Greens/Green Party USA condemns the massive air strikes against Lebanon and the continuing raids and missile strikes against Gaza by Israel.

Greens/Green Party USA condemns the massive air strikes against Lebanon and the continuing raids and missile strikes against Gaza by Israel. The US government has condoned and encouraged Israel by arming it and when the many countries in the world were asking for a cease fire, the US has resisted up to now, hoping that Israel will be able to eliminate Hamas in Palestine and Hizbullah in Lebanon.

What is rarely reported in the US press is that Hizbullah's capture of two Israeli soldiers on July 12 was a direct result of Israel's unrelenting aggression against Lebanon, since the withdrawal of occupation forces in 2000. Israel has violated the UN-monitored "blue line" on an almost daily basis, according to UN reports. Israel has also terrorized the general population, destroyed private property, and killed numerous civilians. This past February, a 15 year-old shepherd was killed by Israeli cross-border fire as he tended his flock in southern Lebanon. Israel has assassinated its enemies in the streets of of Lebanese cities.

In Gaza where 1.5 million Palestinians are living, Israeli aggression has never ended. When Hamas won a democratic election in January, both the US and Israel responded by attempting to starve and divide the entire population. Palestinian tax revenue was was illegally withheld. Shipping and transport was halted and work permits were denied en masse. Two weeks before an Israeli soldier was seized in a Palestinian commando operation, an Israeli missile killed nine Palestinian civilians. On June 24 the day before the soldier was captured a Palestinian doctor and his brother was captured by Israel. After the the capture of its soldier, Israel claiming self-defense, kidnapped dozens of democratically elected parliamentary Representatives and cabinet members. It destroyed the only power plant in Gaza and bombed apartment blocks, ambulances and schools.

The corporate media continues to describe Israel as the "victim" and sets up an unbalanced paradigm for viewing the conflict by assuming a basic 'innocence' on the part of Israel. One rarely hears the phrase "Palestinians and Lebanese right of self-defense."

The Bush administration has made it clear that is is supporting the Israeli offensive because Imperialism is determined to shape a "new Middle East."

We as Greens can not help move the Middle East towards a more peaceful solution until we as Americans confront our country's imperial ambitions.