Gordon Robinson | Don’t ask if it’s about the money …
Published:Tuesday | November 21, 2023 | 12:06 AM
On Friday, November 10, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said: “Far too many Palestinians have been killed; far too many have suffered these past weeks.”
It was the strongest expression of concern for Palestinians uttered by a USA official since the slaughter of Palestinians began after a horrific October 7 attack by Hamas that Israel called a “sneak” attack. But it was anything but covert. Thousands of armed Hamas terrorists breached a border security fence; indiscriminately tortured and gunned down Israeli civilians in their homes; took 200+ hostages; attacked soldiers, caught off-guard, on military bases. Other Hamas militants on motorboats stormed Israeli beaches. More para-glided into Israel and launched a barbaric attack at an open-air music festival. Thousands of missiles were launched from Gaza into Israel.
“Sneak”? I. Don’t.Think. So.
How’d this massive, multi-divisional invasion surprise Mossad, Israel’s highly touted Intelligence Agency, and catch Israel’s world-rated Defence Forces so flat-footed? Did it?
Many world leaders, following US President Joe Buddy’s lead, swiftly affirmed Israel’s right to “defend itself”. But “self-defense” quickly became brutal retaliation against anything in Gaza. Israeli’s Intelligence and Military trousers-down blunder turned into the excuse for ethnic cleansing of Palestinian civilians and an overt purpose to remove Palestinians from Gaza.
US, with WWII compadre, UK, stood firm in its support of Israel. Recently awkward discomfort at Israel’s stubborn determination to eradicate Palestinians (oops, sorry, “Hamas”) despite US’ requests for a tempered approach has surfaced. US/UK are aware of their original sin of creating Israel within Palestine so must find ways to defend eating that apple while integrating its creation in the outside world.
I know. The metaphor is mixed. So sue me!
As President Buddy’s poll ratings continue slipping, US suddenly shows sympathy for 11,000 plus slaughtered Palestinians. The response by Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s UN representative, while addressing the General Assembly, renders any analysis by me redundant. Her emphatic exposure of US hypocrisy is reproduced verbatim:
“The United States does not get to pretend that it stands with the Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
It does not get to pretend this when the United States has just approved an additional US$14.5 billion military aid package to Israel as Israel pummels Palestinian civilians to the ground most of them refugees and children.
The US is also planning to send US$320 million in precision bombs to Israel according to the Wall Street Journal.
Can the United States explain how this is in line with ANY of its obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law let alone its commitments made under the political declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas?
It is unsurprising that the stock prices of weapons manufacturers have skyrocketed over the recent period and continue to rise as Israel bombards Gaza. For example, the market value of the biggest US weapons manufacturers increased by over US$23 billion after the October 7 and it is undeniable that the United States profits from war throughout its entire history. There are only 15 years in which the United States has not been at war with another country.
LET. THAT. SINK. IN!
So NO! You do not get to say you stand with Palestinian civilians until you stop sending arms to Israel as it commits genocide.”
RADDAM!
Maybe US is blind, deaf and dumb. It’s more likely a caricature of an old tongue twister: “Amidst the mists and cold frosts, he thrusts his hands against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.”
US pretends the ghosts of displaced post-WWII Jews desperately seeking a home still exist. USA pretends it doesn’t know they’ve been replaced by a cruel, despotic nation led by its cruellest, most despotic PM whose goal is Palestinians’ ethnic cleansing or displacement. USA pretends it doesn’t know the Israeli method has been decades of imprisonment, oppression and slaughter. USA pretends it doesn’t understand that this method was as certain to create violent protest in Israel on October 7, 2023 as it did in Morant Bay on October 11, 1865.
Violent protest’s tools have evolved since 1865 but violent protest’s motivation, namely a people’s freedom, remains identical. USA pretends it knows not. Jamaica follows pee-pee-cluck-cluck. But we know USA’s real purpose is governed by Goodman’s Law. What’s that?
Don’t ask if it’s about the money. It’s ALWAYS about the money.
Peace and Love
Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com