In a truly strange bit of news, we learned yesterday that president Obama is considering imposing sanctions on Israel for building housing for Jews in Jerusalem, something that Obama calls "settlements". Today, since the news was so strange, the White House spokeman Josh Earnest was asked if Obama was truly considering imposition of sanctions on our ally Israel, particularly since the White House is at the same time urging Congress not to impose sanctions on our adversary Iran. The reply from the White House made clear that these sanctions are under consideration.
Think about this. Remember that Jerusalem was a divided city for decades just as Berlin was. In 1967, the two halves of Jerusalem were reunited and all indications of a border were removed. In Berlin, when the city was reunited, the same thing happened. Today there is no East Berlin or West Berlin; there is only Berlin. Today, there is no separate Israeli Jerusalem or Arab Jerusalem, there is only Jerusalem.
The so called settlement activity about which Obama is considering sanctions is quite literally the construction of apartment buildings in the city of Jerusalem. Since the residents of those apartments will include Jews, however, rather than just Arabs, Obama calls them "settlements". To continue with the analogy to Berlin, it is as if once Berlin was reunited, the Germans were told that no one from West Berlin or West Germany could live in an apartment in what used to be East Berlin. In truth, it makes no sense at all. In fact, the idea that Obama wants to keep all Jews out of part of Jerusalem (including, by the way, the area of the old city called the Jewish Quarter because it is the historic home of Jerusalem's Jews) is an extremely racist position. How can Obama support keeping part of the city of Jerusalem as an area where only Arabs are allowed to live? The Israelis do not accept this, and they never will. The idea that Obama and his national security team of Susan Rice and John Kerry would even consider this position shows just how little they understand of the actual facts. I assume that this group is just too colored by their ideology which names the Arabs as "victims" and therefore virtuous. I do not think that Obama and his people are consciously racist even if their actions are clearly racist.
The funny thing is that Obama's threat of sanctions against Israel is most likely to work against him. The Israelis are in the beginning of a political campaign which will end with elections in less than three months. The current government will likely wear the threat of sanctions as a badge of honor that shows just how strongly it stands up against threats from Obama when those threats are perceived as idiotic by the Israeli public.
I keep waiting for Obama to get something right in foreign relations. Who knows; maybe sometime before his term ends Obama and his team will get something, anything right. I would not hold my breath waiting for that to happen, however.
Think about this. Remember that Jerusalem was a divided city for decades just as Berlin was. In 1967, the two halves of Jerusalem were reunited and all indications of a border were removed. In Berlin, when the city was reunited, the same thing happened. Today there is no East Berlin or West Berlin; there is only Berlin. Today, there is no separate Israeli Jerusalem or Arab Jerusalem, there is only Jerusalem.
The so called settlement activity about which Obama is considering sanctions is quite literally the construction of apartment buildings in the city of Jerusalem. Since the residents of those apartments will include Jews, however, rather than just Arabs, Obama calls them "settlements". To continue with the analogy to Berlin, it is as if once Berlin was reunited, the Germans were told that no one from West Berlin or West Germany could live in an apartment in what used to be East Berlin. In truth, it makes no sense at all. In fact, the idea that Obama wants to keep all Jews out of part of Jerusalem (including, by the way, the area of the old city called the Jewish Quarter because it is the historic home of Jerusalem's Jews) is an extremely racist position. How can Obama support keeping part of the city of Jerusalem as an area where only Arabs are allowed to live? The Israelis do not accept this, and they never will. The idea that Obama and his national security team of Susan Rice and John Kerry would even consider this position shows just how little they understand of the actual facts. I assume that this group is just too colored by their ideology which names the Arabs as "victims" and therefore virtuous. I do not think that Obama and his people are consciously racist even if their actions are clearly racist.
The funny thing is that Obama's threat of sanctions against Israel is most likely to work against him. The Israelis are in the beginning of a political campaign which will end with elections in less than three months. The current government will likely wear the threat of sanctions as a badge of honor that shows just how strongly it stands up against threats from Obama when those threats are perceived as idiotic by the Israeli public.
I keep waiting for Obama to get something right in foreign relations. Who knows; maybe sometime before his term ends Obama and his team will get something, anything right. I would not hold my breath waiting for that to happen, however.
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