Mr. Experience Barack Obama Continues WAR in Middle East. News&Opinion

by djermano | June 5, 2008 at 05:57 am | 35 views | add comment | 0 recommendations

The International Institute of Nonviolence

Rev. Jermano

Barack Obama or should I say "Mr. Experience" is setting the stage for more War and Conflict by his inflaming words against Palestinians and the Arab world. Just as Republicans have divided the US, Barack Obama has taken on the Republican cause. Really Barack Obama is considering John McCain as his VP, or is John McCain considering Barack as his VP? According to Aljazerra News Mr. Barack Obama has already assured Israel new funding, and a committment to Israels continued occupation and undivided control of Jerusalem. Sounds like words for War in my view, and shows really why Barak Obama left his Church. According to Barack, discrimination is only permissable and leveled when it comes to him and black vs white in America, but when Barack speaks his unbiased thoughts for the Middle East he has no problem with being a bigot when it comes to Arabs vs. Jews.

Arabs shocked by Obama Speech

Arab leaders have reacted with anger and disbelief to an intensely pro-Israeli speech delivered by Barack Obama, the US Democratic presumptive presidential nominee.

Obama told the influential annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Council (Aipac): "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided."

His comments appalled Palestinians who see occupied East Jerusalem as part of a future Palestinian state.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, told Al Jazeera on Thursday: "This is the worst thing to happen to us since 1967 ... he has given ammunition to extremists across the region".

"What really disppoints me is that someone like Barack Obama, who runs a campaign on the theme of change - when it comes to Aipac and what's needed to be said differently about the Palestinian state, he fails."
"I say to Obama ... please stop being more Israeli than the Israelis themselves, leave the Israelis and Palestinians alone to make decisions required for peace."

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, rejected the statement, saying: "We will not accept an independent Palestinian state without having Jerusalem as the capital.

"I believe that case is clear."

He said: "Jerusalem is part of the six points that are subjects on the negotiations' agenda.

"And the whole world knows that East Jerusalem, Arab Jerusalem and Holy Jerusalem were occupied in 1967."
Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, the largest Palestinian resistance group, also condemned the speech, saying on Thursday: "These statements slash any hope of any change in the American foreign policy.

"[They] assure that there is a total agreement between the two parties, the Democratic and the Republican, on support for the Israeli occupation at the expense of the rights of Arabs and Palestinian interests."The ancient city of Jerusalem is divided into East and West. Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and unilaterally annexed it, in a move condemned by the United Nations as illegal.

Jerusalem's status as part of Israel is not internationally recognised and remains a central issue in peace negotiations.

'Unbreakable bond'

Obama, hours after securing his party's nomination on Wednesday, had gone on to say the US bond with Israel was "unbreakable today, unbreakable tomorrow, unbreakable for ever" and drew a standing ovation.

He told the gathering of one of US politics' most influential lobbying groups that, as president, he would "never compromise when it comes to Israel's security."

He also said any deal between Israelis and Palestinians should preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state and that Hamas should be isolated and pledged to approve $30bn in aid to Israel over the next 10 years.

'Impressive speech'

Ehud Olmert,Israels Prime Minister,called the Illinois Senators speech"very impressive."

"His words on Jerusalem were very moving," Olmert told reporters after meeting Goerge Bush, the US President , at the White House.

The Illinois senator's comments come a day after US media projected that Obama had enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination and face John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate, in the November election.

Iranian 'threat'

Obama had harsh words for Iran, vowing to work to "eliminate" the threat it posed to security in the Middle East and around the globe.

Obama said an "undivided Jerusalem should
remain the capital of Israel" [AFP]

"There's no greater threat to Israel or to the peace and stability of the region than Iran," he told the Aipac assembly.

Calling for "aggressive, principled diplomacy" with Tehran, he also warned he would never take the military option off the table in guaranteeing US and Israeli security.

Iranians responded cautiously, but optimisticly, with officials expressing hope he can bring about change in Iran-US relations.

Hamidreza Hajibabaee, member of Iranian parliament, said: "We hope that Obama turns his words into actions, helps the Islamic Republic of Iran believe that the US has given up enmity and paves the way for fair negotiations."