From Occupied Palestine

The Bush administration and congress join the cover-up in the murder of Rachel Corrie
STEPHEN ZUNES
Foreign Policy in Focus, 29 March 2003

There has been a real fear in recent months that the right-wing government of Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon might take advantage of the international focus on the U.S. invasion of Iraq to increase its repression in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Few people realized, however, that one of the first casualties would be a young American.

United Nations Security Council resolutions currently being violated by countries other than Iraq
STEPHEN ZUNES
Foreign Policy in Focus, 28 February 2003

The cases are listed in order of resolution number, followed by the year in which the resolution was passed, the country or countries in violation, and a brief description of the resolution.

U.S. Double Standards
STEPHEN ZUNES
The Nation, 28 October 2002

The effort by the Bush Administration and Congress to portray the planned invasion of Iraq as simply an effort to enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions reaches a new low in double standards. A survey of the nearly 1,500 resolutions passed by the Security Council, the fifteen-member enforcement arm of the UN in which the United States and the four other permanent members wield veto power, reveals more than ninety resolutions currently violated by countries other than Iraq. The vast majority of these violations are by governments closely allied to the United States. Not only have the Bush Administration and its Congressional allies not suggested invading these countries; the United States has blocked sanctions and other means of enforcing them, and even provides the military and economic aid that helps make ongoing violations possible.

Congress ignores human rights groups in pro-Israel resolution
STEPHEN ZUNES
Foreign Policy in Focus, 15 May 2002

Republican Right and congressional liberals join together to show support for Sharon government despite reports by Amnesty and Human Rights Watch detailing gross human rights abuses.

Despite new public opinion polls showing rising public concern about unconditional U.S. support of Israel, recently the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed resolutions defending the policies of right-wing Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon in the occupied territories. Human rights activists are alarmed, both at the strong congressional support for a repressive military occupation as well as the fact that the resolutions are being widely interpreted as an attack on the credibility of Amnesty International and other human rights groups.

Why the U.S. supports Israel
STEPHEN ZUNES
Foreign Policy in Focus
Policy Report May 2002

In the United States and around the world, many are questioning why, despite some mild rebukes, Washington has maintained its large-scale military, financial, and diplomatic support for the Israeli occupation in the face of unprecedented violations of international law and human rights standards by Israeli occupation forces. Why is there such strong bipartisan support for Israel's right-wing prime minister Ariel Sharon's policies in the occupied Palestinian territories?

UN veto reveals Bush administration's contempt for human rights
STEPHEN ZUNES
Foreign Policy in Focus, March 2002

The U.S. veto of a UN Security Council resolution calling for the deployment of unarmed monitors to the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip demonstrates the new administration's contempt for human rights. The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution, which came before the Security Council on March 28 after five days of tortuous negotiations that moderated the wording of the original draft. Still, this was not enough for the U.S., which vetoed its first UN Security Council resolution in five years.

Palestine and Israel
STEPHEN ZUNES
Foreign Policy in Focus, February 2001

There is a widespread assumption that resolution of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is extremely complex and that the U.S. has been and still is the best hope for peace. The reality, however, is just the opposite.

For nearly thirty years, the international consensus for peace in the Middle East has involved the withdrawal of Israeli forces to within internationally recognized boundaries in return for security guarantees from Israel’s neighbors, the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, some special status for a shared Jerusalem, and a recognition of the rights of Palestinian refugees. During that same period, the Palestine Libera-tion Organization (PLO), under the leadership of Yasir Arafat, has evolved from engaging in acts of terrorism and the open call for Israel’s destruction to supporting the international consensus for a two-state solution. Israeli public opinion has evolved partially in that direction as well.

Sharon's Israel needs tough love
STEPHEN ZUNES
Foreign Policy in Focus, February 2001

The election of the far-right Ariel Sharon as prime minister of Israel, while not unexpected, has sent shock waves through the Israeli peace movement. His participation in war crimes, his overt anti-Arab racism, and his refusal to endorse the already inadequate concessions of ousted prime minister Ehud Barak significantly dim the prospects of peace with Israel’s Arab neighbors.

U.S policy toward Jerusalem
STEPHEN ZUNES
Foreign Policy in Focus, July 2000

It is not surprising that Jerusalem has become the sticking point in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The Israeli refusal to share the city with the Palestinians and the Clinton administration's refusal to push the Israelis to compromise make successful negotiations extremely difficult.

Anti-semitism in U.S. middle east policy
STEPHEN ZUNES
Z Magazine, March 1995

"Look, the Senator actually agrees with you,” pleaded the exasperated senior aide of a prominent liberal Democrat. He was being confronted by a group of us in the spring of 1992, all peace and human rights activists, about his boss's strident support of Israel's right-wing Likud government and his indifference to the plight of the Palestinians. The aide continued, “But he wants to be re-elected. If you really want him to change his position on Israel, work for campaign finance reform."