Compare and contrast

Submitted by David Butz (United States), Mar 16, 2009 at 22:25

I do not advocate abandoning Israel, but we could at least listen to other voices from inside. Check out the Israeli newspapers. Many Israelis want peace and understand that their governments' current policies are not going to get there. Does the VOA discuss the Israel based organizations which advocate abandoning further territorial acquisition and giving up the settlements? There is an ongoing debate within the nation of Israel about the cost of territorial ambition which the ruling class and the American media ignore.

As long as money continues to flow in from around the world, there is an incentive to the hard liners in Israel to pursue land instead of peace. Until someone limits the purse strings for territorial acquisition, the right wing in Israel will continue to attempt to acquire land. This is what the pundits call a moral hazard, I think.

There is a big difference between defending Israels' right to exist and funding a never ending money pit as it attempts to take more land. What is your position on West Bank settlements? Roads in the West Bank for Israeli use only? The destruction of Arab property to make room for "settlers", (or "invaders" if you happened to be looking from the other side of the barriers)?

Picture it from the other side-- If America was giving billions of dollars in military aid to people who were actively taking land away from Israel, wouldn't Israelis and their supporters around the world have a right to be angered?

Perhaps I could get a clearer picture of the need for fairer coverage if Mr. Pipes compared the amount of VOA coverage regarding Israeli settlements in the West Bank to the coverage of the terrorist groups. Are the numerous US vetoes of UN resolutions regarding Israel debated on VOA? What about the nuclear weapons Israel supposedly possesses, are those in discussions on VOA? I have never heard VOA, so I don't know. Is VOA available in the US and can I tune it in? Or is it locally targeted material available only to the intended audience?

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