Pay Attention, Obama!

Obama and Clinton, over the past few days, seem to have fallen into the fantasy so common to presidents of the US -- the belief that they control the world. It seems that Obama has chosen to take out the anger he feels from his impotent obsessions with domestic issues such as health care reform and the struggling economy. He has decided upon the classic, historical whipping boy, the scapegoat of every raging leader: the Jew and, lately, his State. The vehemence and acerbity of Obama's and Clinton's anger at Israel concerning an issue that is well beyond their domain is astounding; the world is stunned, and the evil revel.

What is amazing is the extent and distance Obama and Clinton have been willing to go in publicly embarrassing an ally. They explicitly agreed months ago with Israel that the "ten month building freeze" would apply to the West Bank and not Jerusalem. Indeed, on Thursday, the US admitted that the announcement of 1,600 new housing units in Israel's capitol did not consist of Israel reneging on any agreement, and that it would simply be prudent to be careful when dealing with matters of such a sensitive nature. Days later, Obama and Clinton decided to make this a public international incident. In order to do that, they have lied, and taken offense where none was present. They are manufacturing an Israeli-US crisis to serve their other interests. It is absolutely shameful that a US president and secretary of state would act in such an unprofessional, eminently dishonest manner.

Obama had better think carefully about the danger of publicly alienating an ally in public view, allowing the true enemy (Islamic terror including Iran) to believe that the coalition of good is fragmented and weak. Far from Israel "insulting" the US, Obama and Clinton have chosen to insult Israel, trying to demonstrate to the world the power they wield over the Jewish State. They are choosing to side with evil and terror against democracy and good. Obama is walking a very damaging road, one which will not aid his failing domestic policies, and one that will only hurt the concepts of justice and good in the world over.

I received a timely and relevant quote by email I would like to share with Israel and America, and Obama, Clinton and Netanyahu in particular (originally written on Yaakov Kirschen's blog called Dry Bones) :

'In December 1981, the Knesset passed the Golan Heights Law extending Israeli law to the Golan Heights. In reaction the American administration declared that it would "punish Israel". Prime Minister Begin then issued a statement that he read to the US Ambassador to Israel and released to the public. It reads, in part:

"A week ago, at the instance of the Government, the Knesset passed on all three readings by an overwhelming majority of two-thirds, the "Golan Heights Law."

Now you once again declare that you are punishing Israel.
What kind of expression is this – "punishing Israel"? Are we a vassal state of yours? Are we a banana republic? Are we youths of fourteen who, if they don't behave properly, are slapped across the fingers?

Let me tell you who this government is composed of. It is composed of people whose lives were spent in resistance, in fighting and in suffering. You will not frighten us with "punishments." He who threatens us will find us deaf to his threats. We are only prepared to listen to rational arguments."'

Obama, you have lied to the world, and used Hilary Clinton as your messenger girl. Why don't you both face up to the real problem in the Israeli - Arab problem -- the unwillingness of Hamas, Hizbollah, Iran and most of the Arab world to admit Israel's right to exist? Why don't you face the increasing problem in the Western world -- the emergence of the belief that the Jews have no right to defend their population from onslaughts from those who deny their right to exist?

While Obama and Clinton choose to find "insult" in Israel's announcement to build houses, they ignore the true colors of the Arabs: in the same week, the 'Palestinians' honored a female terrorist who committed one of the worst acts of terror in Israel. They also called for the Arab public to arrive at the Temple Mount and stage riots there. A double standard of epic proportions -- truly the "change" we all hoped for from Obama. (For a sane editorial from CNN regarding the underlying issues, see here. Important quote: "The most dangerous cause of instability in the Middle East is the so-called peace process itself.")

I am disgusted with the US president and his lap-dog secretary of state.

UPDATE: Netanyahu seems to realize the moment of truth in his premiership, and has announced (in decidedly less hot-headedness than Clinton's and Obama's announcements) unequivocally that building in all of Israel's capitol, Jerusalem, will continue despite Obama and Clinton's hysterical fits of frustration. Further, at the end of ten months, building will continue in the West Bank, as well.