Israelis Unsure What Obama Means For Their Destiny
It was already morning in Israel yesterday when the news of the US elections came in. Our outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quick to offer a generic welcome to Senator Obama, hours later Tsipi Livni, our Foreign Minister offered hers. I got their email alerts from the Government Press Office.
As for the newspapers, at least the ones that publish in English, there was no real response to Obama -- except for some pre-written stories of what he should expect to deal with vis a vis Middle East policy. Maybe because it was too early for journalists to start working, and the morning papers already out. Maybe Israelis weren't really sure what to say.
Or we'd already said too much. (Click to the US election coverage section, on Israel's English daily, The Jerusalem Post).
"It's like the whole country is in shock," said a friend of mine, a McCain supporter. We talked about the same sort of grey feeling that washed over Israelis years ago when Bush was voted in.
I was in Tel Aviv and remember the night clearly. We were sure Bush wouldn't stand behind Israel the same as Clinton. We thought Bush would spell disaster for Middle East security, and Israel. We were sure Bush was a moron. No doubt Saddam Hussein's bomb threats would grow stronger, then materialize. I had my gas mask ready, expecting the worst.
Then while all the other European leaders were talking -- in one fell swoop -- Bush eliminated Israel's worst enemy. We started to love him.
Maybe Obama will be good for the slumping US and world economy, but most Israelis are suspicious about his lack of experience. People I know, save for a few American-Israelis, would have voted for McCain. We feel insecure about Iran, and are not sure if Obama has what it takes to negotiate with a leader who wants to wipe Israel off the map. I hope he'll surprise us.
While writing this post, I picked up the latest two headlines on the JPost:
Ahmadinejad congratulates Obama, says he expects change
Iranian president urges Obama to put an end to Bush policy, which has led to "hatred of all nations, majority of gov'ts toward US leaders." (CLICK TO STORY HERE)
Livni urges Obama not to talk to Iran
Foreign Minister says engaging Teheran in dialogue at this time would project "weakness." (CLICK TO STORY HERE)
Meanwhile, while driving to Tel Aviv from Hadera today, an entourage of black trucks with a police escort sped by. It was probably Condoleezza Rice. She's in town hoping to lay the "real" foundations of Israeli-PA peace by the end of her term:
According to the Jpost:
"We'll see where they are at the end of the year," said Rice, vowing to "work on this with the parties until the day that we leave."
It's her 8th time in Israel.
With her time in office rapidly waning, Rice is hoping to shore up the fragile Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and leave a viable process for the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama.
Yet the rockets that threaten our lives every day are still falling...
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Let's just say that the destiny of Israel is doing much better now than it has been for the last eight years...wi
Either the region becomes further destabilized due to right-wing hawks, or it mellows out due to reasonable diplomacy. I don't see how any intelligent and ethical person could prefer the former.
There is no security but peace.
Only a truly divine entity could still hold out hope for the mess that is humanity..
My only hope is that the humanity and the compassion and the healing message which Barack Obama seeks to bring forth unto this planet will somehow, some way begin to chip away at the human insanity of eyes for eyes and victims who become persecutors ad infinitum.
Why don't Israelis understand that the Bush Administration has made Iran even stronger??
That is the 64 billion dollars question.
As for Foreign Minister Livni's comment where she says that "engaging Teheran in dialogue at this time would project "weakness.
Sheesh!
Please help me understand. As a liberal democrat who is neither Arab nor Jewish, I'm troubled by the endless conflict between Israel, Palestine and other Arab nations. So Israel fears being wiped off the map by Iran, and is unwilling to make peace concessions to Palestine, and feels licensed in bombing Palestinian refugee camps no matter how many women and children are slaughtered, and yet...from where I sit, there seems to be an equal desire on the part of some Israelis to wipe Palestine off the map, and prevent any negotiation from occuring with other Arab nations.
How can peace ever occur if people blatantly refuse to discuss their differences? How can peace occur if people refuse to validate the right of other races, religions and creeds to exist? Are Israelis inherently superior to Palestinians? Would God himself proclaim Judaism superior to Islam? I realize Israelis have suffered unspeakably due to Palestinian suicide bombers, and that they may have reason to fear Iran, yet Palestinians are suffering heinously too. We can all agree that the horror perpetrated upon Jews by Nazi Germany was the greatest of atrocities. Does that then mean atrocities and ill will towards other races, creeds and religions should persist ad infinitum? I think its wonderful that Ahmadinejad congratulated Obama. What IF Obama's victory does begin to make possible healing on a global level? Shouldn't we want to live our lives embracing that beautiful possibility instead of rigidly insisting it false?
Hopefully Obama will have a tough love policy toward Israel.
A great wrong was committed when European Jews moved in vast numbers to Palestine, forced out the Palestinian natives, and seized their homes, farms and lands. We Americans have enabled a dysfunctional Israel to avoid facing the consequences of those actions for 60 years. We've enabled Israel to believe that there can be peace without justice or sacrifice.
The era of blind American support for Israel is dying with the WWII generation. The best thing America can do now is stand back and let Israel be accountable for its actions.
I hope, for the sake of Israel, that Obama will fight to keep them safe. I'm happy in his choice of appointing Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff, as he is an advocate for Israel. The Israeli's have already given away "so much" of their land!!! They are a kind and gentle people and are only fighting for what is "rightfully" theirs... Israel was their land first, and I believe that our nation will be blessed for supporting them.
Also, I believe the war is a "holy war." I definitely believe this to be the case concerning Ahmadinejad.
Shouldn't he be an advocate for what's in America's best interests, not Israel's? See, this is why I'm leaving the GOP--we've lost our way and have been taken over by neocons.
I consider Emanuel to be a very disturbing choice. I voted for Obama to get away from mindless Israel-centric warmongering.
Israel has been a country for 60 years and has the means to defend themselves and has a very good economic infrastructure. It's time for them to put on the big-boy pants and start resolving their own problems with their neighbors.
"We feel insecure about Iran, and are not sure if Obama has what it takes to negotiate with a leader who wants to wipe Israel off the map."
Ahmadinejad has also said "Iran is a threat to no other nation including the Zionist Entity".
Of course, I'm only supposed to believe him when he says something which bolsters our case for attacking Iran. Which we wanted to do long before he became President.
"We feel insecure about Iran, and are not sure if Obama has what it takes to negotiate with a leader who wants to wipe Israel off the map. I hope he'll surprise us."
You do realize that the other candidate wasn't willing to negotiate at all with Iran, right?
"Foreign Minister says engaging Teheran in dialogue at this time would project 'weakness'
This is contrary to my first quote, and it's a ridiculous warmonger stance. Israel is a nation of bloodthirst and war. I'm tired of it. Who cares what they think? I don't. Take care of yourselves.
After reading this article, I'm inclined to agree. Can you imagine the gall of Israel, which is being taken over by Bush neocons, making demands of our new President? Let's see you stand on your own feet for once. Then we'll talk about your demands.
The notion that Bush brought ANY security to Israel is a delusion. A Hamas election? That is security? Achmadinejad had no chance if not for Bush. Equally delusional are the folks here who have no clue what has bee directed, from the very beginning, toward Israel from these so called "Palestinians". How many of your own children should be killed before you think someone is an enemy?
It is time for a solution, and hopefully a peaceful one. Let's get over the idea of an equal playing field, though. You folks think amnesia is an asset. History repeats, so I think memory is a best ally.
I respect the sovereign status of Israel and it's about time they respected ours. We are not their puppets to be used to fight their battles for them. If they want to keep their country in the Middle East, they will have to learn how to get along with their neighbors, negotiate and use diplomacy.
That said, I'm all for remaining friends with them. But there are far too many high-level people in the US Gov't with dual citizenship with Israel.
When criticism of a country immediately turns into shouts of "anti-semitism", that's absolutely ridiculous. Criticism of our and other governments is necessary.
Well said. We are not their puppets nor their gravy train nor their caretakers. Show us a little respect, stop whining when you don't get absolutely everything you want, stop accusing us of anti-semitism when we engage in reality and try to seek real solutions, and learn to compromise. If you won't compromise, you will never know anything but war. And Bush made it worse. Ever heard of Hamas?
Well said!
Israel is our friend and ally.
Because they are our ally and friend, I would politely remind Minister Livni that demands of the sort she made are unacceptable.
AS LONG AS WE KEEP SENDING THEM MONEY AND ARMS....TH
The United States will always be a friend to Israel. I, as a private citizen, pray for the well being of every child, woman and peace-seeking man in the middle east and the world. And for those who do not seek peace -- both here and abroad-- I pray for their hearts and minds to be healed in accordance with the will of our creator -- the God of Abraham.
Then they should be friends with everyone in the ME and stop playing favorites.
If Israel wants real peace, it will follow in the foot steps of our next president and not view the world as enemies and friends, but rather human beings.
A prosperous future does not have to be mutually exclusive.
Yep, those rockets continue to threaten, even when not actually launched, but the incursions by the Israeli army go on apace and unmentioned here, even though people were not threatened in their latest escapade, but were literally killed. Bush's greatest foreign policy disaster was looking at the Israeli method for handling their problems with the Palestinians and seeing method and not madness. Military solutions make problems insoluble. Kill the father and all the sons want revenge, as do the grandsons. Bulldoze the grove and the olive trees grow forever in the minds of those who once tended them and want them back.
And yet again, the falsehood appears that Iran wants to 'wipe Israel off the map.' FInd a translator of Farsi who will give you an accurate rendering of actual statements by their president and see if that statement is among them. Please. You should be able to sleep better were you to take the trouble to do so.
You speak as if you know the thoughts of 'most Israelis'. How is that possible? Please cite polling data which confirms your conclusions.
John McCain's experience in war was not success, but capture and torture. And his response to any crisis was the same: reaction without consideration or hierarchical thought. Perhaps this essential impulsivity seems attractive from a distance. But here, where we got to see it close up, we voted the other way, and now Obama is our president. Hope you can live with that.
Can we get a HuffPo pick for this? Best post I've read in weeks.
And you are 100% correct about that phony tale that he called for wiping Israel off the map. Nowhere in that speech did he say that. Nowhere. Just more Neocon lies.
I remember listening to little George talk about the so-called "Road Map". The man who distinguished himself by asserting in presidental debates that he was not a nation-builder. Yet here he is with an oar still in the water trying to "broker" an equitable peace from a place that has little real interest in the territory or the outcome.
If Barack is any kind of a man, he will talk to Ahmadinejad as well as Castro. If the state of Israel wants pre-emptive criminal bloodshed on its hands then so-be-it. It will be a criminal nation. Ronald Reagan did not nuke the wall.... there is a lesson in all of that for you. There is a more charming way to get Muslim girls into mini-skirts. Unilateral violence and/or diplomatic snubbing is not the solution.
well said
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