OBAMA MUST STOP ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST PALESTINIANS IN GAZA

Barack Obama needs to send a signal that the United States government wants to come to the assistance of the Palestinians in Gaza who have been reduced to abject sub existence by the Israeli bombardment of homes, apartment buildings, mosques, schools and aid stations.

First, Obama should demand that Israel open all border crossings to allow food, medicine, fuel and building materials. Obama should demand the same thing from Egypt which has locked down the Rafah crossing.

Second. Obama should begin talks with Hamas and its leaders. Israel says it will not allow aid to Hamas, but this means that Israel will allow no aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza who three years ago (January 2006) voted in a democratic election to have Hamas represent them. Obama should revoke the U.S. designation of Hamas as a "terrorist organization," and should request that the EU do the same. Right now, Fatah is holding talks with Hamas in Egypt. If Hamas were truly a terrorist organization, Abu Mazen and Fatah would be consorting and negotiating with terrorists!

Third. Obama should limit the type and amount of arms that U.S. companies may sell to Israel. We see the dire effects of allowing Israel to have white phosphorous shells, F-14s and other lethal weapons designed to kill people. Israel has used American weapons to kill over 1400 Palestinians, some 400 of whom were but children under the age of 16.

These are only the first steps Obama should take. Israel with American weapons of war is a threat to the Middle East. Obama must stop the progression of solving Israel's political problems with bullets, missiles and tanks.

U.S. SUPPLIES ARMS TO LEBANON TO SHELL PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP

The BBC reported today that the United States was sending plane-loads full of armaments for the Lebanese government to continue its attack against Fatal al Islam at the Palestinian refugee camp outside of Tripoli.

What I object to is indiscriminate shelling and shooting at buildings within the camp. This amounts to a war crime and is clearly against the Laws of War. There is no justification for shelling buildings that house innocent civilians. Furthermore, while it has been reported that some 10,000 Palestinians have fled the camp, that implies that there are still 30,000 still within.

Who in his right mind would give orders to shell the camp, notwithstanding that the Lebanese army is pursuing members of Fatah al Islam? Perhaps George Bush. But the president of Lebanon, Siniora?

Similarly why should the United States supply arms, weapons, bombs for such an illegal and immoral undertaking?

The bottom line is that the Bush foreign policy is immoral and unjustified. I guess we will all suffer with this pro-war ant anti-Islam bias till George Bush goes back to Texas in January 2009.