http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/stories/MYSA090606.2O.nammarcomment.14169f5.html
Now that the United Nations has agreed to deploy a peacekeeping force between Israel and Lebanon, it is my hope that this will begin a more civilized and peaceful dialogue between the two countries.
Sadly, the war madness has resulted in horrific civilian deaths and destruction that will stay in our hearts and memories for years.
The war between Israel and Lebanon has overshadowed the root causes of the conflict in the Middle East. In fact, it has hijacked and knocked the Palestinian-Israeli conflict off the radar screen of the American corporate media.
The Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem continue, tragically, to remain under a brutal siege and occupation by the Israeli military. Israel is now accelerating the construction of the "annexation wall" on Palestinian lands and continues expanding the settlements. This has resulted in severe economic and social conditions, which have deteriorated to the point of a human catastrophe.
In a speech in Boston's old South Church on April 13, 2002, Anglican Archbishop Bishop Desmond Tutu remarked: "I've been very deeply distressed in my visit to the Holy Land; it reminded me so much of what happened to us blacks in South Africa. I have seen the humiliation of the Palestinians at checkpoints and roadblocks. They suffer like us when young white police officers prevented us from moving about. They seemed to derive so much joy from our humiliation."
This underlying reality raises serious moral questions that must become a concern to each of us in America and that we cannot continue to ignore; we must not become apathetic. We should have no illusions that Israel's unilateral policy and military might will resolve the conflict.
If we have learned anything in the past few weeks, it is that people have lost confidence in Israel's unilateralism. Israel's failure and inability to seek a just peace has been highlighted. Israel should now begin to engage and focus on dialogue with the Palestinians and stop negotiating only among themselves.
As an American Christian Palestinian Semite from Jerusalem, I deplore the United States' unconditional, one-sided support of Israel's continuous occupation of Palestine with my taxes.
It is hypocritical and political folly to treat the Israelis as the "good guys" and the Palestinians as the "bad guys." This misguided double standard undermines the United States and complicates our relationship with not only Palestinian Christians and Muslims, but throughout the Middle East.
Congressional behavior is the driving force keeping the United States from implementing an evenhanded and sound policy toward the conflict. U.S. policy has increased hostilities against America and are out of step with the rest of the world.
It is time for both Republican and Democratic members of Congress to look at American self-interest as mandated by their constituents. Israel has weakened U.S. policy in the Middle East and has become a liability, not a strategic asset as is claimed.
The United States should advocate an open, sober debate to explore new alternatives to empower the moderate forces for dialogue and peace. We must not allow extremes to dictate our policies; instead, we must support the pragmatic and moderate voices who are the majority on both sides. We need to speak more about peace and less about war. Israel's security will depend on justice for the Palestinian people and their struggle for independence, not its military power and ability to dominate the region.
Jacob Nammar of San Antonio is an international business executive.
