Israel is the most stalwart and most dependable US ally in the Gulf. Over the last 16 months Barack Obama has made it clear that the US no longer holds Israel in the same light as it has for so long. Today Michael Goodwin voiced something that has been in my mind as well.
Anti-Israel sharks sniff O’s weakness
In the aftermath of the Gaza flotilla fiasco, the air is thick with nonsense. Chief among the instant myths is that Israel has created a dilemma for President Obama.
Actually, it’s the other way around.
The president’s appeasement policies helped to create the incident. Israel took the bait, but the trap was set in Washington.
Weakness always begets aggression, and, like clockwork, Obama’s repeated signals that he is weakening America’s commitment to Israel are emboldening the Jewish state’s enemies. From Syria to Iran to Lebanon, from Hezbollah to Hamas and the PLO, the wolves smell blood and are trying to gauge whether they can get close enough for the kill.
America has been diminished by Obama, whether he is bowing to Arab Kings or Chinese Communist leaders or endlessly scratching new lines in the sand for Ahmedinejad to step over. He has signaled to the world that we have lost it. He doesn’t want the US to be the beacon for the world any longer. He wants to be liked, not respected. Now that frivolity is getting really dangerous, as Obama once again votes “present” on the flotilla incident:
Obama says he wants the facts of the incident, but let’s hope he also wants the truth, even if it is inconvenient to his worldview.
As predictable as the sunrise, Obama’s first reaction to events is wrong. The facts are right there and have always been right there. Israel has allowed humanitarian aid to enter Gaza for some time.
Israel Allows Humanitarian Aid Into Gaza
Israel allows humanitarian aid into battered Gaza
But let’s go back a second.
In 2005 Israel departed Gaza.
Gaza celebrated the Israeli withdrawal by firing off rockets- into Israel. The celebration continues to this day.
Note the increase in missile attacks upon Israel’s departure from Gaza.
The blockade was instituted in response to the continued rocket assault on Israel by Hamas, yet the flow of aid into Hamas has not been halted. On the other hand, Hamas has refused the aid carried in those ships.
Hamas said it wouldn’t take the aid because Israel confiscated some of the supplies and was still holding some of the more than 700 passengers involved in the May 31 attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.
So Hamas is holding its own people hostage in rataliation for Israel detaining some of the foreigners who tried to run the blockade. Oy vey.
A search for “Israel attacks flotilla” yields 7,000,000 hits.
5 of the 6 ships in the flotilla were searched without incident. The IDF, armed only with paintball guns, was attacked on the 6th ship, yet the media almost universally portrays it as “Israel attacks.” It’s not only the US media who is smarmy and biased. This flotilla has nothing to do with humantarian aid. It’s all about putting Israel into a bad PR situation, knowing Obama has become an empty Presidential suit.
There should be no backing down from this blockade- not as long as Hamas rains missiles down on Israel. Obama should stand up for Israel, not squirm as he is doing right now.
Curiously ignored is the fact that Egypt sealed its border with Gaza. When did this happen? When Hamas took control of Gaza. Egypt has indicated it might re-open its borders to allow aid into the area.
But only “for several days.”
The flotilla was organized by the “Free Gaza” movement. And who helped encourage “Free Gaza”?
Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn and Code Pink’s Jodie Evans.
“Free Gaza”
To do what? Gaza is ruled by Hamas. Hamas’ 1988 charter called for the end of Israel.
The movement had said it could live peacefully alongside Israel if a two-state solution was reached in which all occupied Palestinian land was returned, even though its 1988 founding charter calls for the destruction of Israel and the establishment of a Palestinian state in all of pre-1948 British-mandate Palestine.
If they really want to get humanitarian supplies into Gaza, perhaps the aid should be disguised as missiles. There seems to be no problem getting missiles into Gaza.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.