On Dec. 7, 2011, six Republican candidates for president (Rep. Ron Paul was not invited) appeared before the Republican Jewish Coalition (NRC) to campaign for Christian votes. There are Jewish Republicans, to be sure, but not enough to make a difference in this primary contest. No, the real prize that drew the candidates to the NRC event were the 40 perecent of GOP primary voters who are declared "born-again" Christians who fervently believe that Israel can do no wrong and that it is their religious duty to support any and all Israeli policies as a prerequisite to hasten the "Day of Judgment."
The speeches were mostly filled with hysterical criticism of President Obama's "appeasement" of Israel's enemies and hyperbolic praise for Israel (with the exception of John Huntsman, who, after a few pandering platitudes, spoke mostly about the economy -- and was greeted with "stoney silence"). Because their remarks included such irresponsible charges and promises, I have included significant excerpts below in order to give a flavor of how out of touch today's GOP is from current Middle East realities:
Newt Gingrich
"As President, on my first day in office, I will issue an executive order directing the US Embassy in Israel to be moved to Jerusalem as provided for in the legislation I introduced in Congress in 1995... The United States should explicitly reject the concept of a right of return for Palestinian refugees. The so-called right of return is a historically impossible demand that would be a demographic disaster and mean the end of the Jewish state of Israel. We are for a right to prosperity, a right to freedom, a right to the rule of law, a right to private property, but we must be totally opposed to a right of return...[And] the United Nations camps system must be replaced by a system of earned income and property rights to restore dignity and hope to every Palestinian."
[Gingrich on The Jewish Channel, the next day]
"Remember there was no Palestine as a state. It was part of the Ottoman Empire. And I think that we've had an invented Palestinian people, who are in fact Arabs, and were historically part of the Arab community. And they had a chance to go many places. And for a variety of political reasons we have sustained this war against Israel now since the 1940s, and I think it's tragic."
Michele Bachmann
"It seems as if lately, our president has forgotten the importance of Israel to America and thinks of our relationship only in terms of what we do for Israel. The President is more concerned about Israel building homes on its own land than the threats that Israel and America face in the region... Our policy has confused engagement with appeasement and has inspired Israel's enemies."
"Obama improperly calls for Israel to retreat to indefensible 1949 armistice lines with swaps, and to then still face further demands to divide Jerusalem and allow a Palestinian 'right of return' to overrun the entire State of Israel. The Obama administration has also unconditionally given the Palestinians unprecedented amounts of U.S. foreign aid, and opposed Congressional efforts to condition aid on the real steps that would bring about peace."
"The so-called Palestinian 'right of return,' would demographically destroy Israel by swamping it with millions of Arabs who never lived in Israel, thereby turning the world's only Jewish state into the world's 23rd Arab state."
"My administration will fully recognize Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital... My administration will also recognize Israel's 1980 annexation of the Golan Heights and any settlements, which Israel, as a sovereign state, chooses to annex. Simply put, my administration will accord Israel the respect to which sovereign, democratic nations are entitled."
Mitt Romney
"Over the past three years, President Obama has... chastened Israel. He's publicly proposed that Israel adopt indefensible borders. He's insulted its Prime Minister. And he's been timid and weak in the face of the existential threat of a nuclear Iran."
"These actions have emboldened Palestinian hard-liners who now are poised to form a unity government with terrorist Hamas and feel they can bypass Israel at the bargaining table. President Obama has immeasurably set back the prospect of peace in the Middle East."
Rick Perry
"President Obama has systematically undermined America's relationship with Israel... I want to be clear I support the goal of a Palestinian state, but it should be the Palestinians who meet certain preconditions."
"Instead, the Administration has insisted on previously unheard-of preconditions for Israel, such as an immediate stop to all settlement activity. President Obama has suggested the 1967 borders as a basis for negotiations. And he has instituted the practice of "indirect talks," subverting the Oslo Accords."
"Israel does not need our president demanding gratitude for being the best friend Israel has ever had while his Secretary of Defense rails that Israel has to "get back to the damn table" with the Palestinians, and his Secretary of State questions the viability of Israel's democracy, even as his Ambassador to Belgium blames anti-Semitism among Muslims on Israel's failure to accommodate the Palestinians... " This torrent of hostility towards Israel does not seem to have been coordinated, but rather is the natural expression of this administration's attitude towards Israel."
All of this goes beyond the normal platitudes offered up in an election year. It was dangerous, shameful, and crass pandering, making it clear how far today's GOP has moved from the reality-based foreign policy of the Bush-Baker era. And while it's hard to imagine the alternate universe inhabited by these candidates for president, it's frightening to think of where they will take U.S.-Middle East policy should any of them be elected.
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Those who are already outraged should not read the article. It will make them even more outraged, and that just can not be good. But, all others might just be interested to see what it is about, EVN is, like me, you are not going to vote for Newt.
Oh, and by the way, those who just love Newt mioght want to give him a buzz, telling him he has a groupie, and, like he is, she is a Professor. Now, I do not want him to go for yet another marriage, though.
and Truman was too sympathetic, although that is understandable
considering the terrible things of WW 2.....
So it's a different story now, and the UN has it's problems but
could be helpful in this Middle East ME$$....
maps before 47.
Even if it were not so clearly an easy 90% of the world
does recognize the PA's and their natural desire
for their own nation. So that is the reality that
Israel has to someday deal with.
But all of their national aspirations are morally equal. It is their actions that should be examined.
Treating the Palestinians as some type of sub-apartheid other is as immoral and degrading for Israel and the United States as it is for Palestinians.
I support anyone amongst these three groups that promotes non-violent coexistence. And there are many of us. Right now the arms dealers, thugs and the bigots may hold sway in all of these camps. But the day will come when the intelligent and peaceful from the three groups emerge and reconcile the situation.
Even after the British redrew the boundaries in their section they redrew and was to give Jews Palestine which would have completely erased Palestine but it ended up being 25% given to Palestinian Jews and 75% to Palestinian Arabs. With The misleading propaganda these facts seem to be over looked by the Media.
What land Israel claims as theirs was only "PROMISED but that promise was REVERSED. Jewish people seem that they have a loss of memory. Until that point the Jewish people DID NOT HAVE A HOME LAND.
1. created by Palestinian sympathizers.
2. showing "regions", not sovereign borders.
3. a figment of someone's imagination.
The Maps were established by the same country that gave the land to the Jewish. ( England) Whether Region or not. Palestine was cordoned off giving the Jewish people part and the Palestinian Arabs the remainder. Those borders were established. The Arabs that settled there, no matter when, became Palestinians. The Jewish became Israeli when the Palestinian Jews changed the name to Israel.
-Auni Bey Abdul-Hadi, Syrian Arab leader to British Peel Commission, 1937
"There is no such thing as Palestine in history, absolutely not".
- Professor Philip Hitti, Arab historian, 1946
"It is common knowledge that Palestine is nothing but Southern Syria".
- Representant of Saudi Arabia at the United Nations, 1956
Any questions?
Do you think that Palestine is an Arab word?
Yet, even if there was no Palestine. Let's assume that. Arabs lived in that area since the early A.D. centuries. They called this home for 1500 years. Much of those under Mameluk or Turkish occupation, but still, the inhabitants were always Arabs. What gives the right to Zionists to kick them out and say this land was never their home ?
Also, don't forget that political Arabs saying that Palestine is nothing but Southern Syria had conflicts of interests in the matter. The displaced Palestinians, then, were nothing but embarrassment for them.
That would be inaccurate. The Romans named the region "Palestine" when they occupied the region. When you see historical information on the topic of Palestine I believe the authors are using the terminology that they have found to make the description more readable and understandable and not so much based on provable facts.
"Arabs lived in that area since the early A.D. centuries."
Not true. The Arabs have lived there for thousands of years BC. The Jews also lived there in the area known as Israel/Judah since about 4000 years BC.
"What gives the right to Zionists to kick them out and say this land was never their home ?"
The Jews did not kick anyone out. The Palestinian forces that were intent on destroying Israel in 1947 (3 days after the UN issue its plan for Israel and Palestine) advised Palestinians to leave the area or risk being inadvertently killed by the all powerful Arab armies that were going to take Israel out of the picture. Most of the Palestinians left of their own accord and did not return after the Israelis kicked Arab butt. (FYI: There are many Palestinians living peacefully in Israel).
>>>"The so-called Palestinian 'right of return,' would demographically destroy Israel by swamping it with millions of Arabs who never lived in Israel, thereby turning the world's only Jewish state into the world's 23rd Arab state."
>>>"These actions have emboldened Palestinian hard-liners who now are poised to form a unity government with terrorist Hamas and feel they can bypass Israel at the bargaining table. President Obama has immeasurably set back the prospect of peace in the Middle East."
>>>"[President Obama] has instituted the practice of 'indirect talks', subverting the Oslo Accords."
All these statements are factually, demostrably true. They are not a matter of opinion. How can true statements constitute "hysterical criticism" of Obama??
Third point: "these actions...emboldening", this IS an opinion, not a fact. In fact Hamas' unity with Fatah is as a result of the LACK of support from Obama. Had we actually supported Fatah this may not have happened. Although its interesting that the alliance of moderate Fatah and militant Hamas is seen as a triumph for the smaller militant group and not the larger moderate one.
It is hysterical criticism of Obama to suggest that he is actively working to undermine Israel and the peace process when all his actions - increased fiscal support of Israel (who paid for Iron dome), increased military co-operation, increased pressure on Iran and a complete u-turn on settlements, and the astonishing spectacle of the US leaving UNESCO to suit Israel - indicate he is Israels best friend in the white house - ever.
>>>"Obama has NEVER asked for a full right of return"
That's NOT the point. The point is that while pressing Israel for concessions ("settlements", borders), he did NOT press the PA to renounce the "right of return".
Obama DID provide more support for the Palestinian Authority than any US president. No other Administration accepted preconditions to negotiations. FACT, not opinion.
Nobody said "he is actively working to undermine Israel", that's your invention. There is no suggestion that he did it on purpose, just that it's unforgivable clumsiness. The damage wrought by these policies can't be compensated with money.
>>>"increased pressure on Iran"
Nope. Only after the mullahs spat on his "open hand policy" did he fall back (for lack of other options) on sanctions -- a Bush policy! Even building up momentum for sanctions was done clumsily, see the embarassing Turkey & Brazil episode.
UNESCO: let me explain something to you. In a democracy, the government is required to comply with the law. Obama's Adiministration had nothing to do with adopting the law.
It might just a take a war for us to realize that Israel is not worth a single American life or a single dollar.
What "relationships" has Israel cost us?
Israel is a cancer? That seems to very very harsh.
And "move on" to what, exactly; Sharia law for everyone?
The U.S. contributes to the UN. The UN is feeding the people in Gaza. I think we should stop those food rations, and I know you agree with me on that one, right, alpi? We are also funding the Palestinians, and that keeps them going and going, around and around. Why would they make agreements, starting between each other? Gaza would lose its food rations, PLO would lose good money, part of which they funnel to Gaza, no one could pay their *governments* - did you notice, plural! - unless Iran would pay all of it, henceforth. They would be out of a job. A job, by the way, they are doing badly, because doing it badly earns benefits. If we would stop paying them, Iran would have no interest in paying Hamas either. The fun would be right out of the whole setup.
view that has never existed.....except in the minds of
the Super Rich elite running the show....
So does your comment mean that the Jews/Israeli's can move to "palestine" and be safe - contrary to the current laws in hamas' charter calling for the death of all Jews
There were only Arabs and Jews living on the land of Palestine at that time.