Elections…In Israel And America
Israel’s tragic—and dangerous—Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is finally stepping down.
Not the only leader, by far, to prove the Hebrew Prophet Samuel correct about the pitfalls of worldly leaders, he nonetheless excelled in putting his own interests above those of the long-awaited resurrected state of his people.
Not that it was all his fault, mind you.
When the most powerful nation on Earth–and Israel’s best friend–tightens the screws, it’s hard to say no. But keep in mind Lord Palmerston’s advice regarding states, friends, and interests…
Once upon a time, Israel did have leaders who knew how to draw the lines beyond which further arm-twisting would not be tolerated. Menachem Begin, for one—of blessed memory—comes to mind.
That brings me to an AP article in my local paper on September 18th by Steven Gutkin.
The article focused on Olmert’s Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, set to take over leadership of the Kadima Party.
That one of Arafat’s pathetic Jew stooges, Yossi Beilin, loves her should send out an important message to all who have their heads out of the sand. He thinks the latter day Arafatians in suits and ties are just swell too.
Gutkin then compared Livni to her main rival, Iranian-born Shaul Mofaz:
A victory by Mofaz would have raised serious questions about Israel’s involvement in peace talks with both the Palestinians and Syrians. His approach is seen as far less conciliatory than hers…
Two short sentences that say much indeed.
Tsipi, you see, is good friends with Condi …
Now, to any who have eyes and see, who have ears and hear, who have brains with functioning neurons, etc. and so forth, that “friendship” spells trouble big time.
Livni and Olmert simply caved repeatedly to virtually all that Secretary of State Rice and her Foggy Folks asked of them—be it supplying weapons to Abbas’s latter-day Arafatian Fatah “good cops” (later used to massacre Jews), forsaking Israel’s right, a la UNSC Resolution 242, to “secure and recognized” boundaries instead of the currently imposed ’49 armistice lines which make it practically invisible on a map of the world, and so forth.
Gutkin’s article also contrasted Livni with Benjamin Netanyahu’s “hardline” Likud Party.
I’m always amazed by those who write in such terms regarding Israel. When Jews do it—like Gutkin, I assume—nauseated is the better word.
A three-thousand mile wide America can fight wars, bomb targets, topple unfriendly governments, acquire territory, and so forth thousands of miles away, but Jews who want their sole state to have secure and defensible borders instead of a 9-mile wide rump state existence are “extremists.”
Such unreasonable Jewish hardliners ask what the lessons of Israel’s retreat from Gaza years ago–with thousands of rockets and mortars fired at Israel proper from Gaza ever since—are regarding further retreat in Judea and Samaria, aka the “West Bank.”
Those “extremists” fear Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Knesset, Ben Gurion Airport, and so forth will get the same treatment Sderot has gotten non-stop.
How paranoid of them!
After all, those Arabs—who still show no Israel in school textbooks, maps, etc.—are such trustworthy peace (of the grave) partners.
Gutkin mentioned the Syrian card as well.
Nations who repeatedly attack neighbors over decades from territory often end up losing such territory. Wake up and smell history…
Israel has already–long ago–offered to return to Syria far more than it deserves on the Golan Heights.
As in Judea and Samaria with Abbas and his Fatah Arafatians, a real territorial compromise must be the answer with Damascus as well…not what an Arab petrodollar-greased American State Department dictates. Syria must never again be able to shell Israeli farms and such from the Heights, nor control Israel’s key water sources. What would America do with such an enemy? Need I ask?
Back home in the States, we’re about to choose a new leader as well.
That Arabs and jihadists all over the world love Barack Obama, and that the latter has too many key advisors and buddies who are anti-Semites and/or anti-Zionists (not that there’s really a difference) says something loud and clear…and I’m a former Democrat myself, now an Independent.
In November, I’ll go with my gut instincts.
I suggest that those in Israel who truly care about the long term future of the Jewish State do likewise when they have to choose between Bibi and Tsipi.
on October 22nd, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Posted by jtfdotorg on October 18, 2008
Here is a warning from writer Naomi Ragen and Keith Davies of what awaits us in an Obama presidency.
Below is a letter from the writer, Naomi Ragen, which nails the issues we face on Nov 4th. While the economic issues take center stage, the problem of Islamic theology which causes terror will be much more of an issue over the next four years than the economy. If we as a nation believe in freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness we must elect leaders who stand for those values. If we elect Obama, our freedoms and way of life will be destroyed, if not forever, then at least for some considerable time to come. Germany elected Hitler and the economy improved but a much bigger evil was created. I will choose economic difficulty any day over the opening of our borders, to infiltration of our law enforcement and military by an Islamic 5th column, to a fairness doctrine restr icting free speech of people who have conservative views, and the selling out of Israel on false peace with a Jewish community both here and in Israel lost for leadership and strength. We Jews have been persecuted for 3000 years, why does every Jewish generation seem to always hope that all of sudden the world has changed its views on Jews?
Keith Davies, Walid Shoebat Foundaton
Sitting here in Jerusalem reading the poll numbers, I have a feeling of déjà vu. There was a time in Israel when the Oslo Accords and the sincerity of Yasser Arafat were, believe it or not, controversial subjects. More than that, anyone who was against Oslo, who believed Arafat was a terrorist and a liar, and that land for peace was a deception that would lead to terror and war, was vilified. What didn’t they call us realists? War-mongers. Partners with Yigal Amir. There was no debate, just hysteria and vilification. I have to say that even my own family felt we should ‘give peace a chance’ and watched the handshake on the White House lawn (which I refused to watch and which made me ill) with hope. I was informed that since I wasn’t going to be serving in the army, I had no right to suggest that signing this peace agreement was a bad thing.
You know what? It intimidated me. I started to think: how could it be that everyone was so happy and enthusiastic, and I was miserable and depressed? How could they see doves and handshakes when all I could see was terrorist bombs and dead bodies?
So I tried to see the world through their glasses. I tried to be hopeful too. And when it came time to vote, I even voted for a Peace Now candidate, not because I thought there would be peace, but because I thought that it was better for the country to at least put into practice it’s wrong ideas, and to experience first hand how badly it was all going to work out. That there was no other way to have unity, because if they didn’t get that chance, they would never shut up, and would always blame the opposition for not giving them a chance. I stopped speaking out. I went along.
What we got, of course, was hell on earth. Thousands were killed, thousands more were injured as Arafat unleashed unbridled terrorist attacks, using the guns our government had given him to kill Israelis, many of them women and children; using the free access into Israel to blow up pizza parlors and discos and bar mitzvah celebrations.
And then came my turn, sitting in the Park Hotel with my family, including my child and political opponent, who was all in favor of Oslo, when the building blew up.
When I came out of that alive with my husband and children, I swore never to be intimidated again. I swore that next time when no-nothings asserted political beliefs that were blatantly wrong, and would lead to disaster, I would oppose them openly, come what may. I would also never again suspend my disbelief that other people knew better, including high level academics, intellectuals, and other elites. Including my closest family members. I would keep my common sense.
The Presidential election of the most liberal and inexperienced politician in America, a man with strong Muslim ties and a strong Muslim background; a man who IS linked to domestic terrorism through Bill Ayers, and to numerous pro-Islamic and anti-American advisors - all of whom side with Israel’s Leftist enemies (including some Israelis) as well as to anti-American, anti-Semites like Reverend Wright; a man whose supporters are among the same people who brought down the American economy with their ‘liberalism’ in money-lending, is just about a fait accompli. I have no idea what has happened to the America I knew. I have no idea what happened to the American Jewish community’s support for Israel, how it h as been washed away by deceptive self-interest and propaganda lies. But when I think what is in store for the America which is doing this to herself, and the American Jewish community who thinks by selling out Israel it will somehow achieve “change” that will benefit it, my heart aches.
I know that I am helpless to stop this juggernaut towards disaster. Perhaps it is America’s turn to experience first hand what we in Israel experienced: the consequences of electing a leadership which does not have the best interests of the country in mind; which has an agenda that has nothing to do with those interests. Sometimes people have to make horrible mistakes in order to learn that they are horrible mistakes. In Israel, this included over 25,000 terrorist attacks. Children dying in the streets. Being afraid to walk to the bus stop or even enter a store……
Americans have had a wonderful life in a wonderful country. Everybody in the world wants to live in America. Now, Americans want ‘change.’ They are about to get it.
May G-d watch over them. Maybe this is how G-d intends to get them all to make Aliyah? I wonder how they’ll feel when they are sitting here with the rest of us, Obama in the White House, and Iran with a atom bomb.
on October 24th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I do not understand why there is not a more public and unified Jewish opposition to Obama. His ties to extremist muslims are verified, his “let’s all get together and talk this out” foreign policy is a joke! If anyone on this planet knows what it is like to “deal” with muslim extremists it is the Jewish people throughout human history. Those who know (and the Jewish people know) are the ones who should be telling those who don’t know (oblivious Americans) what kind of people the muslim extremists are.