archive
U.S. Support for Israel’s Fence Is More Aggressive Than for Our Own
Implications of Bush’s backing of Ehud Olmert’s plan
President Bush’s meeting last week with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert may have major implications for the border debate in our own nation.
Olmert is increasingly frustrated with the Hamas-controlled Palestinian authority. Hamas’ general lack of willingness to negotiate has prompted Olmert to propose unilateral action with regard to
Not lost on me is the precedent set by Bush’s support of said plan. He has refused to build a fence on our border but he supports the building of a fence in
The more profound argument says an Israeli fence built with the support of Bush and Congress is akin to choosing votes over security. Bush and Congress won’t build a fence on our own border for fear of loosing the growing Hispanic vote. They have, however, supported a fence which will further enrage a group of people (Palestinians) who already hate the
The most unpopular portion of Olmert’s plan, which Bush also supports, is the giving away of established Israeli land and forced relocation of numerous Israeli Jews. The precedent set by any American support for this maneuver is more severe than simple fence-building on current boundaries.
Groups advocating the “retaking” of
Many American’s may consider the giving away of American land or the choice of votes over security as an impossibility. Still others will point to the lack of public support for some of the recent actions on immigration as a sign of congressional and executive disconnect. Our elected officials are without a doubt moving in the opposite direction of public opinion on this issue. How far they will move remains to be seen.
