| Author | Message | | Alpha | | Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:39 pm Post subject: Action Alert- "Anti-Semitism" Bill, Weapons Sale t |
| >> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Middle East Children's Alliance" <meca@mecaforpeace.org>
>>
>> Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 5:52 PM
>> Subject: Action Alert- "Anti-Semitism" Bill, Weapons Sale to Israel
>>
>>
>> "Anti-Semitism" Bill
>>
>> Throughout this past year Rep. Tom Lantos (CA) has been pushing for
a new
>> bill that would create a new office in the State Department to
monitor
>> "anti-Semitism" in the US and abroad. The Global Anti-Semitism Act
that
>> Lantos co-authored this spring states that, "Anti-Semitism has at
times
>> taken the form of vilification of Zionism...and incitement against
>> Israel."
>>
>> This action by Lantos follows on the heels of House Resolution 3077
in
>> fall
>> of 2003. HR 3077, now pending, would create an advisory board that
>> monitors
>> anti-American and anti-Israeli statements at universities receiving
>> government funding. This resolution severely restricts academic
freedom
>> and
>> is meant to intimidate professors whose work challenges mainstream
views
>> on
>> Middle East history and US foreign policy.
>>
>> This bill does not stand in isolation; it is part of a growing trend
in
>> the
>> United States to construe anti-Israel and anti-Zionist views as
>> "anti-Semitic". The silencing of criticism of the State of Israel
and its
>> discriminatory policies is a dangerous abridgement of our First
Amendment
>> rights. Even the State Department has objected to this bill stating
that
>> "[i]t could erode our credibility by being interpreted as favoritism
in
>> human rights reporting."
>>
>> This week 104 prominent Americans sent a letter to Colin Powell
>> supporting
>> the bill and Lantos won backing for this bill from Rep. Chris Smith
(NJ).
>>
>> Please contact Lantos and Smith to express your concern about the
>> abridgement of our civil rights and liberties.
>>
>> We cannot allow our government to stifle debate and discussion on
these
>> important issues.
>>
>> Representative Lantos
>>
>> Web Site: www.house.gov/lantos
>> Washington Office:
>> 2413 Rayburn House Office Building
>> Washington, D.C. 20515-0512
>> Phone: (202) 225-3531
>> Fax: (202) 226-4183
>> Main District Office:
>> 400 S. El Camino Real, #410
>> San Mateo, CA 94402
>> Phone: (650) 342-0300
>> Fax: (650) 375-8270
>>
>> Representative Smith
>>
>> Web Site: www.house.gov/chrissmith
>> Washington Office:
>> 2373 Rayburn House Office Building
>> Washington, D.C. 20515-3004
>> Phone: (202) 225-3765
>> Fax: (202) 225-7768
>> Main District Office:
>> 1540 Kuser Rd., Ste. A9
>> Hamilton, NJ 08619
>> Phone: (609) 585-7878
>> Fax: (609) 585-9155
>>
>>
>>
>>
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
>> *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
>> US to Sell 5,000 Smart Bombs to Israel
>> from Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/479587.html
>>
>> "The United States will sell Israel 5,000 smart bombs, for $319
million,
>> according to a report made to Congress a few weeks ago. The funding
will
>> come from the U.S. military aid to Israel...
>> "The Pentagon told Congress that the bombs are meant to maintain
Israel's
>> qualitative advantage, and advance U.S. strategic and tactical
interests.
>> "Among the bombs the air force will get are 500 one-ton bunker
busters
>> that
>> can penetrate two-meter-thick cement walls; 2,500 regular one-ton
bombs;
>> 1,000 half-ton bombs; and 500 quarter-ton bombs.
>> "Government sources said the bomb deal, one of the largest weapons
deals
>> of
>> recent years, did not face any political difficulties, despite the
use
>> Israel has made of U.S.-made F-16s in some of its assassinations in
the
>> territories... The government sources said Israel will not be asking
for
>> any
>> new weapons systems or purchases until after the upcoming November
>> elections..."
>>
>> Ask Your Representatives to Oppose the Sale of So-Called "Smart"
Bombs to
>> Israel
>>
>> TALKING POINTS
>> * The illegal use of these one-ton bombs in civilian residential
areas of
>> the Palestinian territories has resulted in the mass killing of
hundreds
>> of
>> Palestinian civilians, including many children. In July of 2002,
the
>> Israeli occupation forces dropped a one-ton bomb into an apartment
>> building
>> to kill a single person.
>>
>> *In the last four years, 3,300 Palestinians (including over 600
children)
>> have been killed by the Israeli military with American weapons.
Giving
>> these
>> bombs to Israel is akin to giving them a green light to continue
>> targeting
>> Palestinian civilians and children.
>>
>> *Since 1967, Israel has acted against the occupied Palestinian
population
>> in direct violation of international law, humanitarian conventions
ad 33
>> United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
>>
>> *The US State Department has reported on systematic Israeli
violations of
>> Palestinian human rights: house demolitions, illegal settlement
building,
>> and closures. Furthermore US military aid to Israel is in violation
of US
>> Arms Export Act, which forbids the US government from giving
military
>> assistance to any country that violates internationally recognized
human
>> rights.
>>
>> *Despite the above information, the US government continues to
reward
>> Israel with over $5 billion a year in aid (at least $500 million of
which
>> is
>> military aid) which is paid entirely by US tax dollars.
>>
>> *Tell your representatives that U.S. support for Israeli human
rights
>> violations will affect how you vote in the next election.
>>
>> To find contact information for your representatives go to
>> www.congress.org
>>
>>
>> Middle East Children's Alliance
>>
>> 901 Parker Street
>> Berkeley, California 94710
>> United States
>>
>>
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