By Stuart Littlewood*

25 July 2008

Stuart Littlewood calls on Senator Barack Obama “to stop trying to reframe the situation in the Holy Land by sweeping inconvenient UN resolutions under the carpet, and end the arms supply and other huge subsidies" to the Middle East's greatest terrorist regime, Israel.

Excuse me, who is this new kid called Obama, who was unknown outside the US five minutes ago but now barges into the Holy Land announcing that it's OK for Israel to grab the hallowed City of Jerusalem and turn it into the permanent headquarters of the Zionist regime?

Jerusalem "will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided," he told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). 

Realizing his gaffe, he moderated the tone slightly by telling CNN: "Well, obviously, it's going to be up to the parties to negotiate a range of these issues. And Jerusalem will be part of those negotiations... And I think that it is smart for us to work through a system in which everybody has access to the extraordinary religious sites in Old Jerusalem, but that Israel has a legitimate claim on that city."

A legitimate claim? How does he figure that? The Old City belongs to Palestinian East Jerusalem, which should tell Mr Obama something.

The trouble with Obama and many other Americans is that they know diddly-squat. Worse, this one has “adviser” Dennis Ross whispering in his ear. Ross was the architect of the failed US-inspired Middle East peace process. Ross co-founded the AIPAC-sponsored Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He was also part of Paul Wolfowitz's Policy Planning team at the US State Department, which included people like Scooter Libby. So, it was obvious to everyone where he was coming from. 

Obama, like others labouring under the yoke of the “unbreakable bond” with Israel, talks of negotiations. What is there to negotiate? The UN decided it all long ago.

Israel quibbles over interpretation of the wording – they would wouldn't they? – but it's crystal clear to everyone else.

So there you have it, Mr Obama. The UN has set it out. We're simply waiting for implementation. The longer the wait the uglier the unrest can become. The rocketing of Sderot, for example, can be traced to America's failure to implement.

I hear you are the US Democrats' presidential candidate presumptive, Mr Obama. Congratulations. It goes without saying that you need Israel lobby funds to fuel your bid for ultimate power in the world's most stupidly expensive electoral system, but do please try not to make daft promises.
 
The best thing any new US president can do is quit meddling, stop trying to reframe the situation in the Holy Land by sweeping inconvenient UN resolutions under the carpet, and end the arms supply and other huge subsidies to the region's greatest terrorist regime.
 
By the way, Mr Obama, did you enjoy your stay at Jerusalem's King David Hotel? When you checked in, were you aware that it used to be the British headquarters and the Irgun terror gang blew it up in 1946, murdering 91 people? The Irgun, which declared war on the British mandate government while we were still fighting Nazi Germany, was commanded by wanted terrorist Menachem Begin, who later became Isreal's prime minister.

I trust you slept well.
 
One last thing: you said in Berlin: "When you, the German people, tore down that wall – a wall that divided East and West; freedom and tyranny; fear and hope – walls came tumbling down around the world." On your next visit would you mind, please, persuading your steadfast friend Israel to tear down its Separation Wall, as instructed by the International Court of Justice... you know, the wall that divides Palestinian communities from each other and from freedom and hope, prevents farmers reaching their land... the wall that has little to do with security and everything to do with permanently annexing more territory and strategic water resources?