (the recent) air strikes by Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza can be understood and even justified in the wake of recent rocket attacks, we believe that real friends of Israel recognize that escalating the conflict will prove counterproductive, igniting further anger in the region and damaging long-term prospects for peace and stability. Respecting Israel's right to defend itself, we urge leaders there to recognize that there is no military solution to what is fundamentally a political conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples."

[flpoljunkie]

13. Speaking of JStreet, JStreet was formed to be an alternative to AIPAC

Of which, I am sure you are aware.

[Cha]

14. No, but good to

know..thanks, Florida~

[flpoljunkie]

15. Sure. TPMtv's Day in 100 Seconds takes on media response to Israel's bombinb Gaza

There was actually some pushback from some reporters today, notably on CNN.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/249685.php

[Cha]

16. Thanks for that.. well put together clips

by TPM..the whitehouse spokesguy doesn't even try to cover for bush while the Middle East is Inflamed.

[zulchzulu]

17. John needs to realize that we have one President at a time

I know John, live near him, have coffee with him sometimes... and he is usually spot on on most things.

But here, he is not correct.

Obama isn't President yet. He gave up his Senate seat. Obama can't talk policy that overshadows the Bush administration for about twenty three more days. It's that simple. He can counsel with the Bush administration as well as members of his pre-appointed cabinet. He can perhaps be next to Bush if he agrees with him if Bush goes on record publicly talking about what's going on. But Obama doesn't have the Presidential podium yet.

[flpoljunkie]

19. Obama has disagreed with Bush on Iraq policy so that 'he's not president yet' seems a weak excuse

I would hope that, if asked (apparently he is not going to say anything otherwise) Obama would call for a cease fire, that both sides should exercise restraint in order not to make a future peace agreement impossible.