Israel and their US supportes are mad at Mr. Obama, and the Republicans see an opportunity there. Republicans, with the help from Fox News, want Florida in 2012. Israel will use all its influence to help their own cause without any regard for interests of its biggest benefactor. Mr. Obama is up against powerful forces.
Mr. Obama’s endorsement of Israel’s pre-1967 borders as a starting point for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations has enraged many Israeli supporters in the USA, and has given an opening to Republicans for political advantage. However, both of them, angry and opportunists, are wrong, and hopefully will fail.
First, what Mr. Obama is asking for is nothing new. Washington Post, a strong supporter of Israel, says in Saturday’s Editorial:
This is not a big change in U.S. policy. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, along with previous Israeli governments, have supported the approach.
So Israeli reaction is emotional, and indicative of their dislike of Mr.Obama. They built the illegal settlements and now they can’t give back the land because of demographic changes. Didn’t we know that was the plan all along? They don’t trust Obama because he is more objective than past US Presidents, and he is less afraid of the Jewish lobby.
Republicans are salivating because they see Obama is in trouble with the Jewish lobby. Mr. Romnney accuses Obama of “throwing Israel under the bus,” and Glen Beck is planning a rally in Israel.
According to NYT;
A Republican-dominated Congress awaits Netanyahu with open arms. So does the powerful pro-Israel lobby, Aipac
.
Washington Post reports:
In a statement, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) said he would introduce a congressional resolution next week “disapproving the president’s new policy towards Israel.” Hatch said the resolution would “affirm Israel’s right to maintain its territorial integrity.”
Fox and Republicans see Florida going Red in 2012. They are willing to throw the US President under the bus for their selfish interest. Now who are the patriots?
Here is what Nathan J. Diament is director of public policy at the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America advises Mr. Obama in Politico.
Israelis and their U.S. supporters want to believe the president is in their corner — the U.S. is the most important, and often only, ally Israel has in a hostile world. We do not want the president to be dispassionate and “even-handed.” Only then will Israelis be ready to take risks for peace.
So Obama must not only say he is in Israel’s corner; he must find a way to make Israelis and their American supporters feel he is in Israel’s corner.
I wonder where his loyalty lies.
Israel is mad at their biggest benefactor for suggesting something they hate. Well, if you don’t like our ideas, don’t take our money. We need to reduce the deficit, and there is no better way to help it than cutting financial aid to Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and all others. Thank you Ron Paul for proposing it. Although he is about to change his mind about Israel.
The bottom line is, as long as there is a powerful Israeli lobby, there are Fox News and Neocons, there are unprincipled Republicans, and there are fundamentalist Christians, America will ignore what is in its best interest and continue to support Israel.