Ceasefire Momentarily Halts Bombs, But Not Funding
A ceasefire asks for some momentary quiet. It doesn't command peace, it doesn't fix the endemic social and political corrosion of the region.
A ceasefire was finally accepted by Israel on Thursday, signaling an end to 11 straight days of ceaseless shelling upon the world's largest open-air prison, the Gaza Strip.
It is important to remember that this ceasefire is not a solution to the issue of Israeli occupation and settlements. As much as a ceasefire provides a slight opportunity to breath, it does not take away from the death, destruction, and decay forcibly imposed upon the Palestinian people. Even for families that found survival on the other end of this assault, vital infrastructure is ruined and access to clean water, food, and medical attention is scarce.
It is also important to keep in mind that the United States was as much an accomplice as they were a discourteous bystander amid Israel's ruthless campaign.
During the span of the siege on Gaza, Biden's administration, in long tradition with past administrations, kept up their game of blocking U.N. resolutions, this time doing it five separate times so that Israel's hands could remain free to go forth with the violence.
Also, in addition to choosing to keep funneling the annual $3.8 Billion in military aid to Israel, the Biden administration authorized another $735 Million in weapons sales to the regime. Even as all the energy was being directed towards Israeli aggression, Biden remained adamant about avoiding any real confrontation on the foreign policy matter.Â
On Tuesday, Biden was in Michigan test driving electric cars to the ooh's and ahh's of the press corps. As the president was going to showoff the horsepower of a Ford electric truck to the excitement of the obsequious reporters, one of them, in groveling bashfulness requested to ask Biden a question regarding Israel and Palestine. Biden replied in a joking manner found humorous only by the sycophantic press present there, that she could not "unless [she] get in front of the car" as he floors it.Â
Biden apparently thought that his hollow hopes and rickety requests for a ceasefire was enough to keep the heat off of him for willingly standing by as Netanyahu remained, as always, intent on keeping up the assault on Palestinians until he deems necessary. And the giggling of the press probably supported that delusion.
What makes this very ordinary behavior from a U.S. president regarding the Israel-Palestine matter interesting is that it is finally being contrasted by a very visible shift in the national discourse on the issue.Â
As Biden and other top U.S. leaders continue to ignore, in large part, the destruction of Palestinian lives, journalistic capabilities, COVID testing capabilities, homes, hospitals, and morale, support for the Palestinians is gaining more traction in a moral argument that is untenable from a pro-Israel standpoint.
Politico quoted an unnamed pro-Israel House member this week as saying: "We have lost the emotional side of the argument."
For a long time, unconditional support for Israel was almost universal among elected officials. Though it wasn't advertised as such, it was perhaps the matter of most bipartisan confluence among establishment politicians looking to weigh themselves down with their pockets. And that one-sided consensus, no matter how clear it is that it takes the side of an oppressive regime, could never be called out for what it was because there was no real sense of any firm opposition. It was a backwards normalcy left to flourish with virtually no challenge.
But now, among members of Congress, Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, two of the three currently elected members of Congress, have led a shift in the Israel-Palestine discourse. Both have taken to Twitter and to the House floor to underline their critiques of the Israeli regime and their support for the occupied Palestinians and the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement.
Other Squad members, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and Cori Bush, have all spoken out against U.S. support for Israel and its assault on the human rights of the occupied Palestinians.
As Biden was urging for a deescalation with the same energy as a golfer asking for lightning in the forecast, AOC led an effort for a bill to block the recent weapons sale along with Reps. Tlaib and Mark Pocan. On Thursday morning, Bernie Sanders announced his intention to introduce legislation to the Senate that would do the same, and though it was always likely to fail, it would nevertheless put lawmakers on the record regarding Israel-Palestine, putting into plain view who is funded by and loyal to the Israel lobby.
This shift in discourse and tone, however, even if just coming from a single corner of Congress, is very significant. Pair it with the power of social media, and the foundation of Israeli support in the United States is visibly threatened to a degree never felt before.Â
Social media has proven to be a significant driver of this shift in public opinion because it offers many different sources both close to and actually on the ground in Gaza during the massacre. Twitter has been an important platform to raise awareness of the first hand experiences of those subject to the Israeli siege over the last week and a half by offering coverage that is virtually nonexistent on cable news and in many legacy outlets.
Sadly, however, just as easy as it is for accurate, raw coverage to gain a platform, there is a space for politicians that want to just posture as the condemners of Israel, obfuscating their ties to Israel.
That's the difference between calls for a ceasefire and calls to block arms sales to Israel. And in comparison to the boycotting, divestment, and sanctioning of Israel, requesting a ceasefire is the bare minimum and the least any person could do.
A ceasefire asks for some momentary quiet. It doesn't command peace, it doesn't fix the endemic social and political corrosion of the region. If anything, it's a recommendation to act natural because the whole world is looking at you. In that sense it's selfish; it's not "hey, buddy, maybe act like a human for once," it's more, "cut that out— will ya?— everyone's starting to look at me."
The heat is on, and those in conjunction with the Israel lobby are merely turning down the burners a little to buy them some air. It's all political, even if just along the lines of money; a ceasefire is just compromise— it's Senator Chuck Schumer saying, "Hey, Israel, I love ya, your money really makes my bank accounts blush, but if I can be honest for a second. . . see, the damn hippies here that vote for me every six years may not follow through if I look like I'm on your side. . . I mean, I am, all the way, but that's a bad look, ya know? I mean, you get it, Izzy, you understand the complications. So, I'm going to just say I want a ceasefire, and I'll dance the little liberal dance, but just know I love ya, Izzy, and I always will."
It's hard to imagine it is going any differently than that in Schumer's head— who at the 2019 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference said that he is "proud that the overwhelming majority of Democrats are pro-Israel, and always have been"— and the same goes for any of the moderate, establishment politicians— either Democrat or Republican— who rely on pro-Israel money to maintain their seemingly innate power.
According to Open Secrets, in the 2020 election cycle, pro-Israel groups spent more than $30 Million on contributions, doubling the roughly $15 Million contributed in each of the prior two cycles of 2016 and 2018. Atop the list of recipients in 2020 was President Joe Biden with over $3 Million in total.
Al Jazeera did a since-censored documentary, split into a four-part series, on the Israel lobby in 2018 that utilized an undercover reporter to highlight the sophisticated lobbying strategies of AIPAC, which is the leader among the pro-Israel lobbying groups and is a driving force behind the varied collection of individuals and organizations that flaunt heavy-hitting influence in Washington regarding the Zionist state. The main objective of AIPAC is to ensure that financial leverage is used in Congress in order to make sure the United States supports Israel forever, no matter what. AIPAC hosts a conference every year that gets pro-Israel politicians and donors together in one large lobbying extravaganza. Democrats Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Bob Menendez, as well as Republicans Ted Cruz, Mike Pence, and Kevin McCarthy have all addressed the conference, including many, many more.Â
"Everything AIPAC does is focused on influencing Congress," says former AIPAC official Eric Gallagher in the documentary.
What's most true regarding money in politics is that it speaks to Democrats with as much appeal as when it speaks to Republicans— love of money is very clearly bipartisan. The second truth on that list is that money is the primary key to power and the the pro-Israel groups that know this happen to be some of the most influential lobbyists and contributors. Therefore, when the power is threatened, it'll be countered with more and more money.
It's difficult to say if or even how that would be stopped other than a complete cancellation of any U.S. support for the nation— which is, unfortunately, highly unlikely anytime soon. If a politician refuses to accept money from pro-Israel groups, the money will just be offered to the opponent. It becomes a sort of situation that has no end because as one door closes, five more open up. It's a very sad fact, but AIPAC has their hands on almost all of Washington.
Former Congressman Jim Moran, who served in the House between 1991 and 2015, stated in the second installment of Al Jazeera's four-part series that when a candidate runs for Congress, they're given a questionnaire that serves as an evaluation of the candidate's loyalty to Israel. From there, AIPAC gains an insight on the candidates they want to support, fundraise for, and organizing messaging for. And considering that the sole intention of the large pro-Israel lobby is to keep Congressional alliances with Israel, the lobbying can infiltrate practically all politicians regardless of party or ideology.Â
Choosing to bypass on the favors of the Israel lobby, some elected officials not only face the threat of having their opponents on the receiving end of lump sums of pro-Israel money, but pro-Israel money will be expended towards attack ads on anyone who even hints at opposition to the Israeli regime.Â
Rep. Omar has been in the news several times after she expressed her support for Palestine and her disdain for Israeli supremacy. Early in 2019, the newly elected Omar tweeted an accusation that AIPAC pays significant amounts of money to Rep. Kevin McCarthy to remain as an ardent supporter of Israel. While it is undeniably true that contributions and lobbying keep establishment politicians like McCarthy beholden to Israel, the problem with the accusation was that AIPAC does distribute any contributions itself, and thus legally proving that through campaign finance documents would be impossible.Â
As the Al Jazeera film illustrates, AIPAC uses an effective and shady method of doling out financial support in exchange for loyalty to Israel. The film's undercover reporter, in a conversation with David Ochs, founder of pro-Israel advocacy group HaLev, describes the use of fundraisers to produce a pool of contributions for a candidate without it showing AIPAC as the source of the funds on disclosure forms.Â
"Congressmen and senators don’t do anything unless you pressure them," Ochs tells the reporter.
Ochs described another fundraiser hosted by a hedge fund manager named Jeffrey Talpins:
"What happens is Jeff meets with the congressman in the back room, tells them exactly what his goals are— and by the way, Jeff Talpins is worth $250 Million. . . Basically they hand him an envelope with 20 credit cards, and say, 'You can swipe each of these credit cards for a thousand dollars each.'"
This method of pooling the funds together and paying out with credit card information keeps the disclosure information in the dark. At this point, all that shows up on the campaign finance reports is the list of contributors without any of the specifics regarding the amount paid.Â
These clandestine strategies of distributing pro-Israel money around Washington maybe don't solidify Omar's allegation in 2019, but the advanced orchestration of their strategies verify that many contributions are going on in the dark.
The fact that Israel is such a polarizing entity, especially now more than ever, it is difficult to imagine that any politician would give unwavering support to Israel for free— not when the regime just inflicted waves of agony to an occupied population denied even the most basic forms of human rights while the rest of the world bore witness. It's almost a given that in every instance of support for Israel, that support is bought.
Rep. Omar, following her more recent comments made in defiance of the aggressors in Israel and their U.S. support, has been on the end of online attack ads purchased by AIPAC, unsubstantially portraying her as a supporter of terrorism.Â
Every step of the way, AIPAC and pro-Israel money keeps its hands on the discourse regarding the Israeli regime among Washington lawmakers, showing that even as Israel's support system begins to crumble, they are ready for a battle fought with advertising, messaging, and propaganda. As Israel feels their backs getting closer to a wall, more money will be desperately thrusted into the situation. This is and will continue to be a problem.
As solidarity for Palestine gains traction, Israeli money vows not go down without a fight.
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