Israel Matzav: US policy toward Israel in a second Obama term

Sunday, September 23, 2012

US policy toward Israel in a second Obama term

Shoula Romano Horing attempts to extrapolate from the changes to the Democratic party's 2012 platform - as compared with its platforms in 2008 and 2004 - what a second Obama term (God forbid) might look like to Israel. It's not pretty (Hat Tip: Dan F).

Obama’s agenda concerning Israel during a second term will likely include the following:

Obama will try to divide Jerusalem and recognize a Palestinian state with its capital in east Jerusalem. The 2008 and 2004 Democratic Party platforms declared "Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel…It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths." The original 2012 platform in which Jerusalem was unmentioned is consistent with Obama’s May, 2011 speech and with the recent State Department and White House spokespeople’s refusal to acknowledge under intense questioning by reporters that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

Obama will demand from Israel a complete and a full return to the 1949 armistice lines, which excludes from Israel east Jerusalem and the West Bank hills which look down at the country’s international airport and 80% of its the population. The 2008 DNC platform stated "All understand that it is unrealistic to expect the outcome of final status negotiations to be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949." This pro- Israel section does not exist in the 2012 platform.

Obama will demand the return of Palestinian refugees into Israel, not just to a future Palestinian state. Both the 2004 and 2008 platforms stated: "The creation of a Palestinian state should resolve the issue of Palestinian refugees by allowing them to settle there, rather than in Israel." The 2012 platform does not contain such language.

Obama will recognize Hamas, the terrorist organization which currently controls the Gaza Strip, and will begin negotiations with them, despite the fact that Hamas will never recognize Israel’s right to exist and supports and sponsors terrorism. The 2008 DNC platform declared, "The United States and its Quartet partners should continue to isolate Hamas until it renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel’s right to exist, and abides by past agreements." This language is gone from the 2012 platform.

American military cooperation with Israel will be reduced. The 2008 platform, for example, spoke of a "commitment which requires us to ensure that Israel retains a qualitative edge for its national security and its right to self-defense." The 2012 platform mentions only that "(the) administration has also worked to ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region," with no commitment to doing so in the future.

But most American Jews will still vote for Obama, because he favors unrestricted abortions at government expense. /sigh.

What could go wrong?

Labels: American Jewish indifference to Israel, Barack Hussein Obama, Campaign 2012, Jewish vote, US-Israel relationship