Speaker Nancy Pelosi is right: The bond between America and Israel is rooted in “shared values” – including those of colonialists who commit mass murder against innocent civilians; impose decades of tyranny; terrorize millions of indigenous people and deny them their fundamental human rights; and exploit them economically by stealing their land and natural resources.
The facade of being a “democracy” can’t hide the barbarism and ongoing criminality of either country.
Congresswoman Ilan Omar is right: “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby” for members of Congress enriching themselves, legions of Washington lobbyists and advocacy groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, whose backing can result indirectly in game-changing campaign contributions.
Speaker Pelosi cynically wielded her false and malicious charge of anti-Semitism against Omar like a cudgel, smearing her for speaking the truth.
Congress is in lockstep with Israel, and they’re extremely destructive, like permitting money raised in the United States to be used to subsidize illegal Israeli settlements, further dispossessing Palestinians.
Congressional Democratic leaders, whom Robert Azzi praises (Sunday Monitor Forum, Feb. 17), refuse to even use the word “occupation,” deliberately ignoring the gross injustices inflicted daily upon Palestinians through Israeli military rule, a catastrophic blockade of Gaza and thousands of attacks by fanatical settlers.
Azzi exposed the hypocrisy of many of Omar’s critics, but instead of patting himself on the back for his own flawed analysis of her tweet he should confront the pervasive anti-Palestinian racism that dominates the Democratic and Republican parties.
JOHN S. HANCOCK
Concord