Attacks on Israel Are the Direct Result of Obama’s Policies
By Ken Falkenstein | Monday, May 16th, 2011 | Policy
Steven Osborne has written an excellent summary of Israel’s current situation. Unfortunately, Israel is more isolated today than it has been in decades as President Obama has proven to be the most anti-Israel American president in history. The current situation is the direct result of Israel’s enemies having been emboldened by Obama’s antipathy toward Israel and the fact that the United States under his presidency is less reliable as an ally to Israel than ever before.
One of two things is true:
(1) Obama is opposed to Israel’s existence and is advancing policies designed to weaken Israel. He has done as much as any American president can do to undermine Israel’s security without completely alienating the Jewish support on which he and his Democrat Party so heavily rely.
(2) In the alternative, Obama is not anti-Israel but believes that he knows better than the Israelis what is in their interest. In this regard, he has pressured and coerced Israel to take numerous steps against their security interests.
Either way, Israel’s enemies have been emboldened by Obama’s policies that either by design or incompetence have weakened Israel and sent a message that the United States is not Israel’s dependable ally. Seen in this light, the boldness of today’s events against Israel can be traced directly to Barack Obama’s policies.
My question is this: When will the American Jewish community wake up and recognize that the Democrat Party and the leftist movement with which they have aligned themselves so tightly and for so long are hostile to Israel and to Jews generally?
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About the author
Ken Falkenstein has been a staffer in the United States Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates. He has managed political campaigns. He was a military intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army in West Germany during the Cold War. He is currently a civil litigation attorney with Poole Mahoney, P.C. in Virginia Beach. But his concern for his kids' future is what most informs his writing.
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24 Responses to "Attacks on Israel Are the Direct Result of Obama’s Policies"
Brilliantly stated, Ken.
Israel’s enemies are smelling blood in the water. I was shocked to see the Syrians/Palestinians breaching the border fence — purported to be the most secure in the Western World and what the feds want to imitate along the US-Mexican border — in plain view of the IDF and with little resistance (and ITV cameras rolling… imagine that).
I worry that actions such as these demonstrate the frailty of the status quo and embolden Israel’s enemies.
If the Palestinians were to lay down their arms today, there would be peace tomorrow and a Palestinian state in a week. If Israel were to lay down her arms today, Israel would be driven into the sea… pretty stolid reminder of how Israel is literally fighting for much more than just security.
KF When will the American Jewish community wake up?
I would venture to say only after another disaster. In my experience, they are mostly leftists first and second and Jewish third. Many of them oppose any Israeli government that is not totally peacenik.
valentinus,
You sort of beat me to it. According to the 1990 National Jewish Population Survey, in America 42% of Jews claim to be Reform, 38% Conservative and only 7% Orthodox (with the remaining being minor branches such as Reconstruction). Were an American Reform or Conservative Jew to engage in Aliyah (immigration into Israel) they would not be recognized as truly Jewish until they converted to Orthodoxy. (As a result, they could not legally get married within the borders of their new nation until they converted for example.)
Much of the blame for Israel’s precarious standing is of her own fault. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has formed an extremely fragile and right wing ruling coalition under him; he even appointed Avigdor Lieberman as Foreign Minister. Under his ruling coalition Israel has continued to aggressively expand the settlements in the West Bank in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention (Article 49) and he can not make any meaningful compromises towards peace without risking the collapse of the governing coalition he formed.
It appears that the Flotilla is scheduled to happen again. As Obama took out Isreal’s only ally, Egypt. Another feather in Obama’s cap. Obama is anti-Isreal, his actions speak loudly.
Obama’s “jew vote” is not one ubiquitous group.
History is replete with Jews who betrayed our own tribes and traditions. American jews aligned with democratic principles are ideologically 180 degrees apart from the portion of Israeli jews who fight for their livelyhood that for lack of a better description some could call Holocaust survival conservatives. American Jews trend so far into the left and if they woke up one morning living as Israelis they for the most part would kvetch, moan and not put up much of a fight until they realized Their survival meant They had to fight, not pay taxes and let some “unwashed” soul do it for them. Dems talk gun control and it resonates with jews whose ancestors were systematically disarmed by the Nazis and then slaughtered. The dems working for Roosevelt knew this and the campaign psyops worked.. this sealed the vote for decades! Obama actually is unraveling this alliance before our very eyes though many jews are in denial. The Matt Drudges and Andrew Breitbarts of the internet generation highlight case in point that the dems are losing the ‘jew vote’ mantra and younger generations are seeing through the veil of hypocracy of the left.
Many think that a common faith and common history would predispose more common interest but that clearly is not the case.
To put things in perspective:
I would hope that our President will support any effort of Israel to self defense that do not become out-reasonable. As far as I am concerned, these flotilla efforts serve as a good test case.
Israel withdrew from Gaza, and what happened? Hamas took over and they are dedicated to the destruction of Israel and driving the Jews into the sea. Israel has a robust right to self defense as long as those living in the areas she withdrew from continue to engage in hostilities. What is going on in Gaza is a good test case of exactly what we mean to Israel’s right of self defense should she withdraw from the West Bank.
However we should not be hypocrites. Netanyahu’s coalition includes elements think that they have the right to deport all of the Arab population out of the West Bank in cattle cars if necessary to free up the land for Jewish people.
It is unfair to hold Muslim people as a group to a higher standard then we hold the Israeli nation. We should not be hypocrites and our condemnation of those on each side who encourage violence should be equal in measure.
@valentinus- Unfortunately, you have bought into the malicious disinformation that is routinely spread about Israel by its enemies and through the establishment news media.
First, it is not true that Reform and Conservative Jews are not recognized in Israel or that they cannot marry. This is a myth.
Second, it is also not true that the Israeli settlements are illegal, although it would take more time and space that I have available right now to explain that.
Suffice it to say that I notice that you made no mention of the fact that the Palestinians have failed to perform any of their obligations under already-existing agreements. Specifically, they have not renounced violence and, in fact, attempt hundreds of terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians every week. Furthermore, they have not recognized Israel’s right to exist, as a Jewish state or otherwise. The maps that the Palestinians use in their schools do not include Israel, and Prime Minister Abbas has declared as recently as a few weeks ago that they will never recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
As Shaun Kenney correctly noted above, “If the Palestinians were to lay down their arms today, there would be peace tomorrow and a Palestinian state in a week. If Israel were to lay down her arms today, Israel would be driven into the sea.” It is easy to parrot the anti-Israel propaganda spewed by Israel’s enemies and reported as fact by the establishment news media. Intellectual honesty requires learning the real facts and forming opinions based on the truth.
Ken Falkenstein,
I think you are misinformed. If a single American Reform or Conservative Jew emigrated to Israel and then decided to get married, they could not do so on Israeli land unless they converted to Orthodoxy. This is not a myth, this is fact. If they traveled outside Israel (Cyprus is a favorite place) and got married and then returned, their marriage would be recognized.
Before dismissing something as a myth, you would be best advised to examine what you believe to be facts.
@LD,
It seems that Muslim’s appear to be the main characters with 9/11, Isreal and Europe’s multiculturalism problem. Besides, I don’t see many Jews suppressing minority religions (even Islam), women and others as we see with Muslims. Or blowing people up in the name of being offended.
At what point do you hold people accountable? Nothing hypocritical about that.
And the Flotilla is intended to be a provacative act. A similar event happened in the 60s, the Cuban Missile Crisis.
John Jackson,
Even a toddler realizes that fair is fair. Any parent realizes that children go through periods of screaming “That’s not fair”. It is the responsibility of the parents to analyze fairness before they explain to the child that they are in fact being fair.
If America approaches the problems in the Middle-east always on Israels side as represented by the currently formed Israeli government, we are not going to be able to defend that we are fair.
LD – You write – “Were an American Reform or Conservative Jew to engage in Aliyah (immigration into Israel) they would not be recognized as truly Jewish until they converted to Orthodoxy.” You state, for example, that a Jew could not get married within Israel until they “converted,” presumably, again, to Orthodoxy.
I think you are mistaken.
I think you are probably referring to an ongoing debate in Israel as to whether Jews that converted to Judaism are eligible under the Law of Return to become Israeli citizens. The Orthodox Rabbinate does not recognize conversions performed by Reform or Conservative Rabbis.
The Law of Return, however, does not agree, and does recognize such conversions.
aznew,
If a single American Reform or Conservative American Jew performed Aliyah and wanted to get married, they would not be allowed to do so until they converted to Orthodoxy. I am debating with American Jews who do not seem to understand what they support. You are Jewish and I am not and I seem to understand the subject better then you.
Go call up the Israeli embassy and ask them if you doubt me.
The IDF (Israeli Defense Force) even had a stream-lined conversion to Orthodoxy conversion policy if effect. If you served in the IDF, you got the stream-lined barely necessary instruction on what it took to convert to Orthodoxy. Last I heard, Orthodox Rabbis put a stop to this program insisting the program was not sufficient for conversion to Orthodoxy.
Ken,
What on earth is your last post referring to in my post? I mention or allude to None of your assertions nor have even been concerned about them. Are you confusing me with Little David’s posts??
LD – You misunderstand what you are writing about. The issue of marriage under Israeli law goes to the question of who is a Jew (in the eyes of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate), while the issue of whether one identifies themselves as a Reform, Conservative, Orthodox (or, for that matter, Reconstructionist or Secular) Jew is an entirely different issue related to one’s choices with respect to lifestyle, worship and traditions.
The Chief Rabbinate, which is Orthodox, would not recognize the conversion of a non-Jew to Judaism performed by a Reform or Conservative rabbi, and therefore would not oversee a Jewish marriage of that person. In that sense, you are correct.
However, to use myself as an example, while I would consider myself a Jew in the “Conservative” tradition, the Chief Rabbinate would clearly consider me a Jew under Jewish Law (because my mother was Jewish) and would perform a marriage ceremony for me that would be fully recognized under Israeli law.
I’m not sure I understand the relevance of this particular debate on Ken’s issue, but just to set the record straight.
aznew,
It is my understanding that as a Conservative Jew, you would not be eligible for marriage until you converted. Perhaps as a Jewish American, you could consult with the Israeli embassy or the Israeli Chief Rabbinate for clarification.
My experience is that since I am not Jewish, they would not bother to give me a return call. I am more likely to be dismissed as anti-Semite or if I happened to be a Reform Jew, dismissed as being a self hating Jew.
@LD,
The problem is, the screaming children are Hamas, Muslims, Palestinians and the UN. No one hears the Israelis’ complaining because they’re the adults. They punch when punched.
Are you advocating for the US to fight against “Little Satan” Israel because we would be hypocritical? Do you realize that you are the infidel (or Big Satan), not because of your fair stance but because you’re an evil American.
John Jackson,
I am willing to realize that portions of our friends are just as evil as our enemies. While trying to be fair, I realize that our enemies have some fair complaints while the Israeli government continues to include such extremists in their government the likes of Avigdor Lieberman.
Are we worse then them? No. But I am a follower of Jesus and I realize that one amongst us must be the first to turn the other cheek.
Ken, I have worked the polls (same one so everyone knew me and expected me to be there and talk) on election day for decades. There were Jews who actually cried real tears because of their concern Obama would win. They knew he would not be a friend to Israel.
There are Holocaust survivors and first generation survivors here in Hampton Roads. The wounds are still fresh from what they lost. Most have family in Israel. This lack of support from our President has set Israel up and don’t think for a second they don’t know it.
@valentinus – You are correct. I meant to reply to Little David and no you. I apologize for the mix-up.
This post is long on conclusory allegations, but short on any actual facts.
First, specifically, what policies of Obama are (a) different than those followed by prior U.S. Administrations; and (b) have endangered Israel?
And second, even those policies that may be at odds with Israel’s current Likud government, need to be placed in the overall context of U.S. policy in the Middle East. In fact, on numerous, indeed most, issues, the Obama Administration has been supportive of Israel, a fact that often seems to be ignored by the Right.
Is there room for improvement by Obama in how he manages Middle-East policy? In my view, yes, but these failings seem to me to be based more on poor tactical decisions and a failure to appreciate the true nature of the disputes in the region, as opposed to any “hostility” on Obama’s part.
Aznew, Obama is a mad genius at times and naive at others. He has given the global message that we are weakened and apologetic for our past ‘mistakes’. The buzz he has created is a prime motivator for mid east unreast as a whole which in itself is the primer for the sword overcoming ‘zionism’. The two state solution is BS and real analysis proves it. The two state solution vil be ze final salushion. How long will this bullshit go on?
Watching Obozo pick winners and losers in the Mideast is deadly serious. The infamous O inauspiciously started his presidency with the “US Walk of Shame – World Apology Tour” that included a stop in Cairo to bow to the Sheik.. followed by throwing Mubarack under the bus.. Saying nothing would have sufficed. Now Obozo demands Gadhafi step aside and then makes a quick retreat behind nato’s skirts. And now the telepromter.. well, it don’t say nuttin about Syria’s slaughter of its protestors. This idiot you elected is going to get our people killed here in the US and Israel. I said it LOUD AND CLEAR to the jewish community at several forums including one operated by Jews for Obama.. and I was publicly labeled “a racist white supremist jew bastard” (by a prominent conseradox ultraliberal jew no less) back in 08.
And now Obama wants to screw up the peace treaty Israel has with Jordan.. the only other country that has a peace treaty over there other than Egypt.
Were any of you present or past U.S. Navy personnel instructed to call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf recently? A WTF order from the potus? Any of you remember the O’s response to proposals to build a mosque overlooking the site of 9/11? Not that this matters or is in any way connected.. of course.
Happy 63 anniversary Israel, Jewish Democrats send their love and will do all they can to re elect Obozo. Sleep well in your bunkers while knowing that your one true friend AMERICA is also under attack from within and Conservatives are taking positions.
Hang in there America, 1.20.13 is still a ways off but hopefully by then a republican president can let all the CIA agents Obama locked up out of prison. Harsh interrogation methods for a special few aint over.
Turbo,
I am retired Navy and it was long, long ago when while on active duty and deployed to the Gulf I was instructed to call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf. I am pretty sure this was during the Reagan administration after the Iranian (Persian) hostage crisis.
On the question of whether a Reform or Conservative Jew performing Aliyah would be allowed to get married in Israel, I am going to provide a link to the Jewish Virtual Library that discusses it and from which I am going to lift a quote:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/whojew1.html
“Marriage ceremonies and divorce proceedings are not allowed to be performed or issued by Conservative or Reform rabbis in Israel. In fact, only Orthodox rabbis are allowed to marry Jews and many secular Israelis travel to Cyprus and other foreign countries to have a civil ceremony, which they can not receive in Israel. Israel does recognize marriages performed abroad by the Conservative and Reform movements; however, divorces issued abroad by rabbis from these movements are not recognized by the Rabbinate in Israel.”
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