It's No Mystery

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was traveling, hat in hand, throughout the Middle East this week in a futile attempt to convince Arab governments to cut all funding to the Hamas-led Palestinian government. She and the Bushies seemed totally bewildered as to why they cannot get anyone to agree to the US idea of boycotting and isolating the new government.

The answer to their bewilderment is elementary – the US idea is WRONG.

The Bush Administration responded to Hamas assuming the reins of power in the Palestinian Authority by demanding the return of $50 million in aid, and urging others to join it in cutting all funding until the movement agrees to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept existing peace treaties. Israel — with its center-right government looking over its right shoulder ahead of next month's election — has even suspended the transfer of tax and customs revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority, that form the bulk of its budget. But when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was rebuffed by both Egypt and Saudi Arabia this week as she sought their support to cut all funding to a Hamas-led government, she was left to concede that "different countries will have different modalities and how to deal with this." In other words, the U.S. attempt to impose a financial blockade on the Palestinian Authority to force immediate concessions from Hamas has essentially been stillborn.

Palestinians freely elected their government, the elections were not crooked or stolen, their right to self determination is just that – THEIR RIGHT. If America really is true to it's ideals - not the hypocritical imperialist we appear to be, Palestinians deserve our respect and they deserve non-interference from America. We should support them – not shun them.
Posted on The Human Stain