You misunderstand me: The outrage over
our foreign policy is real. The point is that it's not really about the olive trees. They merely serve as example number 359271 of why
our foreign policy favoritism needs to change, and a minor one at that. Even for the Palestinians, I doubt the "big deal" has way less to do with the loss of their trees than it has to do with Israelis doing deliberately cruel things to humiliate them and crush their spirits. I think it's the symbolism that makes this kind of thing even "register on the radar" in the first place. In addition, it's not like you linked to a 50-page thread with lengthy tirades about the horrors of this particular incident, either.
As sad as the above situation is, I'm personally unconcerned over it with respect to US politics, because it was done by an angry mob rather than their government...and angry foreign mobs don't have any undue influence over the US that I have a vested interest in diminishing.
(Actually, the eminent domain bull$#@! that the Israeli government pulled against its own people there is a bigger sticking point for me...though that's just business as usual for practically EVERY government in the world today, so it doesn't really deserve special attention.) If the Israeli and Palestinian people can't play nice with each other, that's their own problem. What pisses me off is what the Israeli
government is able to get away with without the US government even considering putting the US population ahead of them.
In a nutshell: I can't speak for anyone else, but I get the feeling most people here view this the same way I do. The reason I can't stand Israel in particular is because everything bad they do is done under OUR protection and favor, and especially because they have more influence on the US government than US citizens do. The US government considers the Israeli government's interests a higher priority than the interests of US citizens. I mean, don't you agree that there's something totally messed up and backwards about that? This would be upsetting enough if Israel were as docile and lovable as Liechtenstein, but it's even worse considering the fact that Israel commits so many crimes. Because we give Israel our unconditional protection and favor, our country shares responsibility for all of this, which is not only shameful and guilt-inducing in itself, but it reflects poorly on us and exposes us to yet more international hatred. If it were simply about foreign aid - which we give to many others besides Israel - I'd be equally critical of every country receiving such aid, but the fact is, the aid is secondary to the way the Israeli lobby shapes our own foreign policy, the way the US government puts Israel first, and the way people in the US feel such a perverse and irrational (religiously-based) loyalty to Israel despite all this. It's maddening and sickening to me, and I want it to end, and that is why I will jump at any chance to expose Israel's actions and bash their reputation. My outrage is real, but it has more to do with MY government's complicity than it has to do with what someone else is doing.
Link? (I'm not doubting; I believe you. I'm just too lazy to search.)
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