So, the man who proclaimed to AIPAC that he had a “strong commitment” to the “unbreakable bond” between Israel and the United States is leading a full-court press to force Israel to yield to The One’s indomitable will. Let us review:
The Cairo speech:
The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.
The result? Palestinians added a precondition to peace talks that they would only come to the table when Israel freezes all settlement building, including in Jerusalem, which they had never before demanded. This, in spite of the fact that Obama demanded that peace talks be started without preconditions. There was no outburst about Palestinian rejectionism when they refused to come to the table.
Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, then said that there could be no such precondition, and that the Palestinians must come to the table. The Palestinians refused. There was no outburst about “insult” and “offense” by the Obama administration.
Next, the Obama administration grudgingly accepts Netanyahu’s compromise of a ten-month ban on settlement building in the West Bank without a freeze in Jerusalem. The Palestinians still refuse to come to peace talks, insisting on a complete building freeze. There was no outburst by the Obama administration about how the Palestinians are obstructing peace with their inflexible precondition.
Cut to: Last month, Joe Biden’s visit, and the announcement of 1,600 new units in Ramat Shlomo, a suburb in northeast Jerusalem that has been understood by all to be one of the parts of “Palestinian” territory that will remain Israel in a future two-state solution. The Obama administration uses the visit as a pretext to beat up on Netanyahu. The “insult” and “offense” is actually in the way they are treating a friend and ally. Apparently, Obama has given Netanyahu a list of 13 demands, and expects a response by Saturday—so he can take them to the Arab League summit and get them to push the Palestinians back into peace talks. (Perhaps someone forgot to tell him about the concept of Shabbat and its importance in Jewish life.) The cabinet is meeting now, and they expect to have a response by Passover. That will be sundown Monday, Israel time. Among the demands:
- A complete freeze on building in all disputed territory, including Jerusalem
- Turning over more of the West Bank to Palestinian control, including Abu Dis
- The release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners
And the Palestinians will have to—come back to the negotiating table.
So there are absolutely no demands of the Palestinians at all, and nothing but demands of the Israelis. The Palestinians’ naming of a public square in Ramallah after a terrorist is ignored (and even blamed, by Hillary Clinton, on Hamas when it was all Fatah’s doing), but a housing announcement is an “insult” that causes a full-court anti-Israel press by Obama’s Chicago Machine veterans. The head of a democratic ally and friend of the U.S. is treated more shabbily than Hugo Chavez, who is aligned with, and working with, our enemy Iran (which is responsible for supplying weapons to our enemies, actively killing American soldiers and training Iraqis and Afghan to kill more). And now, Israel is being pressured so that Obama can send a representative to the Arab League summit, which is a summit of unelected monarchs and dictators with one or two sort-of democratic nations thrown in (Jordan and Lebanon), so that they can give their blessing to Mahmoud Abbas (now the unelected leader of the Palestinians, as elections were not held again this year) to talk to the Israelis.
Let me repeat: To talk to the Israelis. Nothing is being asked of the Palestinians.
The most anti-Israel administration ever strikes again. But I will leave you on a positive note: Think about the time of year that he is choosing to try to force Israel into making dangerous concessions. It’s Passover. And while I am not calling Obama a pharoah, well, as the Orthodox Union IPA blog said:
… we have to wonder – when we all are at Passover Seder Monday, and loudly declare: “NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM,†will we all be subject to censure by the Administration? By the EU? By the UN?
And what will they say at The White House seder? “Next year in a yet-to-be-negotiated part of Jerusalem?”
I don’t know about you, but I’ll be ending my seder traditionally. Next year in Jerusalem!
When riots were sweeping across Tehran and hundreds of thousands of Persians were out protesting Iran’s rulers, Obama could barely muster the time to meekly state that the “world is watching.” I wish Obama would spend 1/100th of the time he spends on deposing Israel’s dully elected government, working to get rid of Iran’s government. But Obama has never shown the stomach to stand up to dictators. In fact he seems to have an affinity for them. Strange times.
I am sure that all those who voted for President Obama in 2008 support these constraints on Israeli policy. After all, didn’t President Obama – while a candidate – famously throw the Rev. Wright “under the bus”? All democrats can be happy that the President supports their views. J Street is certainly supportive. As are the editors of Haaertz.
The vast majority of American Jews voted for President Obama. They, too, are extremely happy with this administrations mid-east policy. Just ask them.
For all those foolish people who voted for that charlatan all I can say “Elections have consequences” or to quote Mecillinus in the play Julius Caesar, “You block, you stones you worst then senseless things”
Anyone who believes that Mr Obama is a friend of Israel is seriously deluded. Israel must ignore Mr Obama and look out for themselves. It’s too bad Mr Obama has chosen to buddy up to America’s (and Israel’s) traditional enemies. If he could put half as much energy into opposing terrorism as he does in taking on those who value the constitution, limited government, free enterprise, moral values, and our longstanding friendship with Israel, America and her real allies would greatly benefit.
What will they say at the White House seder? “Next Year in Power” of course. That’s what it’s all about with this clique of “strategic, amoral liars” (to borrow a phrase from neoneocon.com)
Hussein Obama is a plain old Jew hater, no more, no less. It is way past time where nonwhite Jew haters should get a pass on this.
Cappy, I will not stand for Obama being called “Hussein” here. I don’t care that it’s his middle name. I don’t buy the Muslim crap. And I don’t think he’s a Jew hater, either. But he is definitely no friend to Israel.
Oh, well, Meryl, we will also read about how “in every generation” they rise up against us.
I think he’s just so steeped in lefty ideology and has never had to seriously deal with an opposing viewpoint that he actually thinks he’s doing the right thing for peace in the region.
If the Jews would just give enough to the Palestinians then they would get peace.
Sad to say that most of our leaders are blind and deaf. Mr obama is a follower and not a leader, just as some of our previous pass presidents. Israel is and has been a true friend of the USA. Our leaders have no right to dictate how they are to run their government. Would this Nation (Leaders) give parts of our wonderful country, upon request by evil intended individuals. ISRAEL is our foundation upon which we were designed and founded. A nation of forefathers( THE REAL LEADERS THAT MADE THIS NATION GREAT)people of integrety and honor. Truely, I clearly see the intent to bring down not only Israel but this Nation, by the few. Wake-up AMERICA, we are being deceived, look around you. Do you really think, we are doing better? We are being led into our own destruction, by leaders that have no COMMAND SENSE.