Deliberate Deceptions: Facing the Facts About the U.S.-Israeli Relationship [Paperback]

"Deliberate Deceptions" is the second Paul Findley book I have read. The first, of course, was "They Dare to Speak Out." Findley, a former congressman from Illinois, is a crusader for truth in the relationship between Israel and the United States. In "They Dare to Speak Out," Findley discusses the sinister influence of the pro-Israel lobby on American government. In this book, Findley broadens his criticism well beyond the borders of lobbying. The importance of Findley's books take on additional dimensions of meaning since the terrorist attacks of last summer.

"Deliberate Deceptions" exposes serious concerns about Israeli-U.S. relations. Findley argues, convincingly, that Israel is an aggressive, hostile state that will stop at nothing to further its own ends at the expense of others. Israel suctions billions of dollars out of U.S. coffers, with special deals on loans and military hardware that no other country in the world gets. Israel also has the bomb and refuses to allow international inspections of its facilities in the Negev desert. Findley reveals Israel's spy networks in the United States, its cozy relationship with the South African government (during the Apartheid era), and its tendency to resell American military technologies for self-enrichment. The amount of statements and evidence Findley marshals is both amazing and disgusting. Where is the United States government when all of this is happening? It's in large part our government that reinforces this bad behavior. Politicians, according to Findley, are scared of Israel's lobby and influence. The result is that the U.S. turns a blind eye to these shenanigans.

The Palestinians are the primary victims of Israel's aggression. Since the founding of Israel, the Palestinians have endured non-stop forced deportations, land seizures, violence, torture, and murder. Occasionally, the Palestinian people tire of Israel and events like the Intifada occur. Findley shows how Israel responds to these incidents by instituting policies that encourage soldiers to break bones and attack children and senior citizens. Palestinians that are considered citizens of Israel are treated as second-class citizens, as Israel considers itself a purely Jewish nation. The United Nations runs itself ragged denouncing Israel for its actions towards the Palestine people, and Findley provides a list of UN edicts towards Israel that is staggering to behold. Findley argues that great strides could be made in the Palestinian-Israeli problem if Israel would quit building settlements in occupied territory and withdraw to its UN mandated borders. Israel refuses to do this, and the whole world has to deal with the fallout, with endless peace plans and negotiations that go nowhere.

One of my criticisms with the book concerns Findley's account of the Intifada. Findley lists how many Palestinians were detained, murdered, and injured. I think he should have included figures on how many Jews were killed in the uprising. This would bolster his arguments better, in my opinion, as those numbers are probably lower than the Palestinian numbers. Still, this book is shocking in its implications and should be read by all Americans. I recommend reading this book before reading "They Dare to Speak Out."

For those who find themselves confused and misinformed, because of the sheer flow of distorted information and propaganda regarding the Palestinian question and Middle East crisis, I would strongly recommend this book. Here Findley portraits, in a readable and simple fashion, the basic illusions under which the american public has been nurtured, regarding the true intentions and policies of the theocratic government in Israel, and the suppression of palestinians fundamental human rights.
This is a book that must be read to aquire a more balanced view of the Middle East drama, specially now that the fundamental right of a Palestinian State to exist is being again denied by the ortodox driven government of Sharon.
Here you will find, in a very simple and understandable presentation, the basic information about the British ill fated handling of the palestinian land; the meaning of the Balfour Declaration; an explanation of the U.N. Resolutions regarding the State of Israel and its policies; and revealing facts about the deceptions and the wars that have been fought, not usually presented in a truthful manner to the american voters.
Only if the true facts are known, and this is why one must read this book, the appalling tragedy of the palestinian people can be understood. Only then, will it be possible for the U.S. to shape a different foreign policy towards the Middle East based on the premise that all fanatical and totalitarian views must be abandoned, including those of the right wing in Israel, in order to seek a solution to the problem. The U.S. has unduly financed and permitted, through a miopic view of the situation, the furtherance of an expansionistic vision by Sharon, and the destruction of Palestinian Authority. This will not stop until the cries of the moderate Israeli politicians prevail. On the other hand, the problems that terrorism has brought to America will increase if we keep giving unconditionally military aid to a country that practices terroristic tactics with our weapons, while we preach to the world that we are on a crusade against terrorism. Double standards must be put to an end because now they are directly jeopardazing our security and our fundamental interests.
Findley has been persecuted because of his books and his quest to present the required material to form an objective view of the situation. For this, he has been named an anti-semite. But we dont need more propaganda. JUST THE FACTS. AND FACTS SET FORTH IN THIS BOOK CAN AND HAVE BEEN VERIFIED. If Findley were a jew, he would be called a self-denier like the jew professors and moderate Israeli politicians that have valiantly revealed those same facts, and cannot accept that a sistematic violation of human rights, no matter the motivations, is being perpetrated by the same people that suffered brutally at the hand of Hitler.

Findley has researched his subject carefully and is in a personal position to know what he's talking about. The American-Isreali relationship richly deserves the close scrutiny he has given it in this book. A must read for anyone interested in the current situation in the Middle East.

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