Anyone that peruses Internet news sites is likely to be deluged with various right-wing surveys asking if Republicans should “fight Obama’s gun seizures” or “prosecute Clinton and Obama over Benghazi,” or a completely bizarre survey asking “do you support” or “should America stand by Israel?” Of all the stupid questions; asking any American if they support Israel is an insult. Americans have no choice whether they “support or stand by Israel” because America showers billions of taxpayer dollars on Israel every year and asks or receives nothing in return. Regardless any Americans’ opinion about the Jewish state, giving Israel free taxpayer money is supporting it; like it or not. Many Americans do not like it one bit; especially when this country is falling apart and Americans are hungry.
After the events of the past couple of weeks, it is abundantly clear that the continuous American support of Israel has created an entitled Israeli leader that not only demands more American financial support; he expects to dictate this nation’s foreign policy. Remarkably, despite unrelenting Republican support for anything Netanyahu demands or dictates it appears there is at long last an American President who has had just about enough bravado, demands, and imposition from the Israeli leader.
After years of brazen lies, deceit, and recent personal affronts against President Obama from Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House raised the prospect of withdrawing crucial diplomatic cover for Israel at the United Nations. It is about damn time. The last straw was the purported Middle East demigod Netanyahu’s pledge to unilaterally block the creation of a Palestinian state as if he is an all-powerful world ruler. As it should have six years ago at least, the White House warned that the entire foundation of its policy for always backing, protecting, and “standing with Israel” unconditionally as a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council. According to the White House, that unconditional protection was undermined by Netanyahu’s true agenda to never allow Palestinians have a state of its own; something America provided for Israel after World War II and has sustained with unwavering military and financial support without recompense.
This country has frequently and consistently done Netanyahu’s bidding in the United Nations and unilaterally opposed, by Security Council veto, any attempt at the UN to recognize a Palestinian state. In fact, as Israel’s only ally and benefactor, America has duly “shielded and protected Israel from isolation in the international community” despite its despicable corralling of Palestinians in fenced off “internment camps” and building Israeli settlements without pause. As the White House said after Netanyahu ran his dictatorial mouth, “What is apparent is that in the context of the campaign, and while he was the sitting prime minister of Israel, he walked back from commitments that Israel had previously made to a two-state solution.” Netanyahu never intended to support or commit to a two-state solution and to think otherwise is sheer folly.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that all the “Steps that the United States has taken at the United Nations” to protect and ‘stand by Israel‘ had been “predicated on this idea that the two-state solution is the best outcome. Now our ally has said that they are no longer committed to that solution. That means we need to re-evaluate our position in this matter, and that is what we will do moving forward.” Washington has been frustrated by Netanyahu’s support for settlement building in the occupied territories, and his remarks revealed he has no intent to stop until Palestinians are driven off their own land.
Coupled with Netanyahu’s war mongering speech to Congress aimed at killing a peaceful U.N. nuclear deal with Iran, a deal President Obama supports, it looks like the White House has had its fill of protecting Israel from international pressure for its disregard for innocent Palestinians imprisoned on a reservation. As is typical, after President Obama had a brief conversation with Netanyahu on his election victory, Netanyahu’s response to the White House regarding the United Nations was that “a peace agreement can’t be “imposed” on Israel;” in other words Israel is not going to recognize any peace deal.
Netanyahu revealed more hubris and belief he controls American foreign policy saying, “I don’t think that’s the direction of American policy.” He just cannot and will not accept that President Obama, not a Republican Congress or Israeli prime minister sets “the direction of American foreign policy.” It is important to remember that Netanyahu already pledged that if the U.N. P5+1 and Iran negotiate and reach a peaceful nuclear agreement, he will bomb Iran in protest. However, that is not the only reason to stop supporting, protecting, and “standing by Israel” regardless its actions. The simple fact that Netanyahu made a decidedly racist plea for electoral support, like a typical teabagger-Republican, and the Israeli people rushed to support him is more than enough reason to reconsider whether this country should “stand by Israel” unconditionally.
Another small item that should incense any reasonable American is that as this nation continues pouring money into Israel, Israelis are suffering outrageous and stifling income inequality and arguably the highest child poverty in the developed world at 27% under Netanyahu’s leadership. Still, because he appealed to racial animus toward Israeli Arabs, voters overwhelmingly re-elected him to perpetuate economic assault on the poor to enrich a few extremely wealthy families.
Now, a particular aggravation is that Israel is frantic to push America into a war with Iran over its nuclear program because the Islamic Republic “might” develop a nuclear device; Israel has a nuclear arsenal and refuses to sign any nuclear agreement whatsoever. Israel claims that Iran wants to annihilate Israel and yet last year during the Israeli massacre of Palestinians there were Israelis calling for the extermination of the Palestinian people. Israel may have stopped short of exterminating innocent Palestinians, but they wreaked immeasurable destruction on Gaza because criminals killed three Israeli youths.
There are a substantial number of Americans who are sick to death of this idea that America is beholden to ‘stand by Israel‘ unconditionally and that is, in essence, the source of the problem. Regardless what Israel does, America is always there “standing by” with its powerful military and open checkbook. When Netanyahu stood in front of Congress like he was the president of the United States, the little demigod proclaimed that “Israel can and will stand alone” and confront Iran militarily. Great, then it is time for Netanyahu, and the Israelis who reelected him to do just that. Stand alone; and while they are standing alone, start repaying Americans for the billions and billions of military welfare that supported 18% of their military in 2011 alone while Republicans were slashing American domestic programs to death.
Most Americans have witnessed spoiled little children who have everything handed to them unconditionally to the point they start demanding more out of habit. Last week there were more demands for American money even as Netanyahu threatened to derail negotiations with Iran as Republicans cheered wildly. Of all the great things President Obama has accomplished during his tenure in the White House, it may just be that the greatest accomplishment is standing up and warning Israel its unwavering protection may come to an end. If nothing else, Netanyahu knows that finally there is an American President that demands accountability for unwavering American support; support that should come to an abrupt end if Israel does not change its anti-social agenda towards Palestine and peace in the Middle East.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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