Press Statement from James Smith, Peace and Freedom Party Candidate for Congress (CD-36)

For Immediate Release

Contact: Yolanda Miranda - 310-399-2215 or JSmith@igc.org

www.VoteSmithforCongress.org

Jane Harman is no friend of Israel

Jane Harman's failure to condemn Israel's military aggression against the Lebanese people is detrimental to the cause of peace in the Middle East, which is in Israel's long range interests.

Jane Harman has fallen off the peace wagon. She had begun questioning some of the Bush regime's military and spying activities at the beginning of this election season. But on July 20 she voted for a House Resolution (H RES 821) that eggs Israel on in its indiscriminate bombings of innocent civilians. At no time did she insist on including a demand in the Resolution for an immediate cease fire, which is the proposal of the U.N. and countries and peoples around the world.

Harman, and 409 other supporters in Congress who voted for this Resolution, are apparently grandstanding for the most irrational supporters of Israel militarism, while ignoring those Israelis who want peace and those who have even refused to serve in the Israeli armed forces because of their country's belligerent policy toward the Palestinians. This is one more reason to vote all 410 Democrats and Republicans out of office in November.

Jane Harman's participation this week in a delegation to Israel under the sponsorship of House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, is another example of putting politics over peace. In hand-picking the delegation, Hastert said, it "...will send a clear message that we stand with our ally Israel..." seemingly precluding any possibility of the group making an objective assessment. Under these conditions, Harman should have declined the invitation.

Harman apparently doesn't realize that uncritical U.S. support for Israeli militarism is worsening the prospects for stability for Israel and for peace in the Middle East. Israel is a country of six million, surrounded by Arab countries and populations, including 5 million Palestinians, plus Egypt (77 million), Lebanon (nearly 4 million), Syria (18 million), Jordan (nearly 6 million), Iraq (26 million), and Saudi Arabia (26 million). In addition, Iran, to which Israel has made no peace overtures, has a population of 68 million. In its immediate neighborhood, Israel is outnumbered 38-1. It should be apparent to Harman, and others, that Israel's best chance of building a peaceful and productive society is by being a good neighbor. Nearly 50 years of hostility and aggression by Israel has gained it nothing. It is a failed policy.

Israel's actions cannot be equated with those of Hizballah, a non-governmental organization. Israel is vastly more powerful than any organization and has all the duties and responsibilities of a nation-state, as defined by international law. The latest round of hostilities began with the Israeli army's wave of destruction in the Gaza Strip, without regard to the fate of innocent civilians. When Hizballah captured two Israeli soldiers, the proper response from Israel should have been to enter negotiations for their release, not to begin an all-out air attack on Beirut and other parts of Lebanon.

Israel claims that it is fighting terrorism. But this is only a smokescreen to justify the illegal acts it is performing to achieve its military goals, which may include occupying southern Lebanon. If Israel is claiming it has a mandate to fight terrorism wherever it finds it, we may be witnessing the beginning of a wider war that could involve most of the Arab countries, plus Iran and the United States. This could be the greatest worldwide disaster in the last 50 years.



In contrast to Jane Harman warmongering, James Smith proposes the following:

• The U.S. should actively join international efforts to bring about an immediate cease fire.

• The U.S. should implement the U.S. Arms Export Control Act which forbids military assistance to countries that violate internationally-recognized human rights. The U.S. State Department has indeed found that Israel violates the human rights of Palestinians. In addition, the Act prevents the use of U.S. arms in wars of aggression.

• The U.S. should cease selling or giving arms to all countries of the Middle East, and should act to prevent arms dealers from selling arms in the region.

• The U.S. should withdraw its forces from the Middle East and stop meddling in the region's politics.

• The U.S. should insist that Israel honor UN Resolution 242 which requires Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories, and accept a two-state solution (Israel and Palestine) in word and deed.

• The American people should support the Israeli peace movement and the resistance movement in the Israeli military against this shameful bombing of Lebanon and attacks on Gaza and the West Bank.

• Israel’s attacks should not be used as an excuse to prevent U.S. troops from being removed from Iraq immediately.

The 36th Congressional District runs along the Santa Monica Bay, and stretches from Venice to San Pedro. Jim Smith is a community and labor activist, and has lived in Venice most of his life.

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James Smith for Congress

Retire Jane Harman