All hail Israel

Why is it that the rest of the world hates us? Is it because of our freedoms or democracy or is it more likely that it is because of our foreign policy?

Why is it that every time a politician runs for office he or she must prove that they are 100 percent pro-Israel and pay lip service to get elected in the U.S.? Why must Clinton, McCain and Obama have to bend over backwards to please another country to get elected in the U.S.? As the world’s superpower shouldn’t we be a fair referee?

If we think we are a fair referee, why does the U.S. have the most unbalanced news coverage and dialogue of the Palestinians-Israeli conflict? Even Israel has better coverage of the Palestinian side than we do.

If we are for peace, then why do we make pathetic peace negotiations?

Why didn’t Israel move back to the 1967 borders (West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem) and give Palestinians the right to return or compensation and be done with this conflict?

Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!

  • Catch the latest on University of Illinois news, sports, and more. Delivered every weekday.
  • Stay up to date on all things Illini sports. Delivered every Monday.
Thank you for subscribing!

If the Israelis act on the Arab League peace initiative, then every Arab country would recognize Israel and open their borders for trade. Why when Israel has almost 80 percent of Palestine do they want more in peace negotiations? Why in every peace deal ever offered does the U.S. and Israel take more Palestinian land in the West Bank and Jerusalem? These lands contain the Palestinian’s water resources and make an unfairly split of the Holy city.

Why are Palestinians denied the right to return or compensation after 60 years while Jews anywhere have a “right to return”?

When Americans can understand these questions we will understand that people do not hate America, they just hate our foreign policy and do not take our moves towards peace seriously.

Jon Youakim

Senior in MCB,

Member, Students for Justice in Palestine