How To Spot An Israel-Firster

Israel-firsters are Americans who put the interests of Israel ahead of the interests of America. Here's how to spot them:

1. Their conditioned response to any criticism of Israeli policies is to cry out "anti-Semite!" or "self-hating Jew!"
2. They have an abject hatred for the United Nations because of such resolutions as UN Security Council Resolution 242, which calls for Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories.
3. They hate the "O" word altogether, instead offering up such euphemistic pleasantries as "disputed" territories or even "war-won" territories.
4. They particularly avoid mentioning the Occupation when decrying actions by resistance groups such as Hamas, thus obscuring exactly what it is Hamas is resisting.
5. They shun international law, preferring Biblical law, as in "this land is our land because the Bible says so."
6. They allege we were hit on 9/11 because "Islamists want to spread their religion," hiding the fact that 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed said he hates us because of our foreign policy bias towards Israel. (See The 9/11 Commission Report page 147).
7. They insist Middle East peace is impossible, so don't bother trying. They enjoy the status quo.
8. But if we do try to make peace, we must not be even-handed, because that would be "anti-Israel."
9. They specialize in re-writing history. (See previous blog "The Israel Lobby's Devious Myths" 1/17/10).
10. When confronted by proof of Israeli atrocities and war crimes, such as ethnic cleansing, apartheid conditions, collective punishment with white phosphorous, etc, they reflexively bellow "Remember the Holocaust!"
11. They are horrified at the concept of diplomacy and thus parrot their assertion that Muslims only respond to "shock and awe."
12. They are pushing America to go to war with the 57 nations that do not recognize Israel (because of Israel's illegal occupations). We are already fighting in five of them: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen. Iran is next on their wish list. They have no interest in preserving American blood or treasure: all must be sacrificed for Greater Israel (ie settlement expansion).