INTRODUCTION:
Robert Maynard
June 27, 2011
Delta Airlines has recently announced its intention to welcome the Saudi ArabianAirlines into its "Sky Team" alliance. The problems associated with this decision have been pointed out in this World Net Daily Article. The article raises the concern that such a partnership would
"require the American carrier to ban Jews and holders of Israeli passports from boarding flights from New York or Washington bound for Jeddah, prompting outraged accusations of illegal religious discrimination."
According to the article:
"The issue, which has caught the attention of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) already, was raised when Washington attorney Jeffrey Lovitky was perusing airline procedures for travel."
read more here
Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Photo Credit: Ali Mansuri
QUESTIONS/REMINDER:
The most thought provoking questions are raised by Phyllis Chesler, in her article posted November 24, 2009, on Pajamas Media, entitled "Why is America Still Allied with Saudi Arabia?. Ms. Chesler asks the following:
Remind me: Why are we still allies with Saudi Arabia? Why did President Obama bow to the King who presides over such Hell? Can we find no oil elsewhere, no other sources of energy? Do Americans really understand what goes on in Saudi Arabia? Have we forgotten that the Saudis have single-handedly exported Wahhabi fundamentalism and propaganda that has poisoned both westerners and those in the east—and have funded western universities and media as well? Does anyone remember that 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia? Or that Osama bin Laden is a Saudi? Do we not understand that the Kingdom has funded bin Laden? And that they have funded many influential Islamic “charities” in North America? Please read Stephen Suleyman Schwartz’s excellent piece on this here.read more here
SUMMARY
Candlelight Stories has the best summary of Delta Airlines joining Saudi Arabia in banning Jews or Israelis, posted by Alessandro Cima. While I do not agree with the author's closing opinions, it does not take away from his opening remarks:
In an agreement that harkens back to those between certain U.S. companies and Nazi Germany during the thirties and forties, U.S. carrier Delta Airlines has entered into an agreement with Saudi Arabia to offer service to the country thatbans travelers who are from or who have visited Israel at any time.Some reports around the web today, starting with an article on the USA Today web site which has since been deleted, say that the policy bans Jews from traveling to Saudi Arabia. This may be true. There is some confusion. I think the historic policy of the Saudis is to stop people who have been to Israel. But this is just another way to couch bigotry in slightly less obvious terms. The ban is essentially a ban against Jews. The bigoted kingdom has tried to prevent Jewish travel to its territory in the past and have removed such bans only when directly confronted. In general, there is ongoing discrimination against Jewish people in the country.
In fact, Saudi Arabia is one of the most bigoted countries on the planet. Non-Muslims are not allowed to even enter certain Saudi cities. That’s hard to equal in terms of sheer bigotry. Women are considered to be property and must wear concealing garments, move about in public with a male chaperone, and cannot operate a motor vehicle. In and of itself, this treatment of women is one of the most egregious crimes against human rights by any nation on earth. In addition, Muslim citizens of Saudi Arabia who convert to other religions are killed.
read more here'
CLOSING REMARKS
First, by a brief but extremely important comment posted on "revealution":
Hypocrisy: in Saudi Arabia, Jews are not allowed to enter Mecca
April 25, 2011 Jews historically have lived in Mecca in large numbers, pre-dating Islam! They have a long history there, they should be allowed to live there, or at least visit.How can Saudi Arabia chastise Israel for its policies towards the Palestinians visiting religious sites when in Mecca, Jews are not allowed to visit Mecca or other religious sites of worship? This is absurd. In Israel, anyone, from any religion, can visit any holy site – and Christians, Muslims and Jews live in Jerusalem and frequent its holy sites. Jews are not even allowed to live in Saudi Arabia. How come this doesn’t ever make the headlines? Israel may have a point in saying that we apply double standards to its policies that we don’t apply to other countries in the middle east.And secondly, my own thoughts about the hypocrisy towards Israel, by our present administration. To quote PM Netanyahu during his speech to Congress in May, he said, "Israel is not what is wrong with the Middle East - Israel is what is right in the Middle East."
Are any non-Muslims allowed to visit Mecca? As noted earlier, Israel is a democracy with the same culture as the United States and ALL its holy sites are available to anyone visiting the State of Israel (including Arab Muslims).A question often asked Americans is "Do you feel safer now than you did immediately following the Islamic attacks on 9-11?" My response is "No"! The day after 9-11 there was hardly a home or vehicle that did not fly the American flag. Patriotic songs were written and played on every radio station and the citizens of the United States were "one" in their determination to pick themselves up and rally around our flag, supporting our leaders in their decisions to fight back against those who intended to murder in the name of "Allah".
For the first time, Americans understood completely and could relate to the dangers our ally Israel faced daily, as it fought to protect its own citizens from the attacks of its Arab Muslim neighbors. Israel had been defending its soil from Muslim attacks since 1948 and America could certainly learn a few things from the experiences of Israel.Did we? I guess not, since we now have a president who bows to the kings of Saudi; who supports the Palestinians who ignores a former president's remark "You are either with us, or against us", made by President Bush. There are boycotts throughout the world against the Jews and Israel, including Scotland's boycott of Israel's books! And today, America has Delta Airline joining up with the Saudi's, boycotting Jews traveling and I have to ask, "What next?" Will Americans follow suit with Scotland's banning of books published and written by Jews? Does this sound far-fetched? Hardly! The day after 9-11 if Delta had joined with Saudi Arabia, I believe every American would have boycotted Delta Airlines. What has changed these past ten years- American foreign policies; America's friends and foes; and/or, America's sense of righteousness between good vs. evil?
