Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
In the face of Obama’s electioneering claims of unwavering support for Israel, let’s look at his positions and policies:
~The U.N. Human Rights Council is about to release a report calling for an international boycott of American companies that do business with Israel. The council typically steers attention away from the world’s worst human rights violators and focuses instead on the supposed misdeeds of the United States and Israel. Nevertheless, President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton rejected the Bush policy of bypassing the council -- and joined in 2009. Stating the desire to create “a more perfect union in a more perfect world,” they offered to prepare a human rights report on our own domestic laws and policies, for which they chose a cadre of liberal activists and left-leaning “experts.”
~Nothing could be worse for Israel than an Iran with nuclear weapons or the enabling of Islamic extremism. Nevertheless, in 2009, Obama declared and defended Iran’s “right to peaceful nuclear technology.” From then on, the cruel and mendacious Ahmadinejad would refer to Iran’s “right” to “peaceful” nuclear technology, while brazenly accelerating a non-peaceful program designed to humble enemy “infidels” America and Israel. Obama reached out to Iran’s “Supreme Leader” with fawning letters and other gestures, but was mute in response to brave young Iranian protestors pleading for support. Obama cancelled funding for democracy programs such as Persian broadcasts of the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe. (More on Iran)
~Strong, unwavering sanctions against Iran were obviously in Israel’s urgent interest. But Obama pursued a minimalist approach to sanctions, going so far as to thwart and dilute the Kirk-Mendendez sanctions bill. The administration has - strangely - seemed to work harder to prevent Israel from acting militarily than it has to prevent the possibility of having to deal with a nuclear Iran. In the Daily Beast, Leslie Gelb argued: “Tehran and Washington have discovered a surprising common bond: to pretend that they might be heading toward serious negotiations to curb Iran’s nuclear capacity. What’s more, they are pretending for the same reason: to ward off an Israeli attack on Iran.”
~No country has done more to ruin Israel’s chances for peace than terror-sponsor, Iranian ally, and Hezbollah backer Syria. Nevertheless, in a major shift of policy, Secretary of State Clinton announced that the US would send two envoys to Syria for “preliminary conversations” and re-opened our embassy there. And, in an inexplicable move, the administration picked Syria’s brutal Bashar al-Assad as a key mediator in Israeli/Palestinian negotiations. When peaceful Syrian pro-democracy advocates took to the streets, and Assad’s response was to butcher them, the administration took no stand –moral, rhetorical or otherwise - against the atrocities. (More on Syria)
~Israel needs American support, for it won’t find it elsewhere. But, in his Cairo speech, Obama referred to “the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own” and to Israeli “obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live, and work and develop their society.” He even asserted, “The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.” Almost as an aside after all of this, Obama asked Palestinians “to recognize Israel’s legitimacy.” Then, he called for a “Palestinian state.” Thus, in advance of Israeli/Palestinian negotiations, Obama gave away every bargaining chip Israel could possibly hold. Continuing the theme in a September 2011 address to the General Assembly, he proposed a timeline for Palestinian statehood and U.N. membership.
~Under pressure from the Obama administration, Israel agreed to a 10-month freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, but the agreement explicitly allowed construction in Jerusalem. In spite of this concession and these terms, the administration “condemned” the 2010 Israeli decision to build homes in eastern Jerusalem as an “affront” to the United States and issued an “ultimatum” demanding that Israel stop construction and make “gestures” to the Palestinians, the suggested ones being releasing hundreds of Palestinian terrorists from Israeli prisons and negotiating on all substantive issues. Adding insult to injury, in May 2011, Obama suggested that Israel use 1967 borders as a starting point for negotiations!
~ Obama claims our relationship with Israel hasn’t changed. But Obama’s snubs towards Benjamin Netanyahu and the anti-“Israel lobby” stance of many of his advisers belie that claim. Contrary to assurances given to Israel, Obama made a deal with Islamic states at a 2010 meeting of parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and agreed to help convene a 2012 conference. Now, this from Haaretz: “Israel expressed its strong opposition .. to an Arab initiative, supported by the Obama administration, to hold a conference that would debate the possibility of nuclear-free Middle East.” Brig-Gen. Horev is quoted as saying,“Nuclear demilitarization in the Middle East, according to the Israeli position, will be possible only after the establishment of peace and trust among the states of the area, as a result of a local initiative, not of external concerns.”
It is true that Obama has continued our close military and intelligence relationship and our security assistance and technology transfers. But he has not “supported” Israel – not the way one supports a close ally. By the way, the administration is seeking a second term on the Human Rights Council - despite Israeli requests that we refrain.
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Jun '10
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Anne: You do a marvelous job giving us the facts.
We learned a lot about how Obama really feels about Israel from this little open-mike conversation with Sarkozy.
The items you report are entirely consistent with Obama's disdain of Bibi Netanyahu.
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
tabula rasa: Anne: You do a marvelous job giving us the facts.
We learned a lot about how Obama really feels about Israel from this little open-mike conversation with Sarkozy.
The items you report are entirely consistent with Obama's disdain of Bibi Netanyahu. · 5 minutes ago
Right- that conversation is revealing. Will you please supply a link? Thanks.
Oct '12
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
How anyone who cares about Israel could even consider voting for Obama is beyond me. Anne makes the case clearly and compellingly.
Jun '10
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Anne R. Pierce
tabula rasa: Anne: You do a marvelous job giving us the facts.
We learned a lot about how Obama really feels about Israel from this little open-mike conversation with Sarkozy.
The items you report are entirely consistent with Obama's disdain of Bibi Netanyahu. · 5 minutes ago
Right- that conversation is revealing. Will you please supply a link? Thanks. · 10 minutes ago
The link to the Reuters story is here.
Sep '12
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
I had the privilege of visiting Israel for the first time about 18 months ago, and it was the trip of a lifetime. Our Israeli tour guide, a man who had served in the IDF during the Six Day and the Yom Kippur Wars, and is now retired, had incredible contempt for Obama for the backstabbing Israel has received from him. It seems to me that there is a gap between the perception of Obama from the Jews who live in the land of Israel vs the ones who live here in the USA.
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Thanks for sharing this. Anyone have thoughts on the gap jarhead has noticed?
Jun '10
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
No, no, no, no, no! The Palestinians are the victims of European (read: white) colonialism. The Israelis are neocolonialist oppressors who usurped the peace and prosperity that rightfully belongs to indigenous peoples of the region. The whole situation is so unfair! The conditions endured by brown people can only be addressed by redistribution in the name of social justice.
I think I could give Chris Matthews a few lessons on the nature of dog whistles.
sark/off
Jul '10
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Daniel Greenfield, in his blog Sultan Knish, often talks to the differences in the jewish community. His most notable defining difference is the jews that are religious (especially the orthodox segment) vs the jews that have no religion, and generally are left leaning.
Israel has more jews of faith, and more jews who worry about daily existence. Jews in NYC have mostly lost that worry. It explains the difference in much of the attitude
BTW great post, as usual. I don't always agree with all your positions, but you are very clear in presenting.
Edited on October 27, 2012 at 10:11pmAug '10
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
I don't know if most Americans fully appreciate how important their support is to Israel, how Israel is loathed in Europe for instance;where Obama has about 80% support and where only the Tea Party competes with the Jewish State for frothing-at-the mouth hatred (with the Catholic Church coming close behind). The sad reality is that an existential threat to Israel would be, maybe is, seen as the just desserts of the Zionists. Sadder still that my country is probably the worst offender.
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Thanks for the supportive comments. - They make it easier to keep tackling controversial subjects!
Oct '10
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Why are we all being so hard on Obama? After all, he has been endorsed by such great democratic leaders as Vladimir Putin, Hugo Chavez and Raul Castro. Why, even the Ayatollah loves him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndFu-UU2V2g&feature=em-uploademail-new
Nov '11
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
The truth is whatever furthers the cause. Right now the cause is retaining power, and Obama needs Jewish votes to do it. Still, his claim to being Israel’s closest friend is a bit breathtaking.
Oct '12
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Anne, How do the President and Secretary Clinton square their positions and policies with their duty to protect our nation, as opposed to advancing some vague notion of the General Good? Or do they?
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Brigid, great question. Maybe that's why Obama kept referring to his duty to protect the nation in the last debate - He's defensive about it, knows he's vulnerable on this point.
Aug '12
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
[Under pressure from the Obama administration, Israel agreed to a 10-month freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, but the agreement explicitly allowed construction in Jerusalem. In spite of this concession and these terms, the administration “condemned” the 2010 Israeli decision to build homes in eastern Jerusalem as an “affront” to the United States]
To be fair, Anne, there is no fundamental difference under international law between East Jerusalem and the West Bank - they're both occupied land. The occupier altering population demographics in either of these areas by 'transferring' the indigenous population out and/or settling its own population there in their place is classified as a war crime.
Jul '10
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Zafar: [Under pressure from the Obama administration, Israel agreed to a 10-month freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, but the agreement explicitly allowed construction in Jerusalem. In spite of this concession and these terms, the administration “condemned” the 2010 Israeli decision to build homes in eastern Jerusalem as an “affront” to the United States]
To be fair, Anne, there is no fundamental difference under international law between East Jerusalem and the West Bank - they're both occupied land. The occupier altering population demographics in either of these areas by 'transferring' the indigenous population out and/or settling its own population there in their place is classified as a war crime. · 4 hours ago
Good you should think so. Then Kosovo is filled with war criminal Albanians.
Wars should have consequence. Else we will fight them too lightly - as in Israel. She has been attacked without provocation on 4 separate occasions. It is time to simply accept that the West Bank should be part of Israel - because of the actions of the peoples/tribes against Israel from there.
Aug '12
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
[It is time to simply accept that the West Bank should be part of Israel]
Arguably the people there should just live together as equals, with the same legal rights and responsibilities. But that would mean West Bank Arabs voting in Israeli elections. I don't think Israel is keen on the idea.
Edited on October 28, 2012 at 6:31amJul '11
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Is Obama an anti-Semite or "merely" an anti-Zionist? The man disgusts me.
PS, excellent article.
Edited on October 28, 2012 at 8:05amMay '10
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
Actually, the division of Jerusalem and the West Bank are only armistice lines, not international boundaries, so the only applicable "international law" in play here has to go back to the San Remo resolutions of the 1920s and all that entail down to present day which are the abiding legal documents.
Aug '12
Re: Obama "Supports" Israel? Let's Be Honest
The relevant (4th) Geneva Convention deals with the rights of civilians during and after an armed conflict. Whether there is a recognised international border or an armistice line involved is irrelevant. Ethnic cleansing during and after an armed conflict is a war crime, whether you are contesting a border or not.
Edited on October 28, 2012 at 2:08pm