MWA Director to President Obama: Proposed Sellout of Palestinians Unconscionable

Oct. 4, 2010 - PRLog -- WASHINGTON, D.C. (MWA-Net) – A report by the London-based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat earlier today quoted Israeli officials as saying that an agreement had been reached to extend the Israeli moratorium on West Bank settlement construction by 60 days. However neither the White House nor Israeli officials were reported as confirming, other than to indicate that negotiations toward an extension continued in the hope of salvaging the latest round of rapidly declining peace talks.

Details of the alleged agreement were revealed by researcher David Makovsky on the website of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the terms of which included numerous incentives crucial to Israel's security. Yes, you read that correctly.

For example, the U.S. would guarantee to prevent the smuggling of weapons and missiles into a Palestinian state; guarantee a lengthy period of interim security arrangements in the Jordan Valley, and guarantee a comprehensive regional defense pact for protection from Iran to follow the establishment of the Palestinian state, in addition to guaranteeing that the U.S. would veto any U.N. Security Council resolutions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year. The U.S. would also reportedly initiate talks with Arab countries toward a regional agreement vis-a-vis Iran.

But wait, there's more!

Israel would also receive an increase of the three billion dollar security aid package it already receives annually, together with upgraded security capabilities, including advanced fighter jets, early warning systems and satellites.

The final item in the President's proposal to sell out the Palestinians?

Assurance from the U.S. that it would also not ask Israel to further extend the settlement moratorium, in addition to pledging that the issue of settlements would be dealt with only as part of final-status talks with the Palestinians.

Wait a minute. The U.S. is the only country standing beside Israel while the rest of the world condemns its actions in the occupied territories, and Israel receives more aid from the U.S. than any other country in the world, and the U.S. administration is accepting ultimatums from Israel?

Mr. President, when you were elected into office, the entire world embraced the glimmer of hope you encouraged it to reach for, but as Israel continues to manipulate your administration, that hope, faith, trust and confidence is fading fast. The peace talks you so carefully orchestrated will go down in history as nothing more than a charade if you continue to allow Mr. Netanyahu to dictate your marching orders.

You, Mr. President, are the Commander-in-Chief, and we, the people standing in solidarity with Palestine, are waiting for you to start acting like it.

Mike Ghouse of the Foundation for Pluralism stated, "The world carries a collective burden of guilt for remaining silent and divisive in humiliating a population that has lived in humility for nearly three generations. As Americans we ought to be ashamed of these policies - where the mighty keeps oppressing the helpless, the little Davids against the Goliaths."

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Established in 2006, MWA is an internationally-based collaboration of Muslim women writers and advocates working together to counter negative and inaccurate perceptions regarding members of the Muslim community and the Islamic faith.