What does Obama refusal say about
his feelings towards Jews & Israel?
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has strongly condemned President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for their frightening refusal to condemn the obscene anti-Semitic ceremony naming a square near Ramallah, in honor of Fatah terrorist killer, Dalal Mughrabi, by members of Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas’ own ruling Fatah party. This occurred only one day after the massacre of five innocent Jews, including three children, in Itamar.
The ZOA and some other American Jewish leaders have pleaded with the Obama Administration to specifically condemn this heinous pro-terror, anti-peace act. As of today, it has refused to do so, even though the Obama Administration must understand that glorification of Jew-killers only helps create an atmosphere which increases the likelihood of this type of horror occurring.
Dalal Mughrabi commanded the Fatah terrorists that perpetrated the 1978 coastal road massacre in which 37 Israelis, including a dozen children, were slaughtered. At the scene of this latest honoring of a terrorist, the square was festooned with Palestinian flags and posters of Mughrabi, with a Kalashnikov rifle and a map of Israel behind her, labeled ‘Palestine,’ encircling the square and organized by members of Fatah, Fatah member Sabri Seidam said, “We stand here in praise of our martyrs and in loyalty to all of the martyrs of the national movement” (‘Palestinians honor Fatah terrorist, despite Israel’s protests,’ Haaretz, March 13, 2011).
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “This week, we called upon President Obama and Sec’y Clinton to specifically condemn the honoring of Mughrabi and to demand of Mahmoud Abbas’ PA that it immediately terminate incitement to hatred and murder against Israel and Jews in its schools, media, and speeches, and rescind the dozens of streets, schools, city squares, youth camps and sports tournaments named in honor of killers of Jews.
To our shock and dismay, President Obama and Sec’y Clinton have refused to condemn this vile, almost Nazi-like Fatah ceremony. We condemn him for this disgraceful failure and silence. Would Obama/Clinton have remained silent if Israel named a square after a killer of Arabs. The ZOA is deeply worried that a horrible message is being sent to the anti-Israel Arab world that the United States doesn’t care about these anti-Semitic criminals, that there will be no consequences for these ugly acts.
“As we noted yesterday, we live in the surreal situation in which President Obama and Sec’y Clinton have been vocal condemning and criticizing Israeli actions with which they disagree, especially the building of homes for Jews in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem, but deafeningly silent when it comes to the PA honoring terrorists. Worse, the Obama Administration has whitewashed Abbas and the PA. This must stop. This refusal to condemn PA incitement must stop. Conditioning further U.S. aid on an end to Palestinian incitement, without which no peace is possible, must start.
“Only two weeks ago, at a White House meeting with Jewish organizational leaders, President Obama urged that you ‘Jewish leaders must speak to your Israeli friends and relatives and search your souls to determine how badly do you really want peace!. He went further, ‘Israelis think this peace business is overrated; their life is good, their economy is good, and things are quiet.’ In strong contrast, several times during the meeting, he emphasized how serious Mahmoud Abbas and Salaam Fayyad are about peace, saying, ‘Abbas and Fayaad offer the best prospects for peace…Israel’s partner is sincere in wanting a peaceful settlement…they have been more forward, less apt to resort to bad rhetoric’. President Obama also stated that ‘Israel has not sufficiently tried to make an acceptable offer…is the Netanyahu government serious about territorial concessions. He needs to show he’s serious about that’”
“Furthermore, President Obama also told us ‘I’m worried about the world turing against Israel!’ The ZOA asks ‘Mr. Obama, we’re worried that you’ve turned against Israel.’ In light of what President Obama said to us at the White House and in light of this present episode – the ZOA asks a simple question – What does President Obama’s shocking, unbelievable and frightening refusal to condemn the honoring and glorifying of a major Jew-killer by Abbas’ PA, a day after an anti-Israel massacre, tell us about Obama’s true feelings about Jews and Israel? Mr. Obama, we respectfully ask you, sir, to ‘search your soul’ to evaluate your feelings and actions and policies toward the Jewish state of Israel?’”