The Elephant in the Room

The Elephant in the Room: How America’s Unconditional Support for Israel Undermines our Foreign Policy Objectives Carl Larson Abstract: America’s unconditional support for Israel is revealed as a burdensome relic of the Cold War. The contrast between U.S. and European opinion on the subject is ex- plored, and U.S. backing of Israel is revealed to have reduced support for America’s other strategic objectives. American enabling of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land is shown to run counter to the interests of the U.S., as well as to the security & prosperity of Israel itself. Peace in the Middle East is demonstrated to be important and relevant to the American people, and U.S. involvement is key to that process. The American pro- Israel lobby is shown to be extremely influential, and unrepresentative of the beliefs of mainstream U.S. and Israeli citizenry. The paper concludes by exploring the true cost of aid to Israel, as well as the negative effects to U.S. and U.N. credibility and effectiveness, and demonstrates a possible solution that would encourage peace and justice in the area, as well as help restore America’s moral standing and influence.

“A passionate attachment of one Nation for an- and Muslim states, even before the unilateral and other produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for internationally unpopular invasion of Iraq (Walt, the favorite Nation, facilitating the illusion of 2005). Our country has become reviled in the eyes an imaginary common interest in cases where of the other Muslim states of the world, and even no real common interest exists, and infusing among our traditionally steadfast allies, the Europe- into one the enmities of the other… It leads also ans, who owe the U.S. so much for our efforts dur- to concessions to the favorite Nation of privi- ing World War II and the Cold War, and who were leges denied to others, which is apt doubly to so sympathetic after the tragedy of 9/11. Concerned injure the Nation making the concessions; by Americans might wonder, “what’s going on?” unnecessarily parting with what ought to have A multitude of books have come out following been retained, and by exciting ill-will…” the tragic events of September 11th, attempting to identify and explain the course of events leading -President George Washington, 1796 up to America’s worst terrorist attack. Books such as Hatred’s Kingdom (Palmer & Palmer, 2004) and n American traveling in the Middle East Islam and Terrorism (Gabriel, 2002) attempt to pin does not have to wait long to learn or be A the blame exclusively upon extremist elements of reminded of the importance of the Israel-Palestine Saudi Wahabbism or other aspects of fundamental- conflict. Pick up a newspaper, watch local TV news ist Islam, thus reinforcing former President Bush’s or merely find an English-speaking native and ask view that terrorists do not disagree with our policies, what international issues are weighing on his coun- but rather “hate our freedoms” (Speech before Con- try’s mind. It has long been no secret that the Arabic gress, 2001). Recently, however, a number of highly countries have no love lost for Israel, and increas- controversial books such as Professors Stephan Walt ingly for the U.S. as well (The Economist, 2008). and John Mearsheimer’s The Israel Lobby (2007), “Why is this?” many American policy-makers have former President Jimmy Carter’s Palestine: Peace tried to determine. After all, America has an urgent not Apartheid (2006) and Norman Finkelstein’s Be- self-interest in keeping good relations with the Gulf yond Chutzpah (2005) have attempted to solve this States, and their all-important oil flowing. question by drawing attention to, and being very Unfortunately, in recent years, America’s reputa- critical of, America’s relationship with the nation tion has diminished dramatically among the Arab

UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 29 Larson of Israel. These books have opened a new subject Commission came under sharp criticism for reveal- that was previously only reluctantly discussed by ing certain parts of the poll, while failing to publish American policy makers, and postulate that perhaps the results which revealed the extent of mistrust for America would benefit from altering the nature of Israel and the U.S. (Washington Post, 2005). the relationship with its closest ally. Newspapers across Europe treat the matter of U.S. support for Israel as an obvious case of foreign Essential History policy gone seriously awry (Powell, 2004. Crook, 2002). European leaders are often much more criti- Israel is an unusual country in many ways. Not cal of Israel’s actions than American leaders. For- only is it a mere 60 years old, the nation is one of mer French President Jacques Chirac had no love only a few democratic countries in the Middle East, lost for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, calling and the only modern country founded exclusively him in French newspaper Le Monde “an obstacle by and for one ethnic group. Israel is also the only to peace” and suggesting that pro-Israel lobbying post-World War II country primarily built on land groups in the U.S. have “poisoned relations” be- seized during wartime. These facets of the coun- tween America and France (Levey, 2004). Spanish try’s existence have important implications for Is- President José Zapatero condemned Israel’s “abu- rael’s relationship to the neighboring Arab states, sive” acts of aggression and has worn a kafiyeh, the the world at large, the United Nations, and Israel’s checkered Arab head-covering associated with the powerful patron, the United States. Palestinian resistance movement, at several public Bring up the issue of Israel versus the Palestin- events to demonstrate his solidarity (AJC Press Re- ians in the United States, and the debate will typi- lease, 2006). Former British Prime Minister Tony cally be couched in such terms as “a two-thousand Blair has felt that the intractable conflict is impor- year-old conflict,” “east versus west,” “Democracy tant enough for him to volunteer for the foreseeable versus Islamofascism,” or even Israeli writer Mer- future to be Peace Emissary for the Quartet—The on Benveisti’s contention that the conflict is, in es- E.U., U.S., Russia and U.N. (Hughes, 2007). sence, a “primordial, irreconcilable, endemic shep- Major sections of European society have pushed herd’s war” (Finkelstein, 2005). It all seems very hard for pressure on Israel to return land captured in complicated. The natural inclination of Americans the 1967 Six-Day War and to further negotiate for is to avoid taking a side, or to be sympathetic to the peace. Influential organizations such as the Church Israelis. After all, aren’t we both Western, Judeo- of England, the UK’s Association of University Christian democracies fighting Islamic terrorism? Teachers, and entire municipalities in Norway However, if one discusses the conflict with a Euro- have decided to legislate boycotts against products pean or other non-American educated on this issue, made in the Occupied Territories, and against trade the primary issue brought up will probably be land. in military-related items (Palestine-Israel Action Whose land was it, who took it away from whom, Group Newsletter for Peace, 2007). Major com- and what is the just solution, leading to a lasting panies in Belgium, Sweden and France, as well as peace (Cohen, 2008)? This paper attempts to rec- trade unions from more than thirty countries includ- oncile the differences between these two attitudes, ing England, Ireland, Norway, France, South Africa and to discuss this major obstacle for peace in the and Canada have joined in this boycott (Belfast Middle East. Telegraph, 2009. Lazaroff, 2008). These actions, and general European sympathy for the basic rights Twin Beacons of Democracy? of the Palestinians as being equal to Israel’s right to security stand in stark contrast to the one-sided A 2003 poll undertaken of citizens from all of the opinions held by a majority of Americans (Mead, EU nations revealed some surprising news: over 2004). This broad difference in opinion about the half of all Europeans regard Israel as the greatest conflict is demonstrated by the much higher num- threat to world peace in the world, more so than bers of Europeans, rather than Americans, traveling even Iran or North Korea. According to the same to the Occupied Territories to work in the refugee poll, Europeans believe that the United States con- camps, protesting the route of Israel’s Separation tributes the most to world instability, along with Wall, and reporting human rights violations, as dra- Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea. The European matically illustrated in Israeli filmmaker Shai Car-

30 UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 The Elephant in the Room meli-Pollak’s first-hand documentary Bil’in Habibti Occupied Territories morally repugnant, and com- (“Bil’in, I love you”, 2007). parisons to South Africa’s policies of apartheid are A New York Times poll showed that 57% of becoming harder to deny. As reported in the Los Americans hold a favorable opinion of Israel, com- Angeles Times, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pared to only 28% of Europeans (Goldberg, 1998). admitted as much when he recently proclaimed that New York University professor Arthur Hertzberg, “if the two-state solution collapses, [Israel] will face the author of Jews: The Essence and Character of a South African-style struggle.” He went so far as to a People (1998), plainly states, “the general Ameri- argue that “as soon as that happens, the state of Is- can public has not had to think the issue through” rael is finished” (Mearsheimer, 2008). Other promi- (in Goldberg, 1998). nent Israelis, such as respected historians Ian Pappe and Tom Segas, globally-renowned Israeli human Why it Matters rights groups such as B’Tselem and Gush Shalom, as well as former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and Confronted with this disparity in views, an the revered Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, American might simply ask why one should care. have warned that continuing the occupation will In 2005, a bi-partisan State Department Advisory turn Israel into an apartheid state (Mearsheimer, Committee released a report saying that “put sim- 2008). ply, we have lost the goodwill of the world, without Internationally respected voices such as Nobel which it becomes ever more difficult to execute for- Peace Prize Laureate and former U.N. General eign policy.” The Committee continues by stating Secretary Kofi Annan have strongly accused Israel that “What can be heard around the world…is that of having “committed grave breaches of interna- America is less a beacon of hope than a dangerous tional humanitarian law,” and say that the country force to be countered,” (Washington Post, 2005). “has caused, and is causing, death and suffering Andrew Kohut is the director of the Pew Research on a wholly unacceptable scale.” U.N. Undersec- Center, the leading nonpartisan polling organization retary for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland has in the U.S. In his 2006 book America against the condemned “the excessive and disproportionate World: How We are Different, and Why We are Dis- use of force by the Israeli Defense forces”, U.N. liked, Kohut explains that High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Ar- US. military and economic power notwith- bour suggests that Israel is “perpetrating war crimes standing, we cannot be secure without the and crimes against humanity”, and Ann Veneman, respect, support, and yes, the affection, of Executive Director of UNICEF claims Israel is en- people in other lands. We are losing that; gaged in “the continued targeting of civilians, par- indeed, we may have lost it—and not just ticularly children” (Jerusalem Post, 2006). Nelson here and there, but in many places, even Mandela, probably the most revered and respected among longtime friends…Looking to the world statesman, has made many statements critical future, it is hard to think of a more impor- of Israel, oftentimes comparing that nation’s poli- tant topic than the relationship between cies to those of Apartheid South Africa, including the world’s most powerful nation and its the charge that Israel practices a “form of colonial- global neighbors (p IX). ism” (Australian/Israeli & Jewish Affairs Council Director Kohut continues by explaining the vast Review, Oct 2000). The clamor of this international disparity between the relative popularity of Israel condemnation undermines America’s moral legiti- among Americans versus the overwhelming disap- macy in the world, as our unconditional support of proval of Israel from the international community. the nation in question is seen to be directly against He points out that, while Arab and Muslim disap- the will of the world community. proval of Israel is at an overwhelming 90-98%, 50 Another comment often expressed regarding the to 60% of Western Europeans and Africans also issue is that the U.S. “is not involved” and should condemn Israel’s actions, and even 38% of Israelis just “let the two sides figure things out for them- surveyed view U.S. policy as unfair to the Palestin- selves” (Zunes, 2003). This dangerously passive ians. attitude ignores the reality of America’s role in per- A growing number of people from nations oth- petuating the conflict. The importance of American er than the U.S. are finding Israel’s actions in the attitudes toward the two sides of the Israel-Pales-

UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 31 Larson tine conflict can hardly be overstated. Writing in the Holocaust, most of the world community took it the Wall Street Journal in 2004, Palestinian Presi- upon itself to ensure the end of mass anti-Semitism.. dent Mahmud Abbas was typically candid when he What is not so commonly debated, by the American stated that “the climate of peace needs the help of people, is the current strategic value of Israel to the the United States…for without sustained pressure United States. on the Israeli government to sit down and negoti- America’s willingness to give Israel extensive ate, Israel will only bolster those within Palestinian economic, military, and diplomatic support would society who do not share the majority’s desire for be easy to understand if it advanced America’s peace…Palestinians cannot pursue the road-map overall strategic interests. Steadfast support for Is- alone” (Usher, 2006). rael would make sense if it helped make Americans As published in The Humanist, Rabbi Sherwin more secure or more prosperous or if it won the Wine’s insightful essay The United States Should U.S. additional friends around the globe and did not Intervene to End the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict undermine U.S. relations with other strategically (2002) makes clear the overwhelming case that, important countries, such as Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi without America’s involvement, no lasting peace Arabia and Russia (Allen, 2006). Considering these will ever be agreed upon. Rabbi Wine bluntly states negative results of the U.S’s strong pro-Israel poli- that “the cycle [of violence] can not stop itself with- cies, why does the U.S. support Israel so uncondi- out outside intervention.” Former U.S. Secretary tionally? of State Condoleezza Rice shares the opinion that The American Israel Public Affairs Committee peace in the Middle East is of vital interest to the (AIPAC), is the most well-known and influential of United States (Mearsheimer, 2008). Former Sec- retary of State Colin Powell stated that America’s policies are out of step with the rest of the world and are alienating our former allies (Goldenberg, 2006), and prominent media sources can not help but notice that our uncritical support for Israel costs the U.S. valuable friends for our War on Terror (The Economist, 2008, Goldberg, 1998). Acknowledgement of the importance of the Is- rael-Palestine conflict to America is even present in the U.S. House of Representatives, where 2007 House Resolution 143 urged President Bush to appoint a Special Envoy for Middle East Peace. The resolution notes that “the creation of a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians will reduce ten- sion in the region and help repair America’s image in the international community” (H.R. 143, 2007).

Strategic Asset or Liability?

America’s lavish patronage of the state of Israel the numerous powerful pro-Israel lobbying organi- is commonly acknowledged as the reason for that zations in the U.S. The group’s 126 staffers work state’s continuing existence. Rushed shipments of very effectively to convince Americans, and espe- American arms turned the tide in the Yom Kippur cially their leaders, that Israel’s strategic interests War of 1973, while the majority of U.S. aid since are also America’s. AIPAC declares that the U.S. has gone to build an impressive military that has and Israel have a “deep strategic partnership aimed removed any lingering desires on the part of her at confronting the common threats to both nations” neighbors for any sort of military confrontation. and says that U.S.-Israel cooperation in defense The American people have agreed, in poll after and homeland security “has proven to be of para- poll, on the importance of militarily protecting Is- mount and ever-increasing importance” (AIPAC rael from her hostile neighbors. After the horrors of Strategic Papers, 2008). The neoconservative think

32 UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 The Elephant in the Room tank Project for a New American Century calls weapons from Moscow. Egypt’s president Gamal Israel “America’s staunchest ally against interna- Nassar was particularly friendly towards the United tional terrorism” (PNAC: Letter to President Bush, States after America forced Israel, along with Brit- 2001). Martin Kramer, a research fellow at Israel’s ain and France, out of the territory they had cap- Shalem Center and at the Washington Institute for tured in the Egyptian Sinai in 1956, but he soon Near East Policy, says the U.S. backs Israel because moved into the Soviet orbit. The abrupt turnaround aid to that country “underpins the Pax Americana in in our relations with the Arab states caused Secre- the Eastern Mediterranean” (Kramer, 2006). Many tary of State John Dulles to complain that “we are other pro-Israel figures agree, stating that Israel’s in the present jam because the past Administration geographic location and political stability greatly had always dealt with the area from a [domestic] improve America’s influence in the region (Spiegel, political standpoint and had tried to meet the wishes 1983). of the Zionists in this country and that had created In the past, especially during the Cold War, there a basic antagonism with the Arabs. That is what the were indeed good reasons to support Israel, mainly Russians are now capitalizing on” (Zunes, 1995). centering around the country as a bulwark against Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger ad- Soviet expansion into the area and as a testing mitted the same when he said privately that “it is ground for American versus Soviet military hard- difficult to claim that a strong Israel serves Ameri- ware (M&W, p49). Currently however, sixteen can interests because it prevents the spread of com- years after the end of the communist threat towards munism in the Arab world. It does not. It provides the Middle East, there may be very good moral rea- for the survival of Israel” (Merip Reports, 1981) . sons for America to strongly support Israel’s right More recently, the U.S’s unconditional support to exist, but the current level of U.S. support and it’s for Israel has fueled a massive rise in anti-American largely unconditional nature do not benefit America feeling throughout the Middle East, major signs of on strategic grounds. Indeed, a strong case can be which reach as far as Europe and even Asia (Pond, made that the unqualified nature of our support in 2004). Felt most acutely in the Muslim world, this effect harms the people of Israel and their neigh- anti-U.S. opinion is relatively new, as according to bors, as well as, of course, the U.S. Rice University historian Ussama Makdisi, “the im- For the twenty years after Israel’s founding in age of the United States in the Arab provinces of the 1948, U.S. policy makers did not consider it a stra- Ottoman Empire was generally positive; those Ar- tegic asset (Spiegel, 1983. Zunes, 2003). American abs who knew of the country saw it as a great pow- leaders, including President Truman, who origi- er that was not imperialist as Britain, France and nally voted for the establishment of the state at the Russia were” (Mearsheimer & Walt, 2007). Arab U.N., understood that supporting the new country animosity started as a direct result of U.S. support too closely would antagonize more important allies for Israel and was joined by a growing chorus of in the region. After Israel’s stunning victory in the voices of condemnation from other states, primarily Six-Day War of 1967, the country came to be seen in Europe, after Israel’s refusal to remove colonies as an effective bulwark against Soviet expansion. and troops from the West Bank and Gaza, which it Defeating Arab states backed by the U.S.S.R. again occupied in 1967 and controls to this day. in 1973, Israel damaged Moscow’s reputation, as This relatively sudden drop in American popular- well as tying up Russian resources needed to rearm ity greatly reduced U.S. influence and contributed its defeated client states of Jordan, Syria and Egypt to the rise of militant Islamic groups that began to (Mearsheimer & Walt, 2007). Israel also passed on see America as their new enemy. This discontent several important bits of intelligence to the U.S., helped lead to the disastrous American experience including captured weapons and information from in the 1982 war in Lebanon, in which 242 U.S. Ma- spies inside of the Soviet Bloc. rines were killed, and has hamstrung American ef- These contributions must be considered against forts to deal with regional crises such as the 2003 the strategic costs of America’s support for the Jew- invasions of Iraq. In his 2003 book Winning Mod- ish State. Close examination of the reasons for the ern Wars, former General and Director of Strategic Arab states’ dependence upon Soviet military aid Plans for the Joint Chiefs of Staff Wesley Clark reveals that, universally, they initially tried to ally states “outrage and a wave of protests in the Arab themselves with the United States before buying world threatened to undo support for the U.S. op-

UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 33 Larson

eration [in Iraq]...there was slim hope for obtaining vent the United States from obtaining U.N. Security broad Arab support for a U.S. military action against Council authorization for the invasion of Iraq…and a fellow Arab leader while Israel seemed to attack thwarted other American efforts, such as attempts to Palestinian communities” (p 140). Former President select the new head of the Organization of Ameri- Jimmy Carter, in his recent book Palestine, Peace can States, and blocked a U.S. proposal to create a Not Apartheid, quotes Arab leaders saying that, “the ‘democracy review’ panel within the OAS” (Walt, issue [of the Palestinians] is a continually bleeding 2005). sore on our relations with the West.” Israel’s supposed strategic value in “keeping the Our country’s close ties to Israel have also greatly Eastern Mediterranean stable” is open to debate as undermined our personal safety, in the most direct well. Israel’s actions have caused enormous arms way. Osama Bin Laden is on record numerous times races in the region, provided convenient excuses for referring to U.S. support for Israel as a key reason dictatorial regimes to cling to power and even di- for his desire to attack the U.S. (Wright, p151). Doug rectly destabilized neighboring states, such as when Bandow, in The American Conservative writes “As it invaded Lebanon in 1982 and its repeated incur- Sept. 11 dramatically demonstrated, America pays sions into Palestinian-Authority “controlled” areas a price for being identified with Israel’s policies in (Neff, 1995). the Gaza Strip and West Bank.” Islamic countries When military forces are needed in the region, worldwide have hesitated to help the U.S. in pursuit Israel is unable to help, such as during the first Gulf of dangerous terrorists for fear they will be seen as War, when its presence on the U.S.-led Coalition too friendly to a country that enables and ignores would have been counter-productive, due to the the persecution of their brothers in Palestine. Colin large number of other countries unwilling to work Powell noted this when he cautioned that uncondi- alongside of it. Taken on balance, Israel seems more tional backing for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sha- of a strategic liability, rather than an asset. Historian ron’s government during a period of unprecedented Bernard Lewis (himself a prominent supporter of repression in the Occupied Territories would make Israel) admitted as much when he said “whatever it more difficult to get the full cooperation of Arab value Israel might have had as a strategic asset dur- governments in prosecuting the U.S. War on Terror ing the Cold War, that value obviously ended when (Goldenberg, 2006). The effect was felt in Europe the Cold War itself came to a close”( Mearsheimer and Latin America as well, “France, Germany and & Walt, 2007). U.S. relations with the Arab and Is- Russia pursued a unified strategy that helped pre- lamic world would not have been perfect if Israel

34 UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 The Elephant in the Room were not a U.S. ally, but it would have greatly re- the route of illegal), and repeated resolutions calling duced tensions and increased American influence in for international peacekeeping/monitoring forces to a critical and unstable area. ensure peace in the occupied areas (Zunes, 1995). The amazing fact regarding these 29 vetoed The Peacemakers common-sense resolutions is that, in every case, only the United States voted against the resolu- The United Nations was formed in 1945 after the tion condemning Israel’s behavior. Since 1965 bloodiest war in the world’s history to ensure that there have been five permanent members of the such an event would never happen again, to help Security Council; the USSR/Russia, China, France, countries work cooperatively together, to provide England and the USA. In addition, ten temporary a mechanism for the application of international members, elected in rotation from the General As- law and to ensure human rights and sovereignty sembly, share the added responsibility and privilege for all peoples and nations. The United States was of Security Council votes. In each of these 29 reso- a founding member of the U.N. Indeed, U.S. Presi- lutions, not one single country, from all fourteen dents Roosevelt and Truman were instrumental in nations other than the U.S., ever voted in Israel’s the organization’s birth, and America has always favor. Any serious consideration of the issue would paid the largest share of the UN’s budget, currently seem to lead to the conclusion that Israel’s actions 22% (Thomas, 2005). are always acceptable to the U.S., and contrarily, One of the U.S.’s key foreign policy goals after usually completely anathema to the entire rest of the the end of World War II has been the strengthen- world (Jewish Virtual Library Online). ing of the role of the United Nations in avoiding As Donald Neff, former Time Magazine Bureau and resolving conflicts between states. Unfortu- Chief in Israel states in The Washington Report on nately, despite a long list of reasonably successful Middle East Affairs, peacekeeping actions, such as in Korea, Egypt, Iraq References to this damning record are and Kosovo, the U.N. has become in recent years totally absent from the vocabularies of increasingly irrelevant as an instrument for peace, American leaders as they go about saying in large part because of American actions taken in they are seeking peace. If they are really obvious contradiction of the will of the majority of serious about peace, then at some point its members. America has degraded the authority of they must act with the same firmness they the U.N. in many ways, by threatening to withhold displayed towards Iraq’s occupation of funds unless the U.N. makes changes favorable to Kuwait. Had they approached Iraq with the U.S., by acting unilaterally without U.N. ap- the same timorous tactics they are apply- proval (most notably in 2003 when it invaded Iraq), ing to Israel, Iraqi soldiers would still be in by blocking the application of key U.N. policies Kuwait (1993). such as the Kyoto Protocol and the International America’s unnatural attachment to Israel also Criminal Court and by igniting the anger and mis- harms our nation’s interest in ways that are not im- trust of a large number of the world’s leaders, by mediately apparent. A prime example is America’s unreservedly backing its close ally Israel in the Se- reluctance to empower the authority of the Interna- curity Council (Neff, 1995). tional Criminal court, set up in 1994 to try members The U.N. has long been used as a vehicle for of countries charged with grievous crimes against censuring Israel. Starting in 1972, 66 highly criti- humanity. The official reason for the U.S.’s refusal cal resolutions regarding that country have passed to empower the court is to avoid the possibility of the UN’s General Assembly. Very few have made it an American citizen ever being tried by foreigners. through the UN’s Security Council, where the U.S. A close study of the court’s rules, however, shows has vetoed 29 out of 29 resolutions. Examples in- that there would be little chance of an American cit- clude resolutions requesting Israel to freeze settle- izen ever being tried. Much more likely, however, ment activities (in accordance with previous peace would be further pronouncements from this respect- treaties and U.N. resolutions), condemnation of re- ed ”World Court” against the illegal annexation of peated violations of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian lands (BBC News Online, 2002). Territories, orders to cease construction of the Se- According to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, curity Wall (that the International Court had ruled Israel objects to the ICC because of “the inclusion

UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 35 Larson as a war crime of ‘The transfer, directly or indirect- aid, this to a developed, economically successful ly, by the occupying power of parts of its own civil- country, most of whose citizens are better off than ian population into the territory it occupies’” (Israel many Americans (Curtiss, 1998). Ministry of Foreign Affairs website). The statement Aid, of course, consists of direct financial sup- goes on to down-play the significance of this part of port for Israel, which currently totals $2.34 billion the Fourth Geneva Convention, of which Israel is a in military aid and $720 million in economic aid signatory, and cynically states that the issue should per year. The country has been receiving annual eventually be resolved by negotiations. America’s payments of $2-3 billion for decades. In addition, unconditional support for Israel is not only harm- the U.S. has provided Jordan and Egypt with yearly ful to both countries and the Palestinians, but also aid packages totaling $139 billion since they made indirectly leads to the undermining of important peace with Israel. This aid was made contingent institutions such as the U.N. and the concept of in- upon these countries signing peace accords with ternational law. Israel. “Consequently, politically, if not administra- tively, these outlays are part of the total package of The Price of Friendship support for Israel,” states Thomas Stauffer, a con- sulting economist, in a lecture on the total costs of America supports Israel in many ways. Few U.S. Middle East policy commissioned by the U.S. Americans know that their country even offers aid Army War College (Christian Science Monitor, to Israel, and almost no one realizes how much. A 2002). recent poll showed that only 16% knew that Israel Support for Israel has additional, unintended costs is the largest recipient of foreign aid (Goldberg, as well. The OPEC oil embargo of 1973 is the most 1998). Even fewer people realized that Israel pack- well-known example. At the time, OPEC, which is age aid accounts for over 40% of total U.S. foreign comprised primarily of Arab and Muslim countries,

Recent U.S. Aid to Israel (in millions of dollars) [Table 5 from the 2008 Congressional Research Service report for congress entitled “U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel”]

36 UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 The Elephant in the Room used “the Oil Weapon” against the U.S. as a direct The Israel Lobby was easily one of the most talked- result of its support of Israel, in a war that they saw about and controversial books of 2007. The book, as being fought over land that did not belong to Is- which was adapted from a widely-read essay pub- rael, that it had refused to give back after having lished a year earlier, had as its central claim that captured six years earlier (Neff, 1997). The embar- the pro-Israel Lobby’s influence has distorted U.S. go and resulting recession cost the United States the Middle East foreign policy away from what the au- equivalent of $970 billion in 2001 dollars (Francis, thors referred to as “American national interest”. 2002). Totaling up this long list gives an incredible The 2006 New York Review of Books says the work total of $1.6 trillion 2001 dollars. According to an “detonated” onto the market, and has had more of exhaustive compilation detailed in The Christian an effect than any book “since 1993’s The Clash Science Monitor, dividing the total aid by today’s of Civilizations.” Other commentaries state that population, shows payments of more than $5300 “it’s prompted intense speculation over why The per U.S. citizen (Francis, 2002). Total aid to each New York Times has given it so little attention and Israeli citizen equals $10,775 per person, this to a why The Atlantic Monthly, which originally com- country where the per-capita GDP is above Ireland missioned the essay, rejected it” (Waxman, 2006). and Spain. Total aid to South America and Sub- Despite receiving much negative criticism and also Saharan Africa during the same time period from being pointedly ignored by prominent reviewers 1983 equals only $59 per person (Mearsheimer & in the U.S., The Israel Lobby was well-received Walt, 2007). abroad and even made into a Dutch documentary. The economic cost of aid can not be measured After finding their efforts to distribute their film in in money alone; the loss of jobs due to U.S. policy the U.S. fruitless, the producers of the film thought and trade sanctions in the Middle East, as well as the subject important enough to make a point of of- from Israel’s strong competition with U.S. arms fering it for free via the internet (VPRO Documen- sales and the extremely unusual policy of not retary, 2008). Former U.S. Ambassador Edward Peck, quiring Israel to use its U.S. aid to purchase Ameri- now of the Independent Institute and the Council can-made goods conservatively costs the U.S. over for the National Interest, wrote that “The expected 200,000 jobs (Francis, 2002). Harvard professor of tsunami of rabid responses condemned the report, International Relations Stephan Walt explains one vilified its authors, and denied there is such a lobby of the indirect costs of our aid in his lengthy essay — [thus] validating both the lobby’s existence and “Taming American Power”, published in Septem- aggressive, pervasive influence” (Peck, 2006). What ber 2005 in Foreign Affairs, “with the market share exactly is the substance of Walt & Mearsheimer’s of U.S. firms declining in key overseas markets due book? Does it expose a vast, sinister conspiracy to to anti-American sentiment...the time to worry is subvert democracy and place control in the hands of now” (September 2005). a small cabal of powerful men? Is there substance to Aid to Israel is an outdated boondoggle that could the charges of anti-Semitism that have been leveled only be made to have a positive impact if conditions at the authors, as well as other prominent academics were attached to it to make the possibility for peace and policy-makers who criticize Israel’s influence more likely in the region. This conclusion is obvi- here in the U.S.? ous to many in the U.S. government, across party The Israel Lobby starts by making several points lines. Patrick Buchanon, in the American Conser- very clear, that are not typically positions held by vative, wrote “Is Israel not our fair-haired boy? anti-Semites, or even those critical of Israel: the au- Though Sharon & Co. have stomped on as many thors state that the U.S. has a moral case to ensure U.N. resolutions as Saddam Hussein ever did, they Israel’s security, that anti-Semitism is a real concern have pocketed $100 billion in [direct] U.S. aid and in the world, and that the Israel Lobby in the U.S. are now asking for a $2 billion bonus this year, is legal, legitimate and completely in accordance [Hurricane] Katrina notwithstanding. Anyone doubt with American democracy (Mearsheimer & Walt, they will get it?” (2006) 2007). These points being made, the authors pro- ceed to make the very clear case that the pro-Israel Role of the Lobby Lobby has distorted American interests in the world and that extremist elements of the Lobby have used Professors Stephan Walt and John Mearsheimer’s unscrupulous tactics to smear their opponents and

UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 37 Larson shut down debate. “The response to former Presi- ing Washington to continue subsidizing the occupa- dent Jimmy Carter’s book Palestine: Peace Not tion.” Apartheid perfectly illustrates this phenomenon. Former 18-year Illinois Republican Senator Paul Carter’s book is a personal plea for renewed Ameri- Findley has authored several books on this subject, can involvement in the peace process […] Carter including They Dare to Speak Out: People and In- was publically accused of being an anti-Semite and stitutions Confront Israel’s Lobby (2002). In this a “Jew-hater” […] Since the Lobby[‘s]…strategic analysis of the lobby and America’s unconditional and moral arguments are so weak, it has little choice support for Israel, Findley exposes Israeli “anti- but to try to stifle or marginalize serious discussion” terrorism” methods for the land-grab the rest of the (Walt, 2007). The book exhaustively details the world recognizes them to be, and explains how our various disparate groups that make up the Lobby, support for these immoral actions has worsened our their influence upon American policy-making, and nation’s influence and our own personal security: explain little-understood aspects of the Lobby, such Once beloved worldwide, the U.S. govern- as its strong connection to the Christian Right, sur- ment finds itself reviled in most countries veillance and activities on college campuses, and its because it provides unconditional support pernicious effect on popular media. Professors Walt of Israeli violations of the United Nations and Mearsheimer detail examples such as Alan Der- Charter, international law, and the precepts showitz’s pressure on DePaul University to fire pro- of all major religious faiths [...] Israel’s fessor Norman Finkelstein, a leading critic of Israel, present government, like its predecessors, and the cancelling of respected Jewish academic is determined to annex the West Bank— Tony Judt’s speaking engagements due to pressure biblical Judea and Sumaria—so Israel from the American Jewish Committee. will become Greater Israel […] Under the As for the charge of anti-Semitism, the “Great guise of anti-terrorism, Israeli forces treat Discussion-Ender”, the authors make it clear that Palestinians worse than cattle. With due this label is often being irresponsibly used to smear process nowhere to be found, hundreds are any critic of Israel’s actions, with inevitable results. detained for long periods and most are tor- “Playing the anti-Semitism card stifles discussion tured. Some are assassinated. Homes, or- […] it is essential that we distinguish between true chards, and business places are destroyed. anti-Semitism and legitimate criticism of Israeli pol- Entire cities are kept under intermittent icy […] according to the standards of international curfew, some confinements lasting for law, Israel should be treated as a normal country.” weeks. Injured or ill Palestinians needing The book concludes with an admission that the Pal- emergency medical care are routinely held estinian leadership has many problems, and that not at checkpoints for hours. Many children all of the Palestinians’ goals are reasonable or possi- are undernourished. The West Bank and ble, and a reminder that the U.S. should continue to Gaza have become giant concentration guarantee Israel’s security from its neighbors. But camps. None of this could have occurred the book goes on to point out that Israel’s military without U.S. support […] Israeli officials is already far superior to any Arab state. Instead of believe life will become so unbearable that each American President pledging increased sup- most Palestinians will eventually leave port for the country, followed by further-growing their ancestral homes [clearing the way] amounts of aid, Walt & Mearsheimer suggest that for Israeli settlers. we make that aid and U.S. diplomatic backing at Findley is especially scathing in his indictment of the U.N. contingent upon legitimate negotiation for the role of the pro-Israel Lobby in this continuing peace, and an indication from Israel that it will con- debacle: form to international law. These steps, the authors How did the American people get into this point out, will ultimately be beneficial for Israel, fix? [The terrorist attack of] nine-eleven as well as the rest of the world. “It is its [Israel’s] had its principal origin 35 years ago when continuing presence in the Occupied Territories— Israel’s U.S. lobby began its unbroken as well as the Golan Heights—that creates a serious success in stifling debate about the proper security problem for Israel…Israel’s supporters in U.S. role in the Arab-Israeli conflict and the United States are doing it no favors by press- effectively concealed from public aware-

38 UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 The Elephant in the Room

ness the fact that the U.S. government of the roughly parallel cases—the Euro- gives massive uncritical support to Israel. American conquest of North America, the The bias [in Congress and the media] apartheid regime in South Africa—Israel is widely noted beyond America, where comes out on the “wrong” side in the anal- most news media candidly cover Israel’s ogy. conquest and generally excoriate Amer- ica’s complicity and complacency. When The Experts Agree President Bush welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, sometimes called A wide variety of U.S. policymakers agree on the the Butcher of Beirut, as “my dear friend” diminishing usefulness of Israel to America, at the and “a man of peace” after Israeli forces, same time that Israel’s unpopular policies are cost- using U.S.-donated arms, completed their ing our country vital influence among the rest of the devastation of the West Bank last spring, world. worldwide anger against American policy Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, in reached the boiling point. her recent book Memo to the President Elect, states The fury should surprise no one who how the current, hawkish policy of Israel in regards reads foreign newspapers or listens to to the Palestinians is hurting future chances for ef- BBC. In several televised statements long fective negotiations, “the argument that the peace before 9/11, Osama bin Laden, believed process has weakened Israel is, in fact, balderdash” by U.S. authorities to have masterminded (2008). She also explains why it is imperative, in her 9/11, cited U.S. complicity in Israel’s de- view, that America should stay engaged: “American struction of Palestinian society as a prin- prowess in dealing with twentieth-century dangers cipal complaint. Prominent foreigners, in has rested on two pillars: U.S. leadership and the and out of government, express their oppo- full participation of alliance partners. We will re- sition to U.S. policies with unprecedented gain our footing in the Middle East and Persian frequency and severity. Gulf only if we are first able to establish an agenda Norman Finkelstein has been a passionate de- that is supported by our allies […] for we must re- fender of Palestine’s moral case in the court of world acquire the trust of those in the region.” She also opinion. A former exemplary DePaul professor of explains the disadvantaged position that one-sided political science, he lost his teaching position due to U.S. support has put America in, in the eyes of the “external pressures from powerful forces” (Jewish world, “America’s standing as a champion of due Voice for Peace, 2007), despite unanimous recom- process and human rights has been soiled […] [for mendations for tenure from the school’s board, in a example] the decline in America’s reputation has perfect example of the Lobby at its unsavory worst. reduced pressure on the PRC(People’s Republic of In his cerebral 2005 work Beyond Chutzpah: On the China) to improve its record. […] as Secretary of Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History, State, I once […] delivered remarks that [made] the Finkelstein, the Jewish son of concentration camp Chinese [UN] delegates so angry that most of them survivors, explains how pro-Israel groups often at- stomped out of the hall. Today the Chinese merely tempt to confuse the issue to obscure the facts: have to observe that Americans are in no position to Most of the controversy surrounding the lecture others—and heads nod in agreement.” Israel-Palestinian conflict is, in my view, Professor Monte Palmer of Florida State Univer- contrived. The purpose of contriving such sity’s 2004 book At the Heart of Terror examines controversy is transparently political: to the difference between American and European deflect attention from, or distort, the ac- perceptions of how to resolve the conflict: tual documentary record […] No doubt Israel probably garners more coverage in the conflict raises thorny theoretical and the world press than any other country on practical problems, but no more than most earth, with the exception of the United other ones […] The obvious reason Isra- States. Every Israeli action is subject to el’s apologists shun such comparisons and minute examination and relentless criti- harp on the sui genesis character of the cism […] American papers are reluctant to Israel-Palestinian conflict is that, in any discuss the severity of Israel’s anti-terrorist

UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 39 Larson

measures, perhaps fearing to embarrass an of the conflict quickly makes apparent. “Why criti- American ally. The State Department has cize Israel, when there are far worse human-rights been less timid, its annual report on civil violators in the world?” cry Israel’s defenders, the rights condemning virtually all aspects most notorious in this country being Harvard law of Israel’s anti-terrorist strategy […] Eu- professor Alan Dershowitz, nicknamed “The Attack rope has been far more aggressive than the Dog of the Lobby” (Chronicle of Higher Education, United States in arguing for the interposi- 2007). In his book The Case for Israel, Dershowitz tion of a peace-keeping force to separate clearly states this thesis, postulating that “when the the Israelis and Palestinians […] European Jewish nation is the only one criticized for faults that countries have supported stringent U.N. are far worse among other nations, such criticism condemnations of Israel’s policies, most crosses the line from fair to foul, from acceptable of which have been vetoed by the United to anti-Semitic” (Dershowitz,2003). This sweeping States. condemnation of Israel’s critics as obvious racists neglects the inconvenient detail that Israel is the number one recipient of American foreign aid, and Let Us Rethink Our Strategic has been for over thirty years. Israel receives over a Relationship With Israel third of our entire foreign aid budget, which directly funds it’s military and settlements, and as taxpayers Any strategic benefit to our close relationship with and concerned citizens, it is not merely our right, the nation of Israel ended with the Cold War. Hav- but rather our duty, to ensure that our precious and ing won that war, we chose not to make the positive limited tax dollars be spent to promote democracy, changes in our foreign policy that winning a war human rights, peace and freedom, rather than to di- usually results in, and so we are left with a wors- rectly fund an immoral, illegal, and internationally- ening legacy of angry nations doubting our moral condemned occupation that diminishes our coun- authority, an increasingly impotent U.N. and ever- try’s stature and influence in the world. growing aid payments to a defiant pariah-state. The need to change U.S. support for Israel is In March 2003, the U.S. approved a $10 billion greater than ever. Both countries, as well as the supplemental aid package to Israel. At the same world, are badly served by our current policy, which time, Congress failed to pass a $3.5 billion bill to not only has led to enormous suffering among the upgrade the training of First Responders, those Palestinians, but ultimately harms the long-term in- who would be first to respond to a terrorist attack terests of both Israel and the United States, as both (Omeish, 2006). Spent domestically, that money countries grow more isolated internationally and as could have been used to provide health insurance increasingly militant and extremist elements arise for 4 million uninsured American children. out of the Arab and Islamic world in reaction. Defenders of Israel’s conduct often prefer that Fortunately, Israeli, Palestinian and Arab goals most Americans, ill-versed as we are in the Middle are not fundamentally contradictory. Palestinian East conflict, spend very little time learning more, justice and Israeli security are two sides of the same and certainly not considering any media sources coin. Without one, the other can not exist for long. from Israel or elsewhere outside the U.S. “It’s a Blind U.S. support of the Israeli government has complicated and millennium-old clash of civiliza- repeatedly sabotaged the efforts of peace activists tions”, we are told, and “Israel and America are within Israel to change their country’s policies, a fighting the same war” Peace( With Realism). The self-defeating cycle that the late Israeli General and truth is that the central issues to the conflict are not Knesset member Matti Peled explained best: “the so difficult for the average citizen to grasp. The United States is making Israel less and less secure more closely one examines the evidence for both by encouraging the reckless agenda of the Israeli sides, the clearer are the obvious conclusions that right” (Zunes, 2003). The best way America could most of the rest of the world’s people have already ensure active and sincere participation in peace realized. talks would be in the form of “tough love”—un- Besides the relative ease in which Americans can conditional support for Israel’s right to live in peace inform themselves of the nature of this issue, there is and security within its internationally-recognized a further necessity to do so that cursory examination borders, but an equally clear determination to end

40 UW BOTHELL POLICY JOURNAL, FALL 2009 The Elephant in the Room the occupation, and free the Palestinian people from ited, Retrieved March 30, 2008, from http://www. a sixty-year-old occupation. This is the challenge guardian.co.uk/world/2003/nov/02/israel.eu for those who take seriously such basic values as Buchanan, P. (2006, Jan 16). Might the Arabs have freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. a Point? The American Conservative. Retrieved March 30, 2008, from http://www.amconmag. com/2006/2006_01_16/buchanan.html References Bush, G. (2001, Sept 20). Freedom at War with Fear. Quote DB. Retrieved March 30, 2008, from Allen, J. (2006, July 19). The U.S. Public’s Pro-Is- http://www.quotedb.com/speeches/freedom-at- rael History. Retrieved November 20, 2009 from war-with-peace http://pewresearch.org/pubs/39/the-us-publics- Carmeli-Pollak, S. [Director]. (2007) . Bil’in Habib- pro-israel-history ti. (“Bil’in, I love you”) [DVD] Israel, Claudius American Jewish Committee. (2006, July 12). AJC Films. Dismayed by Spanish President’s Statement on Carter, J. (2006). Palestine: Peace not Apartheid. Israel. AJC Press Release. Retrieved March 30, New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. 2008, from http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nlnet/ Chronicle of Higher Education. (2007, June 8). De- content2.aspx?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=849241&ct= Paul Rejects Tenure Bid by Finkelstein and Says 2811503 Dershowitz Pressure Played No Role. Retrieved Albright, M. (2008). Memo to the President Elect: March 30, 2008, from http://chronicle.com/news/ How We can Restore America’s Reputation and article/2462/depaul-rejects-tenure-bid-by-finkel- Leadership. New York, NY: HarperCollins Pub- stein-and-says-dershowitz-pressure-played-no- lishers. role Bandow, D. (2003, Nov). Israel’s Democracy Di- Clark, W. (2003). Winning Modern Wars: Iraq, Ter- lemma. The American Conservative, Retrieved rorism, and the American Empire. New York, March 9th, 2009 from http://www.amconmag. NY: Public Affairs com/article/2003/nov/03/00020/ Cohen, M. (2008, March 24). An Unsavory New Bayefsky, A. (2006, Aug 8). Kofi Annan to Hizbul- Testament. Hindustan Times. Retrieved March lah’s Rescue? Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 30, 2008, from http://www.hindustantimes.com/ 30, 2008, from http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Sat StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=0c904dee-7d1d- ellite?cid=1154525833380&pagename=JPost%2 4df7-b31b-f29c0dc2d964&&Headline=An+unsa FJPArticle%2FPrinter voury+new+testament BBC News Online. (2002, June 2). U.S. Renounces Crook, C., (2002, April 27). Why America and Eu- World Court Treaty. Retrieved March 30, 2008, rope Disagree About Israel. National Journal. from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/ameri- Curtiss, R., (1998). The Cost of Israel to US Taxpay- cas/1970312.stm ers. Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Belfast Telegraph. (2009, February 10). Trade Retrieved March 30, 2008, from http://www.wash- unionists launch boycott of israeli goods. Re- ington-report.org/backissues/1297/9712043.html trieved November 20, 2009, from http://www. Dershowitz, A. (2003). The Case for Israel. New belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/trade-union- Jersey: Wiley Press. [Note that the sentence quot- ists-launch-boycott-of-israeli-goods-14181932. ed in this paper was removed from the book’s html back cover after the first printing] Beatty, A. (2003, Oct 30). Poll: Israel and US Big- Findley, P. (2002, Sept). Liberating America from gest Threats to World Peace. The Wisdom Fund, Israel. Media Monitors. Retrieved March 30, Retrieved March 30, 2008, from http://www.twf. 2008, from http://www.mediamonitors.net/find- org/News/Y2003/1031-Poll.html ley2.html Beaumont, P. (2003, Nov 3). Israel Outraged as EU Poll Names it a Threat to Peace. Guardian Unlim-

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