A Challange to Nancy Pelosi

Dec 21, 2006

By Mahmoud El-Yousseph
TSGT-USAF, Ret.
elyousseph6@yahoo.com

Newly elected Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi should heed former President Jimmy Carter's leadership in crafting a Middle East policy toward a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Instead, she lashed out at the former president even before his new book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid made it to the stores. Mrs. Pelosi stated, "Carter does not speak for the Democratic party on Israel." I beg your pardon! It was this former president who negotiated a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt at Camp David in 1979.

I can count on one hand the number of times I've agreed with Nancy Pelosi on any issue, but her attack on Jimmy Carter goes beyond poor judgment.

During the last mid-term election, Mrs. Pelosi stated repeatedly that the single most important accomplishment of the Twentieth Century is the formation of the state of Israel. Gee whiz, does the moon landing mean anything? What about the invention of the internet, nuclear energy and advancement in medicine? After all, the formation of Israel came at the expense of creating the largest and longest refugee problem in history. Among the 750,000 Palestinians forced out of their homes in 1948 were my parents and older brother. Mrs. Pelosi doesn't speak for all Americans on Palestine.

In 2001, Mrs. Pelosi told a pro-Israeli conference that the real issue surrounding the Palestinian/Israeli problem is not the occupation, but Israel's right to exist. She added that the occupation argument is "nonsense".

Mrs. Pelosi did make history, but she needs a tutor on the subject. The truth is occupation is evil and repugnant. It creates terror and resistance, be it in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Palestine. In 1776, America fought for its freedom and independence. Why condemn others when they do the same?

United Nation resolution 242 of 1967 called upon Israel to withdraw from occupied Arab land. Forty years later, Israel has not complied. For nearly 60 years, Palestinian refugees have neither been allowed to return to their homes nor receive compensation from Israel as stated by U.N. Resolution 164. Additionally, U.N Resolution 273 of May 1949 grants Israel membership to the U.N. with the stipulation that Israel agrees to comply with U.N. Resolution 164.

Both Prime Ministers of Israel and Iraq addressed a joint session of Congress last May and July, respectively. Mrs. Pelosi rounded up her troops to welcome the Israeli Prime Minister who came to thank the lawmakers for passing legislation against Iran and the Palestinians. By contrast Mrs. Pelosi threatened to boycott the Iraqi Prime Minister's speech unless he retracted his remarks on Israel over its bombardment of Lebanon. Geez Louise! Aren't legislators supposed to make laws rather than conduct foriegn policy? I am not surprised that Israel has honored Mrs. Pelosi by naming a soccer field in Haifa after her family's name.

Finally, Mrs. Pelosi shamelessly remained totally silent over the vicious attack on newly elected Keith Ellison [D-MN]. He is the first Muslim lawmaker who plans to use a Quran for the ceremonial swearing-in, following the official swearing in ceremony on Jan.4th.[No religious texts of any kind are used in the group ceremony]. So much for party loyalty. Thanks to the ADL and American Jewish Committee who came to his defense.

Since Mrs. Pelosi is so concerned about America's tarnished image abroad, she should stop pandering to the powerful pro-Israeli lobby. Maybe we can have a genuine and just peace between Israelis and Palestinians. All she needs to do is to call the Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Jimmy Carter, for help. The Jewish Voice for Peace group already did.