"Israel must be like a mad dog, too dangerous to bother." – Moshe Dayan

Moshe Dayan was one of the founding fathers of the state of Israel. His political and military successors are certainly living up to his frightening advice. In retaliation for the capture of an Israeli soldier, a policy of collective punishment has deprived Gazans of food, medicine, electricity and their lives. Israel has invaded a sovereign nation, Lebanon, bombed the Beirut airport and cut the nation off from the rest of the world. “Nothing is safe in Lebanon, simple as that,” said Israeli General Dan Halutz.

Not only are the Lebanese being killed by Israeli bombs, but CNN won’t even mention it to their viewers. Anyone watching CNN or the other networks would think that Israel’s arms magically avoid hitting human beings. The rest of the corporate media join in reporting the party line, that Israel is threatened, endangered and entitled to keep killing Arabs.

Not only is the media guilty of sins of omission, but they are once again assisting the administration and Israel in spreading outright lies. It was inexcusable when the press spread the falsehood that Iran was involved in capturing soldiers at the Lebanese border. More inexcusable was the lie that the soldiers would be sent to Iran. No stone is ever left unturned in the effort to drum up support for war against Iran.

It is ironic that this latest bloodshed has taken place on the anniversary of Israel’s first foray into wars of aggression. On July 11, 1948 Colonel Moshe Dayan led a battalion in the attack on the town of Lydda. After a brief uprising, 250 died, nearly all Arabs. Beginning on July 12, 1948 Major Yitzhak Rabin ordered the expulsion en masse of the Arab populations in the towns of Lydda and al-Ramla.

The residents of al-Ramla had surrendered without incident. Neverthless they were driven to the front lines and ordered to start walking. For three days between 30,000 and 50,000 Arab civilians were expelled from their homes in the same manner, in 100 degree heat. The number who perished is unknown.

Those days 58 years ago were the beginning of what Palestinians call al-Nakba, “the catastrophe.” Al-Nakba continues to this day for Arabs unlucky enough to live near Israel.

Al-Nakba is unknown to all but a few in this country. Most Americans still foolishly ask, “Why do they hate us?,” or dismiss Arabs as crazed, violent people with no reason to be upset.

Pointing out that Israel sent thousands to die in the desert always results in an outpouring of invective peculiar to entitled groups. The charges are made as if by rote. Every critic is labeled an anti-Semite, or a terrorist sympathizer. We are endlessly told that Israel is America’s ally, and the only democracy in the Middle East.

Americans are permitted to be “anti” any nation on earth, but special scorn and punishment is heaped on anyone who dares express criticism of Israel, whose supporters are blatant in their demand that everyone either join the cheerleading or keep quiet. Israel insists on singling itself out to commit acts that are rejected by every other democracy on earth, yet mention of Israel’s killing of civilians is inevitably followed by a plaintive wail that Israel is being singled out for criticism.

The military industrial complex, neocons who publicly declared that Israel should be the only military power in the region, and right wing Christians who yearn for the rapture are the deciders. Politicians who have dared to defy Israel and its American supporters have all been targeted for political defeat. Facing an opponent financed by AIPAC is the price to pay for speaking up.

The Christian right has joined in the Israeli protection racket. They are far more right wing than they are Christian. Some believe that the rapture will come faster if Israel kills more people. Others think that Israel is anointed of God and should be allowed to do what it wants. They seem to forget the Old Testament prophets who never shrank from condemning Israel’s rulers. Doing the bidding of the powerful trumps anything they may have learned in Sunday school.

Israelis must end the occupation of Palestine. They must tear down the wall, remove settlements, free prisoners and make monetary restitution for the devastation of Palestine. Of course, the United States government would actually do that. The damage done with American permission will only be undone on our dime.

Secondly, Israel must join the Non Proliferation Treaty, as Iran has done, and submit to inspection of their arsenal containing between 100 and 300 nuclear warheads. The numbers of nukes are guesses because Israel neither denies nor confirms their existence.

If Israel will follow through on those actions it will have the support of most of the world and it will have true security instead of the security it now has. The security of a mad dog that terrorizes the neighborhood.

Margaret Kimberley's Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BC. Ms. Kimberley is a freelance writer living in New York City. She can be reached via e-Mail at [email protected]. You can read more of Ms. Kimberley's writings at freedomrider.blogspot.com.

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