Carter
Enters Lions' Den
By Paul Findley
09 February, 2007
Chicago
Tribune
At
the age of 82, Jimmy Carter entered the lion's den. With the publication
of his latest book, "Palestine: Peace not Apartheid," he did
what a patriot would do: rally Americans to vigorous debate of a critical
issue that affects our future. He deserves a hero's praise. Instead,
he has been attacked and defamed.
I had the honor to serve
as the senior Republican on the Middle East Subcommittee of the House
International Relations Committee throughout the Carter administration.
Carter frequently invited me to huddles in the White House; discussions
that would ultimately lead to a lasting peace between Israel and Egypt.
I know Carter well and consider him a friend.
I also experienced firsthand
what Carter now faces. Toward the end of my 22-year tenure in Congress,
I spoke in favor of Palestinian rights and was critical of Israeli policies
of Palestinian land confiscation and Jewish-only settlements on Palestinian
lands. These actions were counter to American policy and values. They
dimmed chances for peace.
As a result of my evenhanded
position, the pro-Israel lobby poured money into my opponent's campaign.
I overcame their challenge in 1980 but lost in 1982 by a narrow margin.
Still, the message was heard loudly on Capitol Hill: Criticize Israel
and pay with your congressional seat.
In my 1985 book, "They
Dare to Speak Out," I detailed the tactics used to silence criticism
of Israeli policies. One of the groups employing these tactics is the
American Israel Public Affairs Committee. On its Web site, AIPAC calls
itself "America's pro-Israel lobby" and boasts a New York
Times description of it as "the most important organization affecting
America's relationship with Israel."
All citizens have the right
to band together and push for policies they believe are right. But AIPAC
and other pro-Israel lobby groups do not plead the case for Israel on
the stage of public opinion. Instead, they often resort to smear campaigns
and intimidation to clear the floor so that only their side is heard.
Carter has dared to call
a spade a spade. South African leaders, like Archbishop Desmond Tutu
and UN Envoy John Dugard, compare Israeli policies to apartheid. The
Israeli press uses the term, as do Israeli politicians. Former Education
Minister Shulamit Aloni said in a recent commentary, "Indeed apartheid
does exist here." Pro-Israel lobby groups have not debated the
credence of these claims. Instead, they lob accusations and insults,
even insinuating that Carter is anti-Semitic. They do not prove him
wrong with facts. They seek to discredit him with innuendo.
I do not believe these groups
set out to discredit opponents and destroy free speech. I believe they
had the singular purpose of ensuring U.S. government support for Israel.
But after decades of Israeli actions running counter to American policies
and values, it becomes difficult to do one without the other.
American policy has long
held, for example, that Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian
land are illegal. Yet Israel continues to build them. American values
demand that all people be treated equally, that rights be doled out
in equal measure regardless of one's race, religion or ethnicity.
Yet, as Carter points out
in his book, Israel endows Jewish settlers living on Palestinian land
with full rights, while denying those rights to the Palestinians living
on their own land.
If these issues were debated
openly, U.S. policymakers would have to hold Israel accountable and
demand that our financial and diplomatic support be contingent upon
Israel upholding American values and policy positions.
Yet there is silence. Critical
discussion of Israeli policies is non-existent in Congress. Rather than
conducting vigorous committee hearings, as happens with other issues,
members of Congress compete to outdo one another in statements of support
for Israel. And American tax dollars keep flowing uninterrupted to Israel.
Our unconditional support
of Israel damages our credibility on the world stage. It deprives us
of potential allies in the Arab and Muslim worlds. It allows Israel
to remain intransigent and condemns Palestinian and Israeli children
to decades more of conflict.
Open discussion, where all
perspectives are debated, leads to good policy. Carter took a stand
for what is right: for Americans, for Palestinians and for Israelis.
It is time for a sitting president and members of Congress to do the
same.
Paul Findley represented Illinois in the U.S. House for 22 years. He
is the author of numerous books, including "They Dare to Speak
Out" and "Silent No More."
Copyright © 2007, Chicago
Tribune
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