Senator Hillary Olmert Responds

This is the canned response I got from Hillary Clinton's office in response to the letter I sent (see previous post). My jaw dropped when I read it. You would think it was written by the office of the Israeli PM not a US senator who represents me. The safety and well being of Lebanese civilians does not seem to even register a blip on the Honorable Senator's conscious.

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Dear Dr. ------:

Thank you for sharing with me your concerns regarding the current situation between Israel and Lebanon . The unprovoked attacks on innocent Israelis and the killing and abduction of Israeli soldiers by the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah are dramatic escalations of violence against Israel . The United States must stand by Israel as she defends herself. No government can stand idly by when its citizens and soldiers are attacked and abducted and when terrorist groups make incursions into its territory. Recent events demonstrate that Hamas's ascent to power in the Palestinian Authority, and Hezbollah's participation in the Lebanese government, are dangerous for the stability, not only of Israel , but of the entire region. Hamas and Hezbollah must return the Israeli soldiers they abducted and cease their attacks against Israel .

Israel 's right to exist, and exist in safety, must never be put in question. We must also continue to send a very clear message to Syria , Iran and others to join in condemning these attacks and to exercise their influence over Hamas and Hezbollah.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write. Please be assured that I continue to monitor very carefully this profoundly serious situation. For updates on this and other important issues being discussed before the United States Senate, please check my web site at http://clinton.senate.gov/.
Sincerely,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

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My response:

Dear Senator Clinton,

With all due respect, your canned response to my initial email fell very short of my expectations. As an Arab-American and one of your constituents, I am shocked by the unabashedly pro-Israeli tone of your response that did not even attempt an even-handed approach to this international crisis. Your stance is more hawkish than that of republican neocons whose stubborn self-righteousness is the cause of America's foreign policy fiascos.

Senator, I am not asking you to give up you support of Israel. I am simply asking you to help stop the killing. It is clear though that the lives of innocent Lebanese and Palestinians do not concern you. I conclude from this that you will not even consider the grievances of your Arab-American constituents. Because of that, you have lost my confidence and my vote.

Sincerely.

(TO BE CONTINUED)