The Obama-Netanyahu Love-In
Well, the U.S and Israel have kissed and made up. There was a great effort to underscore the fact that the relationship was unbreakable no matter what.
But, the reality of life for Palestinians bodes ill for what the future holds. This is where the Obama Adminstration's rhetoric does not match the actual committment on the ground. It reflects a realization of the political realities at hand and it is quite unfortunate.
What the U.S Adminstration needs to understand is that Israel is not Netanyahu and Lieberman. Israel is also OneVoice, Peace Now and J Street. What I am trying to understand is the assertion of how Israel has shown restraint when in fact it has been Israel that has driven a concerted expansion of settlements, roadblocks and closures. It would be quite interesting if the President ever took up Amira Hass' challenge to envision life as a Palestinian. I have to wonder where the President gets his information from:
I give the Israeli PM this: He's one slick salesman!!!!
Conservative Christians, though, have been fervent supporters of the Settlement movement to the tune of $ 200 Million. They are of the view that this is so because the Bible says it is. If this means throwing people out of homes they have been in for centuries, so be it. It is worth noting that the organizations who have underwritten such settlement expansions are tax exempt under US Law. Such organizaitons have helped to underwrite an annexation of some 42 percent of West Bank Land already--land that repeated UN resolutions have noted must be part of a Palestinian State. But, there is International Law--and then there is Israel and its' Chief Patron, the United States.
I noted in previous write-ups here and in KP's sister site, Outsider Views, that the Government of Israel will survive because the U.S. will not abandon it despite all that it has done. Is the whole world wrong and only Israel has a monopoly on wisdom and truth?
But, the reality of life for Palestinians bodes ill for what the future holds. This is where the Obama Adminstration's rhetoric does not match the actual committment on the ground. It reflects a realization of the political realities at hand and it is quite unfortunate.
What the U.S Adminstration needs to understand is that Israel is not Netanyahu and Lieberman. Israel is also OneVoice, Peace Now and J Street. What I am trying to understand is the assertion of how Israel has shown restraint when in fact it has been Israel that has driven a concerted expansion of settlements, roadblocks and closures. It would be quite interesting if the President ever took up Amira Hass' challenge to envision life as a Palestinian. I have to wonder where the President gets his information from:
I give the Israeli PM this: He's one slick salesman!!!!
Conservative Christians, though, have been fervent supporters of the Settlement movement to the tune of $ 200 Million. They are of the view that this is so because the Bible says it is. If this means throwing people out of homes they have been in for centuries, so be it. It is worth noting that the organizations who have underwritten such settlement expansions are tax exempt under US Law. Such organizaitons have helped to underwrite an annexation of some 42 percent of West Bank Land already--land that repeated UN resolutions have noted must be part of a Palestinian State. But, there is International Law--and then there is Israel and its' Chief Patron, the United States.
I noted in previous write-ups here and in KP's sister site, Outsider Views, that the Government of Israel will survive because the U.S. will not abandon it despite all that it has done. Is the whole world wrong and only Israel has a monopoly on wisdom and truth?
Mike Pouraryan
