Opinion Editorials, February 2005, To see today's opinion articles, click here: www.aljazeerah.info
Human Price of the Israeli Occupation of Palestine
Israeli daily aggression on the Palestinian people
Mission and meaning of Al-Jazeerah
Cities, localities, and tourist attractions
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An Open Letter to President Bush: Set Timetables For Iraq and Palestine
By Hassan El-Najjar
Al-Jazeerah, February 2, 2005
Mr. President,
The United States national debt has exceeded $7.6 trillion, the economy has not recovered since 2000, the dollar has lost more than one-third of its value, the war in Iraq costs more than $4 billion a week, and the blood of Americans and Iraqis is flowing.
The Israeli occupation of Palestine has also drained the powers and resources of Palestinians and Israelis, but also the US treasury and the US reputation have suffered because of the US support of Israel. The Israeli government is dragging its feet. It has to be forced to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza as soon as possible. This will help America solve its problems in Iraq and elsewhere.
Mr. President,
People around the world, particularly Americans, Iraqis, and Palestinians, want to hear you setting timetables for the US withdrawal from Iraq and the Israeli withdrawal from Palestine. This may ease the resistance right away and stop the unnecessary bloodshed.
Governments around the world, including Arab governments, will be willing to send troops to Iraq if you declare such a timetable. They may supervise another election that includes all Iraqis. Only then, the devastation of civil war can be avoided.
The billions of dollars spent on war could be spent on reconstruction. Cooperation may replace hostility, death, and destruction.
In your first term, you announced that a Palestinian state should be established in 2005. Only if you exert US pressure on the Israeli government, they would withdraw. Otherwise, expansionist Israelis may drag their feet for decades more to come, which will lead to more Palestinian-Israeli suffering and more hostility towards the US in the world.
Mr. President,
The US 9/11 Commission reported that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and had no links to Al-Qaeda. People around the world have questioned the US real motives behind the war. These have been summarized in three main objectives: oil, military bases, and advancing Israeli interests in the Middle East.
You can assure Americans and Iraqis that this is not the case. Tell the whole world that the United States has no plans to stay in military bases in that country, has no plans to control Iraqi oil, and is not advancing the interests of Israel on the expense of Arabs in the Middle East.
The first two issues can be measure by announcing an intent and a timetable for withdrawing the US forces from Iraq through cooperation with the UN and the Arab League.
The third issue can be measured by reiterating your position to see a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders during this year, 2005.
Mr. President,
Your State of the Union address is a golden opportunity to make these historical announcements.
Do it to save precious life.
Do it for America.
Do it for world peace.
Do it for the Empire to become just and humane, the Empire that may collapse sooner than later if these wars continue, and other wars are launched.
Dr. Hassan El-Najjar is the Editor of Al-Jazeerah.info.
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| Earth, a planet hungry for peace |
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| The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04). | ||
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03). |