Romney's Ignorance About Palestine and Israel Irreversibly Exposed

Suggesting Palestinians earn roughly half of what Israeli make, is more than a glaring mistake.

(SALEM) - Even those of us who know about the financial disparity of Occupied Palestine, are shocked by Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's stated lack of understanding of Israel and Palestine this week. His confusion over Holy Land economics was thrust into the spotlight by his claim that Palestinians earn about half of what Israelis earn.

It is a far cry from accurate, to say the very least. Israelis live in peace and Palestinians are occupied by the Israeli military. Israelis have a set of laws that only they are governed by. Israelis also have their own 'Jewish only' roads and you don't want to be caught driving on one as a Christian or a Muslim. Along with endless checkpoints for non-Jews and road restrictions, work for Arab men can be hard to come by.

During his trip to the Holy Land, Mitt Romney was quoted by The New York Times:

Israel convinces the world that it is under threat by terrorists, as it carries out daily operations to kill Palestinians and they kill 'suspected terrorists' and many innocent civilians. But the U.S. media does not report this information and so many Americans have no idea it is going on. I'm not sure if Romney knows.

The Israeli Zionist government causes the world to believe with its vast media influence, that Israelis are constantly under threat of 'rocket attacks from Gaza' when in all of history, since they were first fired in the early 90's, the unguided rockets have killed a total of 28 Israelis. That number over that amount of years, is not justification for murder.

People in Gaza live in an open air prison camp guarded by Israel and its allies. Even the sea is patrolled and Palestinian fishermen constantly threatened and attacked by Israel's navy. Anyone who studies these issues is aware of the bleak job picture for these suffering people.

Suggesting Palestinians earn roughly half of what Israeli make, is more than a glaring mistake. In fact Mahmoud Abbas called Romney a racist. It defines the Republican candidate as being one of the most unqualified politicians in modern history to ever talk about this historic conflict. Rather than making half of what an Israeli makes, Palestinians earn about one tenth of what an Israeli makes per year.

The grand irony of Romney's visit to Israel and Palestine, is the meeting he held in the King David Hotel, which the early Israeli terrorists blew up in the late 1940's killing many British soldiers and innocent people. The sad truth is that Romney's lack of understanding is commonplace in our highly engineered society which is geared to support war crime states like Israel.

Tim King has more than twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. Tim is Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. His background includes covering the war in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and reporting from the Iraq war in 2008. Tim is a former U.S. Marine who follows stories of Marines and Marine Veterans; he's covered British Royal Marines and in Iraq, Tim embedded with the same unit he served with in the 1980's.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing from traditional mainstream news agencies like The Associated Press and Electronic Media Association; he also holds awards from the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs; and was presented with a 'Good Neighbor Award' for his reporting, by the The Red Cross.

Tim's years as a Human Rights reporter have taken on many dimensions; he has rallied for a long list of cultures and populations and continues to every day, with a strong and direct concentration on the 2009 Genocide of Tamil Hindus and Christians in Sri Lanka. As a result of his long list of reports exposing war crimes against Tamil people, Tim was invited to be the keynote speaker at the FeTNA (Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America) Conference in Baltimore, in July 2012. This is the largest annual gathering of North American Tamils; Tim addressed more than 3000 people and was presented with a traditional Sri Lanka ‘blessed garland’ and a shawl as per the tradition and custom of Tamil Nadu, India.

Tim's notorious list of ancestors includes Pedro de Alvarado, the lieutenant of Hernando Cortez of Spain; King Phillip IV, Eleanor of Aquitaine and William the Conqueror. Perhaps most interestingly, King John; the dark force in the story Robin Hood, and also the last Spanish governor of California, the arch rival of the character in the fictional story, Zorro, are in reality both Tim's multiple-great grandfathers. Others include a Confederate officer in the U.S. Civil War and a decorated 'hero' of the Mexican-American War and the so-called 'Indian Wars'. In fact on the east coast, Tim's lineage with the Slaughter and King families, pre-dates the Mayflower and several members of his family were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. He says his family's past; some of which is very dark; some quite chivalrous, presents a certain responsibility, and that in part drives his desire to see that people in today's world are not exploited or allowed to suffer in silence as victims of Human Rights violations.

In a personal capacity, Tim has written 2,026 articles as of March 2012 for Salem-News.com since the new format designed by Matt Lintz was launched in December, 2005. Serving readers with news from all over the globe, Tim's life is literally encircled by the endless news flow published by Salem-News.com, where more than 100 writers contribute stories from 23+ countries and regions.

Tim specializes in writing about political and military developments worldwide; and maintains that the label 'terrorist' is ill placed in many cases; specifically with the LTTE Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, where it was used as an excuse to slaughter people by the tens of thousands; and in Gaza, where a trapped population lives at the mercy of Israel's destructive military war crime grinder. At the center of all of this, Tim pays extremely close attention to the safety and welfare of journalists worldwide. You can write to Tim at this address: tim@salem-news.com. Visit Tim's Facebook page (facebook.com/TimKing.Reporter)

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Anonymous August 5, 2012 1:03 pm (Pacific time)

Seems a real clear choice for the informed voter: Continue on the same failed path that Obama's handlers have done and continue to opine for, or pick someone who has demonstrated succcess and loyalty in the privte market. We are a capitalist society, and that is why even are poor people do well. Both Carter and Obama are on the same page economically, while conservatives like JFK and Reagan have deeply influenced Governor Romney. Just watch all the pardons that get handed down after Romney wins for America...these are serious criminals in the White house, and Fast and Furious is small potatoes. Pull your head out and start thinking in critical terms regarding cause and effect...the left got us here, and they must be routed and removed from not just America, but ...

Anonymous August 4, 2012 9:33 am (Pacific time)

Just what has Obama done to warrant another term? He is a liar, a hustler, and is controlled by zionist haters whose evil DNA was written about starting with the ancient Greeks, and now by King. What transparency!? He has never held a job in the private sector, he never tried one case, nor published one legal brief (nor did his bigoted spouse)...where are his college transcripts? Of course for you non-college educated who have no advanced degrees, and not talking about government-hired lawyers (they always finished at the bottom of their law classes) that means nothing, but he simply is nothing more than a speech reader, he is a moron, an evil pos. At least Romney has a record of success, but then most of you on the left hate us people who have success in life. You will always be on the outside crying for whatever, losers.

Editor: King and the ancient Greeks? For the record, Tim King did attend college, he didn't finish or attain a degree which places him in a class with Dan Rather and a host of other accomplished journalists. So that makes him (me) a non-academic writer; but there is a great value in this. I suspect that you are the same thing that has ruined this nation; you suffer from extreme bigotry and that friend, is a reflection of one thing and one thing only, a very low IQ. (Leaving third-person mode) You may not respect my formal education, I may not care in the slightest way, but who is writing and publishing the news? I care about all people, I do not favor the rich having unfair tax advantages, I think our political and legal system are highly flawed, and I want the USA to stop fighting needless wars of attrition to bolster the economy in the land of the free. As far as my 'bigoted spouse', nameless wonder, what is that about? She is as fine of a human being as I have ever known, you need to put down the bottle and pull your head our of your back side mister.

Daniel Johnson August 1, 2012 9:28 pm (Pacific time)

Romney claimed to have been influenced by Jared Diamond's book Guns, Germs and Steel. In an op-ed piece, Diamond shows how Romney, misread, misunderstood and misrepresented his book--and perhaps never read it at all.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/opinion/mitt-romneys-search-for-simple-answers.html?hp

Daniel Johnson August 1, 2012 9:53 am (Pacific time)

At this stage, I doubt that most Americans know or even care. It may well be the same in Nov. After all, the American people re-elected Bush. Not an encouraging sign for American democracy.

Ralph E. Stone August 1, 2012 6:49 am (Pacific time)

Romney was pandering to the U.S. Jewish voters by visiting Israel. The Jews are a formidable political force whereas Arab-Americans are not. Thus, Romney probably doesn't care whether he riles the Palestinians. About 78 percent of Jews supported Obama in the last election and this election will probably be no different. I like to think that Jewish voters are not a single-issue constituency. Like other voters, Jews vote on the economy, education, environment, not just on Israel. And they usually vote Democratic. I don't believe Romney's trip to Israel will change that.

Anonymous July 31, 2012 3:03 pm (Pacific time)

I am with editor on the anon @1:31 comment. I myself do not want israel wiped out. There are many there who are good people. And remember, Bush, Clinton and many before him also signed the checks and sent military, romney will do the same. Ron Paul is the only one that says "no military money or aid to other countries" israel or muslim nations. His opinion is to clean up our own country, then be a light to other countries. TO me, that is worth a try. I have no political agenda but truth. What people do not recognize, is how israel started. It was thru the rothchild banking cartel during WW2. Israel is just an appendage of the rothchild banking cartel, same as the U.S. is. WHen I spoke of this 15 years ago, I could understand why people did not believe me, but now it is so obvious, anyone not seeing it, simply do not want to see it.

Anonymous July 31, 2012 1:31 pm (Pacific time)

Anonymous @ 9:22 am, maybe you are right Governor Romney is totally ignorant of what you assert, but it has been President Obama who has been signing the paychecks sent to Israel, and okaying military assistance. Maybe a quick review of those in the House and Senate will also enlighten you on who voted for these payments and other benefits, maybe not, but why remain ignorant while walking in that wilderness you no doubt reside in. Ron Paul may be great for your political needs, but his appeal is small, and he will soon fade, which is too bad, for I enjoy seeing him in interviews where he displays a total ignorance of how the world works, as do his supporters. Just the same I hope my God wipes out Israel.

Editor: We hope God guides the policy makers and reaches the hearts of men and women, Salem-News.com does not endorse wiping anyone out.

Anonymous July 31, 2012 9:22 am (Pacific time)

Romney is apparently totally ignorant of the billions given to Israel by the US Government, now totaling more than four times the entire cost of the Apollo Moon program. Romney is apparently totally ignorant of the fact that Israel does not allow Palestine to have their own airport or sea port. Romney is apparently totally ignorant that Israel has to grant permission for everything that enters of leave Palestine, and items like building supplies, food, medicine and school supplies are routinely blocked. Romney is apparently totally ignorant of the fact that to enforce this starvation blockade (a repeat of the USSR's blockade of West Berlin in the late 1940s) Israel attacked a humanitarian aid mission in international waters and in the process, murdered an American from New York. Romney is apparently totally ignorant of the fact that Israel collects taxes and duties on most everything entering or leaving Palestine. Romney is apparently totally ignorant! And Tim King is correct, obama is no better, I keep telling people, the left/right paradime is a hoax, the same agenda continues. Do the olympics still have the relay race where they simply pass on the baton going to the same destination? Ron Paul is the only one that actually would have made changes. He is one of the very few not bought off by bankers, pharma, oil, etc.

Anonymous July 30, 2012 6:34 pm (Pacific time)

Flushing out some Obama talk.
Tim, what Romney discussed is mild compared to Obama's statement as a candidate to the Jewish community. Obama:"There is no greater threat to Israel — or to the peace and stability of the region — than Iran." Transcript: Obama's Speech at AIPAC "make it clear to the world that the bond between Israel and the United States is rooted in more than our shared national interests — it's rooted in the shared values and shared stories of our people. And as president, I will work with you to ensure that this bond is strengthened...We know that the establishment of Israel was just and necessary, rooted in centuries of struggle and decades of patient work. But 60 years later, we know that we cannot relent, we cannot yield, and as president I will never compromise when it comes to Israel's security...Hamas now controls Gaza. Hezbollah has tightened its grip on southern Lebanon, and is flexing its muscles in Beirut. Because of the war in Iraq, Iran — which always posed a greater threat to Israel than Iraq — is emboldened and poses the greatest strategic challenge to the United States and Israel in the Middle East in a generation...Our alliance is based on shared interests and shared values. Those who threaten Israel threaten us. Israel has always faced these threats on the front lines. And I will bring to the White House an unshakeable commitment to Israel's security. That starts with ensuring Israel's qualitative military advantage. I will ensure that Israel can defend itself from any threat — from Gaza to Tehran...The long road to peace requires Palestinian partners committed to making the journey. We must isolate Hamas unless and until they renounce terrorism, recognize Israel's right to exist, and abide by past agreements. There is no room at the negotiating table for terrorist organizations.That is why I opposed holding elections in 2006 with Hamas on the ballot. The Israelis and the Palestinian Authority warned us at the time against holding these elections. But this administration pressed ahead, and the result is a Gaza controlled by Hamas, with rockets raining down on Israel. The Palestinian people must understand that progress will not come through the false prophets of extremism or the corrupt use of foreign aid...Let me be clear. Israel's security is sacrosanct. It is non-negotiable..." and on and on Obama goes. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91150432

Tim King: I do not think Obama is any better.

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Romney's Ignorance About Palestine and Israel Irreversibly Exposed

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