NEW YORK, Oct 14: Criticizing New York’s Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for rejecting $10 million gift from Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal for the victims of World Trade Centre attacks, a US Congresswoman has asked him ( the prince) to donate to the black Americans who need help.
In a statement, Congresswoman Cynthia Mckinney of Atlanta, supporting Prince Alwaleed’s right to speak his mind about US policy on the Middle East, said that “although your offer was not accepted by Mayor Giuliani, I would like to ask you to consider assisting black Americans who are in dire need right now.”
She added:” I believe we can guide your generosity to help improve the state of black Americans and build better lives.”
Ms Mckinney said:” There are a growing number of people in the United States who recognize, like you, that US policy on the Middle East needs serious examination.
“ Indeed, on the same day that you made your remarks about US policy on the Middle East, the Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Henry Hyde, said that‘ there is no question in my mind that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the most important issue in dispute, and has generated a lot of animosity towards us because of our unwavering support for Israel, which will remain in place.’”
Ms Mckinney noted: “ The Israeli Gush Shalom boldly states that Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is the root cause of the violence and hatred. As long as the occupation continues, bloodshed will continue and increase.
“ All people of good conscience understand that this kind of mistreatment breeds a hotbed of anger and despair that destabilizes peace in the Middle East and elsewhere. Until we confront the realities of events in the Middle East our nation and the nations of the Middle East will be at risk”, she added.
At the same time, CNN played an interview with former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski who stated that America must “deal with some of the issues that animate the hostility against us, like the treatment of the population of Iraq” and that “the Israelis are stronger, so they’re naturally inflicting much more casualties than the Palestinians on the Israelis and that produces frustration and rage.”
The US Congreswoman said: “ Many of us here in the United States have long been concerned about reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that reveal a pattern of excessive, and often indiscriminate, use of lethal force by Israeli security forces in situations where Palestinian demonstrators were unarmed and posed no threat of death or serious injury to the security forces or to others.”
