Commentary/Contentions
14 June '11
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/06/14/obama-ignores-implications-of-hamas-fatah-government/
Last week, the Obama administration resumed its attempt to pressure Israel into agreeing to the 1967 lines as the starting point for future peace talks. This point, like previous disputes with Obama over Jerusalem and settlement freezes, is intended to entice the Palestinians to return to peace talks. But while Washington obsesses over its attempt to hammer the Netanyahu government into submission, few here are paying attention to a much more important story: the way the Hamas-Fatah unity pact is transforming Palestinian politics.
As the Jerusalem Post reports today, those who expected Hamas would allow Fatah-connected technocrats to continue to run the Palestinian Authority were mistaken. Rather than merely ceding power to men like current PA prime minister Salam Fayyad, the terrorists of Hamas have literally stuck to their guns in negotiations over the formation of a coalition government to run independent Gaza and the autonomous West Bank. The upshot is, the moderate Fayyad, who is considered by both the United States and Israel as a man interested in peace and building a viable Palestinian economy, is being chucked out of office. Though tension between the two movements and their “military” wings continues to simmer, the pact is not breaking up. The result will be a PA in which the rejectionists of Hamas have a clear veto.
While apologists for the Palestinians have spoken of the unity pact as a prerequisite for peace, the ability of Hamas to nix Fayyad also means they have the power to ensure additional far-reaching compromises necessary for a pact with Israel are also never going to happen. A PA government in which Hamas has that much pull is one that is obviously never going to give up on the right of return for the descendants of Palestinian refugees or agree to the “swaps” of territory that is part of America’s push for recognition of the 1967 lines.
But rather than draw the obvious conclusion peace will be impossible until Fatah disassociates itself from Hamas, the president and Secretary of State Clinton are proceeding on the false assumption the PA will return to the talks and accept the concessions Washington is attempting to squeeze out of the Israelis. Instead of seeking to appease the Hamas-Fatah government, Obama and Clinton ought to be warning the Palestinians that the presence of terrorists in a PA administration will legally obligate the United States to put an end to the flow of American aid to the PA.
It speaks volumes about how out of touch with reality American foreign policy is these days. The Obama administration is so focused on its feud with Netanyahu, they have ignored a sea change in Palestinian politics that has rendered their argument with Israel completely moot.
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The familiar and often published head shot photo of US President Obama, that artfully depicts him seemingly lost in deep reverie, is well known.
ReplyDeleteAs he gently rests the fingers of his right hand on his right temple, a pose intended (perhaps by Mr. Obama, himself, either consciously or unconsciously) to convey an attitude or mental state of deep thoughtfulness, is well worth contemplating and examining for what it is worth and what it says about the President.
Anyone who watched the President's body language as he was listening- (or was it just 'hearing', for they are not the same thing)- to Netanyahu's words as the Israeli PM addressed President Obama, during a few moments that will surely live in history, could not have failed to notice that once again Obama's body language appeared to give the impression that he was weighing the PM's words with a great deal of concentration.
Several times Obama placed his hand under/against his chin which is simply another "body language" variation of the hand resting on one's temple pose.
The definition of the term "body language" may be expressed quite literally. The person is knowingly and/or unknowingly using his body to covey the thoughts in his mind using physical gestures as opposed to spoken words.
As I watched those short, tense moments I was well aware that Netanyahu indeed had President Obama's full attention.
But Obama's body language, at least for me, conveyed not so much the thoughtful weighing and considering of the Israeli PM's positions, so much as an attempt to do all Obama could do to contain his internalized, perhaps explosive anger, if not utter fury, that the Israeli PM would say what he did in front of live cameras. Something the Israeli PM had every right, and indeed duty to do, in articulating Israel's position as opposed to the US position regarding the State of Israel.
It was a very telling moment for me, as a Portrait Painter, a person who makes his living as an observer and interpreter of what one's body language is silently "saying" to the outer world.
Let me say here in all candor that I voted for President Obama, supported him in every way, gave more generously than I could afford to, repeatedly, during his first Campaign for the White House. I believed he would bring the fresh air of a young, brilliant and talented person into the White House.
How sick we had all become of years of scandals, corruption, sexcapades, and other improprieties that are not helpful towards enhancing America's standing in the world.
I still believe Mr. Obama is a good man, at heart, who means well and wants to do the right thing/s for America. In many ways he already has delivered on some of his original "Promise".
But in the area of American foreign policy, though I never, ever, would have believed I would be writing these words now- perhaps all the lofty hopes of his commendable 'Idealism' have partially blinded him to the harsher realities of the 'real' world. And to just how deep rooted and dangerous are -and can be- the innermost intentions and goals of rabid anti-semitism and the eternal Jew-hater.
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ReplyDeletePerhaps only we Jews, whose personal history is quite up front and personal, are fully aware of just how precarious our position is on this planet. Perhaps only a Jew can fully comprehend the fact that when people say they want to kill you- they mean those words quite literally and fully intend to act on those words and promises of their intentions.
In some type of strange, almost incomprehensible disconnect from reality, to people like President Obama, Hillary Clinton, their talking heads, and most of the media, there exists deep down in their psyche some bizarre notion that no matter how threatening and vitriolic the rhetoric becomes- that no one really means it literally when they say death to the Jews, death to the children of 'pigs and monkeys'. Death to Israel and we will wipe that country off the map of the world.
I do believe that neither President Obama or Hillary Clinton and company, nor all the talking heads in the media really believe that there could ever be another Holocaust, or more crucial, that anyone would ever attempt such.
"That can't happen here- not now- not at this point in History !"
Do the words sound familiar ? They should because they were spoken not so long ago all over Europe and as far as Greece, Africa and the Middle East, in my own and my parent's lifetime.
There was no one else to vote for at the time I stepped into the voting booth and when I pulled the lever for Mr. Obama.
Would it have been wiser to place in the White House an old man I had no respect for because he had lied once too many times about one too many things. And then there was the penultimate danger of having as Vice-President, a heart beat (literally) away from becoming President of the United States, a person (the gender was of no consequence) who could place the entire world at risk by the fact that she was a study in abysmal ignorance and would represent a loose canon on the world stage.
So I gave my vote to Mr. Obama, believing him a solid bet at the time who could and would steer the ship of State carefully and wisely. And he has done so in many ways.
But when it comes to International politics and critical affairs of State I have been seriously disappointed in President Obama.
Unlike those who attack and tear into Mr. Obama without mercy and at every opportunity, I see things a little more clear-headedly.
He is simply not capable of imagining just how dangerous the world can be and in particular he is naive to the point of being like a small and innocent child in his belief that Israel can, or should ever, trust its geographical adversaries sufficiently to allow themselves to place their physical survival at risk.
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ReplyDeleteIt really comes down to the following:
The present US Administration either does not believe the enemies of Israel pose an "existential risk" for Israel, or they feel that it is acceptable for Israel to gamble with its existence because the possible disappearance of a nation called Israel would not constitute any big loss for the United States or the world.
Either way this present Administration has lost its way and its raison d'etre for me and for tens of millions of other people- both in the US, in Israel and worldwide.
Who will appear on the scene to replace such an Administration, I do not claim to know.
Are not most politicians really just pimps and whores in silk suits, and or egomaniacs and often totally ignorant and very often -even just plain stupid to boot. Feel free to fill in the names from recent history.
We in America do not have many good choices in the next election- do we ?
Where are the George Washington's and the Abraham Lincoln's from days of old who would have thought it insane and totally unacceptable to have "speech writers", for example, penning their speeches for them on a daily basis and stuffing words in their mouths.
What type of real leader has to hide behind the pants or skirts of others and be afraid to stand up and take a position and speak for himself- and mean what he says.
Are we not at a low point in history when it comes to great leaders and heroes- except perhaps beyond America's northernmost border where I do believe a true hero exists.
But the foreign born are not allowed to run for President of the United States- more is the pity.
Thus, we are condemned to take a wait and see attitude. Perhaps some bolt of lightening from Heaven will cause the present White House to see the light.
However I will not be holding my breath. Rather I will just rely on the wiser, more steady minds in Israel to make sure the country remains ever vigilant, ever prepared, ever strong in body and mind to deal with any unforeseen threat/s- now or in the most distant future.
And may G-d, in His Infinite Wisdom and Mercy, continue to Bless Israel and the United States of America.
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David Pakter
New York City
15 June 2011