To voice your displeasure with the way President Obama has treated Prime-Minister Netanyahu
Sign The Following Petition By Clicking on the Link Seen Below
Mr. President, We Stand With Israel
Tell President Obama that he needs to show respect for allies of the United States
Share this Petition with your friends and family and help us reach our goal of 1,600 signatures which is the number of homes Israel announced it would build in East Jerusalem.
Of course, we would gladly accept more than 1,600 signatures.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The U.S.-Israel Crisis Continues
Instead of attempting to rehabilitate the strained U.S.-Israel relationship, President Obama accelerated the crisis between Israel and the U.S. by treating the visiting Prime-minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a pariah leader worthy of scorn and banishment from the community of nations. (See "Obama Disrespects Netanyahu Again") (See also Netanyahu humiliated by Obama after he "dumped him for dinner")
Despite the fact that the mainstream media refuses to criticize President Obama for treating Netanyahu in such a disgraceful manner, the seriousness of Obama's actions is no light manner.
Many people do not realize how much Obama has destroyed the prospect for world peace by his decision to shun Netanyahu.
While meeting with Netanyahu, Obama reportedly threatened Israel with a Presidential notice of U.S. condemnation and a threat to frame Israel as the party that is responsible for the failure of the proximity talks if Netanyahu did not cede to demands to stop all East Jerusalem construction.
The Arab nations are in their glory because they can simultaneously watch Obama take Israel down to the ground for building homes for its citizens without any repercussions for their own lack of desire to make peace.
So far, Netanyahu has stood firm in the wake of unreasonable American pressure.
In reality, Obama is the party who is responsible for the delay of the proximity talks. More significantly, he is responsible for enhancing the likelihood of further confrontation with terrorist supporting regimes which is contrary to comprehensive peace.
By Obama spending so much energy with his intransigent recalcitrant attitude towards Israel in refusing to compromise not even one inch on Israel's building policies, the President sends a devastating message to the Arab world and the international community.
The message is the following:
1) The incitement of Palestinians to kill Jews is acceptable and not worth shunning Mahmoud Abbas over when he comes to Washington. ( Obama has no problem welcoming Mahmoud Abbas warmly to the White House)
2) The denial of Israel's right to exist in the PLO charter is not a central issue in the peace process worth fighting over.
3) The Palestinian Authority- Hamas alliance which seeks Israel's destruction is not at all of concern.
4) The naming of a square in the Palestinian territories by the Palestinian Authority after a terrorist who murdered 37 Israelis is understandable and insignificant for a chill in U.S.-Palestinian relations.
5) Compromising with Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and every other despotic regime is a necessary diplomatic approach while isolating Israel is also a necessary diplomatic strategy.
This message is reverberating across the Middle East and only encourages the terrorist proxies in the Palestinian territories and beyond to continue denying Israel's right to exist, to continue promoting the murder of Jews, to continue their glorification of terrorists because there will be no shunning of the Palestinian Authority from the Obama Administration but only approval and support.
If President Obama thinks the policy of delegitimizing Israel will work to facilitate peace in the region, he is badly mistaken.
And, for his sake, he should lay low because his continual "hazing" of the Israeli Prime-minister as some people are calling it, will ultimately backfire on him in the 2010 and 2012 elections. There is some data to demonstrate that his support in the Jewish community may in fact be eroding.
If I were a member of Congress, I would call on the President to stop his "Isolate Israel" policy or risk further instability in the Middle East.
If I were a Democrat in Congress, I would call on the President to stop his "Isolate Israel" policy or risk losing seats in the House and Senate in 2010 and perhaps the Presidency in 2012.
Despite the fact that the mainstream media refuses to criticize President Obama for treating Netanyahu in such a disgraceful manner, the seriousness of Obama's actions is no light manner.
Many people do not realize how much Obama has destroyed the prospect for world peace by his decision to shun Netanyahu.
While meeting with Netanyahu, Obama reportedly threatened Israel with a Presidential notice of U.S. condemnation and a threat to frame Israel as the party that is responsible for the failure of the proximity talks if Netanyahu did not cede to demands to stop all East Jerusalem construction.
The Arab nations are in their glory because they can simultaneously watch Obama take Israel down to the ground for building homes for its citizens without any repercussions for their own lack of desire to make peace.
So far, Netanyahu has stood firm in the wake of unreasonable American pressure.
In reality, Obama is the party who is responsible for the delay of the proximity talks. More significantly, he is responsible for enhancing the likelihood of further confrontation with terrorist supporting regimes which is contrary to comprehensive peace.
By Obama spending so much energy with his intransigent recalcitrant attitude towards Israel in refusing to compromise not even one inch on Israel's building policies, the President sends a devastating message to the Arab world and the international community.
The message is the following:
1) The incitement of Palestinians to kill Jews is acceptable and not worth shunning Mahmoud Abbas over when he comes to Washington. ( Obama has no problem welcoming Mahmoud Abbas warmly to the White House)
2) The denial of Israel's right to exist in the PLO charter is not a central issue in the peace process worth fighting over.
3) The Palestinian Authority- Hamas alliance which seeks Israel's destruction is not at all of concern.
4) The naming of a square in the Palestinian territories by the Palestinian Authority after a terrorist who murdered 37 Israelis is understandable and insignificant for a chill in U.S.-Palestinian relations.
5) Compromising with Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and every other despotic regime is a necessary diplomatic approach while isolating Israel is also a necessary diplomatic strategy.
This message is reverberating across the Middle East and only encourages the terrorist proxies in the Palestinian territories and beyond to continue denying Israel's right to exist, to continue promoting the murder of Jews, to continue their glorification of terrorists because there will be no shunning of the Palestinian Authority from the Obama Administration but only approval and support.
If President Obama thinks the policy of delegitimizing Israel will work to facilitate peace in the region, he is badly mistaken.
And, for his sake, he should lay low because his continual "hazing" of the Israeli Prime-minister as some people are calling it, will ultimately backfire on him in the 2010 and 2012 elections. There is some data to demonstrate that his support in the Jewish community may in fact be eroding.
If I were a member of Congress, I would call on the President to stop his "Isolate Israel" policy or risk further instability in the Middle East.
If I were a Democrat in Congress, I would call on the President to stop his "Isolate Israel" policy or risk losing seats in the House and Senate in 2010 and perhaps the Presidency in 2012.
The U.S.-Israel Crisis Continues
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Obama Disrespects Netanyahu Again
Whenever an American President visits Israel, Israel rolls out the red carpet for the President and his staff at the airport. The Israeli government holds a dinner for the President and his wife and the Israeli PM usually holds a joint press conference with the President in front of photographers snapping pictures and TV cameras broadcasting the exchange. This is exactly the way an ally should treat another ally when its head of state is visiting.
Typically, the U.S. affords the visiting Israeli PM the same welcoming mat. Unfortunately, the Obama Administration is known for snubbing Prime Minister Netanyahu when he visits Washington.
The last time Netanyahu came to Washington in November, Obama did not allow the media to take any pictures of the meeting. No press conferences were permitted and Netanyahu could not even be transported to the meeting in a governmental vehicle according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Once again, Netanyahu has faced the same treatment.
Here is the headline picture from the Associated Press and Fox News on the March 23rd, 2010 Obama/Netanyahu meeting.
The media was not permitted to capture Netanyahu meeting Obama when he visited the White House tonight. Not even one single photo was permitted. There was no press conference and nothing has been said about what was discussed in the meeting.
Netanyahu may very well be the only head of state who has received this treatment from the Obama Administration as Obama has been much more hospitable to other visiting leaders. Even Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Fatah organization responsible for numerous Israeli casualties, got himself a photo with the President when he visited the White House last May.
You may remember how India's PM was honored at a lavish state affair last Fall. Recently, the Irish PM was treated to a warm welcome when he visited the White House on St. Patrick's day.
Obama's disdain for the Jewish State continues to shine through despite his attempt to hide his true feelings.
Typically, the U.S. affords the visiting Israeli PM the same welcoming mat. Unfortunately, the Obama Administration is known for snubbing Prime Minister Netanyahu when he visits Washington.
The last time Netanyahu came to Washington in November, Obama did not allow the media to take any pictures of the meeting. No press conferences were permitted and Netanyahu could not even be transported to the meeting in a governmental vehicle according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Once again, Netanyahu has faced the same treatment.
Here is the headline picture from the Associated Press and Fox News on the March 23rd, 2010 Obama/Netanyahu meeting.
The media was not permitted to capture Netanyahu meeting Obama when he visited the White House tonight. Not even one single photo was permitted. There was no press conference and nothing has been said about what was discussed in the meeting.
Netanyahu may very well be the only head of state who has received this treatment from the Obama Administration as Obama has been much more hospitable to other visiting leaders. Even Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Fatah organization responsible for numerous Israeli casualties, got himself a photo with the President when he visited the White House last May.
You may remember how India's PM was honored at a lavish state affair last Fall. Recently, the Irish PM was treated to a warm welcome when he visited the White House on St. Patrick's day.
Obama's disdain for the Jewish State continues to shine through despite his attempt to hide his true feelings.
Obama Disrespects Netanyahu Again
The Battle Begins
Just seven minutes after President Obama signed health care reform into law, thirteen attorney generals filed suit in Ferderal Court in Pensacola, Florida claiming Obama's health care Bill is unconstitutional.
The lawsuit states: "The Constitution nowhere authorizes the United States to mandate, either directly or under threat of penalty, that all citizens and legal residents have qualifying health care coverage."
Joining Florida in the suit were South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Idaho, Washington, Colorado and Louisiana.
More suits are likely to follow.
The lawsuit states: "The Constitution nowhere authorizes the United States to mandate, either directly or under threat of penalty, that all citizens and legal residents have qualifying health care coverage."
Joining Florida in the suit were South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Idaho, Washington, Colorado and Louisiana.
More suits are likely to follow.
The Battle Begins
Labels:
Congress,
constitutional interests,
health care,
Supreme Court
Monday, March 22, 2010
Pressured Politics Wins The Day
Just when people thought the Democrats failed in their battle to pass health care legislation after Scott Brown won Teddy Kennedy's old seat a few months ago; they now have to face the fact that the Democrats have pulled a fast one on the American people with the passing of historic health care legislation.
How did it happen? Well, President Obama, Nancy Pelosi & Co. were so committed to pass health care despite the overwhelming disapproval of the American people that they would do anything to get health care passed even if it meant ignoring the Constitution or abusing their power.
In the days before tonight's vote, Obama twisted arms, threatened Democrat holdouts that they would loose their chairmanships or even face the prospect of losing support from the Democrat party in the 2010 midterm elections.
Unfortunately, politicians are susceptible to threats of not prevailing in a reelection campaign from their own party prompting many to change their votes from No to Yes under threat of repercussions from the Obama White House.
The last holdouts, Bart Stupak and his delegation of pro-Life Democrats who were so adamant about voting against the Bill because it funded abortions, ultimately decided to vote Yes for the Bill after Obama promised to sign an executive order that federal dollars would not be used to fund abortions. Stupak voting yes is what put the Democrats over the edge.
So much for principled leadership.
While Obama scored a major victory with the passing of the health care legislation in the House, he may very well have put a nail in the coffin of his party's chances of maintaining majority in the House and the Senate. Certainly, the Democrat party will be facing losses in the 2010 election.
But for Obama, he doesn't care as long as his agenda gets through even if it is to the detriment of the American people.
The real question that is looming is what legal challenges will emerge to Obama's health care bill. Many attorney generals, specifically Florida's attorney general Bill McCollum, are already bracing the filing of a lawsuit contesting Obama's health care Bill on constitutional grounds.
The American people could still get the last laugh.
How did it happen? Well, President Obama, Nancy Pelosi & Co. were so committed to pass health care despite the overwhelming disapproval of the American people that they would do anything to get health care passed even if it meant ignoring the Constitution or abusing their power.
In the days before tonight's vote, Obama twisted arms, threatened Democrat holdouts that they would loose their chairmanships or even face the prospect of losing support from the Democrat party in the 2010 midterm elections.
Unfortunately, politicians are susceptible to threats of not prevailing in a reelection campaign from their own party prompting many to change their votes from No to Yes under threat of repercussions from the Obama White House.
The last holdouts, Bart Stupak and his delegation of pro-Life Democrats who were so adamant about voting against the Bill because it funded abortions, ultimately decided to vote Yes for the Bill after Obama promised to sign an executive order that federal dollars would not be used to fund abortions. Stupak voting yes is what put the Democrats over the edge.
So much for principled leadership.
While Obama scored a major victory with the passing of the health care legislation in the House, he may very well have put a nail in the coffin of his party's chances of maintaining majority in the House and the Senate. Certainly, the Democrat party will be facing losses in the 2010 election.
But for Obama, he doesn't care as long as his agenda gets through even if it is to the detriment of the American people.
The real question that is looming is what legal challenges will emerge to Obama's health care bill. Many attorney generals, specifically Florida's attorney general Bill McCollum, are already bracing the filing of a lawsuit contesting Obama's health care Bill on constitutional grounds.
The American people could still get the last laugh.
Pressured Politics Wins The Day
Thursday, March 18, 2010
An Open Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
A Letter to the Secretary of State of the United States of America
Dear Secretary of State Clinton:
We are writing to express our outrage and displeasure at the manner in which the Obama Administration has disrespected our friend and ally the State of Israel.
There has not been a crisis between Israel and the United States of this magnitude in over thirty years. Unfortunately, it is not surprising that a crisis has occurred as the President has demonstrated repeatedly that he does not have a positive view of the Israeli government or the Israeli people. A crisis of this magnitude was an accident waiting to happen given the rising tensions between the two nations since President Obama took office.
However, you Secretary of State Clinton, are largely responsible for exacerbating a simple disagreement between friends into a full fledged public crisis that inflamed the Arab world unnecessarily.
After Prime-minister Netanyahu apologized to Vice-President Biden for "embarrassing" him by announcing a decision to build 1600 apartments in Ramat Shlomo, a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem where Arabs have never lived, you decided to take a matter that seemed to be already resolved and gave it more life support. Mrs. Clinton, there was absolutely no reason for you to state in an interview on NBC that Israel "insulted the United States" which was completely unwarranted and sent shock waves across the world.
Unfortunately, your statement on NBC was not the only statement from the administration. David Axelrod called Israel's decision an "affront" and "destructive" and Robert Gibbs suggested that Israel needed to make more concessions before the crisis could be resolved.
Several Republicans and Democrats criticized the Administrations caustic rebuke of the Israeli government. Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York, stated that "Israel is a sovereign nation and an ally not a punching bag." Indeed, he is right. Friends do not "embarrass" friends by publicly attacking them in a public arena in such a ferocious manner when there is a disagreement which is exactly what your administration did to Israel. Other political leaders, like Joe Lieberman and John McCain, have expressed concern that focusing on criticizing Israel will detract from confronting Iran. They too are right.
However, the Obama Administration does not seem to be getting the message. Incredulously, you recently stated that "Israel must show that it is committed to peace" and that the "onus is on Israel to restart the peace process." How can you say in good faith that Israel must show that it is committed to peace?
Ever since the peace process started in the early 90's with the Oslo accords, Israel has bent over backwards to accommodate the Palestinians even when they do not deserve to be accommodated. Did you forget how Israel gave the Palestinians an unprecedented offer in 2000 during your husband's administration only to have it rejected by Yasser Arafat? Since then, Israel has released scores of Palestinian prisoners who belong in prison; many whom return to killing Israelis after being released. Israel has ceded to the Palestinians significant portions of the West Bank and Israel kicked its own citizens in 2005 out of their homes in order to leave Gaza. Do you remember how horrifying it was to watch Israelis remove other Israelis from their homes often by force with the hopes that peace would finally be realized in the region?
It is absolutely unheard of for a nation to physically remove its citizens from their homes as part of a peace initiative. You would think the Palestinians would respond favorably to such an initiative. Well, that's not what occurred.
The Palestinians to this day still indoctrinate their children to hate and murder Jews. The PLO Charter to this day does not recognize Israel's right to exist. The Palestinian Authority continues to glorify terrorists. The Palestinian Authority continues to cooperate with Hamas and is still involved in promoting terrorist attacks against Israel. Have you forgotten about the scores of homicide bombings that killed and maimed innocent Israelis at the hands of the Fatah organization which is led now by Mahmoud Abbas whom you claim to be a "peace maker?"
We would like to know, Secretary Clinton, when the Palestinians have ever showed a commitment to peace in the entire history of the peace process? When have the Palestinians ever made concessions to the Israelis? When has this administration ever criticized the Palestinians for "insulting the United States" for promoting the murder of Jews? We find the indoctrination of children to not be "helpful" either. And, yet Israel who has confronted years of Palestinian violence and years of blood libels in the Palestinian media, is now labeled by your administration as a peace breaker rather than the party who is eagerly awaiting for a peace partner that is nonexistent in the Palestinian territories.
We are also appalled that your administration would criticize Israel for building homes in their capital city of Jerusalem by calling it an "affront" but have no such criticism for the Palestinian Authority, who around the same time that Vice-President Biden visited the region, chose to name a square after a terrorist who killed 37 Israelis and an American photographer in 1978. Apparently, building homes for innocent people is an affront but glorifying a terrorist is an acceptable action. Since when should the Palestinians have the right to determine what is an affront and what is not an affront?
It is quite clear that your administration is opposed to Jerusalem being the undivided capital of the State of Israel. Otherwise, your criticism of Israel for making a miscalculated mistake would have been temporary and private in nature. Well, we have some advice for you. Pressuring Israel to relinquish its claim to Jerusalem is not "helpful" and is a waste of your bureaucratic time as Jerusalem is not negotiable and will always remain the undivided capital of the State of Israel until the end of time.
Notwithstanding the unhelpfulness of attacking Israel for building homes in its capital city, what ever happened to President Obama's belief that the U.S. should not meddle in other country's affairs? Does that proposition not apply to Israel? Israel has never told the United States how and when they can build homes in Washington DC. Just like you do not dictate to Britain or France what should be included in their housing codes, Israel should be afforded the same diplomatic courtesy.
Unfortunately, this crisis created largely by your administration has not been innocuous but rather it has had its deleterious effects. Riots erupted in Jerusalem in response to your administration's excessive rebuke of the Israeli government and some elements within the Palestinian Authority have even called for a third Intifada.
Similarly as the Netanyahu Government probed the announcement of the building of homes in Jerusalem during Vice-President Biden's visit, we call on the Obama Administration to probe how it could isolate a pivotal ally of the United States and cause an unnecessary diplomatic crisis that has prevented the international community from focusing on the nuclear threat posed by Iran.
We hope that Israel will never be smeared again by this administration as it was in the last few weeks.
Sincerely,
The American People
Dear Secretary of State Clinton:
We are writing to express our outrage and displeasure at the manner in which the Obama Administration has disrespected our friend and ally the State of Israel.
There has not been a crisis between Israel and the United States of this magnitude in over thirty years. Unfortunately, it is not surprising that a crisis has occurred as the President has demonstrated repeatedly that he does not have a positive view of the Israeli government or the Israeli people. A crisis of this magnitude was an accident waiting to happen given the rising tensions between the two nations since President Obama took office.
However, you Secretary of State Clinton, are largely responsible for exacerbating a simple disagreement between friends into a full fledged public crisis that inflamed the Arab world unnecessarily.
After Prime-minister Netanyahu apologized to Vice-President Biden for "embarrassing" him by announcing a decision to build 1600 apartments in Ramat Shlomo, a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem where Arabs have never lived, you decided to take a matter that seemed to be already resolved and gave it more life support. Mrs. Clinton, there was absolutely no reason for you to state in an interview on NBC that Israel "insulted the United States" which was completely unwarranted and sent shock waves across the world.
Unfortunately, your statement on NBC was not the only statement from the administration. David Axelrod called Israel's decision an "affront" and "destructive" and Robert Gibbs suggested that Israel needed to make more concessions before the crisis could be resolved.
Several Republicans and Democrats criticized the Administrations caustic rebuke of the Israeli government. Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York, stated that "Israel is a sovereign nation and an ally not a punching bag." Indeed, he is right. Friends do not "embarrass" friends by publicly attacking them in a public arena in such a ferocious manner when there is a disagreement which is exactly what your administration did to Israel. Other political leaders, like Joe Lieberman and John McCain, have expressed concern that focusing on criticizing Israel will detract from confronting Iran. They too are right.
However, the Obama Administration does not seem to be getting the message. Incredulously, you recently stated that "Israel must show that it is committed to peace" and that the "onus is on Israel to restart the peace process." How can you say in good faith that Israel must show that it is committed to peace?
Ever since the peace process started in the early 90's with the Oslo accords, Israel has bent over backwards to accommodate the Palestinians even when they do not deserve to be accommodated. Did you forget how Israel gave the Palestinians an unprecedented offer in 2000 during your husband's administration only to have it rejected by Yasser Arafat? Since then, Israel has released scores of Palestinian prisoners who belong in prison; many whom return to killing Israelis after being released. Israel has ceded to the Palestinians significant portions of the West Bank and Israel kicked its own citizens in 2005 out of their homes in order to leave Gaza. Do you remember how horrifying it was to watch Israelis remove other Israelis from their homes often by force with the hopes that peace would finally be realized in the region?
It is absolutely unheard of for a nation to physically remove its citizens from their homes as part of a peace initiative. You would think the Palestinians would respond favorably to such an initiative. Well, that's not what occurred.
The Palestinians to this day still indoctrinate their children to hate and murder Jews. The PLO Charter to this day does not recognize Israel's right to exist. The Palestinian Authority continues to glorify terrorists. The Palestinian Authority continues to cooperate with Hamas and is still involved in promoting terrorist attacks against Israel. Have you forgotten about the scores of homicide bombings that killed and maimed innocent Israelis at the hands of the Fatah organization which is led now by Mahmoud Abbas whom you claim to be a "peace maker?"
We would like to know, Secretary Clinton, when the Palestinians have ever showed a commitment to peace in the entire history of the peace process? When have the Palestinians ever made concessions to the Israelis? When has this administration ever criticized the Palestinians for "insulting the United States" for promoting the murder of Jews? We find the indoctrination of children to not be "helpful" either. And, yet Israel who has confronted years of Palestinian violence and years of blood libels in the Palestinian media, is now labeled by your administration as a peace breaker rather than the party who is eagerly awaiting for a peace partner that is nonexistent in the Palestinian territories.
We are also appalled that your administration would criticize Israel for building homes in their capital city of Jerusalem by calling it an "affront" but have no such criticism for the Palestinian Authority, who around the same time that Vice-President Biden visited the region, chose to name a square after a terrorist who killed 37 Israelis and an American photographer in 1978. Apparently, building homes for innocent people is an affront but glorifying a terrorist is an acceptable action. Since when should the Palestinians have the right to determine what is an affront and what is not an affront?
It is quite clear that your administration is opposed to Jerusalem being the undivided capital of the State of Israel. Otherwise, your criticism of Israel for making a miscalculated mistake would have been temporary and private in nature. Well, we have some advice for you. Pressuring Israel to relinquish its claim to Jerusalem is not "helpful" and is a waste of your bureaucratic time as Jerusalem is not negotiable and will always remain the undivided capital of the State of Israel until the end of time.
Notwithstanding the unhelpfulness of attacking Israel for building homes in its capital city, what ever happened to President Obama's belief that the U.S. should not meddle in other country's affairs? Does that proposition not apply to Israel? Israel has never told the United States how and when they can build homes in Washington DC. Just like you do not dictate to Britain or France what should be included in their housing codes, Israel should be afforded the same diplomatic courtesy.
Unfortunately, this crisis created largely by your administration has not been innocuous but rather it has had its deleterious effects. Riots erupted in Jerusalem in response to your administration's excessive rebuke of the Israeli government and some elements within the Palestinian Authority have even called for a third Intifada.
Similarly as the Netanyahu Government probed the announcement of the building of homes in Jerusalem during Vice-President Biden's visit, we call on the Obama Administration to probe how it could isolate a pivotal ally of the United States and cause an unnecessary diplomatic crisis that has prevented the international community from focusing on the nuclear threat posed by Iran.
We hope that Israel will never be smeared again by this administration as it was in the last few weeks.
Sincerely,
The American People
An Open Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
Labels:
Hillary Clinton,
Israel,
Jerusalem,
Joe Biden,
Obama/Israel,
Palestinian authority
Sunday, March 14, 2010
U.S. Fuels Arab Propaganda
The criticism of Israel is unrelenting and keeps on coming from every angle in the Obama White House.
After Hilary Clinton's stinging rebuke of the Jewish State which followed Joe Biden's strong criticism, David Axelrod got on the bash-Israel bandwagon today calling Israel's actions an "affront" and an insult" and "very destructive." He further stated that Israel's actions "undermined this very fragile effort to bring peace to that region."
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs characterized Netanyahu's expression of regret as being "a good start" but expressed that that President Obama expected Netanyahu to make more concessions to the U.S. in order to placate the Obama Administration. (When has Abbas ever apologized for actively supporting the mass murder of Jews? Maybe a good start for Abbas would be to apologize for attempting to name a squarre after an avowed terrorist roughly at the same time Biden visited the region.)
Now, Egypt is riding the waves of America's unusual strong criticism of the Jewish state by stating that Israel is not interested in peace and calling on the international community to stop Israel's "provocative actions."
Regrettably, Obama is giving ammunition to the Arab world which largely supports the annihilation of the State of Israel. By the Obama Administration lambasting Israel and characterizing Israel as the aggressor (apparently building homes in a Jewish neighborhood is an aggressive action) and siding with the Palestinians as the party interested in peace when in fact the PA has shown consistently through its support of terrorism that it is not interested in peace threatens to cause a whole new level of violence in the region, legitimizes the Arab war against Israel, and sets us back considerably from identifying the real enemy in the conflict which are the terrorists who vow Israel's and the United States destruction.
For Obama's sake, he should be careful about how far he goes in isolating Israel. It could have disastrous consequences for him in 2010 and 2012.
After Hilary Clinton's stinging rebuke of the Jewish State which followed Joe Biden's strong criticism, David Axelrod got on the bash-Israel bandwagon today calling Israel's actions an "affront" and an insult" and "very destructive." He further stated that Israel's actions "undermined this very fragile effort to bring peace to that region."
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs characterized Netanyahu's expression of regret as being "a good start" but expressed that that President Obama expected Netanyahu to make more concessions to the U.S. in order to placate the Obama Administration. (When has Abbas ever apologized for actively supporting the mass murder of Jews? Maybe a good start for Abbas would be to apologize for attempting to name a squarre after an avowed terrorist roughly at the same time Biden visited the region.)
Now, Egypt is riding the waves of America's unusual strong criticism of the Jewish state by stating that Israel is not interested in peace and calling on the international community to stop Israel's "provocative actions."
Regrettably, Obama is giving ammunition to the Arab world which largely supports the annihilation of the State of Israel. By the Obama Administration lambasting Israel and characterizing Israel as the aggressor (apparently building homes in a Jewish neighborhood is an aggressive action) and siding with the Palestinians as the party interested in peace when in fact the PA has shown consistently through its support of terrorism that it is not interested in peace threatens to cause a whole new level of violence in the region, legitimizes the Arab war against Israel, and sets us back considerably from identifying the real enemy in the conflict which are the terrorists who vow Israel's and the United States destruction.
For Obama's sake, he should be careful about how far he goes in isolating Israel. It could have disastrous consequences for him in 2010 and 2012.
U.S. Fuels Arab Propaganda
Labels:
Hillary Clinton,
Israel,
Joseph Biden,
Netanyahu,
Obama/Israel
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Clinton Turns on Israel
Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton sat down for an interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell at the U.N. Mitchell, who is not known for being Pro-Israel, asks Clinton what she thinks about Israel's announcement during Biden's visit to the region that it intends to build homes in Ramat Shlomo, a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem where Arabs have never lived.
Mitchell has a disgusted look on her face when she tells Clinton in the form of a statement rather than a question that "It was a slap on the face to the visiting Vice-President." Mitchell then goes on to say that Israel's announcement was an "insult" and a "setback" to the Peace Process.
In the exchange below, Clinton agrees with Mitchell as her facial expression grips with discontent for the Jewish State. Clinton called Israel's announcement, apparently at the behest of President Obama himself, an "insult to the United States."
I would like to know if Hillary Rodham Clinton finds it to be an insult to the U.S. that the Palestinian Authority continues to this very day to indoctrinate its children with vicious blood libels about Jews and Israel. Does HRC have a problem with Abbas leading a Fatah organization that continues to this day to support terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens? Are not the murder of Jews an insult to the U.S.? Apparently not, since we have not heard HRC or President Obama or Joe Biden make any critical remarks about Palestinian support of terrorism.
Moreover, it is unconscionable that the Obama Administration including previous administrations believe that the building of Jewish homes threatens the viability of the peace process. Israel has every right to build homes in its sovereign territory and it should have no bearing on any issue in the peace process merely because the Palestinians lay claim to it. If Israel acted in accordance with Palestinian claims, Israel would cease to exist tomorrow.
Clinton's comments, which have been roundly criticized by the ADL, is the latest string of strained relations between the U.S. and Israel that has not been this strained since the Carter Administration.
Unfortunately, criticizing one of the foremost allies of the U.S. while making no criticism of the Palestinians sends a message to the Arab world and the international community that terrorism works and it will ultimately pay off.
Mitchell has a disgusted look on her face when she tells Clinton in the form of a statement rather than a question that "It was a slap on the face to the visiting Vice-President." Mitchell then goes on to say that Israel's announcement was an "insult" and a "setback" to the Peace Process.
In the exchange below, Clinton agrees with Mitchell as her facial expression grips with discontent for the Jewish State. Clinton called Israel's announcement, apparently at the behest of President Obama himself, an "insult to the United States."
I would like to know if Hillary Rodham Clinton finds it to be an insult to the U.S. that the Palestinian Authority continues to this very day to indoctrinate its children with vicious blood libels about Jews and Israel. Does HRC have a problem with Abbas leading a Fatah organization that continues to this day to support terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens? Are not the murder of Jews an insult to the U.S.? Apparently not, since we have not heard HRC or President Obama or Joe Biden make any critical remarks about Palestinian support of terrorism.
Moreover, it is unconscionable that the Obama Administration including previous administrations believe that the building of Jewish homes threatens the viability of the peace process. Israel has every right to build homes in its sovereign territory and it should have no bearing on any issue in the peace process merely because the Palestinians lay claim to it. If Israel acted in accordance with Palestinian claims, Israel would cease to exist tomorrow.
Clinton's comments, which have been roundly criticized by the ADL, is the latest string of strained relations between the U.S. and Israel that has not been this strained since the Carter Administration.
Unfortunately, criticizing one of the foremost allies of the U.S. while making no criticism of the Palestinians sends a message to the Arab world and the international community that terrorism works and it will ultimately pay off.
Clinton Turns on Israel
Friday, March 12, 2010
American People: Obama Makes Us Less Safe
A new Newsmax/Zogby Poll fresh off the hot press has a startling discovery which is more bad news for the Obama Administration. The Newsmax/Zogby Poll found that a sizable amount of the American people do not believe that President Obama is doing a good job in keeping the American people safe.
The poll asked participants: "Do you believe Barack Obama’s policies have made America more or less safe against terrorism?"
Here is the breakdown of the results:
The poll asked participants: "Do you believe Barack Obama’s policies have made America more or less safe against terrorism?"
Here is the breakdown of the results:
- Much more safe, 16 percent
- Somewhat more safe, 20 percent
- Somewhat less safe, 11 percent
- Much less safe, 35 percent
- No difference, 16 percent
- Not sure, 3 percent
American People: Obama Makes Us Less Safe
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
No Criticism of the Palestinians
A day after Israel announced the building of homes in Ramat Shlomo which is a neighborhood in East Jerusalem in the midst of a visit to the region by Joseph Biden, the chorus of criticism are growing louder by the minute. Morocco has weighed in, England has weighed in, France has weighed in, Germany has weighed in, so has the EU, and of course America has weighed in all criticizing the East Jerusalem Construction Project.
The fact is that Israel has an absolute right to build homes within its legal borders the same way that New Yorkers have a right to build homes in Manhattan or Britons have a right to build homes in London. And, as far as timing is concerned, it would not have mattered whether Israel announced its decision to build homes in East Jerusalem five weeks after Biden's visit, the U.S. would be condemning the decision with as much of an equal furor as they are now in claiming that Israel embarrassed Biden by making this decision to coincide with his visit to the region which the Israelis emphatically deny.
Noticeably absent from Biden's visit was any criticism of the Palestinians. After Biden's botched performance in Israel (See "Biden's Poor Performance in Israel"), Biden went over to Ramallah and hardly made any critical remarks of the Palestinians if he did at all. Instead, he chose to criticize Israel once again for the East Jerusalem Construction Project.
In a joint news conference with Abbas, Biden said: "Yesterday the decision by the Israeli government to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem undermines that very trust, the trust that we need right now in order to begin ... profitable negotiations." According to Biden, Israel's decision to build in East Jerusalem was "undermining the Palestinians faith in new negotiations." In turn, Abbas urged Israel to commit to peace and claimed that the Palestinians are committed to peace as a strategic choice.
Biden went on to say that the Palestinians deserve a "viable independent" Palestinian state with contiguous territory whatever that means.
Now, in that press conference, Biden never once criticized the Palestinians for naming a square after a Palestinian terrorist who killed dozens of Israelis. Biden never criticized the PA for using its media and school system to indoctrinate Palestinian children with vicious anti-semitic blood libels. Biden never raised the issue of a reconciliation with Hamas and the PA. He never discussed the growing influence of Hezbollah in the region or the Iranian threat.
Unfortunately, Biden allowed Abbas to portray Israel as the peace breaker when over the years Israel has gone out on a limb to make peace with the Palestinians only to be rebuffed by two Intifadas, scores of homocide bombings and terrorist attacks, a PLO charter which still rejects Israel's right to exist, a Palestinian media that promotes violence against Israelis, and a Yasser Arafat and now a Mahmoud Abbas who claims to want peace in English but in Arabic who wants the destruction of the State of Israel.
The fact is that there is no feasible way to have a Palestinian state and a Jewish state living side by side with each other in peace. The Palestinians will not accept anything less than Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state, which would also include the Dead Sea and parts of the Negev plus the entry millions of "refugees" to flood the Palestinian state. This proposal is nothing short of the end of Israel as the Jewish state which is exactly what the Palestinians want.
For Biden to assert that the Palestinians deserve a viable Palestinian state with contiguous territory that will in all likelihood undermine the character of the State of Israel as a Jewish State is unacceptable. And for Biden to be complicit in allowing the Palestinians to portray Israel in a negative light while allowing a terrorist-supporting Palestinian entity to be portrayed as being peaceful and positive is also unacceptable.
Remember when Biden said during the 2008 campaign that the Jewish community has nothing to worry about because he was on the ticket with Obama.
Well, that assurance seems to have gone out the window.
The fact is that Israel has an absolute right to build homes within its legal borders the same way that New Yorkers have a right to build homes in Manhattan or Britons have a right to build homes in London. And, as far as timing is concerned, it would not have mattered whether Israel announced its decision to build homes in East Jerusalem five weeks after Biden's visit, the U.S. would be condemning the decision with as much of an equal furor as they are now in claiming that Israel embarrassed Biden by making this decision to coincide with his visit to the region which the Israelis emphatically deny.
Noticeably absent from Biden's visit was any criticism of the Palestinians. After Biden's botched performance in Israel (See "Biden's Poor Performance in Israel"), Biden went over to Ramallah and hardly made any critical remarks of the Palestinians if he did at all. Instead, he chose to criticize Israel once again for the East Jerusalem Construction Project.
In a joint news conference with Abbas, Biden said: "Yesterday the decision by the Israeli government to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem undermines that very trust, the trust that we need right now in order to begin ... profitable negotiations." According to Biden, Israel's decision to build in East Jerusalem was "undermining the Palestinians faith in new negotiations." In turn, Abbas urged Israel to commit to peace and claimed that the Palestinians are committed to peace as a strategic choice.
Biden went on to say that the Palestinians deserve a "viable independent" Palestinian state with contiguous territory whatever that means.
Now, in that press conference, Biden never once criticized the Palestinians for naming a square after a Palestinian terrorist who killed dozens of Israelis. Biden never criticized the PA for using its media and school system to indoctrinate Palestinian children with vicious anti-semitic blood libels. Biden never raised the issue of a reconciliation with Hamas and the PA. He never discussed the growing influence of Hezbollah in the region or the Iranian threat.
Unfortunately, Biden allowed Abbas to portray Israel as the peace breaker when over the years Israel has gone out on a limb to make peace with the Palestinians only to be rebuffed by two Intifadas, scores of homocide bombings and terrorist attacks, a PLO charter which still rejects Israel's right to exist, a Palestinian media that promotes violence against Israelis, and a Yasser Arafat and now a Mahmoud Abbas who claims to want peace in English but in Arabic who wants the destruction of the State of Israel.
The fact is that there is no feasible way to have a Palestinian state and a Jewish state living side by side with each other in peace. The Palestinians will not accept anything less than Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state, which would also include the Dead Sea and parts of the Negev plus the entry millions of "refugees" to flood the Palestinian state. This proposal is nothing short of the end of Israel as the Jewish state which is exactly what the Palestinians want.
For Biden to assert that the Palestinians deserve a viable Palestinian state with contiguous territory that will in all likelihood undermine the character of the State of Israel as a Jewish State is unacceptable. And for Biden to be complicit in allowing the Palestinians to portray Israel in a negative light while allowing a terrorist-supporting Palestinian entity to be portrayed as being peaceful and positive is also unacceptable.
Remember when Biden said during the 2008 campaign that the Jewish community has nothing to worry about because he was on the ticket with Obama.
Well, that assurance seems to have gone out the window.
No Criticism of the Palestinians
Labels:
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Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Biden's Poor Performance in Israel
Vice-President Joseph Biden arrived in Israel on March 8th for talks with Israeli Prime-minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He will be in the region for a total of three days culminating with a visit to Ramallah to meet with Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority.
Prior to Biden's arrival, George Mitchell, U.S. Envoy to the Middle East Peace Process, announced that Israel and the Palestinian Authority will launch indirect peace talks in a longstanding saga of calls for peace negotiations which usually end in a bridge to nowhere as a result of Palestinian intransigence.
President Obama sent Joe Biden to Israel in an effort to mollify Jewish and Israeli concerns that the Obama Administration has not been supportive of the State of Israel.
However, there was another purpose for Biden's visit. On the agenda of issues that Biden intended to discuss with Netanyahu was of course the conflict with Iran. The U.S. does not want Israel to launch a preemptive strike on Iran and instead is focused on procuring sanctions against the Iranian regime. On the other hand, Israel remains worried and for good reason that the U.S. is not committed to ending the Iranian nuclear threat which threatens both Israel and U.S.'s national security. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, came to Israel a week earlier than Biden and reportedly delivered the same message to the Israelis that Biden intends to deliver that sanctions are the way to go to stop Iran not a military strike.
However, Iran does not seemed at all deterred by the threat of sanctions if sanctions can be procured at all given Russia and China's opposition. And as Iran predicts that there will be a war in the region this summer, rhetoric without action only brings us closer to a showdown with Iran that could potentially cause a nuclear Holocaust. Unfortunately, the phrase "Never again" which was first coined after six million Jews perished in the Eurpean Holocaust, apparently has lost its significance.
Many, including former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, believe that sanctions will not be effective and only military action will stop the Iranians. Bolton stated in an interview that "Israel has just two choices: a strike aimed at Iran's nuclear facilities, or a nuclear Iran."
Personally, I do not know what the Obama Administration wants Israel to do. Wait indefinitely for sanctions which may never occur and refrain from a military strike while watching helplessly like "good boys" as Iran develops an atomic bomb that could be leveled on the streets of Jerusalem.
Notwithstanding the dissent among policy leaders regarding the plan to respond to the Iranian nuclear threat, Biden's performance in Israel has done nothing to reassure the Israelis or the rest of the world that the U.S. means business vis a vis Iran. Biden asserted while in Israel without much passion that the U.S. is "determined to prevent a nuclear Iran." We have heard this line of rhetoric before from the Obama Administration and it has had little effect in stopping the Iranians or convincing the Russians or the Chinese to join the international community in procuring sanctions. The time for rhetoric has long been over. It is now time for the Obama Administration to get off the media circuit and get to the drawing boards by articulating specifically what steps Obama intends to take to stop the Iranians rather than glorified speeches that have very little value.
Further, if President Obama expected that Biden would reassure Israel and the Jewish world that the Obama Administration is squarely on their side, he was wrong. Biden, who stated while visiting Yad Vashem (Israel's Holocaust Memorial) that "Israel is a central bolt in our existence" also took an opportunity to criticize Israel which is almost like a double edged sword negating the original praise.
And now, Biden travels to Ramallah where just a few days earlier the Palestinian Authority named a Square after a Palestinian terrorist who killed dozens of Israelis according to the Palestinian Media Watch which was published on Imra.org.il's website. It will be interesting to see whether Biden, who criticized Israel for building flats that will house innocent civilians, will criticize the PA for naming a square after an avowed terrorist or will Biden lavish praises on the Palestinians for nonexistent strides that they have taken to pursue peace.
As long as the U.S. Government sends a message that it will look the other way when the Palestinians promote a culture of violence and that it will carelessly allow the Iranians to continue their nuclear program without immediate consequences, terrorism will continue to exist in the world particularly in the Middle East.
No talks or sanctions will exterminate terrorism unless the international community starts to recognize once and for all that the terrorists thrive on pacifism, hesitance, and other kinds of passive responses.
Maybe the world already knows this and that's why they are acting to defeat terrorism with kid gloves because in reality they do not want to defeat terrorism the way it needs to be defeated. Food for thought.
Prior to Biden's arrival, George Mitchell, U.S. Envoy to the Middle East Peace Process, announced that Israel and the Palestinian Authority will launch indirect peace talks in a longstanding saga of calls for peace negotiations which usually end in a bridge to nowhere as a result of Palestinian intransigence.
President Obama sent Joe Biden to Israel in an effort to mollify Jewish and Israeli concerns that the Obama Administration has not been supportive of the State of Israel.
However, there was another purpose for Biden's visit. On the agenda of issues that Biden intended to discuss with Netanyahu was of course the conflict with Iran. The U.S. does not want Israel to launch a preemptive strike on Iran and instead is focused on procuring sanctions against the Iranian regime. On the other hand, Israel remains worried and for good reason that the U.S. is not committed to ending the Iranian nuclear threat which threatens both Israel and U.S.'s national security. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, came to Israel a week earlier than Biden and reportedly delivered the same message to the Israelis that Biden intends to deliver that sanctions are the way to go to stop Iran not a military strike.
However, Iran does not seemed at all deterred by the threat of sanctions if sanctions can be procured at all given Russia and China's opposition. And as Iran predicts that there will be a war in the region this summer, rhetoric without action only brings us closer to a showdown with Iran that could potentially cause a nuclear Holocaust. Unfortunately, the phrase "Never again" which was first coined after six million Jews perished in the Eurpean Holocaust, apparently has lost its significance.
Many, including former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, believe that sanctions will not be effective and only military action will stop the Iranians. Bolton stated in an interview that "Israel has just two choices: a strike aimed at Iran's nuclear facilities, or a nuclear Iran."
Personally, I do not know what the Obama Administration wants Israel to do. Wait indefinitely for sanctions which may never occur and refrain from a military strike while watching helplessly like "good boys" as Iran develops an atomic bomb that could be leveled on the streets of Jerusalem.
Notwithstanding the dissent among policy leaders regarding the plan to respond to the Iranian nuclear threat, Biden's performance in Israel has done nothing to reassure the Israelis or the rest of the world that the U.S. means business vis a vis Iran. Biden asserted while in Israel without much passion that the U.S. is "determined to prevent a nuclear Iran." We have heard this line of rhetoric before from the Obama Administration and it has had little effect in stopping the Iranians or convincing the Russians or the Chinese to join the international community in procuring sanctions. The time for rhetoric has long been over. It is now time for the Obama Administration to get off the media circuit and get to the drawing boards by articulating specifically what steps Obama intends to take to stop the Iranians rather than glorified speeches that have very little value.
Further, if President Obama expected that Biden would reassure Israel and the Jewish world that the Obama Administration is squarely on their side, he was wrong. Biden, who stated while visiting Yad Vashem (Israel's Holocaust Memorial) that "Israel is a central bolt in our existence" also took an opportunity to criticize Israel which is almost like a double edged sword negating the original praise.
Biden rather strongly criticized Israel's building policies in East Jerusalem stating "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem.The substance and timing of Israel’s announcement is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I’ve had here in Israel.”
Here, Biden believes that Israel is a "central bolt in our existence." Yet, he and the Obama Administration do not believe that Israel has a right, like communities in the U.S., to build apartment complexes in neighborhoods within its capital city.
And now, Biden travels to Ramallah where just a few days earlier the Palestinian Authority named a Square after a Palestinian terrorist who killed dozens of Israelis according to the Palestinian Media Watch which was published on Imra.org.il's website. It will be interesting to see whether Biden, who criticized Israel for building flats that will house innocent civilians, will criticize the PA for naming a square after an avowed terrorist or will Biden lavish praises on the Palestinians for nonexistent strides that they have taken to pursue peace.
As long as the U.S. Government sends a message that it will look the other way when the Palestinians promote a culture of violence and that it will carelessly allow the Iranians to continue their nuclear program without immediate consequences, terrorism will continue to exist in the world particularly in the Middle East.
No talks or sanctions will exterminate terrorism unless the international community starts to recognize once and for all that the terrorists thrive on pacifism, hesitance, and other kinds of passive responses.
Maybe the world already knows this and that's why they are acting to defeat terrorism with kid gloves because in reality they do not want to defeat terrorism the way it needs to be defeated. Food for thought.
Biden's Poor Performance in Israel
Monday, March 8, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
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