Then in the Spring of this year, the Obama Administration began rapidly revising federal counter-terrorism training materials in order to eliminate references to Jihad and Islam. The Islamists, it appears have used their influence to bring about this dramatic change. They even have succeeded in limiting what the FBI can say to its agents.
In the first three years of his administration, Obama has openly undercut Israel in the peace process and showed great disrespect to PM Netanyahu. He cancelled the assurances given by Pres Bush to Israel in 2004 which included secure borders, no right of return to Israel, and no return to ’67 lines.
He came out strongly against all settlement construction, demanded a construction freeze, and refused to acknowledge that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel or even that Jerusalem was in Israel.
Finally, he proposed that the settlement be based on the ’67 lines with minor mutually agreed adjustments. This was totally in line with the demands of his new friends headed by Saudi Arabia.
Having gotten away with all this with little political damage, thanks in part to J-street and the main stream media, he instigated a change in the Democratic Party platform. The new platform, was silent on Jerusalem, silent on where the refugees must return to and silent on Hamas, The previous platform provided “Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel…It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths,” “refugees” should be settled in a future Palestinian state, not in Israel and “The United States and its Quartet partners should continue to isolate Hamas until it renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel’s right to exist, and abides by past agreements.”
The new platform also removed the commitment to maintain Israel’s military superiority.
In effect these omissions removed traditional support for Israel’s positions thereby aligning the American position with that of the Palestinian Authority.
The new platform also removed reference to God.
So loud and angry was the reaction expressed by the media and ordinary Americans that Obama did damage control by asking that the wording on God and Jerusalem be restored. Such amendment required a 2/3 majority vote. The Chairman had to put it to a vote three times in the hope of getting it passed. He finally declared it passed, though the lack of a 2/3 majority was clearly evident. The Democrats reacted with a chorus of boos.
What remained of the original amendments was that there were no longer assurances about what Hamas must do before acceptance, that the Palestinian refugees need not return only to Palestine and that the Democrats were no longer prepared to ensure Israeli military superiority.
The most threatening of these omissions was the one on refugees. Israel has long maintained, with full support from left and right, that there will be no return to Israel by the refugees. She considers it an existential threat and thus non-negotiable. The Democrats, led by Obama, couldn’t care less.
Finally, Obama has opposed Israel in every way possible to prevent her from attacking Iran. In the latest outrage, Obama assured Iran that if Israel attacked, the US would not be complicit and that if Iran would not attack US forces, the US would not join Israel in the attack.
As a result of Obama’s policies, Israel finds itself surrounded by countries ruled by a hostile Muslim Brotherhood from Tunisia to Turkey which are supported by Obama, alone in its fight against the Iranian bomb and friendless in the peace process.
It seems the anti-Israel constituencies in the US are making progress.
It takes great optimism or belief in the Almighty to be confident that Israel, a nation of seven million, can stand up to the hostile forces arraigned against it, including this administration, and avoid its eradication.
But confident, I remain.
