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• Wednesday, January 14, 2009 02:45 AM

  @JonathanInTelAviv - You are no "friend" of America

  I have to disagree that Israel (or at least the views you represent in Israel) is truly a friend of America, or the West, for the following reasons:

  1) Western democracies are rooted in the universal concept of equal citizenship. In Israel, equal citizenship is not an option since Israel was created to be a Jewish state. In Israel, leaders openly discuss the Palestinian "demographic threat" (Palestinians constitute half the population under Israel's control) contemplating options that would leave the Palestinians as second class citizens, at best, or as a target for extermination and ethnic cleansing, at worst.

  2) Israel, with the war of Gaza being the latest example, has shown a tendency to use indiscriminate and excessive force in its wars causing a horrendous civilian death toll. The pictures of dead children - which we are spared in North America - have inflamed public opinion in much of the world. Due to America's close relationship with Israel, America is viewed as a culprit in Israel's wars which creates ill will toward us in much of the world.

  3) Israel and the neocons were instrumental in the deception that led to the Iraq war. They continue to push for endless war.

  4) Your dismissive attitude toward the significance of Israel's colonies in the West Bank on the peace process - which has been shared by all of Israel's governments - shows that Israel is not ready for peace. When it comes to the peace process, Israeli leaders have been more interested in the process (as a delay tactic allowing them to create more facts on the ground ) than in peace.

  With friends like you who needs enemies.

  —aVulcan Read aVulcan's other letters
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