PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TO MEN -- IS THAT A JOKE, OR WHAT?

By Schmoel Yitzhak

When American children are between the ages of two and five, they are led to believe that, yes, there IS a Santa Claus and, if they behave, jolly, old St.Nicholas will bring them gifts for Christmas.

There's even an evergreen hit tune that goes with the myth:

"YOU'D BETTER WATCH OUT, YOU'D BETTER NOT CRY; YOU'D BETTER NOT POUT, I'M TELLING YOU WHY -- SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN."

Santa -- alias Kris Kringle -- annually makes his first appearance at Thanksgiving Day parades and in large department stores thereafter. Most kids believe in him until, well, sooner or later they wise up to the facts and the hopes of seeing St. Nick come down the chimney disappear like smoke rings in the air.

Thus, the Santa Claus fantasy can easily be transformed to the world political stage, especially in the Middle East, where the annual dream of "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men" is so much fantasy that one can only react to it in two ways; 1. The thought of Israeli-Arab peace is a joke; 2. The thought of Israeli-Arab peace is a BIG joke; more like black humor.

At a certain point during the Christmas season, growing kids grow cynical about the Santa ruse and who can blame them?

Ditto for those who have any expectations of an Arab-Israeli negotiating breakthrough. We've been burned one time -- make that a dozen -- too many.

Were there any hope for a better result, it would have to come from the only realistic broker available and that would be Uncle Sam.

Unfortunately, the Uncle Sam who once considered himself the Number One Pal of Israel has turned into a political chameleon, a reptile capable of changing its color. Only now he's a viper.

Dr. Mike Evans of the Jerusalem Prayer Team has articulated this point as well as anyone on the Middle East news beat.

"The Obama Administration," says Dr. Evans, "continues to treat Israel as an enemy instead of an ally. The U.S. has failed to enforce a promise from Syria not to provide advance weapons to Hezbullah for use against Israel.

"America has stood by while Iran has used ambulances -- in direct violation of the Geneva Conventions -- to smuggle missiles and other weapons to their terrorist proxies."

What's so irksome about all this is that leaked secret documents make it abundantly clear that the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi have pleaded with Uncle Sam to take action against the Iranians. The point is clear; that unless Obama, Inc. takes REALISTIC, MILITARY action against Iran, the radical mullahs of Tehran will gain control of nuclear weapons. Any UN sanctions will have the power of Santa's bottom-of-the-bag gifts.

Even more revealing among the secret messages is that the aforementioned Arab nations quietly SUPPORT ISRAEL AGAINST IRAN but have been fearful to do so in public.

Sadly, when it comes to taking meaningful action in the Middle East, fear has so engulfed America's Chief Executive that the most he can summon in anger is demanding a halt in Israeli settlement construction; as if that will make a smidgen of difference among the militant Arabs.

One wonders whether Obama, Hilary Clinton and her State Department cohorts are cognizant of simple facts when it comes to hammering out a settlement.

Perhaps if either -- or all -- of them checked out the analysis of Jonathan Rosenblum, they might alter their we-make-our-decisions-with-Arab-blinders-on stance.

Founder of Jewish Media Resources, Rosenblum sees things clearly and sees them whole.

"Since Oslo," Rosenblum explains, "the Palestinians have refused every Israeli offer while 'pocketing' the latest Israeli concessions as the starting point for the next round of negotiations."

Most recently, we saw this scenario unfold when Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to a lengthy moratorium on "settlement" construction in return for Mahmound Abbas agreeing to negotiations.

Well, we all know what happened. Abbas did nothing and then came back with yet another demand.

Can Israel expect any help from Obama? Not a chance. Guarantees from American presidents such as George W. Bush are tossed in the garbage by Obama, including Bush's landmark letter pledging full support of Israel.

Rosenblum: "The Obama administration has made clear that it does not view the Bush letter as binding upon it."

"Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men."

Arabs hatred of Israel (Jews) will subside via treaties.

Sorry.

Santa Claus isn't coming to Bethlehem, Tel Aviv nor Jerusalem this Christmas!