Obama cannot stay silent on Gaza

January 5, 11:13 AMPolitical Issues ExaminerJudah Freed

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A wounded Palestinian boy is treated at the
Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, after an Israeli
missile strike early Monday, Jan. 5, 2009.
Israeli forces pounded Gaza Strip houses,
mosques and tunnels on Monday from the
air, land and sea, consolidating their grip in
the territory's northern half without quelching
the rocket fire that provoked Israel's bruising,
10-day-old offensive. Gaza health officials
report 524 dead and nearly 2,000 wounded
since Israel began military strikes against
Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers on Dec. 27.
(AP Photo/AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

President-elect Barack Obama touts the dictum of "one president at a time," but since he's speaking out about other areas of U.S. policy, he has no excuse for staying silent about the unfolding tragedy in Gaza.

Obama's silence suggests that he lacks the moral and political courage to take a clear stand for peace while hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis continue dying in this senseless conflict.

Regardless of whether Hamas or Israel first broke the truce, if you see through all the blame-shifting propaganda on both sides, when all the bullpucky is stripped away, the leaders of both governments seem motivated chiefly by false pride, hate and vengeance.

Both sides are hell-bent on perpetuating the ancient family blood feud between the heirs of Isaac and Ishmael over which lineage gets to inherit the land mythically promised by God to Abraham.

As Hamas continues firing rockets into southern Israel, as the Israeli military moves from an air assault to a ground assault in northern Gaza, my judgment is that the Hamas government in Gaza City and the Israeli government in Tel Aviv are equally to blame for this madness.

Therefore, if it's true that both sides are acting immorally and irrationally, why is Obama staying silent?

if Obama truly practiced the principle of "one president at a time," he would be silent about all U.S. policy concerns until his inauguration on January 20. But that's not been the case.

Obama was quite vocal last month about wanting the automotive industry bailout.  Obama spoke out last week in opposing the Illinois governor's controversial appointment of a replacement in the U.S. Senate. Obama is meeting with Congressional leaders this week to discuss the economic stimulus package he wants passed immediately.

If Obama was being silent about these and all other policy matters that will land on his desk in slightly more than two weeks, then I'd have little or no problem with Obama's silence on Gaza. But since he has spoken out about such matters, he has no excuse for staying silent about the insanity in Gaza.

No matter what position Obama takes on Gaza, as a pragmatic man who won election because of his moral fiber and a promise of genuine change from the corrupt self-serving politics of the past, in good conscience, Obama cannot stay silent about Gaza. Every day Obama stays silent is costing lives.

Therefore, speak up about Gaza, Mr. President-elect. Speak up now!

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