printBENJAMIN NETANYAHU: (Who else?) “The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 years ago, and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today. Jerusalem is not a settlement. It’s our capital.” (PBS NewsHour)
So said Mr. Netanyahu during a visit to the United States Capitol, following a “two-week old” tiff between his administration and Obama’s over ongoing construction in East Jerusalem. (Refresher is here.)
The WaPo ventures that “Netanyahu believes that a halt to construction represents political suicide for his coalition, so no amount of U.S. pressure will lead him to impose a freeze — at least until he is in the final throes of peace talks.”
For Israeli’s sake, let’s hope there’s more to Bibi’s stand than political expediency.
Update I (March 24): “…in Israel—foibles and frailties notwithstanding—the West has reclaimed a small spot of sanity in a sea of savagery, where enlightened western law prevails, and where Christians and Jews and their holy places are safe. (Muslims are always secure in western societies, Arab-Israelis too.)” [From “Paleos Must Defend the West…And That Means Israel Too.”]
A reminder to relapsed Republicans; Condi Rice was as good a friend to Israel as is Barack Obama.
Update II: Watch this space. Forthcoming on Barely a Blog this weekend “Impressions From Jerusalem,” written by a special young woman who went to Israel with the expected perspectives imbibed in insulated North America—and shared by paleos and liberals alike—but had a transformative experience.
Most individuals who write about Israel, pro and con, should not be doing so, as they have never experienced the place or the people. This young woman had the heart and the head to ditch tinny ideology (she is not your average Millennial, described in “Your Kids: Dumb, Difficult And Dispensable”) her own included, when confronted by something far more powerful and persuasive.
Be sure not to miss BAB’s upcoming weekend feature.
Update III: You’re in luck. I’ve decided to post the promised evocative piece of writing tomorrow. The mystery young woman has real talent for spare, strong writing.
I’m glad I’m not an Israeli. Imagine having to depend on a bend-with-the-wind, dictator placating, spineless bunch like the Americans for support. Not only are the Americans likely to desert Israel if the going gets rough but will probably actually give aid and comfort to Israel’s enemies.
Call me cynical but I truly believe this president wouldn’t at all mind seeing Israel “wiped off the map”. This would go far(he thinks)in solving that pesky Jewish problem.
Ilana,
It would be good for Christians on pilgrimage to the Holy Land as well. If one would like a taste of what the “east” of Jerusalem might look like when completly controled by Moslems, they should take a visit to the Basilica of St. Denis today in Paris. The problem I see with most discussions of Palestine and Jerusalem by Americans is that they don’t know enough about the situation to say anything but “good and bad,” just like they do in the duopoly debate. Your opinion about these matters is one I always respect because you have both a love for Israel, and integrity about the consequences of accepting bribes or being paid to lie! Americans tend to believe they are the center of the universe and such pride blinds them to the distinction between authentic charity or admiration for a friend or allie in need, and bribing a people to get what you want.
Obama is a Muslim at heart!
Went to Israel on business four times in the late 90’s during Netanyahu’s last term. I felt more at home in Israel than anywhere else I’ve traveled outside the US. It was good to work with people who obviously cared about what they did.
I’ve met more women in Israel who worked in my field in a couple years than all the years I’ve worked in the US (and they were very talented).
I don’t know how you could come home from Israel and not feel changed in some way.
If I had to live in any other country in the world it would probably be Israel.
I read your column on Paleos defending Israel. I’ll admit I would probably be more concerned with Israel if Israel’s supporters in the US were more concerned about America.
The first thing to come to mind is immigration policy. The biggest supporters in America of Israel’s selective immigration policy seem to be the biggest supporters of open borders in the US. Why can’t we be as selective as Israel?
We can’t be as selective as Israel because we aren’t as smart as Israel. Also the Israelis aren’t trying to load the welfare roles with permanent, affirmitive action voters and the country be damned.
James, that is not true. Look at the the average IQ of Israel versus the USA. It is not very impressive. The Jewish reputation for smarts is primarily because of the Ashkenazi who have a significantly higher IQ than others. Unfortunately for Israel, most of the Ashkenazi live in the US.