60% of Israelis and 75% of Israeli Jews don't trust Obama
Lefty blog Mondoweiss - written by a fellow Jerusalemite - posts a profanity-laden video of drunk college kids, and tries to present the sentiments of these drunken kids as "the sentiments shared by many people in this country and this city. These people and their families are the core of the opposition to meaningful peace between Israel and her neighbors." I won't embed the video, but those who want to watch it can find it here (Hat Tip: Memeorandum).Mondoweiss is trying to paint the opposition to President Obama's plans as a vulgar self-absorbed group of college kids. That's wrong.
The maker of the video, Joseph Dana, writes:
As is often the case, the streets of central Jerusalem were not filled with native Israelis but American Jews. Doubtlessly anyone who has visited Jerusalem has encountered the droves of American Jewish kids that are sent to Israel to study for a period of time from Teaneck or Westchester. We asked people a simple question, “What do you think of Obama and Israel?” Most of the people that we talked to were dual American Israeli citizens. The answers in this video reflect the education and worrisome perspectives that many American Jews harbor towards Israeli politics. The sense of entitlement that the American Jewish community has when it comes to Israeli policy is on full raw display in the words of these young adults.Fifteen years ago, the Rabin-Peres government would have branded these kids as 'enemies of peace.' Mondoweiss and Dana are attempting to do the same. But these kids are not - as vulgar as they may be - 'enemies of peace.' They are opponents of a 'peace' that they and I and most Israelis believe would be suicidal for Israel.
I will guarantee that most of those kids were not Israeli citizens. And given that they were filmed in places (Ben Yehuda Street, Zion Square, a pub) where most kids from Teaneck and Westchester would not go (because their yeshivot and seminaries would throw them out if they caught them there), and by the manner in which most of them were dressed, they were not yeshiva and seminary students. They may come from Teaneck and Westchester, but there are a lot more American kids here who wouldn't talk that way and wouldn't go to those places. And there are a lot more Israelis who oppose Obama's plans.
As to what Dana refers to as a 'sense of entitlement,' if he's referring to a sense that we are 'entitled' to American support, most of us who live here have learned that, unfortunately, that is not the case. We believe that we deserve American support, because we are the only democracy in the region and America's most loyal ally, but that isn't an entitlement. We are aware that the Obama administration could well 'punish' us for failing to go along with its desires by cutting off support. And we are as opposed to Obama's actions as those kids are.
According to a survey by the Left-leaning 'War and Peace Index,' the kids' hostility to Obama is shared - albeit with less vulgarity - by a majority of Israelis. 60% of Israelis don't trust Obama on Israel (and since that says Israelis - and not 'Jewish Israelis' - it is probably safe to assume that the percentage of Jewish Israelis that doesn't trust Obama is closer to 75% since the 20% of the Israeli population that is Arab likely does trust Obama on Israel). 55% of the Israeli public believe that Obama favors the 'Palestinians.'
Even before Barack Obama's historic "reconciliation speech" in Cairo on Thursday, the majority of the Israeli public - 55% - felt the US president leans in favor of the Palestinians.Those kids may say it crudely, but a large majority of Jewish Israelis also believe that the 'Palestinians' want to destroy us - and not to live in peace - and that Obama is overplaying his hand and trying to force our government to do something that is not in our best interests. Those kids are not an 'obstacle' and are not 'enemies of peace.' They are opposed to a false 'peace' that would be suicidal for Israel. So am I and so are 60% of Israelis and 75% of Jewish Israelis.
Only 5% said Obama supports the Israeli stance, while 31% said they feel he is neutral, a poll published on Thursday showed.
Sixty percent of Israelis don't trust the president to consider and protect Israel's interests during his efforts to improve relations between America and the Muslim world.
The War and Peace Index, published on Ynet once a month, showed that 65% of the respondents feel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to Washington was unsuccessful, while 19% feel it was successful.
Nonetheless, the majority of the respondents – 56% feel the stance Netanyahu presented to the US was neither too rigid, nor too lenient, but just right. Thirteen percent said the prime minister's position was too rigid, while 9% said it was too lenient. The rest said they didn't know.
That has nothing to do with Obama's ethnicity or race (I found that part of the video offensive as well - some of the kids used the 'n word' - and I wonder if they talk that way to the Ethiopian Jews who live here). It has to do with the fact that Obama has made 'outreach' to the 'Muslim world' a priority, and supporting Israel conflicts with that priority. It has to do with Obama's associations with radical Leftists who are hostile - or at least indifferent - to the continued existence of a Jewish state in this region. It has to do with the one-sided approach to our region that the Obama administration has thus far exhibited.
We know where we stand. We stand with Israel.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:57 PM
7 Comments:
Great posting, thanks man!
That has nothing to do with Obama's ethnicity or race (I found that part of the video offensive as well - some of the kids used the 'n word' - and I wonder if they talk that way to the Ethiopian Jews who live here). It has to do with the fact that Obama has made 'outreach' to the 'Muslim world' a priority, and supporting Israel conflicts with that priority. It has to do with Obama's associations with radical Leftists who are hostile - or at least indifferent - to the continued existence of a Jewish state in this region. It has to do with the one-sided approach to our region that the Obama administration has thus far exhibited.
Oh stop it. Only Israeli hard-liners think that there is conflict between "reaching out" (just "reaching out"!) to the Muslim world, and supporting Israel. What you really mean is that there is certainly conflict between improving relations with the Muslim world and supporting right-wing Israelis, because furthering American relations with the rest of the Middle East certainly threatens right-wing Israeli policy towards the Palestinians. And stop arguing that "radical Leftists" are opposed to the existence of an Israeli state. Polling indicates that Americans-including the "radical left"-are broadly supportive of Israel, but less supportive of Israel's actions towards the Palestinians. So in fact, it is possible to support Israel and yet be critical of Israel's actions at the same time (only a child could believe otherwise); only a right-winger would think that Israel and right-wing Israeli policy are the same thing.
There's more, by the way, which we can't see anymore due to Mr. Dana.
I posted a comment on his blog, responding to the video, how it is misleading, misrepresenting, and wrong. I started out by truly thinking he had good intentions and made a mistake. לדון לכף זכות is important.
I was wrong. He responded to my comment, saying most in the video were dual citizens. I commented again - with point-by-point explanation of why at least 6 of the 9 or so interviewees were not Israeli citizens. I added that Israelis at that age would most likely not be out drinking on a Wednesday, but are in the army, and would be on base. Even considering those who are not in combat units - most STILL 'live' on base, AND most who do go home everyday 1. need to get up early the next and 2. don't live in Jerusalem.
He responded by DELETING all comments, and on twitter - calling me a liar and saying that I spread lies about him and that he speechless by remarks and did not want to debate me any longer.
Now he says: "Doubtlessly anyone who has visited Jerusalem has encountered the droves of American Jewish kids that are sent to Israel to study."
Even if that is true - he's changed his position. He's trying to defend it on the basis of that. But the video still tries to represent Jerusalem, and paints Israelis as evil.
Xanthippas - you must be new here. Visiting a blog without understanding it at all, only in order to leave your rant is just stupid.
You have no problem saying hard-liners or right wing Israelis without quotes, but the existence "radical Leftists" must be a myth, so that goes in quotes.
The rest of your drivel is not worthy of response - you have not one really coherent argument there that is relevant to the topic at hand.
It should be pointed out of all the reactions to the Obama speech in Israel yesterday, only Haim Oron viewed it positively. And Meretz has only 3 seats in the Knesset and that view is representative of a minority of Israeli Jewish public opinion, A very small minority. What most Israeli Jews are saying is we elected a nationalist government and have chosen to follow a different path and new direction and we want the US and the rest of the world to respect our choice and not try to obtain for the Israeli Far Left through external intervention what that section of the Israeli political spectrum couldn't get voters to endorse in a free election.
Jews are not afraid of the American bully. This is the nation which defeated the Seleucid Empire, that twice faced down the Romans and survived the Nazi attempt to exterminate them. Whatever may be coming in Israel's direction, Israel will be ready for it - and as the US continues to erode Israeli trust in it, the conviction Israel is following the path G-d meant it to follow is one that will be shared by more and more Jews. And Jews will never agree to any limitation on Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem - that is a "red line" for every Jew in Israel and Obama and Clinton will find the country unyielding. America can continue to shove Israel around and see the end of the alliance between the two nations or she can step back and treat Israel as an equal partner in the search for a lasting peace in the Middle East.
The key to the outcome in is how America responds next to Israel.
I like this post, and I'm very worried about the tone in which Obama has addressed Israel. I do agree that Israel should halt construction in East Jerusalem and perhaps renegotiate the positions and sizes of some of the settlements in the West Bank. An argument can be made that US Presidents that have showed "tough love" to Israel like Jimmy Carter did a lot of good----the last thirty years of Egypt-Israeli relations have been largely a success. BUT, the Israelis have never had any leaders of their movements call for the extinguishing of the Israeli state or for the driving of Jews into the sea. There are plenty of religious extremists among the Israeli Jews, but few approach Hezbollah and nobody on the Jewish / Israeli side is anywhere near as extreme as Hamas. Now, I don't like Netanyahu at all---something about him personally just rubs me the wrong way. I was really hoping Tzipi Livni would win the elections. But, I don't think he deserved the cold treatment he received from the Obama Administration. I don't by and large trust the Palestinians. However, I think Netanyahu should at least accede to the demands that settlement construction in East Jerusalem cease. I really do believe that PA leader Abbas is negotiating with Israel in good faith and that he and his allies in the West Bank really want a peaceful settlement. If Israel refuses to stop building in the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, I think this undermines Abbas (who is not that strong, he still has Hamas barking up at him). Losing Abbas would be fatal to peace and security in the region, and having Hamas make much larger inroads in the West Bank can only make things worse. Perhaps another reason why the Obama Administration has been so hard on Israel could be that the US's ability to project power in the region is weakening considerably---and perhaps Israel will need to pursue policies (that Obama's people at least) feel will be less antagonistic. If this is Obama's reasoning (and I think that it is), I can see some of the logic. But, I don't think that he should be so public in his approach to Israel. Regardless, I hope Israel can stay unified and strong and that a lasting peace settlement can emerge in the next few years.
I like this post, and I'm very worried about the tone in which Obama has addressed Israel. I do agree that Israel should halt construction in East Jerusalem and perhaps renegotiate the positions and sizes of some of the settlements in the West Bank. An argument can be made that US Presidents that have showed "tough love" to Israel like Jimmy Carter did a lot of good----the last thirty years of Egypt-Israeli relations have been largely a success. BUT, the Israelis have never had any leaders of their movements call for the extinguishing of the Israeli state or for the driving of Jews into the sea. There are plenty of religious extremists among the Israeli Jews, but few approach Hezbollah and nobody on the Jewish / Israeli side is anywhere near as extreme as Hamas. Now, I don't like Netanyahu at all---something about him personally just rubs me the wrong way. I was really hoping Tzipi Livni would win the elections. But, I don't think he deserved the cold treatment he received from the Obama Administration. I don't by and large trust the Palestinians. However, I think Netanyahu should at least accede to the demands that settlement construction in East Jerusalem cease. I really do believe that PA leader Abbas is negotiating with Israel in good faith and that he and his allies in the West Bank really want a peaceful settlement. If Israel refuses to stop building in the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, I think this undermines Abbas (who is not that strong, he still has Hamas barking up at him). Losing Abbas would be fatal to peace and security in the region, and having Hamas make much larger inroads in the West Bank can only make things worse. Perhaps another reason why the Obama Administration has been so hard on Israel could be that the US's ability to project power in the region is weakening considerably---and perhaps Israel will need to pursue policies (that Obama's people at least) feel will be less antagonistic. If this is Obama's reasoning (and I think that it is), I can see some of the logic. But, I don't think that he should be so public in his approach to Israel. Regardless, I hope Israel can stay unified and strong and that a lasting peace settlement can emerge in the next few years.
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