I very much wish that Barack Obama would stop donning the kippa and lecturing Jews about how "Jewish values" dictate that the Jewish people must fork over the heart of the tiny Jewish homeland to people who want to use it as a launching pad for war.
I make no claims about Obama's intentions, however, which I am sure he believes are of the highest moral caliber.
In the Times of Israel we read this:
Obama drew lines between his pursuit of equality of opportunity in America and his support for Israel and for combatting anti-Semitism, adding that “the rights of the Jewish people compel me to think about the rights of a Palestinian child in Ramallah who feels trapped without opportunity.”Before a prominent Washington, DC synagogue Barack Obama cited "Jewish values" as a reason to compel Jews to support his Arab-Israel policies.
“That’s what Jewish values teach me,” he said.
I just find it odd. Other peoples have values, too. Does Obama ever suggest that Russians should align themselves with his foreign policy priorities as a matter of staying true to Russian values?
Does Obama ever suggest that the Japanese - with an exceedingly long and honorable ethical tradition grounded in Mahayana Buddhism - should align themselves with his foreign policy priorities as a matter of staying true to Buddhist values?
As someone with a profound love and appreciation for Islam, does he ever lecture any of the Islamic peoples that Islamic values suggest that they should do what he wants?
I don't think so.
This honor is reserved for the Jewish people.
You tell me why.
In any case, this is what Mort Klein has to say and he does not seem happy.
ZOA: Obama Again Tries To Pull The Wool Over Pro-Israel, Anti-Nuclear-Iran Eyes in Synagogue SpeechMay 22, 2015 -- Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) President Morton Klein released the following statement:
In a speech today at Adas Israel Synagogue in Washington, D.C., President Obama voiced his usual empty flowery platitudes about having Israel's back and never allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons, and even asserted that he was "an honorary member of the tribe" - while promoting policies that place a knife squarely in Israel's back, and lying about his record and the Iran nuclear deal.
The President's platitudes were clearly meaningless: In the next breath during his speech, Obama complained about Jewish "settlements" - which are in reality Jewish communities in historic Jewish land comprising less than 2% of Judea and Samaria, and promoted a Palestinian state - while ignoring the facts that the Palestinian Authority (PA) continues to promote anti-Jewish hatred in their schools, media and speeches, and that the PA is part and parcel of a unity government with the terrorist group Hamas, and that both the Hamas and PA President Abbas' Fatah party's charters call for Israel's destruction. President Obama also ignored the fact that the PA is attempting to use the UN to establish a unilateral state that does not recognize Israel, refuses to negotiate with Israel, and is determined to wipe Israel off the face of the map. President Obama also said nothing about the PA paying pensions to terrorists who have killed Jews.
The President also referred to Judea and Samaria as Arab land in his speech - when the Jewish people have the greatest historical, political, religious and legal right to these areas. After all, we are called Jews because we are from Judea.
The President also made the nonsensical statement: "The rights of the Jewish people then compel me to think about a Palestinian child in Ramallah that feels trapped without opportunity." This is absurd in light of the fact that Israel has given away all of Gaza and almost half of Judea and Samaria, where the Palestinian Arabs run their own lives other than sharing security: the Arabs have their own Parliament, schools, textbooks, newspapers, radio and TV stations, businesses and police force.
President Obama's pretense that he has Israel's back has been proven to be false time and again. The Obama administration promoted Hamas's one-sided demands for a cease fire during the Hamas war last summer which would have left Hamas's terror tunnels intact; stopped rearming Israel during the war; stopped flights to Israel; declassified and revealed Israel's nuclear secrets; leaked Israeli plans to destroy Iran's nuclear weapons; and has repeatedly sought to decrease funding for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense program, to name a few.
President Obama's assertions about Iran in his speech were also belied by the facts. For instance, Obama claimed that the deal with Iran has "already halted or rolled back parts of Iran's nuclear program." In fact, Iran has dismantled no part of its nuclear program. Instead, Iran has continued to enrich uranium, continued to develop advanced centrifuges and inter-continental ballistic missiles which can reach the United States, has maintained its Fordow and Arak nuclear plants, and has received tens of billions of dollars in sanctions relief.
In addition, the President has never once criticized Iran for repeatedly calling for Death to America and Death to Israel - in this speech or in any other.
The President also claimed to be interested in "a deal that imposes unprecedented inspections on all elements of Iran's nuclear program, so that they can't cheat." The President failed to mention that Iran's leaders have insisted and reiterated again this week that Iran will forbid inspections of its military facilities (the most likely location for nuclear weapons), forbid its nuclear scientists from speaking with nuclear inspectors, and require 24 days from the time a suspected violation is reported before an inspection can occur - which gives Iran the time to move nuclear material and weapons to a new undisclosed location.
President Obama also promoted the myth of "snap back sanctions" when country after country and expert after expert says that this will not occur, and is indeed impossible, given the fact that it takes years to put sanctions into place. Just last week, Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin flatly rejected the Obama administration's claims that sanctions on Iran would be restored immediately if Iran violates the terms of the agreement.
The President also falsely claimed during his speech he wants a full discussion about how to stop Iran. Yet, he lobbied Congress incessantly to "disinvite" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from speaking to Congress about the very same subject - how to stop Iran. Obama also twisted Democrats' arms to not attend PM Netanyahu's speech, and fought against Congress having any say on the Iran deal. The Obama administration also adamantly refused to treat the Iran deal as a treaty - which would require approval of two thirds of the Senate - despite the fact that virtually every past nuclear deal has been deemed a treaty.
The President's refusal to require an Iranian commitment to end terrorism against Israel and America as a pre-requisite for sanctions relief, or as any part of the Iran deal, further confirms the reality that President Obama does not have Israel's back - or America's back - no matter what bromides he might utter at a Washington synagogue. The President has even mocked those who sought to link an Iran deal to an end of Iranian terror.
It would be VERY interesting theater were he to go to a mosque and talk about Islamic values as it pertains to the right of Jews to be free in their land.
ReplyDeleteWould any American president do less than Obama to support Israel under the current circumstances? To say he has done more means nothing.
Part of helping Israel is not creating ammunition for its enemies or antisemites. When Obama dumps on Israel and shows hostility, it sends the message that Israel deserves it overall. It does not take a rocket scientist to see this effect. More important, it increases the danger not just to Israel, but Jews everywhere.
He lectures about Jewish values, his view of them, as if they are the values of all Jews. I would not be surprised, however, to discover he is actually agnostic, and his religious affiliation based on politics.
Criticize Israel, yes, but where is there a real balance when it comes to his rhetoric and often petty behavior, which borders on animosity so evident it is hard to deny. There is no balance. This is why Jews outside America, unlike their largely secular and insulated brethren, do not see him as a friend.
I agree with very much of the above.
DeleteAnd said some similar things in a comment on a previous thread.
The relationship between American Jews and Obama is enormously worrying. They seem - not all, obviously - to be so desperate to want to support Obama, and feel that he cares about them, that they have gone into almost complete denial as to what is actually going on.
They remind me of the terribly sad stories of women in relationships with abusive men. Except, in those cases I have the utmost sympathy for the victims. As anyone should.
American Jews seem to be prepared to ignore extraordinary amounts of evidence that should be telling them quite how much Obama has gone out of his way to degrade,insult and humiliate them. And to show a callous disregard for their concerns and their safety. And a disregard for the feelings and safety of their fellow Jews, in Israel, and in Europe.
Are they so desperate for his approval that they will rush to pick up any scraps he offers them?
It seems that way.
The Obama administration has consistently treated the Israeli prime minister with a disdain and a lack of respect. In a way that no other world leader has been treated. Or ever would be. When you feel entitled to treat a country's leader like that, you also treat the people of that country and the country itself with disdain.
That has not been an accident. Quite the opposite, it has been calculated and deliberate. It has gone against every normal expectation of public courtesy and diplomatic protocol.
It has had an appalling impact on how Israel, and Jews, are treated all around the world.
And there is more to come.
It would be interesting to know if anyone can explain why they think American Jews have become so unable to face up to reality.
It speaks of a frightening complacency, if nothing else.
Part of helping Israel is not creating ammunition for its enemies and antisemites.
DeleteThat.
You have had a conversation with one of his supporters. What does that tell you?
DeleteThe ones who are indifferent or who hate Israel are far worse, and as argumentative.
Obama could treat Jews bad, so long as he treated Muslims bad. Go to a mosque and have a heart to heart. Use a standard that is in the range of equal. Balance.
Instead, he sends the message that is ONLY the Israeli Jews. He is like the UN, focused on ONE, and it is discrimination and fuels antisemitism and even violence against Jews everywhere.
Are these people oblivious to the consequences of their acts?
American Jews are so far removed from these issues they can pretend Republicans and Fox News are the ones destroying the earth, with Israel as a subsidiary. These Jews are completely assimilated and insulated and in general have no worries. They have the leisure to stand against historical oppression, in American eyes, and gravitate to what appears on the face to be injustice to Palestinians. This is the version they get, among others, from the same trusted folks that demonize Republicans and Fox. It is a product of identity politics, and Obama is its pied piper.
It raises a question whether American Jews will come to the aid of other Jews and Israel, actually under the gun, or continue to look the other way like Western Christians have largely done with their relatives.
school,
DeleteThe question of whether American Jews will come to the aid of other Jews, and of Israel, is a hugely important one. And there seems, unfortunately, little prospect of it.
You are quite right in pointing out the almost unbelievable silence from Western Christians while their fellow co- religionists have been - and are being - subjected to the most terrible persecution in many parts of the world.
( There have been a few notable exceptions: Ed West in the UK Catholic Herald newspaper, for one.)
But it has been quite staggering to witness.
And desperately tragic.
I think this whole subject is enormously important and interesting.
I hope it can be expanded on.
I think it needs to be.
If it wasn't for the difference in time zones, I would say more now. But it's really quite late here: 1.30 am.
Be really interested to continue tomorrow. Hope that happens.
School and Kate,
Deletethere are two questions in this conversation.
One, will American Jews come to the aid of other Jews and Israel in the event of serious need?
Two, why are western Christians abandoning their co-religionists in the Middle East?
These are, I suspect, closely related questions and the answers to both questions have something to do with the rise of post-colonial theory and widespread political correctness following the end of the Vietnam War. More and more western intellectuals and creators of culture divided the world between "poor people of color" and their privileged, white oppressors. When the three major religions of the Levant are forced into the ideological truthinator - with its flashing lights and pinball sounds - both Jews and Christans pop out "white" while all "Muslims" pop out as "poor people of color" thereby winning the Victimhood Sweepstakes.
The poison spread by identity politics, combined with the multicultural fetish, will destroy Western civilization from within.
DeleteIt used to be that people knew who they were without having to organize to prove it, to the detriment of our common identity.
There is no issue with identity or multicultural perspectives, per se. The issue is when they become the primary or sole means of orientation and action. There is a need to address discrimination, but there is also a right to pursue liberty. Equality of opportunity does not mean equality of result, though that is news to engineers of social justice, coercing society to accept a version that does not conform to human experience.
Y'know, School, it often occurs to me that anyone could easily accuse us - or, at least, me - of engaging in identity politics and I do not know that they would be wrong.
DeleteAll I can say is that growing up I considered myself American first and Jewish second. I presumed that this is the way that most of the people that I knew felt. One was an American of Chinese descent or an American of Italian descent or an American of mixed descent, but first and foremost we were all Americans. I actually gave little thought to Israel until I realized the degree and quantity of hatred being spit at that tiny country by people on the left who arrogantly believe that we owe them our political allegiance.
We don't.
And, in case anyone misunderstand, this is not a matter of me choosing between Israel and what's best for the US vis-a-vis domestic policies.
This is about the fact that the foundation of western liberal politics is being undermined by the multicultural ideal which is entirely inconsistent with the central liberal concept of universal human rights.
So long as the western-left exoriates Israel while giving Islamists a pass they have thrown their foundational values straight down the toilet.
As I said, when identity politics and multiculturalism have a proper role, especially when it comes to prevention of discrimination, they are positive. When they become the engines by which society operates, they are negative. We are in the latter environment.
DeleteTo the extent that Jews and Israelis play identity politics in today's world, it is not by choice, but forced on them. The truth is that Jews have not asked to be treated differently, just like everyone else, but everyone else treats them differently. Though identity is usually a component of the self, it can also be imposed by others, usually not in a good way.
While one may argue we engage in identity politics, I suggest we are not acting to divide, but as a reaction to prejudice that singles us out.
May I just link to a piece about identity politics. It is helpful.
Deletehttps://politicsadinfinitum.wordpress.com/2014/12/
h/t Tom Owolade
It's literally titled: "Short piece on identity politics."
Identity politics is not what this site is actually engaged with.
k,
DeleteThanks for that link.
The only question you need to ask is what is his purpose vis a vis his own domestic politics. He certainly doesn't owe Hillary anything and when he's speaking to as-a-Jews in DC does he imagine he's going to steal votes and donor dollars away from the GOP? It's not as if the congregation wouldn't gleefully march off to the gas chambers while singing songs of love and praise to Obama.
ReplyDeleteNo the answer is pretty simple. It's the ONLY Jewish venue he could use to blather his bullshit and lies and nonsense. So fuck him.
Trudy,
DeleteI think the current charm offensive has to do with the awful Iran deal, and another possible run at the "peace" process, aka, letting terrorist murderers out of jail, etc., in return for the world's opprobrium.
One reason, Trudy, is that Jews do have some influence, and he wants them to abandon the reservations put forth most famously by Netanyahu. This way he can say to a much wider audience that he even has Jews and supporters of Israel on his side. It's about squelching congressional as well as other dissent.
DeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Obama is committed to a non-contiguous Israel.
ReplyDeleteIt simply shows another example of how his foreign policy is incoherent.
Why so much of his foreign policy is incoherent is very much open to question, that it is incoherent, is not.
I honestly just think that the guy is in over his head.
He talks a good game, but does not really know what he is doing, I do not think.
"It simply shows another example of how his foreign policy is incoherent."
ReplyDeleteThat's the point.