W.J. Astore
A revealing letter from my Congressman
I wrote a note to my representative in Congress, William Keating (D), who is the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. I expressed my opposition to massive Israeli bombing and massive U.S. aid that facilitates that bombing. Yesterday, I received a form letter in reply that reveals Israel remains the “Daddy” to the U.S. Congress.
How so? The letter from Mr. Keating is plainspoken and direct in its condemnation of Hamas. There is, however, absolutely no criticism of Israel. None. Hamas is pure evil, Israel is a blameless victim, and that’s all you need to know, according to the letter signed by Keating.
Some examples from the letter: Hamas is described as launching “brutal attacks” that bring “death and destruction” to Israelis and Palestinians. They use Palestinian civilians as “pawns” and “human shields.” They are “terrorists.” It’s their attacks that have “already taken the lives of too many civilians.”
The letter also expresses support for a Palestinian state (no other details), for humanitarian aid to Gaza, while mentioning that Israel, in protecting itself against terrorism, must try to protect innocent civilians in Gaza as well. But perhaps the key passage in the letter is this one:
Israel has the right to protect its citizens against terrorists who continue to attack the country after Hamas carried out the largest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust. A ceasefire would only benefit Hamas and allow the terrorist group to rebuild, strengthen, and fortify its positions.
As Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Keating closes his letter by urging Hamas “to stop these violent attacks, which have already taken the lives of too many civilians.”
Here’s what’s missing from the letter: Any condemnation or even admission of the “violent attacks” by Israel that have already claimed the lives of more than 10,000 Palestinian civilians, including more than 4000 children. (The likely death toll is far higher since many bodies remain trapped and smashed and flattened under rubble.) Mr. Keating is completely unable or unwilling to criticize Israel in any way. Israel is completely in the right, Hamas is totally responsible for all the killing, and that’s all you need to know.
Again, Mr. Keating rejects any ceasefire as a boon to the terrorists (Hamas, of course; there’s no such thing as an Israeli terrorist). Without saying it explicitly, he tacitly supports Israel’s strategy to turn Gaza into rubble while expelling as many Palestinians as possible.
In sum, Mr. Keating, and indeed nearly all members of Congress, are 100% behind the right-wing Israeli government. To the question, “Who’s your daddy?” the clear answer for Keating and his fellow members of Congress is “Israel and Bibi Netanyahu.”
Bracing Views 
Thank you for sharing.
Biden and Congress (except for a few brave ones) are all contributing to the mass slaughter and destruction and ethnic cleansing of The Palestinian People.
Its disgusting and unconscionable and must stop.
Congress and Biden, bought and paid for by AIPEC.
Biden should be condemned and ex communicated by the Catholic Church.
May peace reign.
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Thank you. Israel is the US’ “Daddy”; it is the US’ “(Zionist) Colonial Master”; the US is its “Servant.” The US is Zionist Israel’s “Tribute-Payer.” Has the US no shame?…rhetorical question.
The Palestinians suffer and are exterminated, interminably, at Ground Zero. The Shame of it….
Viva Palestine! Put paid to “Daddy” Colonial Zionism!
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Well said Mr. Astore, though it must have hurt as much to say it as to read it. I am not looking forward to “what happens next”, the train is off the tracks and the crew is playing poker. It doesn’t end well. Thank you for your work.
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I think that you are missing the root issue. Condemnation of one or both sides is actually part of the problem because it drives people’s minds towards choosing which side is “right” and which side is “wrong”. That process is the problem.
The right-wing in Israel denies the rights of the Palestinians to exist as a nation. Hamas and other extremist Palestinian organizations deny the right Israel to exist as a nation. Each of them has plenty of justifications to kill innocent people. They enjoy condemnation because the anger generated and the focus on being “right” keeps people from realizing that violence will not be a solution. Also each extremist side needs the other to keep the population inflamed enough to support the extremists. Netanyahu allowed Hamas to grow strong as a foil against the Palestinian Authority so that the right-wing in Israel would have less resistance to annexing the West Bank. Hamas needs the right-wing in Israel to justify their extremist position. As long as people spend time and energy condemning one side or another the violence will continue.
We need to ask ourselves the questions “What do we want? If we want to stop innocent people from dying, to stop people from living in fear what will facilitate that?”
Too many people profit with money or power from waging war and those people do not really want peace. Those who want peace don’t waste time and energy condemning one side or the other. They work toward respecting each other as equals and maintaining dialogue about how to bring about a peaceful society, which is far more challenging than using violence.
See this article in Der Spiegel International Edition on and Israeli and Palestinian who are working togther for peace even though each lost a daughter in the ongoing violence.
https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-middle-east-conflict-interview-with-a-palestinian-and-an-israeli-a-cd7e72ec-43af-401f-88d4-9149f03fb8be
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Dear Mr Astore, Thank you for posting this response from Mr. Keating. Unfortunately, the four Maine representatives represent the same views as Mr Keating. Seven peace activists presented a letter to Rep Golden in his office yesterday. They were arrested for trespassing. NPR interviewed two of them this morning. NPR then asked for a response from the two senators and two representatives. None of them indicated any remorse for the bombing of children and civilians in Gaza.
Here is the letter presented at Rep. Golden’s office: As residents of Maine, we are here today to demand that Rep. Jared Golden and all of Maine’s congressional delegation support House Resolution 786, a congressional resolution that calls for an immediate de-escalation and cease-fire in Israel and occupied Palestine.
For far too long our government has aided and abetted the mass theft of Palestinian land and the mass imprisonment of the Palestinian people on a small fraction of the land that is rightfully theirs. And now our government is blindly supporting the mass slaughter, the collective punishment and the ethnic cleansing of innocent Palestinian men, women and children in Gaza.
Calling for a cease-fire is not support for Hamas, and criticizing Israel is not anti-Semitism.
As Mainers we can no longer stand by and idly bear witness to this slaughter of innocent civilians. We would no more bomb our beloved brothers and sisters in Palestine for the actions of some than we would bomb our beloved friends and neighbors in Lewiston for the actions of one man. Enough. Stop the killing. Stop it now.
Stephen Benson Dud Hendrick Jamila Levasseur Lawrence Reichard Kristen Salvatore Robert Shetterly Russell Wray
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