For five years George Bush has been telling the world that the United States is trying to bring peace and democracy to the Middle East. Never mind that George is introducing democracy at the point of a gun, Washington has come to believe that the end justifies the means.
Democracy is what George Bush wanted, and Democracy is what George Bush got. Only now he has found out that sometimes you get what you wish for.
The people of Palestine went to the polls yesterday, and they voted for Hamas. The Hamas Party makes no secret about being the party that does not want to negotiate with the U.S. or Israel about a peace effort. The people of Palestine knew what they were voting for.
Our American Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, said "Palestinian people have apparently voted for change, but we believe their aspirations for peace and a peaceful life remain unchanged. Anyone who wants to govern the Palestinian people and do so with support of the international community has got to be committed to a two-state solution."
It seems apparent to the world that the people of Palestine have figured out that working toward a two-state solution is not in their best interest.
That is why the majority voted for the party (Hamas) that said they would not negotiate with Israel. The people of Palestine gave Hamas a greater victory than George Bush received in any of his national elections, and Bush was able to claim a "mandate.
George Bush called his 50.7% vote total a mandate. Well Hamas it has been reported, received well over 60% of the vote. The people of Palestine are fed up with trying to deal with the United States and Israel, and their vote shows it.
Someone has convinced George Bush that if we bring democracy to the Middle East, peace will follow. If you look at the hard-line Islamic victory in Iraq, and how well the Muslim Brotherhood did in Egypt's election, add to that Hezbollah's vote total in Lebanon, and couple those with the Hamas election victory yesterday, you will see that democracy in the Middle East has done nothing for peace in the region. The only winner in these elections is the hard line Islamic Fundamentalists.
Many American politicians consider Hamas a terrorist organization, but millions of people the world over see them as an armed struggle against the tyranny they have suffered at the hands of Israel. Yes, I know all about the suicide bombers and their terrorist tactics, but much of the Muslim world looks at those "suicide terrorists," as soldiers in their war against the Zionists.
We back Israel, and as long as we do, we are going to be on the "other side" when it comes to politics in the Muslim world. Hamas has said they won't negotiate with Israel and that they want to destroy Israel. This is not some hidden agenda. That is their stated platform, and the Palestinian people have voted for it
George Bush sent us to war in Iraq claiming that Iraq ignored and refused to comply with some UN resolutions. What follows this column is list of some of the UN resolutions that Israel has refused to comply with. Read down the list, and notice how many deal with the Palestinian problem. You will see that the vote for Hamas has come from frustration with a process stacked against the Palestinian people. Democracy has worked in Palestine, but not the way the Bush administration wanted, but if you think about it, democracy worked in the United States this last election, but not the way the world wanted.
Washington is now going to boycott any negotiations with Palestine because they didn't like the election results. Imagine if the rest of the world did the same to America because they didn't like George Bush being elected.
Bush claims Hamas is a terrorist organization, just like much of the world now claims that George Bush is a terrorist.
Yes Hamas supplies the bombers who kill innocent Israelis, but the Muslim world, and many others believe that George Bush supplies the bombers, who have killed tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis. The only difference in many people's minds is the degree of sophistication of the weapons used in the killing.
Now is the time we should negotiate with Hamas, because they are the democratically elected government of their people. Bush wanted democracy in the Middle East and he got it,... but now he rejects that democracy. George wants it both ways.
Here is that list of UN resolutions that Israel has ignored:
- 1955-1992:
- Resolution 106: "... 'condemns' Israel for Gaza raid".
- Resolution 111: "... 'condemns' Israel for raid on Syria that killed fifty-six people".
- Resolution 127: "... 'recommends' Israel suspends it's 'no-man's zone' in Jerusalem".
- Resolution 162: "... 'urges' Israel to comply with UN decisions".
- Resolution 171: "... determines flagrant violations' by Israel in its attack on Syria".
- Resolution 228: "... 'censures' Israel for its attack on Samu in the West Bank, then under Jordanian control".
- Resolution 237: "... 'urges' Israel to allow return of new 1967 Palestinian refugees".
- Resolution 248: "... 'condemns' Israel for its massive attack on Karameh in Jordan".
- Resolution 250: "... 'calls' on Israel to refrain from holding military parade in Jerusalem".
- Resolution 251: "... 'deeply deplores' Israeli military parade in Jerusalem in defiance of Resolution 250".
- Resolution 252: "... 'declares invalid' Israel's acts to unify Jerusalem as Jewish capital".
- Resolution 256: "... 'condemns' Israeli raids on Jordan as 'flagrant violation".
- Resolution 259: "... 'deplores' Israel's refusal to accept UN mission to probe occupation".
- Resolution 262: "... 'condemns' Israel for attack on Beirut airport".
- Resolution 265: "... 'condemns' Israel for air attacks for Salt in Jordan".
- Resolution 267: "... 'censures' Israel for administrative acts to change the status of Jerusalem".
- Resolution 270: "... 'condemns' Israel for air attacks on villages in southern Lebanon".
- Resolution 271: "... 'condemns' Israel's failure to obey UN resolutions on Jerusalem".
- Resolution 279: "... 'demands' withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon".
- Resolution 280: "... 'condemns' Israeli's attacks against Lebanon".
- Resolution 285: "... 'demands' immediate Israeli withdrawal form Lebanon".
- Resolution 298: "... 'deplores' Israel's changing of the status of Jerusalem".
- Resolution 313: "... 'demands' that Israel stop attacks against Lebanon".
- Resolution 316: "... 'condemns' Israel for repeated attacks on Lebanon".
- Resolution 317: "... 'deplores' Israel's refusal to release Arabs abducted in Lebanon".
- Resolution 332: "... 'condemns' Israel's repeated attacks against Lebanon".
- Resolution 337: "... 'condemns' Israel for violating Lebanon's sovereignty".
- Resolution 347: "... 'condemns' Israeli attacks on Lebanon".
- Resolution 425: "... 'calls' on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon".
- Resolution 427: "... 'calls' on Israel to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon.
- Resolution 444: "... 'deplores' Israel's lack of cooperation with UN peacekeeping forces".
- Resolution 446: "... 'determines' that Israeli settlements are a 'serious obstruction' to peace and calls on Israel to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention".
- Resolution 450: "... 'calls' on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon".
- Resolution 452: "... 'calls' on Israel to cease building settlements in occupied territories".
- Resolution 465: "... 'deplores' Israel's settlements and asks all member states not to assist Israel's settlements program".
- Resolution 467: "... 'strongly deplores' Israel's military intervention in Lebanon".
- Resolution 468: "... 'calls' on Israel to rescind illegal expulsions of two Palestinian mayors and a judge and to facilitate their return".
- Resolution 469: "... 'strongly deplores' Israel's failure to observe the council's order not to deport Palestinians".
- Resolution 471: "... 'expresses deep concern' at Israel's failure to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention".
- Resolution 476: "... 'reiterates' that Israel's claim to Jerusalem are 'null and void'".
- Resolution 478: "... 'censures (Israel) in the strongest terms' for its claim to Jerusalem in its 'Basic Law'".
- Resolution 484: "... 'declares it imperative' that Israel re-admit two deported Palestinian mayors".
- Resolution 487: "... 'strongly condemns' Israel for its attack on Iraq's nuclear facility".
- Resolution 497: "... 'decides' that Israel's annexation of Syria's Golan Heights is 'null and void' and demands that Israel rescinds its decision forthwith".
- Resolution 498: "... 'calls' on Israel to withdraw from Lebanon".
- Resolution 501: "... 'calls' on Israel to stop attacks against Lebanon and withdraw its troops".
- Resolution 509: "... 'demands' that Israel withdraw its forces forthwith and unconditionally from Lebanon".
- Resolution 515: "... 'demands' that Israel lift its siege of Beirut and allow food supplies to be brought in".
- Resolution 517: "... 'censures' Israel for failing to obey UN resolutions and demands that Israel withdraw its forces from Lebanon".
- Resolution 518: "... 'demands' that Israel cooperate fully with UN forces in Lebanon".
- Resolution 520: "... 'condemns' Israel's attack into West Beirut".
- Resolution 573: "... 'condemns' Israel 'vigorously' for bombing Tunisia in attack on PLO headquarters.
- Resolution 587: "... 'takes note' of previous calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and urges all parties to withdraw".
- Resolution 592: "... 'strongly deplores' the killing of Palestinian students at Bir Zeit University by Israeli troops".
- Resolution 605: "... 'strongly deplores' Israel's policies and practices denying the human rights of Palestinians.
- Resolution 607: "... 'calls' on Israel not to deport Palestinians and strongly requests it to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
- Resolution 608: "... 'deeply regrets' that Israel has defied the United Nations and deported Palestinian civilians".
- Resolution 636: "... 'deeply regrets' Israeli deportation of Palestinian civilians.
- Resolution 641: "... 'deplores' Israel's continuing deportation of Palestinians.
- Resolution 672: "... 'condemns' Israel for violence against Palestinians at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.
- Resolution 673: "... 'deplores' Israel's refusal to cooperate with the United Nations.
- Resolution 681: "... 'deplores' Israel's resumption of the deportation of Palestinians.
- Resolution 694: "... 'deplores' Israel's deportation of Palestinians and calls on it to ensure their safe and immediate return.
- Resolution 726: "... 'strongly condemns' Israel's deportation of Palestinians.
- Resolution 799: ". . . 'strongly condemns' Israel's deportation of 413 Palestinians and calls for their immediate return.
1993 to 1995
UNGA Res 50/21 - The Middle East Peace Process (Dec 12, 1995)
UNGA Res 50/22 - The Situation in the Middle East (Dec 12, 1995)
UNGA Res 49/35 - Assistance to Palestinian Refugees (Jan 30 1995) l
UNGA Res 49/36 - Human Rights of Palestinian Refugees (Jan 30 1995)
UNGA Res 49/62 - Question of Palestine (Feb 3 1995)
UNGA Res 49/78 - Nuclear Proliferation in Mideast (Jan 11 1995)
UNGA Res 49/87 - Situation in the Middle East (Feb 7 1995)
UNGA Res 49/88 - The Middle East Peace Process (Feb 7 1995)
UNGA Res 49/149 - Palestinian Right- Self-Determination (Feb 7 1995)
UNGA Res 48/213 - Assistance to Palestinian Refugees (Mar 15, 1994)
UNGA Res 48/40 - UNRWA for Palestinian Refugees (Dec 13, 1993)
UNGA Res 48/41 - Human Rights in the Territories (Dec 10 1993)
UNGA Res 48/58 - The Middle East Peace Process (Dec 14 1993)
UNGA Res 48/59 - The Situation in the Middle East (Dec 14 1993)
UNGA Res 48/71 - Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Mideast (Dec 16 1993)
UNGA Res 48/78 - Israeli Nuclear Armanent (Dec 16 1993)
UNGA Res 48/94 - Self-Determination & Independence (Dec 20 1993)
UNGA Res 48/124 - Non-interference in Elections (Dec 20 1993)
UNGA Res 48/158 - Question of Palestine (Dec 20 1993)
UNGA Res 48/212 - Repercussions of Israeli Settlements (Dec 21 1993)
I am sure there are new resolutions about what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people, but this gives you an idea of how long this has been going on. There are hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were born in refugee camp, grew up in refugee camp, and who will die in a refugee camp. It is their sons and daughters who make up Hamas.
Palestine has a reported 60% unemployment rate. The young people there see no future at all for themselves or for their children. They are not going to listen to the "Great Satan" (that would be the United States in their minds), and they are not going to listen to Israel. So, they used democracy to elect a government that represents the way they think. As George Bush pushes for more votes in more countries, he is going to learn that it was the despots and dictators who were un our side, but given the chance through the ballot box, the people of the Middle East will tell George Bush what they truly believe in, and like Palestine's election, George is not going to like it.