Thursday, August 19, 2004
Israpundit's Joseph Alexander Norland points (his previous posts are here and here) to something called The Israel Referendum Campaign. Here's a description from their site:
Now through the beginning of October of this year, a new kind of referendum is taking place in the United States. It involves you, the Bible Believing American Citizen. It necessitates your stand with our President against terrorism and your stand with G-d and His Covenant for the Land of Israel.
A "NO" vote can alter American Middle East policy and deny fundamental Islam a victory over G-d's promise to the Jewish people for their homeland, Israel.
"No issue in American policy could be more pressing than one that determines G-d's blessings and protection upon our Nation. Israel is the plumbline that will determine America's future blessings and safety."
Here is the language on the ballot:
"Do you support the creation of a PLO state in the Land of Israel?" yes/no
Finally, Joseph:
It's an interesting effort, and I encourage readers to take a look and decide for themselves whether they wish to sign on. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I, personally, will not be signing.
Why? I am certainly a strong supporter of Israel. A couple of reasons: Keeping a long story short, I think a Palestinian Arab State is an inevitability, and my philosophy tends more toward giving support and backing for what the Israelis decide to do, rather than dictating what their conclusions should be - they're the ones who will pay in blood for any decisions - whether of the hawk or dove genus.
I can understand how a million Americans telling the President that they don't want a PLO State could, at the very least, be an effective political statement that sends a major signal to the Palestinians that they have work to do themselves to prove their worthy of a state, and gives the President the kind of moral backing he may need to support the Israelis in whatever they should decide. The trouble is, I just can't feel behind the idea of opposing a Palestinian Arab State full-stop. (Unlike, say, Chomsky, who signs the Israel Boycott but admits he considers such things immoral - only signing his support as a tactic).
As you can tell, my feelings are mixed, and I could be wrong, so again, I commend the effort to the reader to check out for themselves. In his latest post, Joseph addresses some of the potential concerns. This one, I think, is a particularly interesting point:
A: Supporting a specific cause, such as Israeli sovereignty over the former Palestine, involves coalition-building. It just so happens that a majority of the supporters of the Referendum seem to be religious people. I see myself supporting an ad hoc coalition regarding the Referendum issue and, in this context, I don't ask for people's creed or credentials. Former NY mayor Ed Koch said it all in the article he wrote in support of Bush: this is the time for one-issue vision. Nothing counts but the question of the war on Islamist terrorists and supporting Israel (which is part of that war).
Uh oh, am I talking myself into it?
Take a look: The Israel Referendum Campaign
Thank you, Sol, for posting this well-balanced piece. I am eager to read the pros and cons from your readers.
Joseph
I don;t think either has a divine right to all the land. I'm glad Bush is a man not swayed by polls.