Israel Matzav

'A great religion and its commitment to justice and progress'

At a White House dinner to break the Ramadan fast, President Obama paid tribute on Tuesday night to "a great religion and its commitment to justice and progress." That would have been bad enough without the presence there of Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, and representatives of terror organizations.

At the very end of the Guest list for Obama's White House Ramadan dinner (LA Times, September 1, with thanks to Trazar) comes up again the name "Dr. Ingrid Mattson, president, Islamic Society of North America."

Federal prosecutors last summer rejected claims that ISNA was unfairly named an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation Hamas terror funding case.

ISNA has admitted ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. The Muslim Brotherhood is waging, in its own words, "a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allah’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.”

And the head of ISNA was at the White House Ramadan dinner.

Yes, I know, Clinton and Bush 43 also hosted the iftar dinners at the White House. But Obama sycophant David Harris, the head of the National Jewish Democratic Council, believes this is different.

It actually makes great sense for Israel's representative to have a seat around the Ramadan dinner table. Israel is home to well over a million Muslims, and it's a country - unlike those around it - that provides real religious freedom. While many of the world's Muslims may not know it, the Jewish State actually funds many mosques and the printing of Korans. So when viewed in this light, Ambassador Oren's presence is completely kosher.

The president and this administration of course know this, and extending this invitation is a public recognition of these facts. More importantly, Israel's unprecedented inclusion in such an event reflects Obama's ultimate vision of inclusiveness - and it presses representatives of Arab states to sit and break bread with Israel's ambassador. Let's face it; ambassadors from some Arab states were probably not too thrilled to learn that Israel was joining in on a big night with the president. The White House is clearly demonstrating its commitment to stand by first principles, including advancing the cause of peace.

Sorry, but I don't believe that Israel's ambassador belongs at a dinner with representatives of terror organizations. Did Obama mean to 'include' terror organizations too?

I also have my doubts whether the Jewish state's ambassador to the United States belongs at this kind of dinner in any event, although the politicians here also attend them. By the way, how many Muslims attended Obama's seder?

Harris ends his little HuffPo lecture with this line:

To the vocal minority of American Jews who have concerns about Obama when it comes to Israel, I say the same thing I would say to American Muslims who have their own concerns that this president is too close to Israel: re-read the Cairo address, as it will continue to serve as a roadmap for this administration. And that's good for America, good for Israel, and good for the Muslim world as well.

Obama's Cairo speech was a disgrace to America and a blood libel against Israel. Equating the Holocaust to the 'suffering' of the 'Palestinian refugees' was beyond the pale. Clinton and Bush 43 knew enough not to make that equation, even if they did hold iftar dinners and even if Bush 43 referred to Islam - equally falsely - as the 'religion of peace.'

As to Harris, he needs to get his nose out of Obama's rear end long enough to look around at what's going on in the world. Inviting ISNA to dinner with its Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood connections is clearly NOT supporting Israel.

As to Islam's commitment to 'justice and progress,' try telling that to Rifqa Barry.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:12 PM