Middle East Crisis

Padmini Arhant

Update: September 29, 2024.

The news snippet on Barack Obama appointee Samantha Power, then U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during Obama administration leak to the press to showcase none other Barack Obama as the benefactor with the information that the financial aid to Palestine was prevented by Israel during the Obama administration is in fact not only related to Obama administration.

Barack Obama appointee Samantha Power is known for hawkish foreign policy and staunch defendant of Israel’s regional dominance. The trait nevertheless in disguise emulating the appointer.

The status was adequately demonstrated during her appointment as the U.S.ambassador to the United Nations by Barack Obama in 2009 – 2012.

The overt hawks Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the flip side in the democrat party. Either way they are the two same sides of the counterfeit foreign policy.

Israel was opposed to the same during Trump and now Biden administration as well.

Israel’s policy as entitlement to scuttle any financial assistance and other economic resources from reaching even the passive Fatah government of President Mahmoud Abbas directly under Israel’s control.

The distinction is – The Obama administration did nothing about it and resigned to duality in the entire two terms in office 2009 – 2016.

On the one hand giving false hope to President Mahmoud Abbas and along the same breath the former President Barack Obama personally promoted the internationally condemned illegal settlements in West Bank and East Jerusalem with assurance on non-interference to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The former President Donald Trump signed the Abraham accord and the relocation of the U.S.embassy to Jerusalem to satisfy Israel’s demand which I personally objected to at that time and maintained all along until now with reasons published on this website and sub-domain as and when it happened.

Similarly, for the record I condemned the killing of Iran’s military commander Qasem Soleimani under Donald Trump Presidency heeding Israel’s directive in 2020. My statement was again published on this site and sub-domain on the day of occurrence.

My unequivocal rejection in this regard – no matter how big or small nation, the State assassination of foreign leaders in politics, military or general society in foreign land or in their territory is no different from terrorism from terror outfits and factions acting on ideological or political agenda.

Unlike Barack Obama, the Trump Presidency moved ahead in Palestinian authority receiving the due funds which were not financial aid. It was Palestine’s own economic revenue from West Bank and occupied territory that was withheld by Israel as customary practice.

The trend continued under Biden administration recently and it was later resolved after considerable delay caused by Israel. The funds were held in Norway’s trust custody then released soon after to West Bank government of President Mahmoud Abbas.

The other difference between Obama and Trump Presidency:

Under Obama Presidency there were flotilla crisis in 2010 involving Turkish humanitarian aid to Gaza. The freight in civilian ship was intercepted by Israel inflicting unnecessary Turkish casualties delivering the humanitarian cargo to Gaza at that time. Israel’s provocation then brought normal relation between Turkey and Israel to severing ties as a result.

During Obama administration, Israel attacked Gaza and used white phosphorous on civilians on Obama’s watch. The Israeli assault on Gaza continued repeatedly between 2009 – 2016.

Trump Presidency – There were no attacks or assaults from Israel and neither from Hamas such as the October 7, 2023 under proxy administration of Barack Obama as Biden – Harris administration.

As for the incumbent VP and democrat unelected Presidential nominee Kamala Harris stance on Israel – the unflinching pledge of allegiance was made with appearance in AIPAC and equivalent Israeli lobby group.

Moreover, the VP Kamala Harris remains a strong proponent and proud surrogate of Israel’s military invasions and publicly supported Israel’s Gaza Genocide as the VP of the administration.

Moving forward the VP has assured firm alliance with Israel. Not to mention the VP Harris partner Douglas Emhoff of Jewish descent in faith reserves Israel’s supremacy not only in Palestine but in the entire region.

Obama’s Policy towards Iran – the most excruciating economic sanctions to the point of depravity for baby milk powder, medicines and other bare essentials were imposed on the citizens of Iran throughout Obama Presidency.

The sanctions were negotiated by Iran with United States and EU during the nuclear deal that was face saving for the west to compensate for the starvation and suffering leading to preventable loss of lives especially children and babies from malnutrition. The draconian measure attracted global and regional condemnation.

The scenario in semblance with United States rigorous economic sanctions against Iraq under the former President George Bush Sr., The tradition followed by the democrat President Bill Clinton and retained by successors down the line.

When the late Secretary of State Madeline Albright under Clinton administration was posed the question on 500,000 Iraqi children dying from the brutal economic sanctions against Iraq,

The former Secretary of State Albright replied as the price being worth it – i.e. Western foreign policy.

JCPOA: The nuclear deal under Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action presided by United States under Obama Presidency and EU with Iran was nothing more than political salvation for both sides to convince citizens of entering an accord that were beneficial to neither with an exception of Iran recovering the revenue proceeds as frozen asset from the west.

Iran was able to redeem the oil revenue $100 billion withheld by the United States under Obama administration. Iran’s advancement in nuclear energy has long been established prior to the twenty first century.

The weaponization of the nuclear components that was perceived as a possibility or deterrent under JCPOA is subject to speculation considering the United Nations primary agency IAEA – the international atomic energy agency – monitoring international nuclear activity confirmed on Iran’s nuclear program confined to peaceful utilization such as nuclear power plants and nuclear medicine etc.,

The western policy granting Israel carte blanche authority and unconditional support with weapons cache, monetary assistance and privy to United States sensitive and intelligence know how that was compromised with Israeli espionage activity against United States – all have to be reversed in alignment with the maintenance of relationship with Israel no different from any other nation seeking good relations with United States not preferential treatment draining American taxpayers over generations.

Padmini Arhant 

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The latest political assassination of Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israel under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is devastating on these fronts;

1. Naturally a big blow to Hezbollah that not only reined control over Southern Lebanon’s security, the entire State of Lebanon was protected against internal and external threats as full fledged para-military force especially with the constant military incursions across the border from Israel.

2. Hezbollah is also represented in Lebanese Parliament as elected members with significant population in Southern Lebanon and other perimeters voting for reasons other than internal security. The organization has also been regarded by the people as quasi-government body providing all basic needs to major resources from health care, education, housing to financial means by promoting employment opportunity that has largely benefitted the citizens dealing with incessant wars as the persistent reality.

Lebanon since the creation of Israel has been confronted with endless violence, back and forth terror attacks, rockets exchange killing citizens on both sides remaining the norm.

The latest spiraling of Gaza warfare aided, funded and fueled predominantly by the current Biden – Harris administration along with bi-partisan Congress and other western allies viz. Britain under the former PM Rishi Sunak, Canada, Germany, France and alike in the region that has resulted in these developments.

Had the western leaderships not green signaled Israel and fomented the Gaza Genocide by enforcing ceasefire with suspension of arms supply from western states and American taxpayers’ funded munitions and financial aid to the tune of $26 billion to Israel just within three to six months at the onset of Gaza warfare,

The outcome would have saved thousands from being massacred in Gaza, freed Israeli hostages among whom most are killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza and averted millions of lives in Gaza from being deprived of drinking water, food, medicine and humanitarian essentials since the beginning of Gaza war until now nearing a year.

The generous financial aid $26 billion to Israel compared to $61 billion to Ukraine in the course of nearly three years since Russia – Ukraine war is a dramatic expenditure importantly in costing innocent lives in Gaza, the rest of Palestine and Israel. The same would apply for Ukraine and Russian lives as well since all lives matter. 

Notwithstanding the economic liability to American taxpayers bearing the brunt of bad economy under Biden – Harris administration with soaring inflation, astronomical interest rates and unaffordable income taxes obviously squandered in killing innocent population overseas.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah might be a terror leader to Israel, United States and western counterparts.

However, the people in Southern Lebanon and those who regard Hezbollah and now their departed leader Hassan Nasrallah differently due to peace and economic progress experienced under this leadership are understandably grieving over the tremendous loss of their leader they refer to as martyr.

Juxtaposed, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is least popular among own majority Israeli citizens, the hostages’ families in particular for dragging the Gaza war conflated into Lebanon war for entirely political reasons.

The Israeli PM Netanyahu in the attempt to evade corruption related legal problems at home upended democracy in Israel to undermine judiciary autonomy in the State of Israel.

Upon Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu caring about Israel and Israeli citizens as falsely touted, then the PM’s own son and daughter would not be safely sent away to the United States.

Instead they would be in the front line facing the bullets like other IDF conscripted squad – both young men and women barely 18 – 29-years-of-age in the nearly year-old-warfare.

Importantly, similar to the views on Hezbollah as the alleged terror organization for Israel, United States and other western allies,

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu coddled by United States politics across the aisle, media and influential organizations is otherwise widely condemned across the globe and referred to as the war criminal.

The reference war criminal against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not an arbitrary claim in the global arena.

The rational thinkers, humanitarians, peacemakers and wise generations…besides general world population against killing unarmed innocent civilians – infants, women, men, humanitarian workers, medical professionals… all mercilessly slayed in world view in Gaza war zone under U.S. Harris administration aided Israeli air strikes and lethal arsenal are not in favor of the ongoing Gaza Genocide. 

The war criminal reference also takes into account not only the Israeli Prime Minister’s violent political track record, the recent Gaza war placed the belligerent PM Netanyahu in spotlight.

The Israeli PM unheeding international call for unfettered access to humanitarian aid to Gazan children, infants, women, the young and elderly trapped in the enclave reminiscent of holocaust this time around against innocent unarmed Gazan civilians in the enclave and the Rafah border with Egypt. 

Then there were relentless global citizens’ protests including the United States students peaceful dissent in the campuses across the country.

In the eyes and minds of all these protesters’ across the globe from all walks of life, the Israeli Prime Minister was found guilty of war crimes and so were the Biden – Harris administration who were only focused on expediting arms supply and getting taxpayer funds approved by Congress.

In any case that didn’t involve much effort considering the heavy investment essentially recycle of American taxpayer money to and from Israeli lobby in the United States politics.

In contrast, the intolerance to free speech and peaceful assembly to mostly non-violent protests against Gaza Genocide in the United States college campus and around the world were treated in authoritarian style.

The firing of employees in private organizations all the way up to the Dean of the School in the IVY league Columbia University for their pro-peace statements informally or allowing / participation in peace rally – all slated as anti-semitism. 

Not barring myself for presenting my sincere thoughts and genuine position over the massive loss of lives in Gaza war as,

I did at the start and during Ukraine – Russia war with a strong message to war mongering factions and their enablers to end the mass murder with permanent ceasefire.

Anyone seeking peace and termination of Gaza war were all branded ‘terrorists’ in blanket statement by pro-zionist, pro-Israel, pro-violence warfare politics, media and other empathizers for voicing our legitimate concerns about the Gaza war.

Not surprisingly, the effects are now unraveling to be unmitigated quagmire in the already volatile Middle East region.

Furthermore, Hezbollah’s stance on Palestinian plight might only be rejuvenated literally following Israel’s current assassination of Hassan Nasrallah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under the false pretext of self-defense has abandoned own Israeli hostages in Gaza and instead pivoted towards Lebanon with raging fire and United States administration provided artillery exacerbating the boiling atmosphere there.

No matter what the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engage in the so-called eradication of Hamas, whom the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wholeheartedly facilitated to power in Gaza against then Israeli PM’s foe, the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat who was also assassinated by Israeli leadership and politics.

When Israeli ideological politics felt getting rid of the moderate PLO leader Yasser Arafat would ease Israel’s dominance and colonization of Palestine and Golan Heights in Syria, skirmishes with Lebanon…

In the course installed Hamas in power in Gaza.

Israeli politics seating Hamas in power to thwart PLO Yasser Arafat loyalists only re-energized the Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation leading to October 7, 2023 Hamas raid.

The October 7, 2023 Hamas Raid – admittedly due to failure of Israeli intelligence, politics, domestic security choosing to ignore ample security warnings from within IDF rank and file surveillance as well as from across the border in Egypt.

The Hanas raid is condemnable and an irrational approach to draw global attention to the long exhausted issue of Palestinian statehood and sovereignty.

Hamas should have taken into consideration the severe ramifications to follow when contemplating such drastic action.

Israeli embattled leadership Netanyahu seized the opportunity to distract domestic politics from growing tensions within political factions in own coalition government and turned Gaza to be the ultimate crusade over own political survival.

As a result, Israel is brought into full frontal confrontation near and far which could have been easily avoided with co-operation on permanent peace treaty.

Violence begets violence is not merely an idiom. The essence and relevance of it not accepted and complied with by those in power and position of authority only endanger peace and security of all in and around the region.

Israel immediate ceasefire beginning as this moment all around in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and likewise the retaliation forces laying their arms once and for all in preparation for the indefinite peace commitment in Lebanon, Gaza, West Bank, East Jerusalem, Syria, Iran, Yemen is the only way that guarantees peaceful existence and regional stability benefitting all.

Above all, the establishment of Palestinian state, recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity with self-determination ending Israel’s colonization, occupation and authority over Palestinian lives all around as the immediate priority is critical and paramount for Israel’s peace and security.

The economically affluent Israel remains the only and the longest recipient of American taxpayers’ funded financial aid $158 billion as of date in American political history.

The parasitic existence era is coming into conclusion as American taxpayers could no longer be burdened with extravagant financial charity especially to economically wealthy nations whether it be Israel or EU. 

I convey my sincere condolences to all victims in Gaza and the rest of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Israel mourning over their loss of those whom they respect and love in their life.

May the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah soul rest in peace!

May God bless and bestow peace, stability and prosperity in the entire Middle East and neighboring North Africa – Yemen, Egypt and Libya.

Padmini Arhant