ABUNIMAH: Obama's ambiguity

Are you kidding me....I'll tell you what Ali, tell your friends in Palestine to stop lobbing bombs into Israel maybe I'll listen to your point of view.

(Flhome. Are /you/ kidding me? I'd rather think you only just glanced at the piece than imagine that you're totally a-ok cool with racism). Anyways, racism does not work for human beings. Neither does terrorism: Zionist-sponsored or Hamas sponsored.

I was surprised that Emanuel's father would feel so emboldened to be openly racist, but then he was speaking to the Jerusalem Post. It's odd that Obama and Emanuel have not distanced themselves from the comment. Thus far they've sent the signal as Obama did during the campaign, "It's okay to be openly racist toward Arabs." It's not; otherwise Colin Powell's comments regarding the insinuations that Muslim and "not America" would not have been received as well as they were. So, Abumineh is correct to call it "Obama's ambiguity," because by neither endorsing nor distancing from the comment Emanuel's father made, he is leaving what he thinks open to interpretation. If there weren't rumors of a return of the failed politicians, envoys and policies of the Clinton administration--i.e. bringing back Dennis Ross--the racism would be a faux pas. But given the rumors it appears that Obama is going to continue the policies of the Bush administration except with more skilled diplomats. All I can say is "good luck," if Obama thinks the status quo will last through this administration. It won't. The P.A. will close itself down before the end of any second term, maybe even his first term, if Obama doesn't shift away dramatically from Bush. The clock is ticking on the two state solution anyway. Israeli leaders have said it. Palestinian leaders have said it. Even Condoleeza Rice has said it. The days of the status quo are numbered, and you can bet, US citizens will end up paying for it somehow. Too bad Obama couldn't give a stronger signal that he intends to treat both Israeli and Palestinians with equality and fairness. Placating racism toward Arabs by an Israeli father of his chief of staff only hurts the U.S.

RE: Obama's ambiguity It is so in your face.

Ali Abunimah's article is an important one and I am pleased to see it published in the Washington Times. It raises some crucial issues about the danger of the new Obama administration. Abunimah's work is often prescient and with respect to the need for a sign that Emanuel is not his father's son this was partially true. We did receive a public rejection of Emanuel's father's comments today. However, Abunimah raises more important concerns of substance here. It is not merely Benjamin Emanuel's racism that is of concern, though those comments are to be expected of someone who participated in terrorism of Palestinians and British as a member of Irgun. These are actions, not merely words. We have not seen Rahm Emanuel repudiate this nor his own participation in the Israeli army. These actions--as well as the actions of Obama in terms of selecting Emanuel and in terms of keeping people like Ross and Indyk as advisers on his team in some form suggest that this history of violating the rights of Palestinians will continue, thus rendering Emanuel's apology inconsequential on some level. If Obama is going to symbolize change then we need change in Palestine in the form of action--in the form of choices in his administration. The powerful apology should be in the form of action by selecting a balanced group of people, including Palestinians, to represent the interests of Palestinians in their anti-colonial struggle.

Mr. Emmanuel has now apologised for the unpleasant remarks made by his father. This aology bodes well for a more even-handed stance on the Middle-East. It is to be hoped that a pro-active US role, with US pressure brought to bear on both sides, will ensue when Obama takes office. Everyone knows that there are only three possible outcomes of this conflict: 1. Two viable states 2. A single state with equal rights to all citizens, irrespective of race or religion (like the US and other Western Democracies) 3. The (continuing the current Israeli policy)slow ethnic-cleansing and Israeli-colonization and expropriation of the West Bank so as to make a viable Palestine impossible, while at the same time making life as unpleasant and brutish as possible for the Palestinians with the hope that the more ambitious and educated young Palestinians (and potential leaders) will emmigrate. The last option is of course incompatible with membership of the civilized world.

Ali, I would look into the issue based on reviewing common fundamental principles of "democracy". Barak Obama managed to win the trust of Millions of people around the world. He is one human like any one of us. He can get manipulated of "designed truth". He uses propaganda to lead. People has to rely on him. Is he taking his decisions a lone? Giving 100% unconditional support is the type of sh** that went on in Nazi Germany. Shouldn't we learn out of that?? These thoughts gave me more reasons for my manifestation that we need a bottom-up authentic transparent leadership as soon as possible, where there is no chance for conspiracy or hidden corruption. With IT such an environment can be build. People take full responsibility, decide and take action them-self without any kind of corporation- or higher power influence. To read more look at my blog on internet time > http://internettime.ning.com/profiles/blogs/from-conspiracy-or-hidden I believe Palestinians will be able lay down new democratic principles out of what the humanity have learned. internettime.ning.com/profiles/blogs/from-nakba-to-radical