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US Aid to Israel Violates the US Constitution
This blog post reflects my own thoughts exactly. I am wondering why groups like the American Civil Liberties Union or American Arab Anti-Distrimination Committee don't start a lawsuit challenging ALL American aid to Israel, If anyone knows any such actions, please let me know!
Hajja Romi
U.S. Aid to Israel Violates the U.S. Constitution
I am sure that many of you are familiar with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which clearly states:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or
of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to
petition the Government for a redress of grievances." (1)
This very easy to understand amendment has routinely entered into America's court system and just about any government activity that can be even remotely construed as "endorsing" one religion over another, is attacked in court. A few examples of this are when the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited prayer at any graduation ceremonies if they were directly conducted or sponsored by a public school board; school officials are prohibited from adding a prayer to the schedule of a sports game and even the Christmas displays on the front lawn of a town hall are deemed illegal as they are considered an endorsement of religion by government.
Despite the fact that all of these government activities are ruled clear violations of the "separation of church and state", how is it that America spends over 3-6 billion dollars a year in federal foreign aid, military assistance and loan guarantees to Israel?
Israel is a Jewish theocracy. Their own Declaration of Independence describes Israel as a "Jewish State". The Israeli Government implements certain policies based on Orthodox Jewish interpretations of religious law.
According to the International Freedom Report of 2004, issued by the U.S.
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the Israeli "government does not recognize Jewish marriages performed in the country other than those performed by the Orthodox Jewish establishment. The Orthodox Jewish establishment determines who can be buried in Jewish state cemeteries and limits that right to those accepted as "Jewish" by orthodox definitions. In addition the national airline El Al and public buses in most cities do not operate on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, although some private bus companies operate on the Sabbath. According to the law, Jews in most professions may not work on the Sabbath. Additionally, streets in some Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods are closed to vehicles on the Sabbath." In this same report it states that "Israeli law recognizes the "religious communities" as carried over from those recognized under the British Mandate. These are: Eastern Orthodox, Latin (Roman Catholic), Gregorian-Armenian, Armenian-Catholic, Syrian (Catholic), Chaldean (Uniate), Greek Catholic Melkite, Maronite, Syrian Orthodox, and Jewish. Three additional religious communities have subsequently been recognized–-the Druze, the Evangelical Episcopal Church, and the Baha'i."(2)
State recognized religions? Did you notice the absence of Islam?
In this same report it declares that "the Interior Ministry now has jurisdiction over religious matters concerning non-Jewish groups. The Prime Minister's office has jurisdiction over the nation's 137 religious councils, which oversee the provision of religious services." It goes on to state that "the State continues to finance some 40 percent of the councils' budgets, and local authorities fund the remainder. However, an Arab advocacy group charged that, for the most part, the State did not allocate adequate or proportional funds for the provision of religious services in Arab towns and villages."
Examples of Israel being a theocracy go on and on. Under the Israeli Law of Return, the Government grants automatic citizenship and residence rights to Jewish immigrants and their families. Residency rights are not granted to relatives of converts to Judaism, except to children of female converts who are born after the mother's conversion is complete. The Law of Return does not apply to non-Jews or to persons of Jewish descent who have converted to another faith.
Even the building codes for places of worship are enforced selectively based on religion. In 2002 a local Bedouin began construction without a permit of a mosque in the village of Tal el-Malah in the southern part of the country to service the 1,500 residents who would otherwise need to travel more than 12 kilometers to the nearest mosque. In February 2003, the Government inspector warned the village that the building was illegal, and in May 2003 officials demolished the building. In contrast, according to a Tel Aviv municipal council member, there are approximately 100 illegal synagogues in Tel Aviv, some within apartment buildings and others in separate structures.(2)
It is not just against Muslims that they discriminate. They also discriminate against Christians. For instance, Christian ministers have real difficulties obtaining visas to enter into East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Catholic religious leaders have argued publicly that the visa problems are part of a strategy by the Israeli Government to reduce the presence of Palestinian Christians in the occupied territories outside East Jerusalem. They reported that visas for priests to work in the West Bank were almost impossible to obtain, while priests posted to East Jerusalem encountered less difficulty. According to Church leaders, the visa problem had worsened significantly over the past year.(2)
The list of instances of damage to Christian religious sites and places of worship by the Israeli government is too long for me to list in this but they are numerous.
If it is illegal for the US Government to endorse one religion over another,
then it must follow that it is illegal for the US government to provide
direct monetary aid to the State of Israel because everything making up the State of Israel is based upon one thing and one thing only: religion. Israeli law has codified the Jewish religion as being above all others.
Strong congressional support for Israel has resulted in Israel’s receiving benefits that are not available to other countries. For example, Israel can use U.S. military assistance both for research and development in the United States and for military purchases from Israeli manufacturers. In addition, all U.S. foreign assistance earmarked for Israel is delivered in the first 30 days of the fiscal year. Most other recipients normally receive their aid in installments. Congress also appropriates funds for joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs.(3) These privileges are all given to Israel based on religion.
Beginning in 1973, Israel has received grants from the State Department’s Migration and Refugee Assistance fund to assist in the resettlement of migrants to Israel. These funds are being payed to aid in the re-location of Jews and Jews only to Israel.
Foreign aid by the United States Government to the State of Israel is an
illegal violation of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. This aid is a direct endorsement and sponsorship of one religion over all others. The financial aid provided to Israel is in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution's separation of Church and State and must end immediately.
Sources:
1) U.S. Constitution: First Amendment.
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitutio
n/amendment01/
2) International Religious Freedom Report 2004
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and
Labor
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/3
5499.htm
3) CRS Report for Congress on U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel. January 2,
2008.
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33222.pd
f
http://www.u4prez.com/Blogs/lucky-num1/U-S-Aid-to-Israel-Violates-t...
Hajja Romi
U.S. Aid to Israel Violates the U.S. Constitution
I am sure that many of you are familiar with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which clearly states:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or
of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to
petition the Government for a redress of grievances." (1)
This very easy to understand amendment has routinely entered into America's court system and just about any government activity that can be even remotely construed as "endorsing" one religion over another, is attacked in court. A few examples of this are when the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited prayer at any graduation ceremonies if they were directly conducted or sponsored by a public school board; school officials are prohibited from adding a prayer to the schedule of a sports game and even the Christmas displays on the front lawn of a town hall are deemed illegal as they are considered an endorsement of religion by government.
Despite the fact that all of these government activities are ruled clear violations of the "separation of church and state", how is it that America spends over 3-6 billion dollars a year in federal foreign aid, military assistance and loan guarantees to Israel?
Israel is a Jewish theocracy. Their own Declaration of Independence describes Israel as a "Jewish State". The Israeli Government implements certain policies based on Orthodox Jewish interpretations of religious law.
According to the International Freedom Report of 2004, issued by the U.S.
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the Israeli "government does not recognize Jewish marriages performed in the country other than those performed by the Orthodox Jewish establishment. The Orthodox Jewish establishment determines who can be buried in Jewish state cemeteries and limits that right to those accepted as "Jewish" by orthodox definitions. In addition the national airline El Al and public buses in most cities do not operate on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, although some private bus companies operate on the Sabbath. According to the law, Jews in most professions may not work on the Sabbath. Additionally, streets in some Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods are closed to vehicles on the Sabbath." In this same report it states that "Israeli law recognizes the "religious communities" as carried over from those recognized under the British Mandate. These are: Eastern Orthodox, Latin (Roman Catholic), Gregorian-Armenian, Armenian-Catholic, Syrian (Catholic), Chaldean (Uniate), Greek Catholic Melkite, Maronite, Syrian Orthodox, and Jewish. Three additional religious communities have subsequently been recognized–-the Druze, the Evangelical Episcopal Church, and the Baha'i."(2)
State recognized religions? Did you notice the absence of Islam?
In this same report it declares that "the Interior Ministry now has jurisdiction over religious matters concerning non-Jewish groups. The Prime Minister's office has jurisdiction over the nation's 137 religious councils, which oversee the provision of religious services." It goes on to state that "the State continues to finance some 40 percent of the councils' budgets, and local authorities fund the remainder. However, an Arab advocacy group charged that, for the most part, the State did not allocate adequate or proportional funds for the provision of religious services in Arab towns and villages."
Examples of Israel being a theocracy go on and on. Under the Israeli Law of Return, the Government grants automatic citizenship and residence rights to Jewish immigrants and their families. Residency rights are not granted to relatives of converts to Judaism, except to children of female converts who are born after the mother's conversion is complete. The Law of Return does not apply to non-Jews or to persons of Jewish descent who have converted to another faith.
Even the building codes for places of worship are enforced selectively based on religion. In 2002 a local Bedouin began construction without a permit of a mosque in the village of Tal el-Malah in the southern part of the country to service the 1,500 residents who would otherwise need to travel more than 12 kilometers to the nearest mosque. In February 2003, the Government inspector warned the village that the building was illegal, and in May 2003 officials demolished the building. In contrast, according to a Tel Aviv municipal council member, there are approximately 100 illegal synagogues in Tel Aviv, some within apartment buildings and others in separate structures.(2)
It is not just against Muslims that they discriminate. They also discriminate against Christians. For instance, Christian ministers have real difficulties obtaining visas to enter into East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Catholic religious leaders have argued publicly that the visa problems are part of a strategy by the Israeli Government to reduce the presence of Palestinian Christians in the occupied territories outside East Jerusalem. They reported that visas for priests to work in the West Bank were almost impossible to obtain, while priests posted to East Jerusalem encountered less difficulty. According to Church leaders, the visa problem had worsened significantly over the past year.(2)
The list of instances of damage to Christian religious sites and places of worship by the Israeli government is too long for me to list in this but they are numerous.
If it is illegal for the US Government to endorse one religion over another,
then it must follow that it is illegal for the US government to provide
direct monetary aid to the State of Israel because everything making up the State of Israel is based upon one thing and one thing only: religion. Israeli law has codified the Jewish religion as being above all others.
Strong congressional support for Israel has resulted in Israel’s receiving benefits that are not available to other countries. For example, Israel can use U.S. military assistance both for research and development in the United States and for military purchases from Israeli manufacturers. In addition, all U.S. foreign assistance earmarked for Israel is delivered in the first 30 days of the fiscal year. Most other recipients normally receive their aid in installments. Congress also appropriates funds for joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs.(3) These privileges are all given to Israel based on religion.
Beginning in 1973, Israel has received grants from the State Department’s Migration and Refugee Assistance fund to assist in the resettlement of migrants to Israel. These funds are being payed to aid in the re-location of Jews and Jews only to Israel.
Foreign aid by the United States Government to the State of Israel is an
illegal violation of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. This aid is a direct endorsement and sponsorship of one religion over all others. The financial aid provided to Israel is in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution's separation of Church and State and must end immediately.
Sources:
1) U.S. Constitution: First Amendment.
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitutio
n/amendment01/
2) International Religious Freedom Report 2004
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and
Labor
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/3
5499.htm
3) CRS Report for Congress on U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel. January 2,
2008.
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33222.pd
f
http://www.u4prez.com/Blogs/lucky-num1/U-S-Aid-to-Israel-Violates-t...
Tags: constitution, firstamendment
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