The World’s Premier Democracy: Reflections from My Summer in Washington DC

It is only natural for the reflection of recent experiences from this summer, as I currently make the drive up to the hills and valleys of Madison County, New York, where lays the most beautiful campus in America. It will take some time to get used to the drastic differences in general political and worldly awareness at Colgate University when compared to the Washington DC vibe I grew accustomed to over the past 9 weeks. 

CUFI's Night to Honor Israel

This summer I had the great opportunity of being a Diamond Summer Intern with the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Washington DC. There were dozens of other Colgate undergrads interning in the Capitol with me, and speaking just for myself I would highly recommend putting in the effort of getting an internship or some sort of experience living and working in DC prior to graduation. It is truly a magical city with so much to offer.

I personally worked on the production and implementation of AIPAC’s 2014 Summer Seminar Series, which was a 3-part public series that included panels of experts and analysts, as well as multiple Congressmen discussing the current status of the Middle East and U.S.-Israel relations. While I invited my friends to attend my events, scores of other organizations sponsored their own political gatherings and events that served to only broaden my understanding of other issues and realms of the international arena.

POLITICO sponsored a luncheon with former Vice President Dick Cheney where I was able to hear a Conservative perspective on domestic political issues as well as U.S. foreign policy as a whole. The Atlantic Council hosted Dr. Salam Fayyad, former Prime Minister of Palestinian Authority, who spoke about the conflicting Palestinian political factions and the need for state-building. Christians United For Israel held their annual “Night to Honor Israel” in which thousands of Americans convened at the Convention Center for an evening of distinguished speakers including Senator Lindsey Graham and Ambassador Ron Dermer.

Salam Fayyad speaking at the Atlantic Council

The diverse array of briefings and panels taking place each week in our nation’s capital all circle back to one concept: the unwavering and relentless democracy that underlies American society. Spending these past two months eating and breathing DC enabled me to develop a renewed sense of patriotism and pride in my country: the United States of America, the world’s premier democracy.

A day does not go by in which you cannot find some instance of media censorship or politically-targeted violence around the world. As I write this, dozens of reports are coming out of Gaza chronicling the Hamas-sanctioned executions of Palestinians who were allegedly aiding Israeli intelligence. It is worth noting that the crisis in Iraq and Syria involving the expanding Islamic State stemmed, at least in part, from the lack of political representation and true democratic ideals in Iraq.

But I am reminded that multiple times this summer, I visited dozens of Congressional offices of members of the the House of Representatives and the Senate, lobbying and meeting with our elected members of Congress.

It is vital to not take for granted these democratic rights and opportunities we all share in America. Forces like the Islamic State, Hamas, and Hezbollah threaten not only our great democratic ally in Israel, but democracies all around the globe. Countries that partner and fund these terror groups, such as Qatar and Turkey, are clearly not catalysts for democracy, and they should be labeled and distinguished as the anti-democracy forces that they are.

The work of organizations like AIPAC or POLITICO or the Atlantic Council, all are clear examples of our great democracy at work as they seek to provide accuracy, opportunity, and clarity on issues affecting the United States. I am proud and honored to have been able to experience a DC summer while working for AIPAC, and I look to continue my direct involvement in the American political arena moving forward.

The Absolutely Fascinating- and Unnerving- Middle East

We are witnessing the newest chapter in the saga of the Middle East, and the light at the end of the tunnel lies in our own American history.

Where to start, where to begin? The Middle East is an awfully fascinating region to study and understand, and the more one does so, the easier it becomes to feel overwhelmed by senses of wariness and pessimism. With seemingly unorganized and unfocused foreign policies by Western governments, and constant news of explosive and infectious extremist political entities, the only natural solution one may feel is to curl up in a ball and perhaps build a nuclear bunker hundreds of feet underground… Don’t worry, this blog post will become optimistic eventually, I hope.

A common assumption many in the West and in America make is the dangerous notion that Arab and Middle Eastern countries are inherently unable to construct democratically free societies and to live in peace amongst each other. I get it, and it’s easy to fall back on this. It is only human to perceive one’s own perspective as the truest reality, and thus engage in an ethnocentric viewpoint in which everything that is different is ultimately inferior and incomparable to one’s own experience. Reading Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff’s This Time is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly, which chronicles the lucid resemblances between financial collapses throughout human history, and how these trends constantly get ignored by contemporary “experts”, is a great example of this ethnocentricity and I believe its same underlying principles relate to Western perspectives on the Middle East. What is happening across the Middle East happened to us in the West.

It is true that the current Middle East is largely no nursery for democracies with Israel being the lone flower in the region.  However, when looking at European and American history, did democracy simply sprout up with the snap of ones fingers and “poof”, it become the great human force it currently is today? No, the great democracy I find myself in today (the United States of America) was constantly being built and restructured, often with periods of intense instability and gloomy outlooks on the horizon. Our democracy is founded and grounded in our history, constantly being amended and adapted as the times change. So when I look at the Middle East, I battle the urge to want to label it a failed garden project. I remind myself that my great nation was once thought to be an unrealistic and unattainable dream. Periods of struggle led to our progress towards a brighter future- thanks to our forefathers who shared a similar vision.

With all that said, there are an awful lot of forces in the region that are not pointing in the direction of freedom and democracy. With the rise of the Islamic State gruesomely conquering city after city, and the continuous Syrian civil war causing immense suffering internally and in neighboring countries, the need for Western leadership has never been more apparent. The United States must continue its support of forces for good in the region. Those who vehemently speak out against the very existence of Israel, and thus American support of Her, simply are not grasping the bigger picture at play. Democracy is not only in America’s best interests, but the world’s. The free world must water the seeds of democracy so that they may grow and be fruitful.

                                              

Jimmy Carter Insults Israel

Jimmy Carter's Article in Foreign Policy Magazine: "How to Fix It: Ending this war in Gaza begins with recognizing Hamas as a legitimate political actor." View here...
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/08/04/how_to_fix_it_jimmy_carter_mary_robinson_israel_palestine_gaza_hamas

            I am incredibly disappointed with President Carter’s op-ed in Foreign Policy magazine a few days ago. His criticisms and suggestions not only betray America’s only democratic ally in the Middle East, but they derive from unfair bias.

            He pans Israel for rejecting the unity government between Hamas and the Palestinian Liberation Organization on the basis that it pledged nonviolence. However, only Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas promised a policy of nonviolence, while Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh unsurprisingly said the unity government “aims to unite the Palestinian people against the prime enemy, the Zionist enemy,” and “it aims to pursue the choice of resistance and steadfastness.” How could President Carter possibly expect Israel to accept this government? Even if Hamas did pledge nonviolence, why would Israel have any reason to trust it? Hamas’s terrorist campaign relies on unpredictable acts of violence, Mr. President.

            He next calls for a partial lifting of the blockade, but all evidence suggests that would lead to more terrorist activities that aim to endanger Israel’s citizens. Hamas used the cement that entered Gaza to build threatening tunnels instead of schools and hospitals as Israel and the rest of the international community assumed. Let’s also not forget that a few months ago Israel intercepted a ship heading to Gaza that contained advanced weapons from Iran. President Carter suggests that a UN Security Council resolution should employ international monitors to report on movements in and out of Gaza. However, the international community should never force Israel to relinquish the right to defend its own country, especially in the violent neighborhood it lives in. Only when Israel feels secure not just from Hamas but from all other forces within the Middle East seeking its destruction should it lift the blockade.

            I find it appalling that President Carter chooses to emphasize Israel’s alleged illegal conduct in this war while making little mention of Hamas’s actions. This terrorist organization uses its own civilians as human shields and hides rockets in hospitals and schools – but I suppose that’s not worth mentioning. And yes, too many innocent Palestinian civilians have been killed, far more than innocent Israeli civilians. The disparity between the numbers may compel some to conclude, as President Carter has, that Israel uses deliberate attacks on civilians. However, the high death toll results from Gaza’s extremely high population density in an urban setting and Hamas’s use of civilian areas as launching grounds. Claiming that Israel intentionally targets civilians manipulates the unfortunate circumstances of this situation entirely.

            I am most astonished by his concluding remarks in which he calls for the United States and EU to recognize Hamas’s legitimacy. In other words, President Carter, you call for the United States and EU to recognize a terrorist organization’s legitimacy. What kind of precedent does this set for other terrorist groups around the world? The Western world must adopt a zero tolerance policy for these violent forces. Recognizing Hamas’s legitimacy only embeds hope into organizations like ISIS and Boko Haram who seek to dominate a country where they can instill their brutal and repugnant practices. What zeal they must gain to continue their ruthless tactics when they see the freest country in the world making concessions to Hamas. As a former leader of that country, President Carter should know better. Israel deserves better than this article from its strongest ally.

Reflections On My Summer Relating to the Israel / Gaza Conflict

           In light of the ongoing Israel / Gaza conflict, this summer has been a very fascinating time to live in our nation’s capitol. As an intern on Capitol Hill, I have had the opportunity to observe the responses of various people, ranging from congressmen to students to activists, as well as attend several events relating to the issue. I have been fortunate enough to attend events hosted by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Endowment for Middle East Truth, the American Task Force on Palestine, the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, and the Atlantic Council (which featured former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Salam Fayyad). The Capitol Hill atmosphere itself has enticed me to stay more informed on current events, resulting in my keeping up to date on every little detail of the conflict. And of course, as a twenty-year-old college student, I bear witness to the social media where people share their fervent views that now more than ever shape domestic and international politics.

            Reflecting on the summer as a whole, I am in awe at how deeply this war has affected people, at how passionate their responses have been. There seems to be a certain energy permeating through the world’s population as their dismay with the seeming eternality of this conflict degenerates into hatred. I recall at one event someone in the audience called for the IDF to bomb all of Gaza, and one day I received a call from someone who yelled, “Damn all the Jews!” However, I have seen that many of the top thinkers leading discussions have not permitted such ignorance to distract them from understanding the real issues facing this conflict. At the National Leadership Assembly for Israel, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer defended Israel’s right to prevent further Hamas terrorist activities. At the Atlantic Council, Dr. Fayyad called upon the PLO to extend its authority and unify as a legitimate governing body over the Palestinian population. Neither expressed hatred for the other’s people.

            Beyond the policymakers and experts, perhaps everyday people carry just as much if not more sway in determining the future of this deeply rooted conflict. As I walked into the National Leadership Assembly, a protester around my age asked me, “Do you know there are children dying in Gaza?” During Susan Rice’s speech, another protester stormed in with a sign yelling, “End the siege on Gaza!” While discussing the conflict with a friend, he defended Israel’s actions against Hamas. It seems everywhere I go, people are constantly discussing the issue and of course we see it all over the news. Anti-Semitic violence has been raging throughout Europe, as have peaceful pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests. During my daily encounters with all types of responses to the current conflict, I find myself asking, why are people so heated up about it? I sympathize with both sides tremendously: Palestinians have the right to their own state and to not feel endangered by the IDF especially during non-war times, and Israelis have the right to protect themselves against threats stemming from all around the region. However, are people not also aware of what’s going on in Iraq? Syria? Nigeria? South Sudan?

            I can’t help but wonder if the overwhelming attention this conflict has received results from deeply embedded anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiments that so many people unfortunately have. Israel is the only democracy in the region; while it seeks to destabilize a terrorist organization, it has continuously provided aid to the people living under Hamas’s cruelty and sends warnings before airstrikes. It permits Palestinians to serve in the Knesset. It seeks to advance civil rights for women and the gay community. It is a leading force in technological innovation, which it uses to help humanity. What other country in the Middle East can say that? While these facts do not legitimize the loss of innocent life, they do demonstrate that the Western world should view Israel as an ally that shares its democratic and humanitarian principles, instead of a Nazi-like regime that commits genocide, as so many falsely and outrageously claim. The loss of innocent life is always a travesty, but can Israel really be to blame when Hamas uses civilians as human shields? When Hamas calls for the destruction of a country that has fought for its right to exist since its creation? I think not.

            I hope this new ceasefire results in a lasting peace; I think the world is done seeing outbreaks of violence every few years. The Israelis and Palestinians deserve better than what history has shown them.