ADL: Amnesty denying Israel the right to defend itself

[azurnoir]

The Anti-Defamation League on Monday blasted Amnesty International as denying Israel the right to defend itself after the human rights organization urged a global freeze on arms sales to Israel.

"In calling for an arms embargo of Israel, Amnesty International is doing nothing short of denying Israel the right to self-defense, an internationally accepted right of every sovereign nation," said ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman in a statement.

The Anti-Defamation League on Monday blasted Amnesty International as denying Israel the right to defend itself after the human rights organization urged a global freeze on arms sales to Israel.

"In calling for an arms embargo of Israel, Amnesty International is doing nothing short of denying Israel the right to self-defense, an internationally accepted right of every sovereign nation," said ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman in a statement.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1066587.html

[Idealism]

1. Israel has a thriving defense-sector manufacturing community

They can survive without US arms and easily retain their military's top marks. This claim is nonsense, but what would one expect from the Anti-Defamation League on matters which do not concern them. Abe Foxman oversteps himself and looks foolish once more.

[Sherman A1]

2. Agreed

I have no problem with Israel defending itself. I do have a problem with my paying for Israel to defend itself and an still waiting for an explanation of the attack on the USS Liberty.

[cboy4]

5. Would you rather pay for Israel to defend itself by means of

United States weaponry or would you rather risk the lives of American soldiers who could potentially be forced into combat helping an ally who goes to war with Iran?

It's one or the other. The U.S. will never turn its back on Israel.

[LeftishBrit]

6. That comes perilously close to what I've been suspecting anyway...

that recent American governments have been using Israel to some degree in a 'let's you and him fight' scenario with Iran and/or Iran's proxies. Iran has of course been using the Palestinians for the same purpose.

I don't think that American soldiers will be sent into combat with Iran because of Israel as such. They will be sent (and perhaps drag the British in as well) if America has its own reasons for fighting Iran. Very much less likely now that Obama has replaced Bush, fortunately.

I don't think that the problems between America and Iran are just because of Israel; they've been going on for a very long time. The Iranian government is incredibly nasty, of course, and I hope that they too move in the direction of moderation; but I don't think that attacking them will serve any good purpose. Diplomacy and economic sanctions are another matter.

At any rate, there *will* be no arms embargo on Israel. America, Britain, and the other exporters depend on the arms trade, one of the few things not overly affected by the credit crunch.

[Sherman A1]

13. I don't think those are the only choices

and I suspect that you don't either, but that's up to you to conclude.

I don't want American troops or money involved..

[azurnoir]

14. You Israel defending it self with American weaponry

like it did in Gaza? The actual part that includes Iran is that Amnesty's call for a ban included Hamas as well

Israel-Hamas arms embargo urged

The human rights group said it had evidence both Israel and Hamas had used weapons sourced from overseas to carry out attacks on civilians.

In the report, Israel is accused of illegal use of white phosphorus and other armaments supplied by the US in Gaza, while Hamas is condemned for launching unguided rockets into Israel.

Donatella Rovera, the head of an Amnesty fact-finding mission to southern Israel and Gaza, said: "Israeli forces used white phosphorus and other weapons supplied by the USA to carry out serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes.

"Though far less lethal than the weaponry used by Israel, such rocket firing also constitutes a war crime and caused several civilian deaths."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7904929.stm

[LeftishBrit]

9. Quite a few British lives were lost to friendly fire from America...

and I'm talking about much more recently than 40 years ago.

And most of the sites that still bring the USS Liberty into discussions of American relations with Israel are far-RW.

While it's a temptation on a forum like this to bring up very long-ago events (I know I've done it a couple of times with regard to Jordan), it really doesn't help. Demanding compensation is one thing; dragging long-past events into current relationships with a country is another - or we'd still be treating Germany, Italy and Japan as our permanent enemies. The current realities are complicated enough to deal with.

[Sherman A1]

12. You have your opinion and I have mine

I think a nice explanation of why the devil a clearly US Flagged vessel was repeatedly and deliberately attacked would be nice, but hey that's just me wanting to know why my countrymen were shot at by an "alleged" ally. As to which sites bring it up Right, Left or Center, I really don't care.

[LeftishBrit]

3. They are also calling for an arms embargo to Hamas...

In any case it won't happen - arms dealing is too important a part of the economy in most places. Unfortunately.

[cboy4]

4. Agreed....Amnesty's plea is beyond ridiculous.

Israel is surrounded by danger and hatred.

Iran is busy cookin up nuclear bombs and arming Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

There's not a chance in hell the United States will agree to a freeze, and it shouldn't.

[bemildred]

7. I look forward to ADLs principled support of Iran's right to arm itself as it chooses. nt

[oberliner]

8. U.N. Should Sanction Iran Following Ahmadinejad's Denying The Holocaust And Call To "Move" Israel

From 2005:

New York, NY, December 9, 2005 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called on the United Nations Security Council to impose punitive measures against Iran, including sanctions, following the Iranian President's latest anti-Israel tirade in which he denied the Holocaust and suggested that Israel should be moved to Europe.

"Once again, the Iranian regime has shown the world that it is a nation controlled by extremists and is a pariah in the international community of nations," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "It is time for the Security Council to act. Iran has thumbed its nose at the world by repeatedly violating the United Nations charter in calling for the destruction of a member state, while continuing on its destructive path toward the acquisition of nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism abroad. Its actions are disgraceful, particularly for a U.N. member."

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/4837_13.htm

[bemildred]

10. No such luck, eh? nt

[Bragi]

11. What is the "defamation" here?

Sp Amnesty put forward a policy view indicating that it favours a freeze on weapons sales to Israel.

I'm having trouble seeing the "defamation" here.

[IndianaGreen]

15. ADL has gone the way of NRA, another rightwing megaphone

Decades ago the NRA was an organization committed to defending gun rights and promoting gun safety and education.

Today NRA is just another strident mouthpiece of GOP.

ADL is following the same path.