WASHINGTON, 2 April — “With tensions rising and other world leaders speaking out, Bush’s aides stalled… Officials also said they did not want to associate Bush any more than necessary with an unpredictable and possibly disastrous situation,” said the Washington Post over the weekend.
Some US leaders, fortunately, are not hesitating to speak out for justice in the Middle East. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Democrat-Ohio, told Arab News her perspective, and concern, as a woman in Congress.
“Frankly, I have been praying during this holy season. As a member of Congress, I have been working with Arabs, Jewish and Christian groups, to help them rebuild that part of the world,” Rep. Kaptur said.
“I have visited Lebanon, and have seen the positive results following Israel’s withdrawal. I have visited Ramallah and met with Arafat, to help develop a program for water and educational development. I was shocked to learn that Palestinian children are being taught in three shifts a day, because of limited educational facilities,” said Rep. Kaptur.
To force their men to stop fighting, she said she wishes “the women of all these countries should all go on strike, they should all sit down and refuse to do anything until their men agree to talk peace.
“Where is the urge to stop fighting and start building going to come from?” said Rep. Kaptur.
“I was there when peace was imminent; I know we can get there again. The recent meeting of the Arab League and the Saudi proposal gives us hope again.”
Regarding the Bush administration reluctance to get involved in the current crisis, Rep. Kaptur said: “It is obvious that the US must play a critical role in moving people away from war and to peace. I don’t feel the US can do this alone, I think the pressure has to come to bear from the international community.
Rep. Kaptur said she has suggested to her colleagues that multinational peacekeeping forces be sent in, but “many of my colleagues disagreed.”
To get a peace initiative rolling, Rep. Kaptur suggested the Bush administration send former Senators George Mitchell and Robert Dole, “both who are highly respected and accomplished politicians, to the region as the president’s personal emissaries, and ask them to meet with the leaders to see if they cannot move them to the negotiating table.
“The current situation is so incredulous to me. This is the 21st century, yet it seems as though we are Neanderthals,” said Rep. Kaptur. “I just have to believe that there are young people in both countries who want a better life for their children. I hope they are thinking about how to get their elders to do what is right for the future. These men are old warlords, their time is over, the time has come for younger leaders with courageous new ideas.”
Rep. Kaptur expressed said she would support any serious initiative for Middle East peace. “If the world community were to create a peacekeeping force, I know I represent a community in the US where we would be the first in line to help, on an interfaith basis, to rebuild the area.”
