Pledge Alllegiance to Apartheid

As the 2008 elections creep closer and closer, what stance do the current presidential candidates have towards our relationship with the apartheid state of "Israel."

Are they going to work on establishing a JUST solution to the current situation in the Middle East?

Or are they going to continue spending YOUR money supporting the apartheid in occupied Palestine?

Excerpts From the Jerusalem Post...

Question: What's the importance of Israel as a strategic ally and how would your administration manage ties between the two countries?

John McCain: If elected President of the United States , I will strengthen America 's bedrock commitment to the security of the State of Israel.First and foremost, we must continue to provide Israel with whatever military equipment and technology required to retain Israel 's qualitative military advantage and to defend itself.

Just as important is the strengthening of our diplomatic ties. As President, I will invite Israel to play a leading role in the League of Democracies that I have proposed - an organization of like-minded nations working together in the cause of peace.

Hillary Clinton: Israel is an important ally and strategic partner of the United States . Our nations are united by shared values, a commitment to democracy, and a belief in the dignity of men and women. We are also united by a common strategic interest in fighting back against the forces of terrorism and nihilism.

Barack Obama: Israel is our most reliable ally and the only established democracy in the Middle East. Israel 's security and close US-Israel cooperation is the linchpin of so much of what we want to achieve in the Middle East.

I would continue and deepen the strategic dialogue between our nations' defense establishments, insist on fully funding military assistance to Israel to ensure it can defend itself, and expand cooperation on the development of the Arrow and other missile defense systems

Mitt Romney: In January, I had the good fortune of traveling to Israel , a beautiful, historic and diverse country with a people I respect and admire. America 's friendship with Israel is based on our common interests and common values. Israel 's democracy has flourished and its economy has prospered in spite of multiple wars it has had to fight and the diplomatic and economic isolation by most of its neighbors. Israel is a trusted friend and ally in an increasingly hostile region.

Bill Richardson: I am firmly committed to one of the United States ' closest and most important allies - the State of Israel. Throughout my career, I've steadfastly supported Israel , obtaining a consistently pro-Israel voting record in Congress and defending Israeli interests as Ambassador to the United Nations. As Governor of New Mexico, I'm proud that my state has invested heavily in Israel 's economy. We re-opened New Mexico 's trade office with Israel and in 2005 generated $27.7 million in Israeli-New Mexican trade. We also invested $10 million in the form of Israel bonds. This is the first bond purchase of its type in New Mexico 's history.

Sam Brownback: I am tempted here to discuss all the reasons why I support Israel , to thank the people of Israel for bringing the message of G-d into this world, and to explain my commitment to a united Jerusalem that has always been, and should always remain, the capital of the Jewish people. But I will limit my answer only to the importance of Israel as a strategic ally of the United States .

I submit that the United States and Israel share not only democratic values, but also a common moral vision.

America learns from Israel 's example. We learn when the people of Israel take great risks for peace, when Israeli response teams are first on the ground in disaster sites around the world, and when Israel removes from danger thousands of Ethiopian Jews and welcomes them into the country with open arms.

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Interesting to see how many of the candidates believe this country shares the same moral values with the apartheid state.

Brownback must be joking or something...

"Some 60 percent are considered to be living in poverty compared to 20 percent of the general population, according to figures from Meyers-JDC-Brookdale, a prominent Israeli social research institute.

Ethiopian immigrant leaders express disappointment that many of their Israeli-born children with fluent Hebrew have fared no better and complain that the real problem is discrimination by white Israelis.

'These aren't isolated incidents, it's pure discrimination,' said Batia Eyob, director of an immigrant advocacy group that has documented a rise in anti-Ethiopian behavior in the past five years.

Ethiopians complain of problems finding employers to hire them but say the discrimination starts at school.

Figures show a dropout rate among Ethiopians of 23 percent by the age of 17 compared to 15 percent for other Israelis. Ethiopian youngsters say they find themselves the butt of racial slurs from some teachers as well as pupils.

Asher Balata, 18, said he hit his school principal "because he called me a nigger" and ended up expelled just months before high school graduation.'

'These aren't isolated incidents, it's pure discrimination,' said Batia Eyob, director of an immigrant advocacy group that has documented a rise in anti-Ethiopian behavior in the past five years.