Iraq and Region Update for July 25, 2008
Welcome to FCNL's Biweekly Iraq and Region Update for July 25, 2008
In this update . . .
- Iran Blockade Resolution Stalls in House
- Ceasefire Eases Gaza Conditions; West Bank under More Pressure
I. In Congress
Peace Group Actions Stall House Iran Blockade Resolution
FCNL and other peace groups have taken vigorous action over the last three weeks to stop a dangerous resolution that calls in effect for a blockade of Iran. H. Con. Res. 362 had been expected to sail through the House without opposition. Now the resolution could be quietly shelved or amended to remove the blockade language, or even to call for direct U.S. talks with Iran.
To date, three of the resolution's cosponsors, Reps. Tim Cohen (TN), Tom Allen (ME), and William Lacy Clay (MO), have taken the rare step of withdrawing their signatures. Another cosponsor, Barney Frank (MA), has told constituents he regrets he didn't read the resolution carefully enough before cosponsoring and has pledged to work to remove the blockade language.
Still another cosponsor, Robert Wexler (FL), has said that, because the resolution fails to call for direct U.S. negotiations with Iran and includes language that could lead to a blockade, he will head efforts to amend the resolution and vote against it if he is unsuccessful.
The campaign to stop the Iran blockade resolution gained new support this week when the "pro-Israel, pro-peace" J Street lobby joined the opposition to H. Con. Res. 362. J Street says the resolution should be opposed unless representatives remove the language calling for a blockade and add a call for direct U.S. involvement in the negotiations with Iran.
II. Annapolis Peace Process Watch
Ceasefire Eases Situation in Gaza Strip, but Some West Bank Conditions Worsen
The number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip has increased by more than 50 percent since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire went into effect four weeks ago, UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe told the Security Council on July 22. He noted, however, that the increased deliveries amount to only 30 percent of Gaza's imports before the Hamas takeover in June 2007. A continuing Israeli export ban, a lack of raw materials, and an insufficient fuel supply are holding back economic recovery, although the Israeli announcement July 17 that it will soon increase the amount of fuel allowed into Gaza could help.
"We are concerned…about the lack of improvement in the situation on the ground in the West Bank," Pascoe told Security Council members. He said that Israeli military operations have intensified in the West Bank since the June 19 Gaza ceasefire, and that Israel has closed West Bank schools, medical centers, and media outlets that it says are affiliated with Hamas.
Marine General's Report Said to Criticize Israeli Policies
Gen. James Jones, the retired U.S. Marine general charged with promoting measures to achieve Israeli and Palestinian security now and under a future peace agreement, is preparing a report that Israel's daily Ha'aretz says will be "extremely critical" of Israel's policies in the occupied territories and its attitude toward the Palestinian security services.
A draft summary of the report circulated within the Bush administration has reportedly led to a debate over whether the full report should be made public. According to Ha'aretz, Jones disagrees with Israel's assessment of its continuing security needs in the West Bank after a peace agreement and its attitude toward Palestinian security forces. Israelis who have met with Jones recently have said that their impression is that the report will be "very harsh, and make Israel look very bad."
III. Keep on Lobbying
Have an "August Recess Dialogue on Iran" with Your Representative
Your members of Congress will be back home beginning August 4. Please contact your representative's district office now to schedule a meeting during the recess about the Iran blockade resolution, H. Con. Res. 362 .
If your representative is one of the 245 House cosponsors of H. Con. Res. 362, tell her or him that three representatives have already withdrawn from the resolution and he or she should, too. (See FCNL's "August Recess Dialogue on Iran" for talking points.) Let your representative know that you, the "pro-Israel, pro-peace" J Street lobby, the Iranian-American lobby, and many others oppose a blockade and support direct talks with Iran without preconditions.
If your representative is not a cosponsor or has withdrawn from the bill, schedule a meeting to extend your thanks and urge support for direct talks with Iran without preconditions.
See FCNL's grassroots toolkit for tips on scheduling a lobby visit and meeting with members of Congress or their staff. You can find the locations of your representative's district offices in FCNL's online congressional directory.
IV. Articles, Documents, and Reports
Antiwar Movement Successfully Pushes Back against Military Confrontation with Iran
Palestinian Authority Can Do Little More by Itself, ICG Says
Palestinian Authority (PA) efforts have improved public safety in the West Bank and brought some economic relief, the International Crisis Group says in a new report, but the PA may have reached a "natural ceiling" in what it can do alone. The PA's credibility and capacity, the report says, are limited by the lack of progress in peace talks, continued Israeli military incursions and settlement expansion, and Hamas's success in achieving a ceasefire with Israel through rocket fire while the PA has failed to win one through negotiations. The report offers recommendations to all parties to improve the situation.