AIPAC furious over FAA travel ban

[Halliburton]

http://app.reply.aipac.org/e/es?s=1843795798&e=10094&elq=15aad8bf70aa46cd990e1336cb6d466c

We understand the need and the responsibility to protect the safety of airline travelers, but we are concerned by the FAA decision to ban all commercial flights by US airliners to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. For the past two weeks, Israel has endured hundreds of rockets launched by Hamas terrorists from Gaza. Yet, air travel to Israel has been safe and unhindered. Safety is an important consideration, but this decision appears overly harsh and excessive. Moreover, we are concerned that it could have the unintended effect of encouraging terrorists to become even more committed to make civil aviation a target.

...DEVELOPING HARD...

[KamaAina]

1. Someone better call them a

[2naSalit]

19. I've got them on the line

right now and I think they're on their way!

[MohRokTah]

2. Too bad.

I agree with the FAA on this. The ban should remain in place so long as Israel is engaged in Gaza.

[KamaAina]

3. I'm guessing the ban won't be in place much longer

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. but not for the reason that you think.

The last thing Israel wants is millions of americans supporting the administration against it. And that is what it may get, unless it changes its ways.

[hlthe2b]

5. Yes, because endangering the lives of innocent travelers just doesn't matter....

over their single focus lobbying....

Honestly, is the NRA's PR firm likewise representing AIPAC? Same level of obtuseness, it seems to me.

[Aerows]

12. Interesting observation

and apt!

[LiberalEsto]

6. This is insanity

Why should the U.S. risk the safety of crews and passengers, simply to assuage the public relations concerns that appear to be motivating this criticism of the FAA?

[Spazito]

7. Well said...

you reflect my thoughts as well.

[amandabeech]

8. It's asking too much of airlines who would be likely to be financially and morally

responsible for the deaths of their passengers should the Iron Dome fail and some Hezbollah rocket hits a fully loaded 777.

It's entirely likely that the airlines insurance companies would not cover them for liability incurred while trying to land in a war zone, either.

If you absolutely have to get to Israel right now, you can fly El Al, and perhaps others, or perhaps fly to Amman, Jordan, and travel overland to Israel.

Eventually either Hamas will run out of rockets or Israel will put a stop to the rocketry.

If Mayor Bloomberg wants to vacation in Israel right now, let him, but he has no right to fly there on a US flag carrier.

[Pisces]

9. I guess they will be liable to the families if the unthinkable happens. They got a slight glimpse of

what it's like to be in Gaza. Israel controls what goes in and out. They don't like it for 1 minute.

[Aerows]

10. And then people die in a jet crash

and they say "We told you how bloodthirsty Palestinians are!"

I'd prefer to prevent deaths beforehand.

[HooptieWagon]

11. Tough shit, AIPAC.

If the situation in Israel is so dangerous that IDF has to slaughter hundreds of Palestinian civilians, then its too dangerous for civilian aircraft and tourists. Flights from US should continue to be banned, until Israel and the Palestinians stop shooting and start negotiating a peace.

[alsame]

14. Exactly. nt

[Owl]

41. Exactly.

[LuvNewcastle]

13. So apparently, the rockets aren't that much of a concern if

they think it's okay for us to send flights over there. If the rockets aren't such a concern, why exactly are they in Gaza?

[Aerows]

16. Another good observation

AIPAC apparently isn't concerned about crew members and travelers to Israel - because the rockets are so insignificant, but are apparently very significant.

[2naSalit]

24. Seems it really about

the money. israel is losing cash from tourism and whatever charges levied against air carriers to Tel Aviv. And the ever present whining about how Hamas is disrupting their utopian existence on the US dime, oh and BTW, they need more US tax $$ to fight the Hamas scourge don't cha know....

[quakerboy]

44. This

Since AIPAC believes the rockets are not a threat, I guess that means AIPAC is implying that Israel has no reason to be attacking Gaza and killing its people.

[malaise]

15. Because Israel's tourist industry is worth way more

than the lives of foreigners on aircraft and 600+ plus Palestinian lives.
Go Cheney yourselves AIPAC. The warmongering era is over.

[Comrade Grumpy]

20. Careful, pardner, I got alerted on for making a very similar point.

Some Zionist was outraged, but the alert failed 6-1.

[malaise]

21. I was actually on that jury

You are no anti-Semetic

[Autumn]

17. Commercial flights by US airliners should most certainly not be flying into a war zone.

Sorry for Israel's tourism loss. I bet if they talk to one of their esteemed Senators here in the US one or more will be happy to push and pass a bill giving them free money. I'm sure they will be willing to cut something from the safety net for our citizens to pay for it.

[amandabeech]

22. The Senate is getting a bill ready that would "lend" Israel $225,000,000

for spare parts for their Iron Dome defense.

At least half the money would go to US defense firms.

Meanwhile, some Detroiters are in danger of losing their water service, and kids and teens at the border are still living in inadequate emergency shelters.

It's easy to tell who has the better lobbyists and gives the most campaign contributions.

[Autumn]

25. That's rather sad isn't it.

[amandabeech]

33. It's unbelievably sad.

Is it just me, or does it seem to you that the wheels have come off here and abroad, and nobody at the upper echelons has a clue how to put the wheels back on and get things moving in a half-way decent direction.

I know that the President and those in his administration are doing their best, but I think that even FDR and Winston Churchill would feel challenged right now.

As I type, CNN is showing a replay of the airplane carrying bodies from MH17 landing in the Netherlands.

I just don't know what to say.

[GeorgeGist]

36. It's all about cha-ching cha-ching cha-ching.

The refugees at the border or in Detroit don't have it.

[amandabeech]

42. That was my point.

And the Dems apparently think that people will all come out to vote in November despite it all.

If Detroiters don't show up at the polls, the Dems, and I include myself in that group, might lose Carl Levin's senate seat to a truly horrendous Repuke.

But $250,000 outweighs 250,000 D votes.

[weetie]

18. enough already

we already have a downed commercial jet in a war zone. do we really need another?

[Ilsa]

23. I hope all of AIPAC charters a flight.

[delrem]

26. So AIPAC is saying that there's no *real* problem. It's all PR for their war on Gaza.

What other interpretation is there?

[ballyhoo]

30. None.

[ballyhoo]

27. Oh dern.......

[MannyGoldstein]

28. Oy gevalt.

They need a big bowl of chicken soup and STFU.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

29. Even before the FAA's ban, a couple of airlines - Delta and United -

voluntarily stopped flying into TLV. Neither the FAA nor AIPAC can force them to resume those routes if they don't think it's safe. DAL has a regular JFK-TLV flight that I'm sure has been pretty lucrative, so you know they thought hard about giving that up, even temporarily.

[amandabeech]

35. It's very likely that the insurance pool that covers those airlines pulled coverage

when the Hamas rocket landed a mile away from the Tel Aviv airport.

It would not surprise me if the FAA prohibited airlines from flying without insurance.

At some point this battle will end, like the others have, and the airliners will return.

I also read today that Israel is opening an airport in the desert that cannot be reached by Hamas rockets. Perhaps some airlines will be able to use that airport temporarily.

[AngryDem001]

31. Oh, just shut up.

Srsly.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

32. Oh come on!!!

It's only a little war. It's just for show.

Nothing to lose tourism over.

[BillZBubb]

34. AIPAC and right wing doofus Cruz aren't going to win this fight.

Until there is a lasting cease fire, passenger planes should not be in that area. Most of the world understands that even if the Israelis don't.

[onecaliberal]

38. Do they need some cheese, to go with their whine?

Human lives are more important than whatever political bullshit AIPAC is spewing now.
Israel has finally gone far enough to make people speak out on the disproportionate response.

[ellie]

39. Oh well.

[groundloop]

40. Intended or not, this ban is one hell of an incentive to get on with negotiations

[SCVDem]

43. Go ahead and trust Israeli lobbyists!

What could possibly go wrong?

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/06/07/alan-hart-israels-attack-on-the-uss-liberty-the-full-story/