A True Friend

Friends need to tell friends the truth. This is the new mantra coming out of Washington and the Obama administration concerning their excessively harsh, arm-twisting of Israel.

So this is how the new Washington treats its friend and ally, by condemning her and rewarding those who are doing everything they can to delegitimize her? That is not friendship in my book!

Vice President Joe Biden started this mantra and now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is running with it; that is, friends looking out for each other by “telling the truth.”

My question to both of them: when are you going to do the same to or “for” the Palestinians and the Arabs?

Does this merely have to do with just pressuring Israel, which is clearly how it appears?

Until now the government of Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear its support of the two state solution. It has called for an immediate resumption of peace negotiations. Road blocks and checkpoints in the West Bank have been taken down in record amounts -- more than during any previous government. The Netanyahu government has also infused millions in the West Bank economy, which happens to be thriving now. Last but not least, was Netanyahu bowing to American pressure and when he adopted a ten-month settlement freeze in the West Bank.

On the other side Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority have rejected recognizing Israel as the Jewish State. They have rejected returning to the negotiating table. They have organized, financed and supported daily protests against Israel in Jerusalem and the West Bank, attempting to inflame the situation on the ground. Abbas and the PA have also done much to support and finance the international radical elements attempting to delegitimize Israel. In the meantime, from Gaza rockets have begun to rain down again, and this time they’re killing people.

So, how is it that the Obama administration thinks it is acceptable to say they are looking out for their “friend” Israel? All they have done is condemn and castigate her, while the Arabs have done everything to block a resumption of negotiations. Yet not a word of condemnation is tossed their way.

If this American administration wants to look out for its friend Israel, it would do well to stop condemning her and start pressuring the Palestinians.

If Secretary of State Clinton wants to help Israel she should have gotten Mahmoud Abbas to the negotiating table a long time ago.

Why hasn’t Biden or Clinton picked up the phone and reprimanded Mahmoud Abbas for stating again today, while meeting George Mitchell, that the Palestinians can use resistance against Israel? It needs to be made clear to the Palestinians that if they want peace this type of dialogue is unacceptable.

If the Obama Administration wants to help Israel, it needs to demand an end to all provocative attempts at delegitimizing Israel -- both on the ground in the West Bank as well as on the international scene.

Most important for this American administration is the immediate need to wake up, lose its naivete and realize what it is sitting on: Israel is being boxed in by her enemies in all directions.

Bashir Assad has overcome his time in purgatory, thanks to Obama and friends, and is now basking in his glory while thumbing his nose at America. Assad is as warm as always with Saint Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Hezbollah has totally rearmed and been given greater capabilities, thanks to Syria and Iran. Hamas is still holding Gilad Shalit and now Qassam rockets have been landing in Southern Israel on a daily basis for the last week. All of this spells out one word. W-A-R.

The Arabs truly sense that this Administration is loathe to come to Israel’s support diplomatically. So, by their own doing the Obama administration has built into the Arab psyche the thought that going to war with Israel won’t be so bad this time.

But this is bad, very bad. When the Arabs start thinking like this, we are not talking about a small war. We are talking about a war of massive scale.

So, congratulations President Barack Obama and Co. on passing your Health Care bill. Now you had better starting fixing all the problems you’ve created for Israel, the Arabs AND yourself, before everything explodes on you.

That will transform the passage of health care reform into a long ago, almost-forgotten memory!