Mohammed Samaana: Washington for First Time terms violent Israeli Squatter-Settlers “Terrorists,” but US Needs to Let UNSC Impose Sanctions

Mohammed Samaana writes that Washington for First Time terms violent Israeli Squatter-Settlers “Terrorists,” but US Needs to Let UNSC Impose Sanctions

In response to the recent killing, the US State Department said, “We strongly condemn yesterday’s terror attack by Israeli extremist settlers that killed a 19-year-old Palestinian.” It’s highly unlikely that the statement is a turning point in America’s foreign policy, but this announcement differs from the traditional State Department boilerplate expressing the cliche of “Israel has the right to defend itself” or at best equating between the Palestinian victims and their Israeli oppressors. The Jewish Power party was dismissive of the State Department’s remarks.

This dismissal reflects the confidence Israelis in general feel that no action will be taken against them by any Western power no matter what. Historically, any action against Israeli crimes against the Palestinians didn’t go beyond criticism, and the US has for the most part ensured this impunity by using its veto in the UN in order to block any practical punishment of Israel.

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The US government has been moved to issue a statement condemning the actions of the military wing of the Jewish Power party which is now part of the ruling Israeli government coalition. But this condemnation will not lead to any reduction in US financial support for the Israeli military. Nor would the US allow the UNSC to take any action against Israel.

Samaana contrasts this response to Israeli aggression against the Palestinians with that to Russian aggression against Ukraine:

The double standard foreign policy which involves turning a blind eye when it comes to Israel is evident in the way western countries dealt with Russia invasion of Ukraine. Sanctions were imposed on Russia immediately and military aid to Ukraine to defend itself hasn’t stopped. In fact what Israel is doing to the Palestinians is worse than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Israel has been carrying out ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians before its official establishment on Palestinian land in 1948 with a number of western countries supporting the ethnic cleansing by different means including arming and financing Israel.

Speaking of Russia, it hasn’t taken any action to help the Palestinians either. Putin’s Russia has allowed Israel to bomb Syria with stunning silence from those who are duped with Putin assuming that he is anti-imperialist. At the same time, despite Israel being heavily reliant on American military and financial aid, it has been reluctant to help Ukraine, desiring to keep its good relations with Russia, which decided recently to open a new consulate in Jerusalem.

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Both the USA and Russia are guilty of supporting and enabling aggression. Both should be condemned and opposed.