Jeffrey Goldberg on Emanuel: "Israeli Running the White House"

I thrive on ferreting out the unexamined assumptions of Israel's uncritical supporters. One of them is The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg. Israel Policy Forum just e-mailed me a panel discussion he conducted with Israel's former New York consul general, Alon Pinkas. The sheer chutzpah of Goldberg's statements about Rahm Emanuel took my breath away:

The rumor about Obama's "Jewish problem" was one of the non-stories of the campaign. Approximately 78 percent of the Jews who voted went for Obama. Obviously, they didn't buy it. It is interesting, however, that if you had been able to tell people that "the guy who will be running the White House is essentially an Israeli," it may have quieted some people down.

...Emanuel is emotionally tied to Israel in ways that very few politicians are, and is unyielding on Israel's right to exist.

I've never been taken with the dual loyalty issues that occupy bloggers like Phil Weiss. But Goldberg has just backed into this one with his eyes wide open. Should American Jews feel more comfortable that Rahm Emanuel is "essentially an Israeli" and will therefore do Israel's bidding in the White House? This somehow doesn't make me more comfortable. It makes me queasy.

I don't mind having Israel's perspective represented in policy discussions. But to feel happy that Obama's key aide represents Israel's perspective in his own person -- that's too much for me.

And here now I've been trying to persuade my readers that regardless of Emanuel's views he's going to be subordinate to Obama's views on Israel even if they might disagree with his own. Goldberg comes along and blows my claim right out of the water. Screw chain of command, Emanuel friggin' owns the White House. My God, what a train wreck Goldberg is.

To be fair, Goldberg follows up with this attempt to balance the equation:

...His low tolerance for nonsense and his willingness to get into people's faces should give caution to those who think he will be some sort of "rubber stamp" to all of Israel's policies.

But this statement seems almost an afterthought. The preponderant emphasis is on the first passage and not the second.

It's possible that Emanuel is one tough son of a bitch who will be able to face down stubborn Israeli politicians reluctant to concede an inch in compromising with their Palestinian neighbors (and vice versa). If that's the Rahm who runs the White House, then more power to him. But Goldberg here hasn't done him any favors in making it appear that Emanuel will be Israel's point person in the Oval Office.

The full audio of the discussion is here.

Comments

[Justtellthetruth]

I hope he does not play an undermining role such as that played by Dennis Ross. I want to see Obama succeed, and I hope that Emanuel will play the faithful soldier, But his AIPAC affiliations give me some doubt.

[gbrooks]

I'm right there with you. Skeptical, but hopeful. Emanuel could be great in dealing with Israel, or he could be disastrous in influencing Obama into a war with Iran or whomever the Israeli's are most irked with that day.

[MishkaNY]

Benjamin Emanuel told an Israeli newspaper that his son, who is Jewish, would "obviously influence the president to be pro-Israel".

He said: "Obviously he'll influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn't he? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to be mopping floors at the White House."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7729046.stm

[chaos4700]

To be fair, that's already being covered elsewhere on HuffPo:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1108/Emanuel_apologizes_for_fathers_remarks.html

[SoD1]

Well, this would be 'slightly' disturbing but not very surpring if we have read Prof. Mearsheimer's 'The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy' for example, hmm? Since it, even before Obama takes Office, send the signal to Iran and other Islamic Nations that the Obama Administration 'might not be as unlike Bush as they would have hoped. Obama and Emanuel not elaborating and disclosing soon clearly their plan for the ME, would only send U.S./Israel/ ME on confrontation curs again. To me it appeared like Obama as well as Emanuel understand well that blaming the crimes and the atrocities of a few “Some” on all sides on the entire ' tribe' will always result in tribal vendettas which will sooner or later become autonomic. I 'hope' that both men understand that what is best for the entire ME is what is best for Israel and not necessary vis a versa!
And "Hope" was one of Obama's slogan as I recall.

[chaos4700]

On the flip side, there are a fair number of Jewish politicians in the Democratic party and they tend to be skillful, respectable and operate with a sense of social justice (the obvious notable exception being Joe Lieberman, who is only quasi-Democratic at this point). Whether one agrees with our Jewish Democrats or not regarding Israel (and I don't, I can't name any that take a serious stand against what Israel's done) they are among the brighter politicians we have in the Congress, Jewish or not, Democratic or not. It would be difficult (and discriminatory for that matter) to specifically avoid Jewish politicians when building a qualified Democratic administration.

That said, this does put a white hot spotlight on the Obama administration. If it can't change course with its predecessors on Israel, than it will demonstrate to the rest of the world (and much of the US) that Obama's administration won't live up to its expectations of hope.

[DonReinaldo]

Obama and Emanuel can effectively disarm those who claim the new administration will be joined at the hip with Israel with one simple choice . . . the naming of a Palestinia­n-American as envoy to the Middle East.

[betz55]

Consider this, maybe Obama put Rahm in that position so that when he, Obama, finally cuts Israel's aid he cannot be accused or smeared by AIPAC and their cohorts as anti-semitic.

[gbrooks]

I don't see how we'll be able to afford to give any country aid, much less Israel for much longer.

[PackyJ]

Rahm Emanuel is a good soldier, and will carry out Obama's wishes.
He will not go off on his own agenda.
Emanuel is Obama's hammer, so to speak.
His real value, I suspect, will be to keep spineless Congressional Democrats in line.

[exotic]

Rahm needs to be watched closely. He is suspect.

[pundit27]

Unyielding right to exist? Isn't that this nation's and the civilized world's baseline policy?
And, hey, haven't we just finished eight years with the GOP's superpro-Israeli neo-cons: Wolfowitz, Perle, and Feith? It would seem to be a hell of a lot safer to have the Jews with emotional attachments to Israel in the White House rather than at the Pentagon.

[exotic]

I truly hope that having Rahm on this short lease will show what is really going on with AIPAC. This is also why he needs to be very, very careful for who he chooses for sec of state (#1 diplomatic position).

[lizr]

OK so what do you think of HRC in this regard?

[Whinger]

Change means exactly that, and the Israeli status quo will have to change just to keep in step!

Barack Obama and Joe Biden will prove they are nobody's puppets!

[Lagniappe]

I seriously doubt that Isreal woul have someone who's loyalty would be to the US in a position of such influence,as Emmanuel does here. ,

[Pdubya]

I don't know if you're a student of public schooling....but if you are...thank your teachers for including logic in your curriculum.

[lizr]

this is a scary thought, for sure.

[bobbyrasuli]

You are so smart its dangerous becarefull with the left right paradigm thing. For your and your family sake

[Wolfgang]

If President Obama acts to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza than we will know that he is his own man . If not, than Mr. Goldberg is right and Rahm and AIPAC call the shots.

[betz55]

If Mr Obama is really interested in "change" we can believe in then he needs to "change" the same old rhetoric, and dogmatic, unquestioned, unconditional support of Israel. Level the playing field and be an honest broker of the "change" he is espousing. Obama is no fool but Rahm, and AIPAC may be doing their best to bias Obama to be an Israel firster.

I will be proud of the day when the President can put the interest of America before the interest of Israel and not be crucified for it. It's a shame that American politicians are selected, not on their commitment to the best interests of America, but by vowing to put the interests of a foreign nation, Israel, first. The oath of allegiance that I said everyday in school was not to Israel, or any country but America.

A true "friend" of Israel would tell them they need to end the occupation of the West Bank, stop repressing the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinians, and stop warmongering. The time has come for the US to stop pandering to Israel and it's destructive, belligerent, failed policies.

Israel 'preconditions' for "peace" are outdated, irrelevant, and biased towards Israel. Why is Israel allowed to lay waste to every international law and convention without criticism and their "enemies" -read Iran,Syria, any one against Israel's failed policies are not entitled to raise a hand in their own defense without raising Washingtons hackles? I hope Obama,and Rahm smarten up.

[Skye]

"Agreed...Sick and tired of US policy favoring Israel over the occupied Palestinians...And yet another administration that at the top is showing dual state interest, aren't we the USA?...Are we now joined to Israel at the hip?...If we are, perhaps we should amend the constitution to reveal that...Perhaps we should allow Americans to vote on whether or not we agree that US policy should be so heavily influenced by Israel.

I say no and NEVER AGAIN"


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For crying out loud , give Obama a chance. You have nothing to go on that says he won't be more of an honest broker in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict than past admins. And this hysteria over Rahm is so over the top.

[lizr]

Oh really?

[LucieLee]

WOW! We as a nation have always been a bit schizophrenic where Israel is concerned. I do hope now that we have a serious leader, like Barack Obama as President, we can once again be an honest broker where Israel is concerned as well as the Palestinians. Barack chose Rahm, not because of his Israeli roots, he picked him because he was the best person for the job as WH Chief of Staff.

[butofcourse]

Yes, there should be no question as to whether a President will support Israel's right to exist. Every President will, of course. What is critical is that they don't give Israel a rubber stamp to carry out whatever policies they like- pre-emptive strikes on Iran, for starters, or recolonizing Gaza and the West Bank. I think (I hope) that Obama will take a nuanced approach to Israeli-Palestinian relations, and I also hope that Rahm Emanuel will defer to his boss in this area.

[11907281]

It's weird, maybe it's because I'm Canadian, but I actually see the Palestinian side to this issue too... you know those sub-humans no one seems to give 2 shakes about. Unfortunately, if US politicians don't acknowledge this , it will go on and on and on and on ........