Posted on 04/12/2010 4:57:33 AM PDT by Kaslin
Recently, the Obama Administration picked a fight with Israel because a bureaucrat announced the approval of the fourth of seven stages for 1,600 housing units to be built in Jerusalem, even though construction won’t begin until at least 2013. Let me repeat: this unspeakably horrendous affront was over the middle stage of an approval process for housing that might be started three years from now. Is it any wonder that Israelis consider Obama to be their least favorite U.S. President in the country’s history?
It’s pretty clear that the Obama administration has pursued a different policy toward many of our traditional allies, including England, Japan, France and Israel. Why the Administration has taken these positions has been the subject of great analysis and speculation. Israel’s American supporters are justifiably disturbed about the administration’s treatment of the country, but it doesn’t even come close to what Israelis themselves think about Obama.
Most of us rely on the American viewpoint of the U.S.-Israel relationship, but I’ve spent a lot of time in the past year getting the Israeli perspective. Both former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush had particularly good relationships with Israel, and you will find little criticism of either in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. But Israelis are not nearly as reticent about criticizing Obama and they have several reasons for their attitude.
The principal concern stems from Obama’s attempt to dictate Middle East policy. Israelis believe The administration appears to have concocted an agenda – making assumptions about what is best for all stakeholders – without taking the time to listen and learn. Israel, like any other sovereign country, rejects outside attempts to dictate her security and domestic policies. In fact, they regularly reject Jewish-American efforts to influence Israeli policy even though some of those parties have in-depth knowledge of the Israeli experience. The recent brouhaha is over a perfect example of this behavior: Mr. Obama has in a very confrontational manner determined that there will be no construction in any area that he deems to be in dispute.
Israel’s second concern is symbiotic with the first. Obama’s attempt to appease certain Arab countries has raised great suspicion among Israelis who live among these countries and know quite well their history toward Israel and each other. Obama’s Cairo speech turned many Israelis against his administration, especially when he spoke of six million people being killed in the Holocaust without mentioning that they were Jews and that they were murdered.
Israelis realize the existential danger presented by Iran and they believe that Obama has played footsie with Ahmadinejad’s aggressive regime. Every week there are new promises of deadlines and sanctions, but nothing ever gets accomplished. Both Israel and Iran believe that Obama has no backbone, which leaves the Israelis in serious danger without being able to count on America’s historically steadfast support.
Israelis are particularly enraged over Obama’s position on the issue of Jerusalem. The fact that Palestinians say Jerusalem is in dispute does not make it a disputed area. Obama needs to realize that the Israelis are not giving back any area of Jerusalem. Even if they did, it is still an unworkable situation.
In The Berlin Wall, Frederick Taylor’s excellent book, he explains the mistakes made the last time a major city was divided between opposing countries. Not only were families separated, but so were the municipal services – such as sewage and water – that had been inextricably connected for decades. Those who suggest that Jerusalem simultaneously be the capital of two different countries apparently have not learned the lessons of Berlin. In fact, never in recorded history have two countries successfully shared a single capital city. It is a preposterous proposal that is doomed to failure.
Some have speculated that Mr. Obama’s hard line toward Israel may be because he wishes to replace Netanyahu with a more appeasement-oriented prime minister like Tzipi Livni. There is some historical basis for this. Rahm Emanuel was deeply involved when Clinton took on Netanyahu in 1999, who was ultimately replaced by Ehud Barak. The difference is that by 1999 – near the end of his term – Clinton had generated a strong rapport with the Israelis. Yet it still turned out to be a disaster. Flash forward 11 years and there is a more experienced, more confident Israeli people and a wildly unpopular American president. The more Obama digs in his heels against Netanyahu, the less popular Obama becomes. Worse, Obama has chosen to pick a fight with Netanyahu over a sacrosanct issue – Jerusalem – a place that has been part of Jewish life for over two thousand years.
Confrontation with Israel is not a new phenomenon; this has been a theme of the Obama presidency. Regrettably, it appears that the negative opinions of Obama setting in among Israelis may be irreversible. They know that there are presidential cycles in America; they also realize that Jews have existed for almost 6,000 years, and they fully expect to be around long after Obama leaves office.
The Jewish people don’t have to remember as far back as Haman, King Herod and the Spanish Inquisitors to understand that they have dealt with far more problematic and intractable opposition than Barack Obama. They are just surprised that an American president is their antagonist.
His election surely raises concerns about the people who voted fo rhim in the first place...
More than anything it proves that those people want socialism, they saw it in him, they saw him to be able to stick it to those of us who would oppose him for all the right reasons, but for all the wrong reasons...
He, and those on his coat-tails are systematically doing everything they can to take this country into a plunge that will be difficult, if not impossible to recover from...All in the spanse of a year and a half...But it has been setup for him by willing accomplices in the legislative branch...
He can be dealt with accordingly, and in due time...
Those people in the house and the senate need to be dealt with now...
I hope people realize that this is it...November will tell the tale of the future of this country...
And if those in battle districts don’t get it done, if they do not show up...I don’t want to hear any whining or crying the next day because they didn’t get it done...
Prove me wrong...I would love to be incorrect in my prediction...
“Jerusalem – a place that has been part of Jewish life for over two thousand years”
Three thousand, but who’s counting?
There is still room for compromise. Bibi will stop building and even pull out of Jerusalem if Obama promises to do the same in Washington D C. Once the last American is out of D C, Israel will remove the Jews from Jerusalem.
This is why I tend to get quite testy with those that post replies that gloat over the fact that a majority of American Jews voted for the Obamanation. They are condemning our ally, Israel, for the actions of those they do not control.
In essence, demanding that American Jewry take their marching orders from a foreign nation. Which, historically, has been a rational for anti-Semitism (in the first place).
I get the first part of your post. I need some further explanation of the second part:
“In essence, demanding that American Jewry take their marching orders from a foreign nation. Which, historically, has been a rationale for anti-Semitism (in the first place).”
And thank you for your service.
An article that scarecly needs writing. They don’t like athlete’s foot, either.
--with apologies to Jonathan Hensleigh, the writer of “Die Hard with a Vengeance”
Folks tend to get upset with those who are trying to get them and their family killed.
I believe the Pubbies have a good chance across the country this November. But the 2012 presidential race is another matter. What we’re seeing is a solid Obama block of voters that HAVE to vote for him because he’s black. It wouldn’t matter if he pissed on the Washington Monument next July 4th, they would just ignore because they have to vote for him anyway. It’s certainly not just black Americans, it’s so many brain-washed liberals that can’t vote against a black man without their heads exploding.
Yep...Got to find a candidate stronger than him and one where the turnout will be greater than the socialists (and those who vote for socialism) in this country...
So far, I don’t see crap...
Not even if we cloned Ronald Reagan, and put Sarah Palin as his VP...
We need old school...But who do we know that brings that to the table???
This should be good...Let’s see who bites...
“But the article is evidently anecdotal”
The polls in Israel are not anecdotal. They show Obama’s approval rating at 6-9%.
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