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Nader's Letter to ADL's Foxman
Ralph Nader puts Abe Foxman to the question for the hypocritical inconsistencies of the liberal organization the Anti Defamation League(ADL).
Abraham H. Foxman
National Director
Anti-Defamation League
823 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Dear Mr. Foxman:
How nice to hear your views. Years ago, fresh out of law school, I was reading your clear writings against bigotry and discrimination. Your charter has always been to advance civil liberties and free speech in our country by and for all ethnic and religious groups. These days all freedom-loving people have much work to do.
As you know there is far more freedom in the media, in town squares and among citizens, soldiers, elected representatives and academicians in Israel to debate and discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than there is in the United States. Israelis of all backgrounds have made this point.
Do you agree and if so, what is your explanation for such a difference?
About half of the Israeli people over the years have disagreed with the present Israeli government's policies toward the Palestinian people. Included in this number is the broad and deep Israeli peace movement which mobilized about 120,000 people in a Tel Aviv square recently.
Do you agree with their policies and strategy for a peaceful settlement between Israelis and Palestinians? Or do you agree with the House Resolution 460 in Congress signed by 407 members of the House to support the Prime Minister's proposal? See attachment re the omission of any reference to a viable Palestinian state - generally considered by both Israelis and Palestinians, including those who have worked out accords together, to be a sine qua non for a settlement of this resolvable conflict - a point supported by over two-thirds of Americans of the Jewish faith. Would such a reasonable resolution ever pass the Congress? For more information on the growing pro-peace movements among the American Jewish Community see: Ester Kaplan, "The Jewish Divide on Israel," The Nation, June 24, 2004.
Enclosed is the "Courage to Refuse - Combatant's Letter" signed by hundreds of reserve combat officials and soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces. It is posted on their web at: http://www.seruv.org.il/defaulteng.asp . One highlight of their statement needs careful consideration: "We shall not continue to fight beyond the 1967 borders in order to dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire people. We hereby declare that we shall continue serving in the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves Israel's defense. The missions of occupation and oppression do not serve this purpose - and we shall take no part in them" (Emphasis in original). Do you agree with these patriotic, front line soldiers' observation that Israel is dominating, expelling, starving and humiliating an entire people - the Palestinian people - and that in their words "the Territories are not Israel?"
What is your view of Rabbi Lerner's Tikkun's call for peace, along with the proposals of Jewish Voice for Peace, the Progressive Jewish Alliance and Americans for Peace Now? As between the present Israeli government's position on this conflict and the position of these groups, which do you favor and why?
Do you share the views in the open letter signed by 400 rabbis, including leaders of some of the largest congregations in our country, sent this March by Rabbis for Human Rights of North America to Ariel Sharon protesting Israel's house-demolition policy?
Have you ever disagreed with the Israeli government's treatment of the Palestinian people in any way, shape or manner in the occupied territories? Do you think that these Semitic peoples have ever suffered from bigotry and devastation by their occupiers in the occupied West Bank, Gaza or inside Israel? If you want a reference here, check the website of the great Israeli human rights group B'T selem.
Since you are a man of many opinions, with a specialty focused on the Semitic peoples, explain the United States' support over the decades of authoritarian or dictatorial regimes, in the greater Middle East, over their own people which is fomenting resistance by fundamentalists.
These questions have all occurred to you years ago, no doubt. So it would be helpful to receive your views.
As for the metaphors - puppeteer and puppets - the Romans had a phrase for the obvious - res ipsa loquitur. The Israelis have a joke for the obvious - that the United States is the second state of Israel.
How often, if ever, has the United States - either the Congress or the White House-pursued a course of action, since 1956, that contradicted the Israeli government's position? You do read Ha'aretz, don't you? You know of the group Rabbis for Justice.
To end the hostilities which have taken so many precious lives of innocent children, women and men - with far more such losses on the Palestinian side - the occupying military power with a massive preponderance of force has a responsibility to take the initiative. In a recent presentation in Chicago, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak made the point explicitly - Israel should take the initiative itself unilaterally and start disengaging from the West Bank and Gaza and not keep looking for the right Palestinian Authority. Amram Mitzna, the Labor Party's candidate for Prime Minister in the 2003 election, went ever further in showing how peace can be pursued through unilateral withdrawal. Do you concur with these positions?
Citizen groups are in awe of AIPAC's ditto machine on Capitol Hill as are many members of Congress who, against their private judgment, resign themselves to sign on the dotted line. AIPAC is such an effective demonstration of civic action - which is their right - that Muslim Americans are studying it in order to learn how to advance a more balanced Congressional deliberation in the interests of the American people.
Finally, treat yourself to a recent column on February 5, 2004 in The New York Times, by Thomas Friedman, an author on Middle East affairs, who has been critical of both the Israeli and Palestinian leadership. Mr. Friedman writes:
"Mr. Sharon has the Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat under house arrest in his office in Ramallah, and he's had George Bush under house arrest in the Oval Office. Mr. Sharon has Mr. Arafat surrounded by tanks, and Mr. Bush surrounded by Jewish and Christian pro-Israel lobbyists, by a vice president, Dick Cheney, who's ready to do whatever Mr. Sharon dictates, and by political handlers telling the president not to put any pressure on Israel in an election year-all conspiring to make sure the president does nothing."
These are the words of a double Pulitzer Prize winner.
Do you agree with Mr. Friedman's characterization? Sounds like a puppeteer-puppet relationship, doesn't it? Others who are close to this phenomenon have made similar judgments in Israel and in the United States.
Keep after bigotry and once in a while help out the Arab Semites when they are struggling against bigotry, discrimination, profiling and race-based hostility in their beloved adopted country - the U.S.A. This would be in accord with your organization's inclusive title.
Sincerely,
Ralph Nader
Nader Criticzed By Foxman For Comments
By Janine Zacharia
8-14-4
WASHINGTON -- Abraham Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League's national director, fired back at Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader on Friday in what has become an ongoing sparring match over Nader's assertion that Israel and American Jews are "puppeteers" who control Congress and the White House.
Foxman replied to a letter from Nader, in which the candidate stood by his original assertion. Nader's August 5 letter to Foxman said, "The Israelis have a joke for the obvious ñ that the United States is the second state of Israel."
"How often, if ever, has the United States ñ either the Congress of the White House ñ pursued a course of action, since 1956, that contradicted the Israeli government's position?"
Foxman wrote in reply: "I was disappointed to read your letter of August 5 because it merely confirmed my concerns about your original comments Rather than allay our concerns, your letter only furthers conspiracy theories about Jews and borders on bigotry."
Foxman said Nader had ignored the fact that "there are many examples of US disagreement with Israeli policies." And he described Nader's accusation about Jewish power as "false and offensive."
Nader is so far only on fewer than a dozen states' ballots in the November election.
National Director
Anti-Defamation League
823 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Dear Mr. Foxman:
How nice to hear your views. Years ago, fresh out of law school, I was reading your clear writings against bigotry and discrimination. Your charter has always been to advance civil liberties and free speech in our country by and for all ethnic and religious groups. These days all freedom-loving people have much work to do.
As you know there is far more freedom in the media, in town squares and among citizens, soldiers, elected representatives and academicians in Israel to debate and discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than there is in the United States. Israelis of all backgrounds have made this point.
Do you agree and if so, what is your explanation for such a difference?
About half of the Israeli people over the years have disagreed with the present Israeli government's policies toward the Palestinian people. Included in this number is the broad and deep Israeli peace movement which mobilized about 120,000 people in a Tel Aviv square recently.
Do you agree with their policies and strategy for a peaceful settlement between Israelis and Palestinians? Or do you agree with the House Resolution 460 in Congress signed by 407 members of the House to support the Prime Minister's proposal? See attachment re the omission of any reference to a viable Palestinian state - generally considered by both Israelis and Palestinians, including those who have worked out accords together, to be a sine qua non for a settlement of this resolvable conflict - a point supported by over two-thirds of Americans of the Jewish faith. Would such a reasonable resolution ever pass the Congress? For more information on the growing pro-peace movements among the American Jewish Community see: Ester Kaplan, "The Jewish Divide on Israel," The Nation, June 24, 2004.
Enclosed is the "Courage to Refuse - Combatant's Letter" signed by hundreds of reserve combat officials and soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces. It is posted on their web at: http://www.seruv.org.il/defaulteng.asp . One highlight of their statement needs careful consideration: "We shall not continue to fight beyond the 1967 borders in order to dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire people. We hereby declare that we shall continue serving in the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves Israel's defense. The missions of occupation and oppression do not serve this purpose - and we shall take no part in them" (Emphasis in original). Do you agree with these patriotic, front line soldiers' observation that Israel is dominating, expelling, starving and humiliating an entire people - the Palestinian people - and that in their words "the Territories are not Israel?"
What is your view of Rabbi Lerner's Tikkun's call for peace, along with the proposals of Jewish Voice for Peace, the Progressive Jewish Alliance and Americans for Peace Now? As between the present Israeli government's position on this conflict and the position of these groups, which do you favor and why?
Do you share the views in the open letter signed by 400 rabbis, including leaders of some of the largest congregations in our country, sent this March by Rabbis for Human Rights of North America to Ariel Sharon protesting Israel's house-demolition policy?
Have you ever disagreed with the Israeli government's treatment of the Palestinian people in any way, shape or manner in the occupied territories? Do you think that these Semitic peoples have ever suffered from bigotry and devastation by their occupiers in the occupied West Bank, Gaza or inside Israel? If you want a reference here, check the website of the great Israeli human rights group B'T selem.
Since you are a man of many opinions, with a specialty focused on the Semitic peoples, explain the United States' support over the decades of authoritarian or dictatorial regimes, in the greater Middle East, over their own people which is fomenting resistance by fundamentalists.
These questions have all occurred to you years ago, no doubt. So it would be helpful to receive your views.
As for the metaphors - puppeteer and puppets - the Romans had a phrase for the obvious - res ipsa loquitur. The Israelis have a joke for the obvious - that the United States is the second state of Israel.
How often, if ever, has the United States - either the Congress or the White House-pursued a course of action, since 1956, that contradicted the Israeli government's position? You do read Ha'aretz, don't you? You know of the group Rabbis for Justice.
To end the hostilities which have taken so many precious lives of innocent children, women and men - with far more such losses on the Palestinian side - the occupying military power with a massive preponderance of force has a responsibility to take the initiative. In a recent presentation in Chicago, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak made the point explicitly - Israel should take the initiative itself unilaterally and start disengaging from the West Bank and Gaza and not keep looking for the right Palestinian Authority. Amram Mitzna, the Labor Party's candidate for Prime Minister in the 2003 election, went ever further in showing how peace can be pursued through unilateral withdrawal. Do you concur with these positions?
Citizen groups are in awe of AIPAC's ditto machine on Capitol Hill as are many members of Congress who, against their private judgment, resign themselves to sign on the dotted line. AIPAC is such an effective demonstration of civic action - which is their right - that Muslim Americans are studying it in order to learn how to advance a more balanced Congressional deliberation in the interests of the American people.
Finally, treat yourself to a recent column on February 5, 2004 in The New York Times, by Thomas Friedman, an author on Middle East affairs, who has been critical of both the Israeli and Palestinian leadership. Mr. Friedman writes:
"Mr. Sharon has the Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat under house arrest in his office in Ramallah, and he's had George Bush under house arrest in the Oval Office. Mr. Sharon has Mr. Arafat surrounded by tanks, and Mr. Bush surrounded by Jewish and Christian pro-Israel lobbyists, by a vice president, Dick Cheney, who's ready to do whatever Mr. Sharon dictates, and by political handlers telling the president not to put any pressure on Israel in an election year-all conspiring to make sure the president does nothing."
These are the words of a double Pulitzer Prize winner.
Do you agree with Mr. Friedman's characterization? Sounds like a puppeteer-puppet relationship, doesn't it? Others who are close to this phenomenon have made similar judgments in Israel and in the United States.
Keep after bigotry and once in a while help out the Arab Semites when they are struggling against bigotry, discrimination, profiling and race-based hostility in their beloved adopted country - the U.S.A. This would be in accord with your organization's inclusive title.
Sincerely,
Ralph Nader
Nader Criticzed By Foxman For Comments
By Janine Zacharia
8-14-4
WASHINGTON -- Abraham Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League's national director, fired back at Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader on Friday in what has become an ongoing sparring match over Nader's assertion that Israel and American Jews are "puppeteers" who control Congress and the White House.
Foxman replied to a letter from Nader, in which the candidate stood by his original assertion. Nader's August 5 letter to Foxman said, "The Israelis have a joke for the obvious ñ that the United States is the second state of Israel."
"How often, if ever, has the United States ñ either the Congress of the White House ñ pursued a course of action, since 1956, that contradicted the Israeli government's position?"
Foxman wrote in reply: "I was disappointed to read your letter of August 5 because it merely confirmed my concerns about your original comments Rather than allay our concerns, your letter only furthers conspiracy theories about Jews and borders on bigotry."
Foxman said Nader had ignored the fact that "there are many examples of US disagreement with Israeli policies." And he described Nader's accusation about Jewish power as "false and offensive."
Nader is so far only on fewer than a dozen states' ballots in the November election.
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
>>>>"Mr. Sharon has the Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat under house arrest in his office in Ramallah, and he's had George Bush under house arrest in the Oval Office. Mr. Sharon has Mr. Arafat surrounded by tanks, and Mr. Bush surrounded by Jewish and Christian pro-Israel lobbyists, by a vice president, Dick Cheney, who's ready to do whatever Mr. Sharon dictates, and by political handlers telling the president not to put any pressure on Israel in an election year-all conspiring to make sure the president does nothing."<<<<from above article>
And unless we have some brave people in the White House this will not change.
We need a brave President in his second term of office to put an end to the atrocities that Israel is responsible for.
Tit for Tat is getting us nowhere, as proof you can see there is still conflict after thirty six years. So you have to look at the problem as it stands today, and do the right thing so both people can live in peace and with freedom.
If only one side has freedom, the other side will always be seeking it, in anyway they can. That is why there have been wars as far back as we can remember.
Thirty six years of war should be enough for such a small number of people, when you consider the World Population.
You can save Israel by allowing the Palestinian People to have their small state in the Whole of the West Bank and Gaza.
There are 1,200,000 or so Arabs living inside Israel Proper.
There are 400,000 or so Jews living inside the West Bank and Gaza.
Trying to remove all the settlement can be an almost undoable task.
So Set the Borders for Israel to it Pre 1967 Border (Green Line) and have the State of Palestine inside the West Bank and Gaza.
If the U.N. can decide the Borders of Israel in 1948.
The U.N. can decide the Borders of Palestine in 2004.
You would end up with Israel with a majority Jewish Population and Palestine with a majority Muslim Population.
This would allow for the Israeli Military to Guard and Control the Israeli pre 1967 borders instead of confiscating Palestinian Land and Demolishing Palestinian Homes in the West Bank and Gaza that only goes to fuel the need for the Palestinian People to fight for their Freedom.
The Jews who do not like living in the new Palestinian State can feel free to move to Israel if they so choose.
The Arabs living inside Israel can feel free to move to the new Palestinian State if they so choose.
Almost every nation on earth has more then one ethnic group or religious group. So why not Israel and Palestine?
It would sure be better then the never ending conflict we have right now.
And unless we have some brave people in the White House this will not change.
We need a brave President in his second term of office to put an end to the atrocities that Israel is responsible for.
Tit for Tat is getting us nowhere, as proof you can see there is still conflict after thirty six years. So you have to look at the problem as it stands today, and do the right thing so both people can live in peace and with freedom.
If only one side has freedom, the other side will always be seeking it, in anyway they can. That is why there have been wars as far back as we can remember.
Thirty six years of war should be enough for such a small number of people, when you consider the World Population.
You can save Israel by allowing the Palestinian People to have their small state in the Whole of the West Bank and Gaza.
There are 1,200,000 or so Arabs living inside Israel Proper.
There are 400,000 or so Jews living inside the West Bank and Gaza.
Trying to remove all the settlement can be an almost undoable task.
So Set the Borders for Israel to it Pre 1967 Border (Green Line) and have the State of Palestine inside the West Bank and Gaza.
If the U.N. can decide the Borders of Israel in 1948.
The U.N. can decide the Borders of Palestine in 2004.
You would end up with Israel with a majority Jewish Population and Palestine with a majority Muslim Population.
This would allow for the Israeli Military to Guard and Control the Israeli pre 1967 borders instead of confiscating Palestinian Land and Demolishing Palestinian Homes in the West Bank and Gaza that only goes to fuel the need for the Palestinian People to fight for their Freedom.
The Jews who do not like living in the new Palestinian State can feel free to move to Israel if they so choose.
The Arabs living inside Israel can feel free to move to the new Palestinian State if they so choose.
Almost every nation on earth has more then one ethnic group or religious group. So why not Israel and Palestine?
It would sure be better then the never ending conflict we have right now.
Michael Jackson; angel creeps me out!
>>>>Michael Jackson; angel creeps me out!<<<<
Unless you are really enjoying this conflict that is killing Innocent People including 111 Israeli children and 595 Palestinian children, Why do you not write a few lines on what your solution to end this conflict Is???
Are you afraid to give your answer?
Unless you are really enjoying this conflict that is killing Innocent People including 111 Israeli children and 595 Palestinian children, Why do you not write a few lines on what your solution to end this conflict Is???
Are you afraid to give your answer?
As Salaam Alaykum, Angel!
While I admire your tenacity of purpose, I am not so impressed by your simply repeating the same phrases.
Although I do recognize that your intention is obviously good.
I don´t write so well myself at times!
I am able to see that a two-state solution could be appealing at first and even second glance if it were not for the facts that:
1. It would not recompense home and property owners with
their property as such. Many will refuse it due to this.
2. The areas specified are hardly of an equal standing in
several terms. Many will refuse it due to this.
3. It does not address loss of livelihoods, farms, shops,
industries; Many will refuse it due to this.
4. It certainly does not address culpability of specific
individuals for proven acts. Many will refuse it due to this.
I feel more than confident that many have many more issues with such a proposal. The largest one, the one I have saved for last is of course:
5. It substantiates and supports an apartheid solution to a
racist agenda.
I believe that if warmongering foreign interests were entirely removed that the Semitic peoples of the Middle East would more easily reach a viable accord of equals, as they did prior to western colonial manipulation of the region and its peoples (as well as cultures and religions) for criminal profit.
I believe that Israel has an enormous value, talent, and creative genius that can be a strong asset to all the peoples of the region. It is sorely needed as an ally and good neighbor.
The Israel of the past that was created stillborn by corrupted foreign influences at the expense of all the peoples of The Middle East was a sickening travesty of justice.
"We saved you from the holocaust and now we deliver you to
your own personal never ending war..."
The Israel of today is a fact. However it came to pass, it survived against all the odds, it is, and it will remain.
It is useless to wait upon the same corrupted regimes that have and still do openly manipulate, extort, terrorize, and
deceive the peoples of The Middle East for their own criminal ends;
I believe that Arabic and Jewish Semites are more than capable of establishing a state based on the primary mandates of all their thought, heritage, and religions; I believe that the western corporate despot is the root cause of the regions terror.
I believe that all peoples of The Middle and Near East would do themselves, each other, and their childrens futures a large favour if they rejected all foreign involvement with their own affairs.
Which is why I adhere to the one-state solution for The Holy Land. There are so many reasons for unity and so few for aversion and xenophobia created by foreign manipulation.
I suspect that the criminal western corporate oligarch that controls American and other government policies are very well aware of the serious risk their influence (manipulation and extortion) runs if all Semites recognize that ALL Semites are now openly under siege in one manner or another;
The Jewish people in Israel are duped and manipulated into being assault and frontline target/warriors when all they seem to have needed was a homeland and an equal chance at peace and tranquility...
The Arabic peoples are deliberately robbed, decieved, and murdered when all they seem to have needed was open & honest channels for trade & development on their own terms...
Anyway, what do I know?
Simply that I wish, every day of my life, that I could do more to make a lasting difference for all these sorely tried and despicably maltreated, manipulated peoples.
While I admire your tenacity of purpose, I am not so impressed by your simply repeating the same phrases.
Although I do recognize that your intention is obviously good.
I don´t write so well myself at times!
I am able to see that a two-state solution could be appealing at first and even second glance if it were not for the facts that:
1. It would not recompense home and property owners with
their property as such. Many will refuse it due to this.
2. The areas specified are hardly of an equal standing in
several terms. Many will refuse it due to this.
3. It does not address loss of livelihoods, farms, shops,
industries; Many will refuse it due to this.
4. It certainly does not address culpability of specific
individuals for proven acts. Many will refuse it due to this.
I feel more than confident that many have many more issues with such a proposal. The largest one, the one I have saved for last is of course:
5. It substantiates and supports an apartheid solution to a
racist agenda.
I believe that if warmongering foreign interests were entirely removed that the Semitic peoples of the Middle East would more easily reach a viable accord of equals, as they did prior to western colonial manipulation of the region and its peoples (as well as cultures and religions) for criminal profit.
I believe that Israel has an enormous value, talent, and creative genius that can be a strong asset to all the peoples of the region. It is sorely needed as an ally and good neighbor.
The Israel of the past that was created stillborn by corrupted foreign influences at the expense of all the peoples of The Middle East was a sickening travesty of justice.
"We saved you from the holocaust and now we deliver you to
your own personal never ending war..."
The Israel of today is a fact. However it came to pass, it survived against all the odds, it is, and it will remain.
It is useless to wait upon the same corrupted regimes that have and still do openly manipulate, extort, terrorize, and
deceive the peoples of The Middle East for their own criminal ends;
I believe that Arabic and Jewish Semites are more than capable of establishing a state based on the primary mandates of all their thought, heritage, and religions; I believe that the western corporate despot is the root cause of the regions terror.
I believe that all peoples of The Middle and Near East would do themselves, each other, and their childrens futures a large favour if they rejected all foreign involvement with their own affairs.
Which is why I adhere to the one-state solution for The Holy Land. There are so many reasons for unity and so few for aversion and xenophobia created by foreign manipulation.
I suspect that the criminal western corporate oligarch that controls American and other government policies are very well aware of the serious risk their influence (manipulation and extortion) runs if all Semites recognize that ALL Semites are now openly under siege in one manner or another;
The Jewish people in Israel are duped and manipulated into being assault and frontline target/warriors when all they seem to have needed was a homeland and an equal chance at peace and tranquility...
The Arabic peoples are deliberately robbed, decieved, and murdered when all they seem to have needed was open & honest channels for trade & development on their own terms...
Anyway, what do I know?
Simply that I wish, every day of my life, that I could do more to make a lasting difference for all these sorely tried and despicably maltreated, manipulated peoples.
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