To the Editor:
Liberals do support Israel.
Democrats have again and again voted to give Israel the most foreign aid of any country in the world, and even voted overwhelmingly in support of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. But before I go into that can of worms, let me get the argument for liberals supporting Israel straight – because Israel tolerates homosexuality, liberals shouldn’t care about starving Palestinian children?
Israel is no beacon of human rights. Although Israel might be progressive towards women and homosexuals, it is a country built on stolen land that pursues racist and violent policies to justify and insulate itself from those who used to live there. This aggression can only persist with the aid of the U.S. government, which gives more aid to Israel than any other country – and all of sub-Saharan Africa combined. Most of this aid is indirect corporate welfare because it is spent on American-made weaponry.
The occupation continually marginalizes the Palestinians into more and more inhospitable land as Jews, many from the United States (which has plenty of land and water), continue their suburban sprawl overseas on Israeli settlements, taking land and diverting water from the Palestinians who desperately need it. I attended the Palestine solidarity conference in 2003, not because I’m a liberal with a bleeding heart, but because I support the liberation of oppressed peoples and the right of Palestinians to land, water and self-determination.
But maybe liberals should support Israel – after all, the great creed of liberalism is that everyone who can afford them should have rights.
Mary LoritzColumbus, Ohio
