Posted on 08/14/2014 6:30:29 AM PDT by SJackson
Sitting with Knesset Member Dov Lipman earlier this week, I could not resist asking, tongue-in-cheek, who was less popular in Israel nowadays – Hamas chief Ismael Haniyeh or U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
“Kerry is certainly not popular on the Israeli street right now,” he answered, as only a politician could.
Joking aside, in my estimation, a poll to find out who is hated more would actually put them quite close.
As a result of his constant attempted impositions, condescension, double standards, hypocrisy, strategic blundering and harsh condemnations throughout Israel’s Operation Protective Edge, Mr. Kerry, and by extension his boss President Barack Obama, are both personas non grata in Israel.
In truth, neither were that well liked beforehand and their credibility as peace brokers was diminished after the recently concluded, nine-month peace run. But now, Mr. Kerry and Mr. Obama’s standing in the Jewish state has been damaged beyond repair.
According to some reports, at certain points during Israel’s struggle against Hamas in Gaza, it appeared as if the United States was eager to open a second, diplomatic front against the Jewish state.
In one week, the U.S. had to deny handing the Israelis a cease-fire proposal that all but adopted Hamas’s demands. There was also a harsh phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr. Obama in the midst of an Israeli cabinet meeting in which the president called for Israel to unilaterally end its campaign against Hamas.
The U.S. insistence on looping Hamas allies Turkey and Qatar into discussions was a source of untold frustration for Israel, as was the administration’s insistence on issuing strongly worded condemnations every time Hamas-tied authorities in Gaza claimed civilian casualties from an Israeli airstrike.
This stance was especially objectionable after Mr. Obama himself explained that civilian casualties are among the necessary horrors of any war in an interview with The New Yorker earlier this year.
“The way I’ve thought about this issue is, I have a solemn duty and responsibility to keep the American people safe. That’s my most important obligation as President and Commander-in-Chief,” Mr. Obama said, applying a calculus the generosity of which he did not grant to the Israeli people.
But to observers of the U.S.-Israel relationship under Mr. Obama, the administration’s approach to the war will come as no surprise and neither will Mr. Netanyahu’s reported demand that Mr. Obama never “second guess me again.” It has been widely reported that the two have crossed swords repeatedly over the years over both policy matters and on a personal level.
The latest spat has led eager Republican Party surrogates to yet again predict the demise of Jewish support for Mr. Obama’s Democratic Party. But we have seen that claim before, and it has only ever materialised to a minimal degree.
The real, irreversible damage has been done to America’s standing among the Israeli public. This will have consequences for any future U.S. attempt to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The credibility gained during Mr. Obama’s widely hailed March trip to the Jewish state has now been frivolously squandered.
By deserting Israel in its hour of greatest need, the Obama administration has effectively disqualified itself from maintaining a constructive role in future peacemaking efforts in the region.
You probably are right!
It would not surprise me if Obama refused to sell ammunition to Israel so that it would put her in jeopardy and force Israel to submit to a peace treaty. We must pray for Israel, that she is protected by God’s Hand and that this administration is taken out of office ...I’m praying that this happens by this year’s end. I don’t care how God does it, but that HE does it.
Because those moral Christians are much more of a threat to the American liberal Jew than the Muslims, alqueda, ISIL, Hamas or Hezzbolah. Remember N. Pelosi said Hamas is a humanitarian organization and the San Francisco Jews believe her 100%.
For a horrifying Reality Check Movie watch “ Ship of Fools.”
No different than black Americans, I guess, though I am clueless as to why.
Not so.
The Black Block Vote, (BBV), is a holdover from the Southern Plantation days where everybody was in favor of who would give them the most handouts.
Today, originators of most of the Welfare Handouts were or are Democrats:
* FDR invented Social Security;
* FDR instituted WW2 Wage Control, now diminished to National Minimum Wage Control;
* LBJ invented Medicare, which later derivatives of Medicaid, Romneycare and Obamacare.
The facts of Republican Presidents Lincoln’s and Eisenhower’s involvement in the increase of the Liberty enjoyed today by Blacks in America is far less important to the BBV on election day than who will continue to line their pockets.
Black Block Voting will continue as long as there is a Federal Welfare Plantation at 1600 Plantation Avenue, Washington, District of Corruption.
BTW, don’t be to hard on the looters during a racial crisis, after all the looters are just cutting out the middle man in the Bi-Partisan Welfare Re-Distribution Plantation.
But I’m sure the “official US Jewish leadership” will go right on supporting him and his designated liberal Democrat successors.
“Because those moral Christians are much more of a threat to the American liberal Jew than the Muslims, alqueda, ISIL, Hamas or Hezzbolah.”
That is the truth and no exaggeration, even amongst Israelis Jews. I was shocked by anti-Christian comments posted by Jewish readers at Arutz Sheva. More than a few people there are suspicious and resentful of any Christian assistance. With disappointing attitudes such as I read there, I’m not sure why we should pick sides in someone else’s dogfight - we are far from welcome there by either side. Charity should begin at home.
They think Christians only support Israel because we are waiting for them to repent as a people.
Even if that was true (which it isn’t), how does that make the well-intentioned Christians more vile than the genocidal muslims trying to wipe Jews off the map?
it doesn’t
leftists are still leftists though
I actually tuned into an Israeli TV channel when the IDF response started up, there was some idiot saying this whole idea of counter-attacking was “Right-wing likud brainwashing of the population”
I couldn’t take much of that.
” Obama bombs ISIS and puts US soldiers ‘boots on the (Iraq) ground’, yet he demands that Israel not fight back against Hamas.”
I noticed too.
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