Loading ...The World is Fighting for Palestine While US Is Destroying It
By: Alena Khan/Arab America Contributing Writer
With all that’s going on with Palestine, you’d think that most of the world is on their side. And they are, but a lot of their efforts to aid Palestinians and rebuild their futures are being interrupted by our own country. US Congress and state legislatures are protecting the many illegal settlements from Israel and we all have the same question here— why?
Israel has continued expansion of settlements inside Palestinian territory for far too long, yet any attempts to stop it have been unsuccessful. In Europe, many efforts are being made to uphold a certain level of legality, “making the half-century-old military occupation less profitable than it has been for Israel.”
On the other side of things, the US is doing the exact opposite by promoting and advocating for such legislation that would make Israel’s occupation of the West Bank not only normal but legitimate. While the US acts in this way, multiple other regions act in another.
For example, in Norway, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs determined that local government bans on Israel goods which “support illegal settlements are consistent with international obligations.” Ireland had also passed a bill which would implement a complete “country-wide ban” on Israeli settlements. This bill known as The Control of Economic Activity Bill specifically prohibits “the import of sales of goods, services, and natural resources originating in illegal settlements in the occupied territories.”
Since Ireland has become one of the leading anti-Israel territories within the EU. They’ve expressed through media, politics and government officials their opinions towards Israel and how they’d like to play a role in stopping their actions. “Every action undertaken by Israel has been denounced in the Irish parliament and in the media echo chamber, regardless of the context or circumstances.”
More action has taken place in Europe since the EU’s adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2334 in 2016. This resolution makes member states to “Refrain from any action that would constitute recognition of Israel’s illegal extension of sovereignty into Palestinian land.”
To make sure this legislation works, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has been working on a database which will specifically call out businesses which violate their obligations. According to the office itself, the database will be limited to “entities conducting certain specific activities in the occupied Palestinian territory and is not necessarily meant to further any judicial action.” The main purpose of this is the support businesses and member states in “operationalizing their human rights obligations and responsibilities.”
Now when it comes to the US, they have taken a much more different approach, and they have different views on the international efforts being made to differentiate between Israeli and Palestinian territory.
Instead of blocking Israel’s illegal settlements into the US, multiple states have passed quite controversial laws which actually give repercussions to those who support boycotts and any moments which prevent the settlements and services of Israeli occupation. Specifically around 100 such bills have been either introduced, approved or considered by state and local legislatures in the US.
In addition, the US has been in process of implementing an Israeli Anti-Boycott Act, and the Anti-Semitism Act of 2018. Under these bills, the Trump Administration would be able to control the free speech of students on college campuses, redefining the word anti-semitism and be “empowered to issue regulations to impose civil or criminal penalties on anyone complying with UN or foreign calls.”
There are so many parts of the world in support for Palestine and have shown nothing but compassion and empathy for their people. Yet one of the strongest nations, the US, remains blind to the manipulation and corruption Israel takes part in not only against Palestine but the US itself— making the Trump administration completely under Israel’s control.