Even if the Ramat Shlomo announcement and its aftermath is a salutary reminder of the old Yiddish proverb about not spitting in the well you drink from, that should not be the only lesson we draw from this week’s events.
Having been blindsided, it seems the US Administration just cannot let go. Hillary Clinton speaks of an “insult” to the United States. A spokesman for Obama describes Netanyahu’s conduct as “dangerous.” David Axelrod is practically apoplectic. Meanwhile, the monstrous spectacle of Fatah’s youth division honoring the terrorist Dalal Mughrabi in Ramallah - while Vice President Biden was in the country - goes unremarked.
Tom Gross notes: “Mughrabi was the leader of a Fatah PLO terror squad armed with a stash of Kalashnikov rifles, RPG light mortars and high explosives, that sailed from Lebanon and landed on a beach between Haifa and Tel Aviv. They first killed a renowned American photojournalist (who was incidentally the niece of U.S. Democratic party Senator Abraham Ribicoff) who was taking nature photos, then hijacked a bus and commandeered another, embarking on a bloody rampage that left 38 Israeli civilians dead, 13 of them children.”
Anyone along the length of Pennsylvania Avenue got anything to say?
“… it seems the US Administration just cannot let go” makes it sound almost accidental on the White House’s part, as if they are running on emotion and haven’t thought about it hard enough.
I would find that very hard to believe. Obama may be inexperienced, but he’s not unthinking. It looks much more as he’s had an opportunity dropped in his lap and he’s making the absolute most of it. All the speculation has been about what he wants to do with it: Extract concessions from Israel he couldn’t otherwise get? Cut Netanyahu down to size? Bring his government down? Pre-empt any possibility of a unilateral Israeli strike at Iran?
I’m more used to seeing Arab states snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Israel can’t afford to. It makes me pine for the days of the great Israeli leaders — and it makes me want to personally wring Eli Yishai’s neck.
“…much more as he’s had…”? Sorry: “much more as if he’s had”
Obama may not be unthinking, but he is detached, inept, and poorly educated.
It has been clear to me since before his Cairo speech that Plan B has been blame Israel. He is a politician, and such people always have a fall guy.