The damage Israel is causing to its support base in the United States is becoming more apparent. A very bright warning flare went up this weekend, appearing once again in the New York Times. This time, it was columnist Nicholas Kristof who took a much bolder and far less speculative step than his colleague, Tom Friedman did last week by suggesting that the very heart of AIPAC’s mission—annual military aid to Israel—should be phased out.
Friedman, you might recall, floated the idea that a “reassessment” of the United States’ relationship with Israel might be on the horizon, if not already starting. As I noted, that was meant as a warning to Israel, not a reflection of any actual steps by Joe Biden’s White House to launch a policy process of reassessment. Indeed, as subsequent events confirmed, and as was indicated by the fact that Friedman cited no sources, even anonymous ones, this was the columnist trying to use his column to get Israel to back off because political winds are shifting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not heed the warning, instead moving forward uncompromisingly on his domestic agenda and misleading the media about his conversation with Biden. Needless to say, that didn’t sit well in Washington.
Leading liberal Zionist voices call for ending U.S. aid to Israel
Tag: Nicholas Kristof
All aboard the gravy train: an independent audit of US funding for Ukraine
In the absence of official scrutiny of Washington’s spending spree on Ukraine, The Grayzone conducted an independent audit of US funding for the country. We discovered a series of wasteful, highly unusual expenditures the Biden administration has yet to explain.
All aboard the gravy train: an independent audit of US funding for Ukraine
Video via Jason Hunt (Threats to international peace and security – Security Council, 9364th meeting)
NYT: The ‘Unshakable’ Bonds of Friendship With Israel Are Shaking
Surprising opinion piece, from a New York Times columnist, although the author pretty much demonizes Syria and Iran. He also refuses to call what Israel is doing war crimes, instead they’re “possible war crimes.”
If you oppose war crimes only by your enemies, it’s not clear that you actually oppose war crimes.
The ‘Unshakable’ Bonds of Friendship With Israel Are Shaking
[2013] How the Bush administration sold the war – and we bought it
How the Bush administration sold the war – and we bought it
Related:
Paul Jay recently uploaded his interview, with Ambassador Joseph Wilson (whom passed away in September 2019), in segments: Reality Asserts Itself – Ambassador Joseph Wilson