Failed favoritism toward Israel

President Obama gave a rousing call to action in his controversial speech last month, admonishing Arab governments to embrace democracy and provide freedom to their populations. We in Saudi Arabia, although not cited, took his call seriously. We noted, however, that he conspicuously failed to demand the same rights to self-determination for Palestinians — despite the occupation of their territory by the region’s strongest military power.

Soon after, Obama again called into question America’s claim to be a beacon of human rights by allowing Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to set the terms of the agenda on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Even more depressing than the sight of Congress applauding the denial of basic human rights to the Palestinian people was America turning its back on its stated ideals.

Despite the consternation and criticism that greeted the president’s words about the 1967 borders, he offered no substantive change to U.S. policy. America’s bottom line is still that negotiations should take place with the aim of reaching a two-state solution, with the starting point for the division of Israeli and Palestinian territory at the borders in existence before the 1967 Six-Day War.

The writer is chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies in Riyadh. He was Saudi intelligence chief from 1977 to 2001 and ambassador to the United States from 2004 to 2006.

Many Jews in America think that American conservatives and Christians, especially those of northern european descent, are somehow all in a cabal united against them, the poor, minorities, etc. It always seems assumed that if I'm born into a white and Christian family, I must have inherited the "anti-semitic gene" and my church must be ranting anti-semitic teachings; no matter what I say or do, I'm the enemy.

Well, Christians are called to defend the innocent; that will never change. Whenever an agressor, for no reason, attacks someone just minding their own business and living their life, we will come to the defense of the attackee.

As far as all Jews understanding and accepting our help and helping us to help them - we can only hope and pray for that.

Here we have an editorial in the Washington Post written by the former head of Saudi Intelligence and a former Ambassador. And yet, no one but us little remnant of conservatives sees it for what it is - pre-holocaust anti-Semitism, "straight-up".

Left-leaning Jews should understand and acknowledge that while there were europeans who professed to be Christians in Europe throughout history who were anti-Semitic, there were also many who were friends to the Jews.

And, in fact, a simple reading of true Christian theology and doctrine, not pseudo-Christian babble, but the actual teachings of the Church, both before and after the Reformation, reveals the truth that the doctrine requires Christians to live peaceably with neighbors as much as it is up to them, and to defend the innocent as well. And if one looks honestly, one finds a large amount of people within many of the physical Church denominations who abide in these teachings, where gentiles and Jews are a united brethren and accordingly, they find it unspeakably repugnant to see harm done to innocent people anywhere.

We will patiently wait for our Jewish friends to understand and accept us as their friends, and will continue to defend innocent people everywhere even if we are never understood or accepted.

A word to the wise is sufficient: mind the threat of those who spew hatred in order to not subject our children to a repeat of the horrors our parents and grandparents experienced.

Some of us DO understand, and have for some time, that conservative Christians are the best defenders of the Jewish people and Israel and we are grateful for that support. I was a liberal until September 12, 2001, when I listened in disbelief to liberals who were blaming America and of course, Israel, for the attacks and balked at displaying the US flag. I became a conservative that day, and my conservative beliefs have grown stronger over the years. I can only pray for my brethren who stubbornly put their heads in the sand and refuse to see what is barreling down the road, aimed straight at them.

I think sometimes liberal Jews are simply unaware of some of the absolute fundamantals (scary word) that the more conservative Christian denominations still adhere to, and the fact that Christians are absolutely required to live by these fundamentals, and if we find ourselves not living by these principles we are certain that we are on the wrong path and we have to examine and correct our lives.

Such as this:

“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

We simply can not be racists or haters. If you find a Christian who is, that is a person whom we would use the word “professing” to describe, meaning, they say they are Christian, but their current actions and words are significantly contrary to Scripture. They are someone to be careful around, since they are deceived. But we are not to prance around on our high horse blaming them, but approach them privately in truth and (agape) love (charity) and see if we can remind them of Scripture so they might see their error.

If only liberals could read things like the Corrie ten Boom story, and know that we only seek to help and save and certainly not for our own glory.

IMHO, it is wonderful that you are so aware of what’s going on, and I pray that you will affect others towards the good.

Thanks SJackson.

Turki al-Faisal writes: "President Obama gave a rousing call to action in his controversial speech last month, admonishing Arab governments to embrace democracy and provide freedom to their populations. We in Saudi Arabia, although not cited, took his call seriously. We noted, however, that he conspicuously failed to demand the same rights to self-determination for Palestinians -- despite the occupation of their territory by the region's strongest military power.

Strongest by virtue of the fact that it has kicked the ass of the combined military forces of all or most of the Arab world, more than once.

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