The recent statement of U.S. Middle East policy by Secretary of State Baker was both forthright and fair. He called on Palestinians to abandon the illusion of control over all of Palestine, and on Arabs to end their economic boycott of the Jewish state.
And he called on Israel to lay aside the unrealistic vision of a greater Israel; forswear annexation; stop settlement activity; allow schools to open; and reach out to the Palestinians.
However, Prime Minister Shamir quickly dismissed this policy as
”useless,” and Defense Minister Rabin ruled out the good-will gestures Baker had recommended earlier to ease tensions in the occupied territories. Instead, the Israeli army has imposed even more repressive measures.
Is this what we should expect from a friend and strategic ally that receives the lion`s share of our foreign aid? All other U.S. aid, whether to the 50 states or other countries, is conditional on meeting certain requirements. Why not aid to Israel?
