By VOA News
|
More oddities in the U.S. "debate" over
Israel/Gaza
By Glenn Greenwald, Salon.com
This Rasmussen Reports poll -- the first to survey American public
opinion specifically regarding the Israeli attack on Gaza -- strongly
bolsters the severe disconnect I documented
the other day between (a) American public opinion on U.S. policy
towards Israel and (b) the consensus views expressed by America's
political leadership. Not only does Rasmussen find that Americans
generally "are closely divided over whether the Jewish
state should be taking military action against militants in the Gaza
Strip" (44-41%, with 15% undecided), but Democratic voters
overwhelmingly oppose the Israeli offensive -- by a 24-point
margin (31-55%). By stark constrast, Republicans, as one would expect
(in light of their history of supporting virtually any proposed attack
on Arabs and Muslims), overwhelmingly support the Israeli bombing
campaign (62-27%). (read
more) |
Massive protests are erupting across capitals in
the Middle East and around the world in condemnation of Israel's deadly
bombardment of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Thousands of Palestinians in Ramallah waved banners and chanted slogans in
solidarity with their fellow Palestinians in Gaza, as Israeli security forces
stood on high alert in the occupied West Bank. Israel placed the West Bank on a
48-hour lockdown, prohibiting movement into the occupied Palestinian territory
except in emergency cases.
In Jordan, police fired tear gas at several protesters hurling rocks, who with
about 1,500 other protesters gathered in front of the Israeli embassy in Amman.
In Egypt, hundreds of riot police were dispatched to two mosques in Cairo to
block planned rallies in support of Gaza.
Thousands more worshippers marched in Damascus and Tehran following
Friday-morning prayers, shouting slogans of "Death to Israel."
Elsewhere, in Indonesia, at least 10,000 people marched through the streets of
Jakarta chanting "God is great" in Arabic outside the U.S. Embassy.
Thousands of Afghans held their own protest in Kabul, shouting slogans against
Israel and the United States, and burning the countries' flags.
In Russia, police detained about 37 people for holding an unsanctioned protest
outside the Israeli Embassy in Moscow.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice gave a briefing outside the White House Friday, sharply rebuking Hamas for
what she called holding the people of Gaza "hostage."
Rice says the U.S. is working alongside the Arab League, Europe and Israel to
achieve a sustainable cease-fire.
The European Union and France are planning diplomatic missions to the Middle
East to try to resolve the deadly conflict.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy met Friday with Lebanon's parliament majority
leader Saad Hariri in Paris. Mr. Sarkozy will head to Israel, the West Bank,
Egypt, Syria and Lebanon Monday and Tuesday to push for an end to the violence.
His trip will likely coincide with the EU's mission, which will make stops in
Israel, the West Bank, Egypt and Jordan next week.
The Arab League and the United Nations Security Council held emergency meetings
on the crisis this week. The Security Council rejected an Arab proposal to pass
a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, saying more debate was needed on
the issue.
Some information for
this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
