Is Obama’s US No Longer Israel’s Ally?
Leon Panetta, President Obama’s Secretary of Defense, attacked Israel with vicious and ugly lies and absurd demands on Friday, December 2, 2011. In response to a question from Mr. Ken Pollack, who asked, “What steps should Israel take now?,” Panetta answered, “Just get (Israel) to the damn table, just get to the table.”
ZOA President Morton A. Klein said, “But, this promotes the damnable lie that Israel refuses to negotiate – when, in fact, Israel has been pleading and begging Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority to negotiate for the last two plus years, to no avail. In fact, only yesterday the Palestinian Authority repeated its opposition to holding direct peace talks with Israel. It’s the Palestinians who not only refuse to come to the ‘damn table,’ they openly circumvent negotiations by going to the UN to unilaterally have a Palestinian state declared, violating their signed Oslo agreements with Israel which state that no unilateral steps of that nature are permitted without Israel’s approval.
“The PA refuses to negotiate even though Prime Minister Netanyahu has openly supported the establishment of a negotiated Palestinian state and even though Prime Minister Netanyahu offered and fulfilled a one-sided 10-month freeze on Jewish construction in Judea-Samaria, while the PA continued to build there.
“Why has Panetta not told the truth about the PA refusing to negotiate while lying that Israel is refusing to negotiate when, in fact, Israel is pleading to negotiate? And why has Panetta said nothing about the real obstacles to peace? This includes the PA refusing to end incitement to hatred and violence against Israel in their schools, media, speeches and sermons; glorifying Jew-killing terrorists by naming schools, streets, and sports teams after them; glorifying Jew-killing terrorists by holding day-long commemorative ceremonies when they die; refusing to arrest terrorists; and refusing to accept Israel as a Jewish state.
Panetta also said, “It’s in Israel’s interest to strengthen it (the Palestinian Authority)…now is the time for Israel to take bold action…it will involve risks.”
ZOA’s Klein responds: “Panetta acts as though the PA’s not being strong enough is an issue, ignoring the fact that they’ve formed an alliance with Hamas and have received billions of dollars in aid from the USA and Europe – not to mention receiving regular training of its armed forces by the US military. And, why is Panetta talking about Israel needing to take bold action? Israel has done so! It has already given the Palestinian Authority all of Gaza, almost half of Judea & Samaria (West Bank), offered 98% of Judea & Samaria, parts of Jerusalem and statehood in return for peace only to be met with rejection, terrorism, murder and missiles. Israel has taken huge risks – yet Panetta punishes Israel by demanding more – while asking nothing of the Palestinians.
“The ZOA is now questioning whether the U.S. can still call itself an ally of Israel, when it’s repeatedly acting as the Palestinian Authority’s and the Islamists’ lawyer.”
Panetta also said, “Israel needs to take risks…and has a responsibility to pursue our shared goals to build regional support for Israel and the U.S. security objectives…Israel can reach out and mend fences with those who share an interest in regional stability – countries like Turkey and Egypt…This is an important time to be able to develop and restore those key relationships in this critical area…If Israel’s gestures are rebuked, the world will see these rebukes for what they are, that is exactly why Israel should pursue them.”
ZOA’s Klein responds, “Again, Panetta only asks Israel to take more risks while the PA has done nothing to show any interest in peace, which Panetta ignores. He ignores the fact that the Palestinian Authority’s Abbas, in his recent UN speech, referred to Israel’s 63-year old occupation, meaning all of Israel belongs to the Palestinians; he ignores the fact that a May 16, 2011 New York Times op-ed by Abbas states that even after the Palestinian Authority achieves a state, the Palestinian Authority attacks against Israel will continue in the UN, human rights bodies, and the International Court of Justice; he ignores the fact every Palestinian Authority map in its government, schools, and media shows all of Israel as Palestine. He then asks Israel to build regional support – ignoring the fact that Egypt and Turkey themselves have moved away from Israel and the U.S. by becoming Jew-hating extremist Islamist governments. Where is Panetta’s condemnation of Egypt and Turkey and demands on Egypt and Turkey? Panetta falsely claims Egypt and Turkey want regional stability when all their actions indicate otherwise! Contrary to Panetta’s claims, the world has already seen Israel make extraordinary concrete gestures to the Palestinian Authority and the Arab world and Lebanon and Turkey. Israel only came away with increased danger and isolation. The world has given Israel no credit for its bold gestures and only condemned Israel more and isolated Israel more, and demanded more of Israel. Mr. Panetta, that includes the Obama administration.”
“The Obama administration has now made it clearer than ever that they irrationally and even antagonistically believe Israel is the reason there’s no peace. The U.S. does not believe it is not the fault of the Palestinian Arabs and the extremist Islamists in Fatah, Hamas, Turkey, Egypt and Lebanon. The Obama administration even blames Israel for these Islamists becoming more extreme and intransigent. Yet Panetta/Obama foolishly and antagonistically believe that this is the time for Israel to weaken itself by making more concessions to the Fatah/Hamas regime!”
“The U.S. is not holding these regimes accountable and is sending a message that these regimes can continue with their anti-peace, pro-terror actions and policies. This is a bad and dangerous policy for Israel. This is a bad and dangerous policy for America and the West.”