Can't exactly tell from this statement by Alice Walker

But here is a good place to start a discussion of how you can distinguish
1, principled criticism of Israel based on its stupid policies
from
2. criticism of Israel based on "something else."

This excerpt is from an article by Alice Walker about her support for Barrack Obama and where she finds him lacking. Btw I agree very much with her "most of all" summary of his skills.

I want a grown-up attitude to Cuba, for instance, a country and people I love. I want an end to the war immediately, and I want the soldiers to be encouraged to destroy their weapons and drive themselves out of Iraq. I want the Israeli government to be made accountable for its behaviour to the Palestinians, and I want the people of the US to cease acting as if they don't understand what is going on. But most of all I want someone with the confidence to talk to anyone, "enemy" or "friend", and this Obama has shown he can do.

(italics added)

What's noteworthy? Her emphasis. She doesn't mention something like "fair-handed Middle East policy" or "justice for the Palestinians" but focusses on punishing Israel.

When I run across language like that I start to wonder about the motivations of the speaker and her (perhaps unconscious) intent. What does she care about most? Helping the Palestinians? or hurting the Israelis? Well which one does she mention? Of course she does use the term "Israeli government" rather than -- at the extreme -- "the Jews" so I can't be totally sure. But I thought it odd that the only mention of the Palestinians was in terms of punishing Israel rather than giving Palestinians fair treatment.

More on this subject as time passes.