U.S. Blatant Anti-Israel Policy is Unconscionable

 

More than likely you remember the evidence against the IRS for targeting US conservative groups that were applying for 501 (c) (3) status. To date, no actions have been taken against the organization as they stonewall inquiries for documentation.

You may not be aware, however, that the IRS was also targeting pro-Israel groups. An op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal yesterday described how the pro-Israel group Z Street learned that its 2009 application was being held up due to a “special screening” for groups connected to Israel. In 2010 Z Street sued the IRS for discrimination. The article further explained:

The IRS has maintained that Z Street’s application was flagged because the group might be working with organizations inside Israel. IRS Exempt Organizations Determinations Group manager Jon Waddell denied that there was an Israel special policy and said in a December 2010 sworn declaration in federal court in Pennsylvania that flagging Z Street was “appropriate” because “Israel is one of many Middle Eastern countries that have a ‘higher risk of terrorism.’”

You read that correctly. Of course, Israel was and is the victim of terrorism, not the perpetrator.

When you put this story in context, the U.S. over the last several years has had an ongoing strategy of embarrassing, denigrating and pressuring Israel to acquiesce to U.S. demands. Some of the more egregious demands include, but are not limited to, the following, as described by Ben Shapiro on Breitbart:

May 2009: Obama tells Netanyahu that “settlements have to be stopped in order for us to move forward.” Netanyahu announces a settlement freeze to comply. The Palestinians refuse to negotiate. Obama then slams Israel: “they still found it very hard to move with any bold gestures.”

March 2010: Obama follows up on his threatening language about settlements by deploying Vice President Joe Biden to Israel, where Biden rips into the Israelis for building bathrooms in Jerusalem, the eternal Jewish capital. Hillary Clinton then yells at Netanyahu for nearly an hour on the phone, telling him he had “harmed the bilateral relationship.” David Axelrod calls the building plans an “insult” to the United States. When Netanyahu visits the White House a week and a half later, Obama makes him leave via a side door.

May 2011: The State Department labeled Jerusalem not a part of Israel. The same month, Obama demanded that Israel make concessions to the Palestinians based on the pre-1967 borders, which Israelis call the “Auschwitz borders” thanks to their indefensibility.

March 2013: Obama forces Netanyahu to call Islamist Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to apologize for Israel’s actions to stop a terrorist-arming flotilla from entering the Gaza Strip to aid Hamas. Erdogan had recently labeled Zionism racism.

June 2014: Three Jewish teenagers are kidnapped, including an American, and murdered by Hamas. The Obama administration immediately calls on Israel for restraint, and says it will continue to work with a Palestinian unity government including Hamas. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki says that the Obama administration wants “the Israelis and the Palestinians continue to work with one another on that, and we certainly would continue to urge that… in spite of, obviously, the tragedy and the enormous pain on the ground.” Throughout the ensuing Gaza War, in which Hamas fired rockets at Israeli civilians and tunnels were uncovered demonstrating Hamas’ intent to kidnap Israeli children, the Obama administration criticized Israel’s prosecution of the war.

January 2015: Obama deploys his campaign team to defeat Netanyahu in Israel. A group titled “One Voice,” funded by American donors, pays for the Obama campaign team, led by Obama 2012 field director Jeremy Bird. The announcement comes days after Speaker of the House John Boehner’s invite to Netanyahu to speak before a joint session of Congress. Obama quickly announced he would not meet with Netanyahu, making the excuse that the meeting would come too close to the election.

March 2015: Netanyahu wins. Obama refuses to call him to congratulate him for two days. When he does, he threatens to remove American support in the international community, even as he moves to loosen sanctions and weapons embargoes on Iran.

And let’s not forget the Iran deal and its inherent dangers to Israel.

Some may say that these policies are only “anti-Israel,” not anti-Semitic. But there is no other nation in the world that the U.S. and United Nations openly and aggressively criticize for human rights violations and continuous military strife. Only Israel warrants that unique attention.

Let’s hope that the current suit by Z Street is prosecuted before Obama completes his term. I have serious doubts whether either candidate as President is capable of turning this dangerous and destructive policy around.

 

Published in Foreign Policy
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  1. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    One candidate will actively continue it and the Israelis know it.   No consequences of any action Obama or Hillary takes will happen.   I’ve given up thinking that anything can stop the power of weaponized Democrat government.

    I have no clue what tanning booth man will do.

    • #1
  2. CB Toder aka Mama Toad Member
    CB Toder aka Mama Toad
    @CBToderakaMamaToad

    DocJay: the Israelis know it.

    I wonder if it is coincidence that the IDF just put out this video today on what to do when stabbed by an attacker with a knife. As the video makes clear, there is no defense against being stabbed unawares in the back, but the defender must immediately respond and attack the aggressor.

    • #2
  3. Richard Fulmer Inactive
    Richard Fulmer
    @RichardFulmer

    Great job compiling the list.  Thanks!

    • #3
  4. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    CB Toder aka Mama Toad:

    DocJay: the Israelis know it.

    I wonder if it is coincidence that the IDF just put out this video today on what to do when stabbed by an attacker with a knife. As the video makes clear, there is no defense against being stabbed unawares in the back, but the defender must immediately respond and attack the aggressor.

    Wow! Awesome piece! Short and sweet! Thanks,  Mama Toad! Wish Israel could apply this kind of self-defense against the U.S.

    • #4
  5. CB Toder aka Mama Toad Member
    CB Toder aka Mama Toad
    @CBToderakaMamaToad

    Richard Fulmer:Great job compiling the list. Thanks!

    Seriously. A research effort that I am appreciating.

    • #5
  6. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Richard Fulmer:Great job compiling the list. Thanks!

    Actually Breitbart did it for me. And there are even more insults if you go to the link, Richard.

    • #6
  7. CB Toder aka Mama Toad Member
    CB Toder aka Mama Toad
    @CBToderakaMamaToad

    Susan Quinn: Awesome piece!

    I subscribe to IDF’s youtube channel so I can see this kind of stuff regularly.

    • #7
  8. Trink Coolidge
    Trink
    @Trink

    Explained and linked as you have . . .

    It’s just so dark.

    In so many ways.

    G-d help us.

    • #8
  9. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    Great article, Susan. I recommend for the Main Feed. Obama has lost no opportunity to side with Muslims of every stripe. It’s appalling. He should have been impeached for meddling in the elections of Israel, giving aid and comfort to enemies of the United States,  and so many more reasons.

    • #9
  10. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    RightAngles:Great article, Susan. I recommend for the Main Feed. Obama has lost no opportunity to side with Muslims of every stripe. It’s appalling. He should have been impeached for meddling in the elections of Israel, giving aid and comfort to enemies of the United States, and so many more reasons.

    Especially when he had the nerve to criticize Netanyahu for trying to influence Congress when he came over to speak at the invitation of Boehner. What nerve!!

    • #10
  11. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    Susan Quinn:

    RightAngles:Great article, Susan. I recommend for the Main Feed. Obama has lost no opportunity to side with Muslims of every stripe. It’s appalling. He should have been impeached for meddling in the elections of Israel, giving aid and comfort to enemies of the United States, and so many more reasons.

    Especially when he had the nerve to criticize Netanyahu for trying to influence Congress when he came over to speak at the invitation of Boehner. What nerve!!

    Obama has zero shame.   Such a defective person.   I won’t miss his narcissistic racist lying face one bit.

    And his little mole Toto.

    • #11
  12. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    Why would one expect Obama to act differently? There are no consequences for his treatment of Israel.

    • #12
  13. Man With the Axe Inactive
    Man With the Axe
    @ManWiththeAxe

    I’m not sure what either candidate will do.

    Hillary might continue Obama’s policies, but she might not, once freed from the yoke of his authority. She might go back to Bill Clinton’s attitudes and policies.

    Trump has voiced support for Israel, but as he continually denigrates allies who don’t pay their way, such as the NATO countries and most recently Japan, maybe he would question why we pay so much for Israel?

    “Maybe Israel should pay for their own defense,” I can imagine him saying at one of his rallies.

    • #13
  14. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Susan,

    Just another day in Obama’s neighborhood. Hillary wants to be Obama’s third term. I don’t want to see either one of them again after January 20th, 2017.  Israel knows how to defend itself. It’s our job to keep these jerks away from the White House.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #14
  15. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    James Gawron:Susan,

    Just another day in Obama’s neighborhood. Hillary wants to be Obama’s third term. I don’t want to see either one of them again after January 20th, 2017. Israel knows how to defend itself. It’s our job to keep these jerks away from the White House.

    Regards,

    Jim

    My sentiments exactly. And Hillary notwithstanding, the idea of that slimeball Bill living in our White House again makes me sick.

    • #15
  16. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Man With the Axe:I’m not sure what either candidate will do.

    Hillary might continue Obama’s policies, but she might not, once freed from the yoke of his authority. She might go back to Bill Clinton’s attitudes and policies.

    Trump has voiced support for Israel, but as he continually denigrates allies who don’t pay their way, such as the NATO countries and most recently Japan, maybe he would question why we pay so much for Israel?

    “Maybe Israel should pay for their own defense,” I can imagine him saying at one of his rallies.

    You echo my thoughts, Axe. (Can you echo thoughts?) We just don’t know. People say certain things during the campaign and then do what they please. We can only hope for the best and see what unfolds.

    • #16
  17. Teresa Mendoza Inactive
    Teresa Mendoza
    @TeresaMendoza

    January 2015: Obama deploys his campaign team to defeat Netanyahu in Israel. A group titled “One Voice,” funded by American donors, pays for the Obama campaign team, led by Obama 2012 field director Jeremy Bird.

    And then hacks in the mainstream media – like Chuck “Blatant Partisan” Todd — have the absolute gall to spend all last week-end with their panties in a bunch about the possibility that Russia is trying to influence the U.S. presidential election.  I just despise them.

    • #17
  18. Goldgeller Member
    Goldgeller
    @Goldgeller

    This was a very good article. It is very concerning to see the administration acting this way, and to find yet another example of the IRS turning on segments of the population that it doesn’t like. Its frustrating that the IRS attacks on conservatives, and now pro-Israel organizations, doesn’t bother more people. Its a strike at the heart of the ability to hold the government accountable.

    The other very puzzling thing– given that the modern left sees racism (at least black v white) and “microagressions” in virtually everything– why are they not concerned at the outright anti-Israel (which basically means Jewish) behavior coming from universities, Black Lives Matters, and so on? It makes me wonder.

    Man With the Axe:I’m not sure what either candidate will do.

    Hillary might continue Obama’s policies, but she might not, once freed from the yoke of his authority. She might go back to Bill Clinton’s attitudes and policies.

    Trump has voiced support for Israel, but as he continually denigrates allies who don’t pay their way, such as the NATO countries and most recently Japan, maybe he would question why we pay so much for Israel?

    “Maybe Israel should pay for their own defense,” I can imagine him saying at one of his rallies.

    This is a troubling possibility, especially given all the “alt-Right” fans he has.

    • #18
  19. tigerlily Member
    tigerlily
    @tigerlily

    Richard Fulmer:Great job compiling the list. Thanks!

    Agree.

    • #19
  20. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    I will be sharing this on Facebook Susan. Thank you for your trouble

    But I won’t be sharing  til tomorrow as I don’t have the time nor the energy today to deal with my Scottish relatives who will crawl out of whatever rock they live under to pester me.

    I don’t know what I find more shocking – their anti Semitism or the fact they no longer try to hide it. Obama has empowered their hatred and given it a toe hold.

    • #20
  21. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Goldgeller: The other very puzzling thing– given that the modern left sees racism (at least black v white) and “microagressions” in virtually everything– why are they not concerned at the outright anti-Israel (which basically means Jewish) behavior coming from universities, Black Lives Matters, and so on? It makes me wonder.

    It’s the old scapegoating routine. We Jews have faced it for centuries, and the anti-Israel/semitic, pro-Palestinian activities on campuses are pretty ugly.

    • #21
  22. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Annefy: don’t know what I find more shocking – their anti Semitism or the fact they no longer try to hide it.

    That’s what I find especially frightening, Annefy. It feels personal.

    • #22
  23. Podkayne of Israel Inactive
    Podkayne of Israel
    @PodkayneofIsrael

    Annefy:I will be sharing this on Facebook Susan. Thank you for your trouble

    But I won’t be sharing til tomorrow as I don’t have the time nor the energy today to deal with my Scottish relatives who will crawl out of whatever rock they live under to pester me.

    I don’t know what I find more shocking – their anti Semitism or the fact they no longer try to hide it. Obama has empowered their hatred and given it a toe hold.

    Yes. Antisemitism is not only permissible again, it’s back in style.

    • #23
  24. Goldgeller Member
    Goldgeller
    @Goldgeller

    Susan Quinn:

    It’s the old scapegoating routine. We Jews have faced it for centuries, and the anti-Israel/semitic, pro-Palestinian activities on campuses are pretty ugly.

    What’s even worse is that it has taken a long long time for people who normally pride themselves on policing all sorts of inequalities, both real and imagined, to start waking up to the fact that there is a lot of anti-Israel/anti-Jew talk going on. I mean, people find micro-aggression in everything. But that part where an Israel supporter can’t speak without security guards, or getting yelled at, never really caught their attention? I don’t believe it.  When the mistakes only go one way, that’s indicative of some sort of ulterior motive (I think I’m borrowing that from Christopher Hitchen’s review of a David Irving book).

    The good thing  is I think I’m starting to see a few mainstream articles, here and there, from the left, sounding the alarm saying “hey we have a problem here.” And, unfortunately, another question is whether the alt-right will remain around pass Trump or whether they will begin to further infect the political conversation on the mainstream right.

    • #24
  25. Eugene Kriegsmann Member
    Eugene Kriegsmann
    @EugeneKriegsmann

    Obama’s anti-Israel stance is well established. Attempting to separate that stance from outright antisemitism is nearly impossible. I have known a number of people who have claimed to be anti-Israel, but simultaneously decry antisemitism. They are full of blueberry muffins or the post digestive remains of said muffins. Israel is The Jewish state, the one place on earth that Jews have always been free to be Jews. This country, though better than most, has its own history of less than banner behavior, perhaps not as a nation, but there has always been a good deal of antisemitism around. I well remember in the late 1960s when a good friend of mine who came out to Seattle to join a leading law firm was denied membership at the Washington Athletic Club until the senior members of the firm threatened to cancel their own memberships if he were no admitted. The Westside Tennis Club in Forest Hills refused membership to my older brother, a superb tennis player, because my father, though a converted Catholic, had been born a Jew. I have always felt that antisemitism has brewed below the surface. Now, with the advent of an antisemitic president, it feels more comfortable being expressed.

    As much as I dislike and distrust Hillary, I don’t believe that she subscribes to Obama’s beliefs in this regard. Trump’s Alt-Right followers are, if their emails to NeverTrump commentators are to be believed, quite antisemitic.

    • #25
  26. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Man With the Axe:I’m not sure what either candidate will do.

    Hillary might continue Obama’s policies, but she might not, once freed from the yoke of his authority. She might go back to Bill Clinton’s attitudes and policies.

    Trump has voiced support for Israel, but as he continually denigrates allies who don’t pay their way, such as the NATO countries and most recently Japan, maybe he would question why we pay so much for Israel?

    “Maybe Israel should pay for their own defense,” I can imagine him saying at one of his rallies.

    Absolutely, any chance to denigrate Trump, even out of whole cloth, a complete fabrication, well by all means, have at it.

    But, OTH, I gotta say, you are no worse than the American Jews themselves. They will support the left until every last Jew is exterminated. At least sometimes it feels that way. To the Jew in America, it’s not those poor underdog Muslims that are the problem. They worry mostly about Christians, especially evangelicals. I never cease to be amazed.

    • #26
  27. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    cdor: But, OTH, I gotta say, you are no worse than the American Jews themselves. They will support the left until every last Jew is exterminated. At least sometimes it feels that way.

    Hyperbole isn’t effective, cdor. I wasn’t impressed with what Trump had to say about Israel. He loves Israel, and he would be great at negotiating a deal, because he would be “fair.” My guess is that he doesn’t know anything about the complexities over there, and if it were easy to negotiate fair, it would have happened. In his case, I’m not saying he’s anti-Semitic (yes I know his son-in-law is Jewish, which is irrelevant–that doesn’t mean he has to love him) but I think talking about negotiations over there is naïve.

    • #27
  28. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    cdor: Absolutely, any chance to denigrate Trump, even out of whole cloth, a complete fabrication, well by all means, have at it.

    By the way, Axe has been one of the most balanced commenters on Trump. Just because people are worried about what Trump would do with Israel doesn’t make them Trump haters.

    cdor: But, OTH, I gotta say, you are no worse than the American Jews themselves. They will support the left until every last Jew is exterminated.

    Even I would not say this about the Jews on the left. You do know I’m a Jew, right?

    • #28
  29. TKC1101 Member
    TKC1101
    @

    Goldgeller: This is a troubling possibility, especially given all the “alt-Right” fans he has.

    Yes, I am sure Ivanka and her husband are cheering this on.  Trump seems to be a lot better at friend and foe ID than Obama, and we know Hillary does what her donors want.

    But, proceed, tell me he is an anti-Semite.

    • #29
  30. Podkayne of Israel Inactive
    Podkayne of Israel
    @PodkayneofIsrael

    I don’t think anyone here is calling Trump an antisemite. Some of his followers are pretty blatant, though, and he spends a lot less effort slapping them down than he does the rest of his fellow conservatives.

    • #30
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