Unholy Alliance

A Letter to Burlington Free Press    May 30, 2001

        Were you aware that $500 of the average American's taxes go to Israel annually, while sub-Saharan African countries only get 11 cents? Did you know that the combined military and economic aid given to Israel by the United States annually is $12 billion, including private donations, with no oversight required. Without American aid, the economy of Israel would collapse.

        Recently a bill before Congress to help prevent blindness in millions of Africans was killed because the $50 million cost would have eliminated five days of support for Israel. In addition to our money, Israel makes heavyuse of American weapons and technology to rain death on protesting Palestinians.

        As recently as two months ago the U.S. cast the sole dissenting vote against a U.N. Security Council resolution to send unarmed human rights monitors to the Middle East. The measure was defeated despite being back by reputable human rights groups. Americans cannot afford to remain silent any longer

        We have great power to influence the outcome of this struggle. The United States should stand for the human rights of all people, ot just the ones with a multi-million dollar lobby in Washington. Our unholy alliance with Israel is unwise and unjust...

TERI SCATCHARD

North Ferrisburg