Many on Israel’s right are viewing the arrival of President Obama in their country with suspicion. They look at his record of antagonism toward the Netanyahu government and his past attempts to tilt the diplomatic playing field in the direction of the Palestinians and think no good can possibly come from an event that will give someone they view as inherently hostile to the Jewish state a bully pulpit from which to put forward his ideas. They may be right about Obama’s long-term intentions toward Israel. But for a better idea of who are the real losers as the president puts the country in the spotlight, it might be better to look at what pundits on the left are saying about it. As unhappy as some right-wingers might be about the arrival of what has undoubtedly been the least sympathetic toward Israel of any president in the last generation, it is the left that is really unhappy.
Look at just about any one of the many opinion columnists writing in the left-wing Haaretz or read the lament of veteran journalist and author Gershom Gorenberg in The American Prospect and you quickly realize that the left understands that the presidential agenda signals the nadir of their influence in Israeli politics and policymaking. A couple of years ago they would have cheered an Obama visit, certain that the president would use the occasion to bash the Netanyahu government and strong-arm it into far-reaching concessions to the Palestinians. Now they read of his decision to put the peace process on the back burner and concentrate instead on making sure the two countries are on the same page on Iran, and tell him to go home. The uncontroversial nature of the Obama visit and the lack of expectations that it will do a thing to advance the moribund peace process means the decades-old hope of the Israeli left (cheered on by Jewish liberals in the United States like the J Street lobby) that America will “save Israel from itself” is officially dead.
Obama will undoubtedly pay lip service to the two-state solution, say he’s against settlements and call for a return to the peace table. Some of that will grate on Israeli ears, since the vast majority of the country understands the Palestinians (either the “moderate” Palestinian Authority or the “extremists” of Hamas) have shown they have no interest in peace and won’t recognize the legitimacy of a Jewish state no matter where its borders are drawn.
But they will also enjoy the symbolism of the reaffirmation of the alliance that the visit will accomplish. And they will also pick up on the fact that whatever the president might say about peace, he isn’t there to pressure Netanyahu on the subject. Right-wingers will lament the government’s decision to go along with Obama on the question of giving more time to diplomacy to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat. That may, as Jeffrey Goldberg rightly points out in Bloomberg News, place Israel’s fate in his hands rather than those of its government. But even there Obama will be going out of his way to reassure Israelis that he means what he says about stopping Iran even if it’s not clear the Iranians believe him.
Yet the main takeaway from this visit may well be the absence of rancor on the peace process that has so divided the two governments for the past four years. For most Israelis, this is a blessing. But for an Israeli left that has long cherished the dream of having an American president force the nation to accept policies that its voters have rejected, it’s a nightmare. The recent election was almost entirely fought on domestic issues, with even the Labor Party de-emphasizing the peace process. Today, the advocates of the “peace now” agenda that roughly correlates with the J Street crowd in America are marginalized in the Knesset. Obama might be sorry about that, but this week he will show that he won’t lift a finger to do anything about it.
This means that although the president will underwhelm many Israelis, his visit will be a symbolic acceptance of the concept that the U.S. can’t dictate policy to its Israeli ally. That’s a boost for Israeli democracy, but very bad news for Israelis and their American cheerleaders who want Obama to override the verdict of the electorate.
" means the decades-old hope of the Israeli left (cheered on by Jewish liberals in the United States like the J Street lobby) that America will “save Israel from itself” is officially dead." n nReports of the death of the hope of the Israeli left and American Jewsih Liberal that Israel will be coerced by the USA are greatly exaggerated. n nLet's wait and see what the One does when he is there, I say.
Obama-the-disaster-for-Israel-and-the-rest-of-the-West: n n1) Obama says he is against Iran HAVING nuclear weapons. He does NOT say he is against Iran having nuclear weapon CAPABILITY. Classic Chamberlainesque Obama foreign policy. n n2) Obama has joined the internations Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement against Israel by refusing to invite students from Ariel University to his speech – the only Israeli university to be boycotted by Obama. Ariel U is located in "West Bank"/Judea + Samaria in an area that the entire world knows will remain Israeli if and when a permanent peace agreement is achieved. BDS is often referred to as Bigotry, Dishonesty and anti-Semitism – THAT'S Obama. n n3) Obama is delivering his speech in Tel Aviv, refusing invitation to speak at Knesset in Jerusalem. Obama's White House and State Department NEVER puts ",Israel" after "Jerusalem " thereby denying that Jerusalem is Israel's capital. The fact is that NO part of Jerusaelm has ever in history been the capital of any Arab/Islamic/Palestinian state – NEVER. Obama's attitude toward the Jerusalem issue does nothing but satisfy Arab irredentism.
By not addressing the Knesseth, Obama is boycotting Israel's entire government.
Bring on the Hummus War to settle the conflict! nCall it the Great Yemeni Cook-off… n
Beblach!
We need to remember that Obama tried to interfere directly in Israeli elections and backed Kadima which of course imploded and got what? 2 seats? Obama is nothing if not tenacious in the prosecution his own dull world view. I can see him making some dull vapid left wing speech to ‘rally the troops around an Obama-Kadima flag and stand in as the Israeli left’s own proxy.
You've got to love the irony. Just as liberal-left USA Jews have consolidated their hold on the Jewish establishment here, Israel has matured and taken a turn in the opposite direction.
Howdy DansDaMan,
Do you really think ‘liberal-left’ American Jews have a hold on the American Jewish ‘establishment?’
I’ll volunteer that I was raised in a traditional conservative Protestant (Christian) faith, but had Jewish neighbors growing up in Seattle. Pugent Sound is rightfully known as a liberal bastion, and my Jewish neighbors happended to be more liberal than my family, but it was obvious to me even as a child that Jewish people had obvious political and philosophical differences amongst themselves. Many (most?) Jews have a special concern for people in difficult circumstances, and given their long and difficult history that’s easy for me to understand.
All that said, it does not appear to me that there is a monolithic Jewish ‘establishment.’ Jews (and Jewish congregations, and Jews living in different areas . . . )can and do disagree on issues; this very forum repeatedly proves that.
Respectfully,
PS: have to add a hat tip to the author of the post; I am appalled at Obama’s treatment of Israel.
Israel has every right to tell the President of the US to "take a hike". n nHowever, this will never happen as long as Israel remains financially dependent on foreign aid from America. The longer that patron-client relationship is maintained, the worse for Israeli freedom. n nIt's time to cut the apron strings. Israeli dependency on American welfare has distorted the relationship for generations. Israeli political freedom requires Israeli financial independence.
100% correct. Perhaps Israel's new found oil and gas reserves will aid in bringing about the day Israel can tell US, and the rest of the West, we will do everything in our power to protect our people – and any country that has issues with that needs to find its moral compass.
Absolutely.
For the last 20 years, US aid to Israel has not been meaningful (to Israel) from the financial point of view. n nIt is an umbilical cord for Israel, and a leash for the USA. n nSevering that link risks, from the Israeli point of view, assurance fo the American veto in the security council, and access to American spare parts should Israel be 'too' independent. n nShe can likely manage it, and become the regional power she deserves to be, instead of the American vassal Arab states try and coerce via American pressure, but it is a big step.
amen!
IL has saved a lot of money and American lives (no $ amount can compensate!!!).
With all respect, that makes no sense. n nIsrael is entitled to all of the rights of a free and independent state. That means abandoning the umbilical cord, as MainesMichael puts it, so as to determine a political course independent of American largesse. n n
The fact that America is not going to "save Israel from itself" is bad news for Israel unless Israel wants all of I/P to be a unified secular democratic state. But hey, isn't that what we love so much about America? We don't want America to be a "Christian state" but it's ok for Israel to be a "Jewish state". You don't have to be an Einstein to see the hypocrisy.
Trust me, you're not Einstein. n"The fact that America is not going to "save Israel from itself" is bad news for Israel unless Israel wants all of I/P to be a unified secular democratic state." nFirst of all, Israel is a secular democratic state. You just happen not to know what that is. nAs for annexing the West Bank and offering citizenship to the Palestinians living there, jewish Israeli support for that idea comes from the right of the political spectrum. nSorry to ruin your day.
Isn't that what we love about America? Endless opportunities to bash Jews and Zionism on Tuesdays and Thursdays and on alternate Fridays and Wednesdays do advance work for the Muslim Brotherhood and the OIC. You don't have to be an Einstein to spot the humbug.. Of course when Arabs in the MIddle East say they don't want their country to be "Christian states" it means they want to burn Christian families alive in their homes. Still, Jewish supporters of Israel generally can deal with creches, Christmas, and Christian witness. It's the left-wing anti-Zioinsts who are happy to bash Jesus and Christianity like a bass drum morning, noon, and night, before prostrating themselves at the feet of da prophet. As when the Democratic convention booed both God and Israel. So whether your point of view is anti-Zionist left wing deratiocinated Jew, anti-Israel gentile, or anti-Semitic Arab–it's all the same caca. n nBut hey, share your egalitarianism in downtown Riyadh.
Not to mention his confusing Jewish state in the sense of "State for the Jewish people" , which Israel is, with "State for those of the Jewish religion" (which would make it analogous to a Christian state), which Israel isn't. But anti-Zionists don't like to admit that Jews are a people and not members of a religion.
Jews are not a religion but a people. Jewish State means State of the Jewish People not a State of the Jewish religion. So there is no comparison with a "Christian State".
Exactly. Unless, of course, the UN or whoever it may be is talking about protection of religious minorities. Then Jews suddenly become a people, not a religion. And then as soon as the discussion turns to protection of ethnic minorities, or of national self-determination, Jews sudddenly and magically revert to being a religious group, whether the believe in the Jewish religion or not. n nIf Israel were a state for believers in the Jewish religion, a high proportion of Israelis (or non-Israeli Jews for that matter) would not qualify for citizenship.
Agreed. DaveedR makes a common mistake.
DaveedR commonly makes mistakes where Israel is concerned.
There can't BE no short cut, not even for a President. nHe should learn about the Ottoman empire and the British empire and the league of nations before getting entangled into the IL/Pal conflict. If he did not do his homework he should be a bystander ONLY. nAs far as DaveedR is concerned, the US people decide what they want their country to be (Christian or other) and IL has the same right. Not more not less!
I don’t need to wait for Bibi/Obama meeting outcome. Obama snubbed Bibi as Netanyahu delivered his carping dull speech. Obama loathed every moment of it. His body language obviously was not unfriendly. Bibi’s cover-up narrative about Middle East Prosperity was foolish because Obama knows very well that Bibi would love to nuke the entire Middle East if he’s allowed to. Bibi is finished. Idiots never learn. In order Not to offend Arabspringers, Obama skipped Kotel Mugshot Rituals that Israelis crave unless he tours Israel’s Nightmare; Dome of the Rock as well. He’s visiting a church instead. He will have no Mugshot inspecting Hamas Rocket Stockpile that Israel uses to milk US Sympathy and fools Petty. Obama doing what he’s doing, going where he’s going, and avoiding what he’s avoiding. Though Abbas is powerless to peace with Israel Obama will visit Ramallah to mark his mating ground. Now I feel better. Obama hugged Peres as friend and jabbed Bibi as nut-job.
regarding: n n"…. Bibi would love to nuke the entire Middle East if he’s allowed to" n nmake that , the whole world not only Bibi-.the only thing the arab /moslam goat fuc*ing scum have is n noil.. n nand pretty soon we won;t need it from them any more
Israelis lost their mind. Jerusalem artichokes and red mullet tossed with green soybeans prepared by Chef Shalom Kadosh. Are you trying to kill him or nuke Iran or both or what? Obama is Chicagoan Hikikomori, his main diet French Fries & Burger. I don’t need to wait for Bibi/Obama meeting outcome. Obama snubbed Bibi as Netanyahu delivered his carping dull speech. Obama loathed every moment of it. His body language obviously was not unfriendly. Bibi’s cover-up narrative about Middle East Prosperity was foolish because Obama knows very well that Bibi would love to nuke the entire Middle East if he’s allowed to. Bibi is finished. Idiots never learn. In order Not to offend Arabspringers, Obama skipped Kotel Mugshot Rituals that Israelis crave unless he tours Israel’s Nightmare; Dome of the Rock as well. He’s visiting a church instead. He will have no Mugshot inspecting Hamas Rocket Stockpile that Israel uses to milk US Sympathy and fools Petty. Obama doing what he’s doing, going where he’s going, and avoiding what he’s avoiding. Though Abbas is powerless to peace with Israel Obama will visit Ramallah to mark his mating ground. Now I feel better. Obama hugged Peres as friend and jabbed Bibi as nut-job.
Do Cloture's attending physician and the floor nurses know that he manages to sneak out of the locked ward and somehow gain access to a computer?
you're pregnant sweetheart. consult your gynecologist. relax and open your legs wider. nCry Auschwitz Dachau Birkenau
Replying to ahadhaamoratsim nThe Real torture is watching Israeli children jumping like crackpots and singing Shirley Bassey’s old songs for Obama as he’s a pedophile.