Israel

My understanding, perhaps wrong, is that Egypt is the largest official
recipient and Israel (with less than one tenth the population...) is second.
But there may well be covert funding to Israel, since we know that the CIA
has various secret funds that it spends out of the public eye. Perhaps the
"victory" of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan  will give the CIA another
source of income....from the increased heroin trade.

Within Israel are two legal classes of Arabs.....Israeli citizens and,
basically, guest workers (mainly Palestinians from the West Bank or other
places). The "guest workers", as immigrants, have virtually no rights.

The Israeli citizens who are Arab by language and ethnicity can, legally,
vote, even become the leader of the Israeli government.....but the reality
is severe housing segregation and job discrimination. This is intensified by
the fact that the Israeli government gives special benefits (education,
other kinds of financial benefits) to veterans. But Arab citizens are not
permitted to join the military. So they are not eligible to receive those
benefits.

I cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy of the above comments, but I'm
pretty sure they are accurate....

Alan Spector

====================================================


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan DeVore" <devorejd@po.muohio.edu>
To: "WORLD SYSTEMS NETWORK" <wsn@csf.colorado.edu>
Cc: <KSamman@aol.com>; "Nick Robinson" <robinsnd@muohio.edu>
Sent: Friday, March 08, 2002 3:25 PM


> Hello WSN,
>
> As a recent student of the world, I have only recently begun to learn
about
> the "Israeli/Palestinian Conflict."  Much of the information I have
received
> (appreciably) from WSN has been critical of Israeli policy, and rather
> recently (earlier in the week) a woman from Cincinnati (a former Lt.
Colonel
> in the Israeli Defense Force) came to our campus in order to speak to some
> of these issues.  Accordingly, I went to hear the talk.  There were many
> critical audience members attending.  A group of students were handing out
> fliers at the door, which they had printed out from Global Exchange
> (http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/palestine/palestineTopTen.pdf)
> entitled the "Top Ten Reasons to Oppose U.S. Aid to Israel".  The speaker
> claimed that the information contained in the flier was full of
"Palestinian
> propaganda."  The flier claims, for example, that Israel is the "largest
> recipient of US foreign aid in the world."  The speaker claimed this was
> false, that in fact it was Egypt that was the largest recipient of US aid.
> Could this be a methodological or definitional discrepancy between the two
> claims?  Another example: in response to an audience member's question,
she
> stated that the claim that Palestinian's are treated as
"second/third-class
> citizens" in Israel is unfounded.
>
> Unfortunately, I realize that I am approaching these issues with a very
> limited and relatively ahistorical perspective.  The reason, then, why I
am
> writing WSN is so that I might gain some valuable insight from any
concerned
> members of the list: first, regarding the accuracy of the information
> contained in the Global Exchange flier, second, regarding the information
> contained in a reaction/response the speaker recently emailed to a friend
of
> mine (pasted below).  I look forward to any responses, suggested readings,
> etc.
>
> Thank you kindly for your concern,
> Jonathan DeVore
>
>
> **************************************
>
> Hi Nick,
> I still didn't get the chance to find all the figures and info that I
> promised to send to you, but I'll do it within the next few days.
> Here are some points that I thought you may be interested to consider
while
> speaking up for one side of the conflict:
>
> 1. Palestinian Violence and the Israeli Response
>
>          a. Today, the 'Tanzim' is the faction responsible for most
>          acts of terrorism and violence. This faction is an organ of
>          the 'Fatah', which, in turn, is associated with the
>          Palestinian Authority. Regrettably, the PA, which is
>          obligated to prevent and confront terrorism, has instead
>          become an objective of Israeli counter-terrorist operations.
>          Beyond interdicting terrorist attacks, and destroying the
>          terrorist infrastructure, Israeli's counter-terrorist
>          operations are also meant to send a clear message to those
>          that are responsible for preventing Palestinian terrorism -
>          that they must fulfill their obligations without delay.
>
>          b. The activities of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are
>          neither revenge nor retaliation. Rather, they are ongoing
>          and continuous operations, which are now carried out with
>          greater intensity in order to prevent terrorism and uproot
>          its infrastructure. It must be stressed, that these
>          operations are directed against terrorism, and not against
>          the Palestinian people. Israel has no intention of
>          'punishing' the civilian population, and certainly no desire
>          of 'retaking' territories that has already been transferred
>          to PA responsibility. The IDF is simply carrying out its
>          mission to combat terrorism. While this occasionally
>          requires Israeli entry into 'Area A', upon the completion of
>          the mission, IDF units return to their bases.
>
>          c. As far as Israel is concerned, the PA's capacity to fully
>          control its territories is not the issue. Even if the PA's
>          control is less than complete, the achievement of a
>          cessation of terrorism is a direct function of the PA's
>          resolve to confront it. This resolve is clearly lacking on
>          the part of the PA. Should the Palestinians prove, in word
>          and deed, that they are genuinely fighting terrorism, Israel
>          believes that they will indeed succeed in eradicating the
>          terrorists and their infrastructure. At such a stage, the
>          parties will then be able to resume their process of
>          dialogue under peaceful conditions, and return to the
>          negotiating table. This then constitutes the answer for
>          those who seek a political horizon in the present situation
>          -- today, the political horizon consists of a cessation of
>          terrorism, a restoration of calm and a return to the
>          negotiating process.
>
>          d. IDF Restraint - The Israel Defense Forces have taken upon
>          themselves to limit their use of military force in the
>          campaign against terrorism. This self-restraint is due
>          to legal and moral considerations, as well as a desire to
>          prevent harm to the Palestinian civilian population
>          uninvolved in terrorism. As a result of this restraint,
>          Israeli soldiers and policemen are exposing themselves to
>          greater personal danger, and the State of Israel is taking
>          upon itself a greater national risk. It would be hard to
>          find any other army or nation in the world which would act
>          as Israel does in the war against terrorism. Israel has
>          shown restraint in the face of rocket attacks on its cities
>          (ie Sderot), gunfire on the neighborhoods of its capital
>          (ie. Gilo), and the intentional targeting of innocent
>          mothers and their children on street corners, of youths at
>          discotheques and malls and of guests at Bat Mitzvah
>          celebrations and bridal receptions. Only an army which
>          adopts moral restraints, and which operates out of a
>          democratic mandate, can act in such as way -- even when
>          fighting against indiscriminating terrorists and suicide
>          bombers for which any and all targets are legitimate.
>
>
> 2. The Saudi Initiative
>
> It is encouraging that Saudi Arabia has come out with a plan that in
> effect represents a group of ideas predicated upon the conclusion of
> a peace agreement and the implementation of normalization with
> Israel. This in itself is a positive and encouraging development.
> Naturally, the details of such an agreement must be determined in the
> framework of the permanent status accords negotiated between Israel
> and her neighbors.
>
> 3. The Israeli Internal Debate
>
> There are those who present the internal debate now taking place
> within Israel as a domestic weakness. However, quite the opposite is
> true. The internal debate, and the diversity of views expressed, are
> phenomena that demonstrate the open democratic nature of Israeli
> society and bear witness to its inner strength. It is unfortunate
> that no such openness is similarly visible on the other side. Indeed,
> such candidness could be helpful in promoting understanding between
> the two peoples.
>
>     Noga
> Noga Maliniak
> Community Shlicha
> Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
> 4380 Malsbary Rd. Suite 200
> Cincinnati, OH 45242
> Phone 513-985-1520
> Fax 513-985-1503
>
> For 2000 years Jews yearned to go to Israel, how about this summer?
> The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati offers grants of $3,000 - $4,000 for
> students to travel to Israel. Ask me for details!
> www.jewishcincinnati.org
>