Harris/Biden doesn’t spell justice for Middle East, regardless of ‘peace’

“In the midst of uncertainty and turmoil, America’s support for Israel’s security must be rock solid.”

So runs Harris’s address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobby group with over 100,000 members and a “vast pool of donors” (link below).

Described by American political scholars John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt as having a “stranglehold on Congress”, AIPAC wields great power over Capitol Hill — often called on “to draft speeches, work on legislation, advise on tactics, perform research, collect co-sponsors and marshal votes” (quoting Douglas Bloomfield, former AIPAC staff member).

Harris repeated the refrain several times: “We must stand with Israel”. “As Hamas […] fires rockets across Israel’s southern border, we must stand with Israel.” Speaking loftily of “shared security interests”, the United States “must support all those affected by ongoing violence and terror (and we must stand with Israel)” — the latter, just in case we had forgotten.

The omission, when speaking of shared security interests, of Palestine’s security interests, should come as no surprise. “Her support for Israel is central to who she is,” Harris’ campaign communications director, Lily Adams, told McClatchy in April 2019.

In 2016, Harris described Israel’s Supreme Court as a “beautiful monument to a government founded on the highest of human ideals”, and Israel as a “beautiful home to democracy and justice in a region where radicalism and authoritarianism all too often shape government”.

“Our defence relationship is critical to both nations,” Harris continues, in her address. By “both nations”, Harris means the United States and Israel.

Harris articulated her support for the provision of Israel with “$38 billion dollars in military assistance over the next decade”, including full funding for the Arrow (one of the most advanced missile defence programs in existence), David Sling (the name of which is may be seen as ironic, given the disproportionate might of Israel’s arsenal when compared to, say, Palestine’s) and the Iron Dome missile defence system.

In case the difference between an m and a b (as in, million vs billion) makes it difficult to see that in real terms, someone has done the maths:

She concludes by “fully committing to maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge”, again, without specifying (because she doesn’t need to) over whom.

According to an email interview with the Jerusalem Post, Harris “oppose[s] annexation and settlement expansion”, and believes “in the worth and value of every Palestinian and every Israeli, and we will work to ensure that Palestinians and Israelis enjoy equal measures of freedom, security, prosperity and democracy” (my emphases). It is this kind of doublethink that is required of a successful politician.