The North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) is seriously considering passing a resolution that would criticize Israel for its “illegal occupation” of Palestine, the latest in a long line of controversial moves coming out of one of the major battleground states President Barack Obama’s team is banking on to win re-election.Here's the full text of he draft resolution:
The resolution didn’t pass at this weekend’s NCDP state convention, but was tabled and referred to the executive committee for further consideration later. It attacks the United States for providing Israel with “$3 billion annually in military aid,” while the “Israeli occupation, disenfranchisement and impoverishment of significant numbers of the Palestinian population, and Israel’s overwhelming military might and its role as the only nuclear power threaten stability in a region witnessing increased demands for democracy and an end to autocratic rule.”
In the resolution, which is titled “Bringing a Just Peace to the Middle East: Israel and Palestine,” the authors accuse Israel of using “this aid to continue its illegal occupation, demolition of Palestinian homes, expansion of existing illegal settlements built on expropriated Palestinian land, and a continued blockade of essential goods from Gaza, a blockade causing a U.N.-documented humanitarian crisis.”
The resolution also says that the United States’ aid causes “violence and insecurity to Israelis, Palestinians, and helps subvert any prospect for peace.” It also accuses Israel of “human rights violations” and “illegal occupation” that “violate international and U.S. law.”
If it ends up being passed, the resolution would mean the NCDP “would hold its elected congress members and senators accountable for helping end our government’s role in continuing the Israeli Palestinian tragedy by making the human rights of both peoples central to U.S. foreign policy by ending Israel’s illegal occupation, by advocating for a viable Palestinian state, and membership of that state in the United Nations.”
It would also, if passed, mean the NCDP would advocate its congressional delegation bring “all parties, including Hamas, to the table to negotiate an end to the Israeli Occupation and a secure peace based on the 1967 borders,” among other things.
This resolution was the only one that didn’t pass at Saturday’s NCDP convention – but the party is still considering it, according to the Raleigh News and Observer.
WHEREAS, U.S. provides Israel $3 billion annually in military aid;Notice that the entire draft resolution demands nothing from the Arab side.
WHEREAS, the Israeli occupation, disenfranchisement and impoverishment of significant numbers of the Palestinian population, and Israel’s overwhelming military might and its role as the only nuclear power threaten stability in a region witnessing increased demands for democracy and an end to autocratic rule;
WHEREAS, Israel uses this aid to continue its illegal occupation, demolition of Palestinian homes, expansion of existing illegal settlements built on expropriated Palestinian land, and a continued blockade of essential goods from Gaza, a blockade causing a UN documented humanitarian crisis;
WHEREAS, U.S. military aid has caused increased violence and insecurity to Israelis, Palestinians, and helps subvert any prospect for peace;
WHEREAS, Israel's human rights violations and its illegal occupation and settlements violate International and U.S. law, including the U.S. Arms Export Control Act of 1976; and
WHEREAS, the escalating tension between Israel, the Palestinians, and the Arab world in the Middle East threatens the peace and stability of the region and the world;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Carolina Democratic Party hold its elected congress members and senators accountable for helping end our government's role in continuing the Israeli Palestinian tragedy by making the human rights of both peoples central to U.S. foreign policy by ending Israel's illegal occupation, by advocating for a viable Palestinian state, and membership of that state in the United Nations;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the North Carolina Democratic Party urge its Congressional delegation to support the following principles that will insure a just and secure peace for both peoples, including:
Bringing all parties, including Hamas, to the table to negotiate an end to the Israeli Occupation and a secure peace based on the 1967 borders;
An immediate end to settlement expansion and removal of existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem;An end to Palestinian house demolitions;
A halt to further construction of the wall;
An end to the Gaza blockade;
The establishment of a nuclear free zone in the Middle East;
Redirecting U.S. Military aid to Israel to promote social and economic development for peace in both Israel and Palestine;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the North Carolina Democratic Party press our NC Congressional delegation to demand the State Department implement Federal legislation that prohibits use of U.S. military aid to support human rights violations, breaches of international law and UN Security Council Resolutions.
(h/t Evan Pokroy)