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John Kerry's Anti-Palestinian Agenda

 

by Stephen Lendman

 

He's no peacemaker. He never was throughout 30 years in state and federal government service. He's one of America's privileged. He's super-rich. 

 

His record shows exclusive support for wealth and power. He spurns popular interests. He's been conducting Middle East shuttle diplomacy for months. He's Israel's man at State. 

 

He's no honest broker. He never was. He's not now. His dirty hands are manipulating dead on arrival Israeli/Palestinian peace talks. 

 

They're more pretense than real. They demand unconditional Palestinian surrender. Israel is all take and no give. So is Washington.

 

Peace in our time reflects a convenient illusion. Last week, Kerry met with Netanyahu and Abbas. He presented a new plan. It's largely old wine in new bottles. It focused on security issues.

 

On December 5, The New York Times headlined "Kerry, Seeking to Nudge Along Peace Talks, Offers Netanyahu Ideas on Security," saying:

 

So far, "little visible headway" was achieved. Kerry is back trying again. He brought "American ideas," said The Times.

 

They one-sidedly favor Israel. They offer Palestinians sticks, not carrots. So-called peace talks reflect same old, same old.

 

Kerry brought nothing new. According to The Times:

 

"Saeb Erekat, the senior Palestinian negotiator, said that Mr. Kerry did not present anything in a final form during the meeting in Ramallah."

 

Kerry's so-called peace proposal ignores it altogether. PA officials rejected it. An unnamed one said:

 

"The Palestinian side rejected (it) because (it) would only lead to prolonging and maintaining the occupation."

 

Talks began last summer. Kerry expressed confidence in resolving longstanding issues within nine months. The half-way point approaches. No progress whatever was made.

 

Israeli sources called Kerry's new plan "interesting." It's "complex." It's "not sufficient." It prioritizes security. 

 

Palestinians need it. They pose Israel no threat. Nor do other regional countries. So-called Israeli security concerns are ones it invents. Claiming otherwise doesn't wash.

 

Elements of Kerry's plan haven't been released. Some details leaked out last week. Israeli Jordan Valley control would continue. 

 

It remains in charge of Jordanian/West Bank border areas. It calls for a number of border crossings. A token PA presence is permitted. It's little more than symbolic.

 

Washington would provide an additional security "envelope." Drones, mass surveillance, "advanced technological equipment, unique weaponry," and early warning stations would be involved. 

 

Allegedly it would try to detect terrorist threats and border violations. Special attention would be given to Ben-Gurion international airport and surrounding areas.

 

Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon is a Likudnik hardline extremist. "Americans are proposing joint control over (Jordanian) crossing points," he said.

 

"From the Israeli point of view, there will not be any Palestinian presence. An (exclusive) Israeli civilian and military presence in the Jordan Valley is essential."

 

In 1948, Palestinians lost 78% of historic Palestine. In 1967, they lost the rest. They're willing to settle for 22% of what's rightfully theirs. 

 

They want sovereign independence within 1967 borders. Israel categorically refuses. So does Washington. 

 

Earlier plans included land swaps. Israel got to keep all valued Judea and Samaria areas. Palestinians got worthless scrubland.

 

Reports suggest current talks include similar mumbo jumbo. Universally recognized Palestinian sovereignty remains nowhere in sight. 

 

Kerry's new plan is little different from earlier ones. It's one way. It permits continued militarized occupation harshness. 

 

It ignores Palestinian rights. It denies peaceful conflict resolution. It continues business as usual.

 

Peace talks are going nowhere. Kerry claims otherwise. He lied saying "I believe we are closer than we have been in years to bringing about the peace and prosperity that all the people in this region yearn for."

 

"Despite the fact that we are discussing really difficult, complicated issues, I am encouraged by the continued commitment of both leaders to the pursuit of peace, and they both underscored their commitment to continue to work through these difficult issues in the days ahead." 

 

"The naysayers are wrong to call peace in this region an impossible goal."

 

"We've gone through a very detailed, lengthy, in-depth analysis of the security challenges of the region, and particularly the challenges to Israel and to the creation of a viable, independent Palestinian state." 

 

"Security is paramount in the minds of the prime minister and his team with respect to their ability to be able to move forward with other issues that have to be dealt with." 

 

"If Israel's security cannot be increased through this agreement, it's very difficult to" achieve one.

 

It bears repeating. Israel's only security concerns are ones it invents. Palestinians have longstanding issues left unresolved.

 

Peace, prosperity, and universally recognized sovereignty for them remain as distant as ever. Kerry's plan excludes besieged Gaza. 

 

It ignores 1.7 million entrapped Palestinians. It effectively endorses Israel's illegal blockade. It permits unconscionable human suffering. 

 

It shows Kerry's real agenda. It's hardline. It's unfair. It denies fundamental Palestinian rights. It excludes peace in our time.

 

Washington and Israel abhor it. They stoke conflict and instability. Doing so reflects longstanding policy.

 

In mid-November, Palestinian negotiator Mohammad Shtayyeh resigned. Doing so was in response to "increasing settlement building and the absence of any hope of achieving results," he said.

 

"Abbas has not accepted our resignation." Israel bears full "responsib(ility) for the failure of negotiations," he stressed.

 

Chief negotiator Saeb Erakat resigned but continues negotiating. He lost credibility long ago. He's a longtime Israeli collaborator.

 

He says one thing. He does another. He's benefitted handsomely from betrayal. He's not about to change tactics now.

 

Continued settlement expansions alone make peaceful conflict resolution impossible. Thousands of new units are planned. Construction continues unabated.

 

Land theft is official Israeli policy. So is ethnic cleansing. It's for exclusive Jewish development. Longstanding Israeli contempt for Palestinian rights assures them none at all in negotiations.

 

They're pretense. They're fake. They create an illusion of seriousness. None whatever exists. 

 

Israel and Washington aren't legitimate peace partners. Netanyahu is a hardline extremist. He exceeds the worst of his predecessors.

 

Kerry is a longstanding Israeli apologist. His support is unwavering. He's committed to a special relationship.

 

His pro-Israel Senate voting record was second to none. He supports Israeli attacks on Gaza humanitarian missions.

 

After the May 2010 Mavi Marmara massacre, he said Israel "has every right in the world to make certain weapons are not being smuggled in."

 

Humanitarian missions bring vital aid. They don't smuggle weapons. Mavi Marmara participants brought none. Kerry knows it. He pretended otherwise.

 

Hillary Clinton was perhaps Washington's most brazen ever Secretary of State. Her comments and attitude exceeded the worst of Cold War rhetoric. 

 

She went all out to avoid peace and stability. Kerry appears aiming to top her. He's a monument to wrong over right. 

 

He's an embarrassment to legitimate diplomacy. His involvement in ongoing talks assures continued conflict, not resolution.

 

Brookings is a corporate financed imperial tool. Its Saban Center is fiercely pro-Israeli. In May 2002, Zionist hardliner Haim Saban founded it.

 

On December 6 - 8, Brookings held its 10th annual Saban Forum. It's titled "Power Shifts: US-Israeli Relations in a Dynamic Middle East.

 

Obama participated. So did Netanyahu via satellite. John Kerry spoke. Israeli defrocked/reinstated Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman participated.

 

He addressed ongoing peace talks. He dismissed them out-of-hand. "Trust between the two sides is about zero," he said.

 

He cautioned against creating "expectations" for resolving longstanding issues. He denied an Israeli occupation. He reinvented history.

 

Palestine never existed, he claimed. Lieberman represents the worst of ultranationalist extremism. Israel's Knesset is infested with others like him.

 

Peace remains a distant illusion. Never with Washington and Israeli hardliners involved.

 

On June 4, 2009, Obama delivered his "On a New Beginning" Cairo University speech. He came, he said, seeking one "between the United States and Muslims around the world."

 

He claimed to want one "based on mutual interest and mutual respect…" He said "America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition."

 

They "share common principles - principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings."

 

He decried the "killing of innocent men, women, and children." He spent the past five years slaughtering many tens of thousands more.

 

His Middle East mission spreads death and destruction. He ravaged one country after another. He's got more targets in mind. 

 

He's gone all out to subvert Palestinian sovereignty. Kerry is his point man. With them in charge, expect no peace in our time. 

 

Expect hypocrisy, not democracy. Expect wars on humanity to persist. Expect Palestinian liberation to remain an unfulfilled distant dream. Maybe some day. Not now.

 

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

 

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

 

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

 

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

 

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