Not Even Siri Knows

 

 

Audio Link to Not Even Siri Knows

West Hills, CA. First things first. This past Friday, the U.N. Security Council by a vote of 14-0, passed a stinging resolution condemning Israeli settlement construction as lacking any legal validity. Where over the past 70 years the United States could reliably be counted on to exercise its Security Council veto authority whenever any such blatantly anti-Israel measure was on the table, this time, our U.N. Ambassador, Samantha Powers, abstained. Needless to say, this radical turn of events sent shockwaves around the world.  That President Obama should order Ambassador Powers to abstain is both historic and deeply troubling.  For as long as anyone can recall, the United States has acted as both Israel's BFF and partisan guarantor of last resort.  And even if one does not favor Israel's continued settlement program (I am among this group), this latest turn of events is monumental.  Monumentally bad?  Monumentally good?  Not even Siri knows . . .

With Friday's abstention, President Obama has done the heretofore unthinkable, thereby giving "aid and comfort" to Israel's international enemies, while at the same time  putting diabolic "We-told-you-he's-an-Israel-hating-closeted-Muslim-anti-Semite" leers on the faces of his most ardent detractors here at home.  By sitting idly by and permitting the Security Council to finally pass the resolution it's always dreamed of,  Barack Obama has essentially turned the soon-to-be inaugurated Donald Trump into Israel's vaunted political savior.  Indeed, upon hearing of the abstention, Trump warned the U.N. (and promised Israeli P.M. Bibi Netanyahu) "When I become President, things are going to be different."

Predictably, the president is facing widespread condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, and placed a noxious pall over his last month in the White House. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called the abstention "a failure of leadership and judgment," and pledged to work with the incoming administration to reassure Israel of America's continuing commitment to its security.  Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called the vote "frustrating, disappointing and confounding." Across the country, leaders of most mainstream Jewish organizations have condemned the vote. A statement released by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations stated, in part: "There is no justification or explanation that validates the United States failure to veto the one-sided, offensive resolution adopted by the Security Council today. The United States vote will be seen as a betrayal of the fundamentals of the special relationship that will nevertheless continue to mark the close ties between the peoples of the two countries.” 

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to exact a “diplomatic and economic price” from countries who acted against Israel. (Whatever this means is unclear; as Rachel Maddow would say, "Watch this space.") The Israeli P.M. also announced that he would halt his country's contributions to several U.N. institutions (amounting to somewhere in the neighborhood of $7.8 million) and said he would work closely with incoming President Trump to rescind the U.N.'s resolution.

On the surface, the response to Obama's historic abstention and the U.N. resolution that abstention made possible has, for the most part, been fairly predictable. Without question, it poses vexing and unknowable difficulties for both the United States and Israel. The Jewish State now finds itself more isolated than ever; not exactly the kind of Chanukah miracle any sane person was hoping for.  But somewhere beneath the surface, where the chess match called politics resides, there lurks a specter haunting Mr. Netanyahu.  While it is far too early to know whether or not this action will forever taint Mr. Obama's political reputation, Mr. Netanyahu is already facing political high heat which threatens him from all sides. 

For years, the conservative Israeli P.M. has been engaged in a strange, somewhat duplicitous strategy where in a sense, he has been playing on both sides of the same political chess board.   For years, he has been competing domestically with his right-wing rivals in backing the settlement project all over the occupied West Bank while at the same time publicly professing support for a two-state solution with the Palestinians.  This attempt to be all things to all people has of late begun to wear pretty thin.  And now, with the Security Council having gone on record as finding these settlements both illegal and an impediment to any future negotiated settlement, Israeli politicians and analysts on the right, center and left are beginning to lick their chops, sensing that Bibi is about to lose the match . . . to himself. 

In Hebrew one might give him the following advice: הגיע הזמן לחרבן או רד מן הסיר - namely, "The time has come to sh*t or get off the pot."

This isn't going to be easy for the heretofore politically adroit Prime Minister. Those on Netanyahu's political right, feeling their oats because of the impending Trump administration and his putative Ambassador-in-waiting, David Friedman, are pushing their P.M. to abandon the idea of a Palestinian State - long considered the only viable solution to the conflict.  Naftali Bennett, leader of the pro-settlement Jewish Home party is goading Mr. Netanyahu to adopt even more extreme positions, like annexing parts of the West Bank, which would be politically disastrous. The Prime Minister has also spoken out in favor of the so-called "Regulation Bill," which, unbelievably, would retroactively legalize settler outposts and homes built on privately owned Palestinian land and force the owners to accept compensation.  And yet, at the same time, Mr. Netanyahu has warned that the bill he supports contravenes international law and "could land Israeli officials in the defendant dock of the International Criminal Court in The Hague."   

Former foreign minister Tzipi Livni, leader of the political center-left Zionist Union, while seeing the Security Council vote as being bad for Israel, nonetheless declared the other day that it is " . . . the result of Netanyahu's surrender to the extreme right." And yet, at the same time, Netanyahu still declares himself to favor a two-state solution.  As stated above, his political game plan is beginning to wear thin . . .

As much as one (myself included) may deride President Obama for failing to veto this latest anti-Israel U.N. resolution. it is nonetheless important to remember that the United States has over the past eight years provided the Jewish State with more financial aid and weaponry than at any time in the past.  While it is undoubtedly true that the optics of the current impasse are far from satisfactory, actions will always continue to speak louder than words . . . or abstentions.

Whatever is going to be in store for Israel will have a lot to do with America's next president, his administration and the political future of Bibi Netanyahu.  In the game of political chess, it is always best to know as much about one's opponent as possible and then make him or her play your game.  But when that opponent is one's own self, all bets are off.

Clearly, we're headed where no one has gone before . . . again.

 

Copyright©2016 Kurt F. Stone

 

Comments

[Barbara Tzetzo Gosch]

Clearly, we're headed where no one has gone before . . . again.

isn't this the truth? Been catching up on your latest articles and as ever have wanted to hear your comments. Thank you and will stay strong.

[Ike Semaya]

No matter what anyone thinks, there were 71 previous votes in the UN against Israel by the past presidents of the USA. Where was the out cry then as it is now????????? Netanyahu and Obama have been at odds with each other from the very start of the Obama years. Obama wanted to be the President who would bring peace to the Middle East. Bibi blocked him. Nothing more can be said. If Abbas wants a country, now is the time to come to the table. We are hearing from England and France about Kerry's speech. Why didn't they vote against the resolution?

[Don Edlin]

Those who have studied the History of Western Civilization and base their life experiences and decision making on that history are simply unable to understand the "Islamist Mindset".

The Western World uses "Western Logic". The Islamists of the world are devoid of Logic and any form of Personal Responsibility for any & all personal actions.

Ask an Muslim sales rep to bring his superior to a dinner meeting to complete a transaction at 6PM. Their reply: "Of course, we will meet at 6PM, insh-allah."

Ask a muslim store keeper if the rug you ordered will arrive on Friday: "Of course, it will arrive on Friday, insh-allah."

Ask an Islamic Authority if the agreement that was just agreed to and he just signed will begin on the approved date, he replies: "Of course, this agreement is important and will start on that date, insh-allah."

When none of those commitments are realized, the reply is always . . . "I wanted to do as agreed, maybe tomorrow, insh-allah.

I lived in Bahrain & Saudi Arabia for many months at a time, and in Kuwait for 4 years. The secret to any success is "Baksheesh". We Westerners would describe it as a "Bribe",and the US Commercial Attache made it clear that bribery it is against the law in the US. In the Middle East it is a legal method of insuring your needs are met.

And our President and Sec. Kerry think they can negotiate with these asinine relics from the Dark Ages? Gimme a break!

[DONALD SILVERMAN]

Beautiful article. It could only be improved if you had a crystal ball. As a left-wing family, daughter # 1 a rabbi, lives in Israel, daughter #4 spoke at the DNC. My gut tells me Obama did Israel a major service.

Donald Silverman
donaldjan@ mac.com

[Al Blake]

Hi my dear Rabbi:

I see that you’ve changed a wee bit from your initial reaction to the U.S. abstention. Although this is as troubling to me as it is to you and apparently to the Jewish World, I’m not sure if the U.S. would be the hypocrite by continuing to support this action by Israel. You hit the nail on the head when you say the Bibi plays one hand against the other, then blasts forward when the hand he doesn’t like comes up. As a Jew who cares deeply about the Jewish People and Israel, I know something has to give if peace is EVER to be made. It doesn’t appear that it will ever happen under Bibi. He blasted the Iran agreement, he blasted President Obama. In one way, he appears to be a lot like Trump in firing away and going awry when spoken about and challenged. He just doesn’t do it on Twitter. Yep, I was also surprised at the abstention and obviously have no idea if it was basically in response to the previous comments by both Bibi and Trump before the vote or something he truly believes in. I hope it was the latter and now the situation rests with the 2 thugs leading 2 nations travelling very, very tough terrain. Be well my dear Rabbi and travel safe. We’ll need you back in Sunny Florida.

[Mike]

Hi Rabbi - remember me? Has our left-leaning-current President totally swallowed the Lemonade being served by J-Street? Is he anti-Zionist? anti-Semitic? anti-Bibi? I will now read your blog & find out for myself.

[A.R. Wald]

On this whole Israel issue, people are forgetting traditional law that if you attack a country and they push you back and you lose territory, then it is no longer yours. There has to be a penalty for unsuccessful aggression.

The Syrians gambled with aggression and lost the Golan Heights. To return it them would be folly as it is a natural high ground that would quickly be used to attack Israel if only by rolling boulders off the cliff !!! As in Las Vegas, no do-overs

​Maybe the UN and the world should focus on the fact that when a Palestinian attacks and harms or kills an Israeli, they are celebrated. When an Israeli illegally harms or attacks a Palestinian they are punished by the Israeli state. No one can take a Palestine state or authority seriously if they can't discipline their own people

[KFS to Charles Setty]

It would seem that you put together your critique without first reading - let alone understanding - what I wrote.

[Charles Setty]

No matter how the liberal bones in your body try, you can't put lipstick on this pig--Jews from the Euro pale, not knowing the duplicitous character of Muslims, specifically Mid East, and North African, can't possibly understand that a bargain made today is tomorrow's folly. They like you today, and then are turned against you by Imam's tearing Koranic themes upside down into a treacherous bag of unctuous epithets. We are not at the point in the secular trend of history, where Muslims are ready to accept Jews living side by side. It disappeared in 1492 Spain, and since then Mizrahi Jews have mostly lived at the pleasure of their Muslim governments, which treated Jews badly. Palestinians had openings before and killed the opportunity. Jews left Gaza, and a small economy upon which to build something. It was destroyed, and as an extra bonus Israel got artillery shells lobbed at them. There is danger to Jews and Israel in what you say and promote.

The world is itching to give Israel a bloody nose, and comments like yours, allowing for defense of Obama's move allows for the miscreants to rise up. Jewish and Israeli prejudice lies just a little below the surface, and as stated by France's Daniel Bernard, president Chirac's closest confidant "that shitty little country Israel" is the cause of our problems. Obama threw fuel on that fire.