Honduras should know better

Shoshana Bryen

WASHINGTON, D.C.  –The President of Honduras has indicated that his government will
support a vote in favor of “Palestine” in the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Honduras, of all countries, should know better; not about Israel, but about
importance of truth.

When Manuel Zelaya, then President of Honduras, subverted the
Constitution by attempting to hold an illegal referendum to
gain an illegal third term in office, the other arms of the Honduran
democratic establishment – Parliament, the Supreme Court, the Human Rights
Council, the Army and the Church – came together to defend the Constitution,
remove Zelaya and retain their country’s standing as a country of laws, not of
men.

In response, the United States – following the lead of Venezuela, Cuba and
Nicaragua – agreed to the suspension of Honduras from the OAS, PNG’d the
Honduran Ambassador, cut off Millennium Challenge aid for which Honduras had
already qualified, held up visas and denounced the ouster of Zelaya as a
“military coup.”

Honduras stuck to its legal guns, insisting that truth
mattered. JINSA, among others, took the time to research the issue,
understand the legalities and support the interim government as legal
and legitimate.  We were impressed by the willingness of a small
country to stand by its laws in the face of pressure from abroad.  As
time passed, the U.S. Government came to the same conclusions – but enormous
damage had been done in the interim.

It isn’t always enough to be right –  people have to understand the
nuance, the law and the truth and support you  when you are right. We
are proud to have supported Honduras – and  truth.

For Honduras now to pretend NOT to understand that the UN
General Assembly vote on “Palestine” will NOT create a State of
Palestine, will NOT advance Palestinian aspirations for statehood, will
NOT enhance the security of Israel or the willingness of Israel to
help moderate Palestinians achieve their goals is disingenuous.
For Honduras to “go along to get along” with the majority of the
General Assembly is to conveniently forget that when Honduras was in the
dock, truth was important to Honduras.  For Honduras to demand that the world
pay attention to the truth about Honduras, but to run with the crowd when the
truth about Israel is at stake is hypocritical.

Since 1947, Israel has  agreed to a “two state solution” in which there
would be a Jewish State of  Israel and a Palestinian Arab State. Through wars and intifadas and BDS
movements, Israel has asked only that its democratic existence as the national
homeland of the Jewish people be recognized by its neighbors – and that the
“secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force” promised
by UN Resolution 242 be accepted.  The Arab states (save Jordan and
Egypt)  and the Palestinians have refused.

That is the truth.

For Honduras  to ignore it in favor of the ease of siding with the
majority is demeaning to  Hondurans and diminishes the importance of
the truth.  This time the  international community is ganging up on
Israel – the next time it gangs up  on Honduras, it will be harder to
feel sorry.

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