====== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ======
America First Party
1630 A 30th Street #111
Boulder, Colorado 80301
http://www.AmericaFirstParty.org
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Stop U.S. Aid to Israel and Egypt!
Boulder, CO - Over the last 19 months, all the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza have been subject to attack by means of a stringent Israeli and Egyptian blockade of food, fuels, and medical supplies. Agricultural and industrial exports have also been stopped, causing the economy and public infrastructure of Gaza to virtually evaporate. The consequence: about 80% of the population now relies on food aid and 70% live in "deep poverty"; hospitals are becoming dysfunctional and civilians with acute conditions are rarely allowed out of Gaza for medical care; most are without electricity, and so water and sewage systems are inoperative; sewage is filling streets and 10,000 civilians living near one sewage lagoon are at risk of drowning.
This is Israel's grotesque response to Hamas's armed takeover in Gaza. Since that takeover, Israel, with reinforcement from Egypt, has precipitated this monstrous crisis by reducing humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza by a whopping 75%. Both Egypt and Israel have common cause in suppressing militant Islamic movements, and these governments seem little concerned about how many innocent civilians they crush in the process. With the pressure intensified further due to Israel's brutal air and ground offensive, which has killed about 900 civilians, Egypt has slightly relented by allowing the severely wounded treatment in Egyptian hospitals.
This type of brutality against civilians harkens back to the Allied hunger blockade of Germany and Belgium during and after World War I. As a result of that blockade, which continued six months after the signing of the armistice, about 750,000 civilians died. It was an event that fostered both hatred and solidarity in Germans, and which made Hitler's slogan "bread and freedom" resonate. Likewise, the Israeli actions in Gaza will help to breed hatred and solidarity, and increase the likelihood that evil political movements will develop and/or strengthen. Due to its support of Israel and Egypt, the U.S. is more likely to face negative consequences of the brutalization of Gaza -- such as a terrorist attack.
"The America First Party calls for an end to aid for Egypt and Israel," stated National Chairman Jon Hill, "and opposes all foreign aid as unconstitutional. We don't support Hamas. But as long as the U.S. sponsors oppressive regimes that trample on natural rights of people, we risk blowback in the form of terrorism as well as diminished international prestige. Foreign aid to these states is a security risk and unconstitutional."
Contacts:
Jonathan Hill, National Chairman, 1-866-SOS-USA1, ext. 4
Michael Lynch, Press Secretary, 1-866-SOS-USA1, ext. 2
##30##
