Saturday, January 7, 2017

Interesting Times

Michael Lumish

{Also published at the Elder of ZiyonJews Down Under and The Jewish Press.}

The Jewish political community is divided and distressed.

As I write, Israel is reeling over the Azaria case, the United Nations is pushing all-in on Jew Hatred, Jihadism is on the rise in Europe, white nationalism and anti-white racism are both on the rise in the United States, Obama is hitting the road (or, at least, crossing the street), the Russians are unhappy and shaking their fists, and Donald Trump is eagerly chomping at the bit.

Anything can happen and nobody knows what will.

For example, will Trump move the US embassy to Jerusalem? 

I hope that he does. In fact, I will be damn pissed-off if he doesn't. But if he does so in a timely manner it will demonstrate a clear change in direction concerning US policy on the Long War. Oslo was a disaster and the two-state solution is dead dead dead. Perhaps Trump will recognize this and, if he does, it means pretty much everything is up for grabs. Will Israel seize the day and annex? And if so, annex what exactly? And how will "the world" respond?

Or will Israel, as is my bet, simply react to circumstances as they develop while wobbling back-and-forth on what to do with Judea and Samaria? No matter what it does, however, interested parties throughout the world are gearing up to give Israel a good ass-kicking if they can. Prior to the recent American election all the elements lined up with the EU, the UN, the Obama administration, the progressive-left - not to mention almost the entire Arab and Muslim worlds - in agreement that Jews have no rights to sovereignty on ancestral Jewish land.

While the ascendancy of Trump represents a giant question mark, Israel definitely dodged a bullet with Hillary. Unless, of course, you think that another four to eight years of degrading Israel in order to pressure it into complying with the demands of its enemies would have been a good thing. Now, at least, there is the possibility that the United States will go back to a more sensible foreign policy which honors allies while confronting enemies. We shall see.

But what happens if the Democrats install Keith Ellison as Chair of the Democratic National Committee?

We're waiting with bated breath on that one, aren't we? Speaking for myself, I am very much looking forward to the Democrats handing the DNC Chair to Keith Ellison. I hope that they do it because Ellison is a fair representation of the party as it stands now. He covers enough of the bases, from issues of diversity to those of progressive economics, to make most Democrats happy.

Of course, there is that niggling little problem with his anti-Semitic anti-Zionism which the rest of them studiously ignore - and make no mistake, all anti-Zionism is by definition anti-Semitic - but if you don't like it you can lump it. That's the attitude of the party, but I consider this a good thing because this way everyone knows where everyone stands.

It's Naked Lunch.

Everyone sees what's on the end of every fork.

And will Alan Dershowitz actually leave the Democratic Party???

Yes, the earth will tremble and Balrogs will arise from the Deep.

It's my bet that Dershowitz will leave the Democratic Party in his life no sooner than did Ed Koch in his.

Nonetheless, for the first time we are seeing significant numbers of Jewish Democrats acknowledging something that has been clear to many of us for a very long time. The Democratic Party is shaking off support for Israel because it tends to view Israel through an anti-imperialist lens and because Muslims are a more important constituency in the long run for the party. In terms both broad and crude, this is what it comes down to.

We can acknowledge this truth or pretend otherwise, but truth it remains.

Meanwhile the American Jewish community, if not the diaspora Jewish community, more generally, is cracking along various ideological fault-lines. Tensions are mounting between "progressive" and Democratic Party Jews versus conservative and Republican Party Jews over U.S.-Israeli policy. Fault lines are continuing to crack between Israeli Jews and American Jews over the same question. And even within Democratic Party ranks, Jews are squabbling among themselves over the direction of the party and whether or not to split from the Democrats, as I did maybe 5 years ago.

This is not new, it is just getting more and more vital and intense.

Political sands have been shifting for many years but this moment is a true transitional moment. For Jewish people the election of Trump, whatever else it may mean, staggered the Oslo-Clinton-Obama anti-Israel status quo. Thus I find myself among those who sense opportunity in the moment.

While diaspora Jews are in no position to tell our brothers and sisters in Israel what to do, there is no reason why we should shy away from making suggestions. My suggestion, modest or not, is that Israel take the opportunity to declare its final borders. What those borders will be should entirely be up to Israel. A few years ago I would have suggested that they be determined through negotiations with Palestinian-Arab representatives. However, since at this point it could not be more clear that there is no Arab intention of creating a Palestinian-Arab state in peace next to Israel they forfeit any consideration.

The so-called "Palestinians" are all-or-nothing kind of folk for whom compromise is a kick in the head.  And you know what they say about all-or-nothing kind of people, don't you?

If they can't get it all...

25 comments:

  1. I couldn't blame Trump if he doesn't move the embassy to Jerusalem Already, various usual suspects have been warning of potential violence and demands on various Arab gov'ts should it happen. Even John Kerry has given the terrorists permission to go apesh*t by saying the move "would cause "an absolute explosion in the region, not just in the West Bank, and perhaps even in Israel itself, but throughout the region,"

    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4904182,00.html

    He even gave Egypt and Jordan an out to engage in bad behaviour as well:

    ""If all of a sudden, Jerusalem is declared to be the location of our embassy, that has issues of sovereignty, issues of law that would deem to be affected by that move and by the United States acquiescing in that move and that would have profound impact on the readiness of Jordan and Egypt to be able to be supportive and engaged with Israel as they are today."

    What a guy. Many commenters are pointing out "what else is new?" Palestinians and Arabs generally don't need much to set them off against Israel on any given day.

    I would like to see him move it but I won't blame him if, like every other politician, he chickens out because of Arab threats of violence. Israelis generally seem inclined to take the risk, including Bibi at al so maybe they know something all the doomsayers don't.

    Doing it might also be an attack on the disgraceful recent UN resolution. If they can change the rules whenever they want why can't Trump? Certainly it would shake things up a lot and maybe that's just what the failed 2-state solution negotiated between 2 "peace partners," paradigm needs.

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    1. That's right, Mike. There has to be a point where we (the West) have to take a stand and stop knuckling under due to threats of wild tantrums from the Arabs/Muslims. The UNSC itself has provided a perfect opportunity to move the embassy by recognizing "east" Jerusalem as "occupied Palestinian territory." Implicit in that resolution is that western Jerusalem is NOT. If it isn't then it can only be Israeli. Explained as such it will make those against the move look bad and reveal that the "Palestinians" are indeed not interested in a state with "east Jerusalem" as its capital. It could make them look like the aggressors they are and even perhaps make quite obvious to the ignorant or stupid that this is a religious war against a religious minority. At any rate, we can never push back until we push back. It is important to show the Pal Arabs that victories at the UN kangaroo court are pyrrhic, and bullshitting US media ignoramuses on how they can't recognize Israel as the Jewish state (even though they are spitting in the eye of settled int'l law and the UN's own charter) because they "don't believe in religious states" (ROFLMAO) will get them nothing. They need to know that when push comes to shove they will lose and lose big.
      And who cares what Kerry signals to Egypt. Egypt is not stupid. It knows that Kerry is yesterdays news, and that the car keys are now in Trump's hand.
      Move the embassy. It's time to end the discrimination.

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    2. Egypt was forced to get involved. Al-Sissi went to War College in the U.S. with Israelis and is on fairly good security terms with Israel. Egypt also maintains a blockade on Gaza/Hamasistan.

      Saudi Arabia and the other Sunni states are bankrolling al-Sissi to keep Egypt from going under. And I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Barack Hussein Obama was doing some arm twisting too.

      The Egyptian Army operates more like China's PLA than the US Army in that they own businesses, farms, etc. that use recruits as labor. Th e$1.5 billion we give Egypt is thus some very important money and losing it could have repercussions.

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  2. As to the Azaria case, my moral compass is pinning like a top. Yes, he appears to have disobeyed orders but also he is a trained soldier/killer tasked to protect his people but expected to act as a lawman. Talk about cognitive dissonance. Too many people forget that Israel is defacto at war.

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    1. Azania should be pardoned. Among other things, no one knew if the jihadi was truly neutralized or shamming, and people have been killed by such tactics.

      I agree with Avigdor Lieberman on this one: "Perhaps he made a mistake, but I'd rather have a dead terrorist and live soldier who made a mistake than a dead one."

      Or to quote an old saying in similar circumstances, "Two in the head, you know they're dead."

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  3. It be interesting if they moved the Embassy and others followed. If the "explosion" mentioned by Kerry was actually a dud? He parrots the Palestinians and it is disgraceful.

    Maybe the status quo could use a shaking, along with introduction of new narratives, based on fact and unashamed to challenge the morality of looking the other way.

    If the soldier did the crime, he must do the time. In the end that makes the society stronger.

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  4. No, it's a tempest in a teapot. Moving the US embassy is a US issue not an Israeli issue. And the US under Obastard already made the US irrelevant to the Mideast. See, the Democrats have already cut their own throats on this. All this Sturm und Drang from Kerry and Jordan et al, is that just that; noise. Is the PLO going to launch attacks on US personnel at the US embassy? Is the PLO going to risk hundreds of millions of dollars in funding they get from the US?

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    1. PA is on the same needle Israel is with foreign aid, only a lot more so.
      For all the bullshit talk about liberation struggle and Jihad NOTHING will be done that'll risk that money being cut off. Time to start using their addiction against them.

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  5. "Eitan Rond, the tour guide of the group that was hit by the truck, claimed the soldiers at the scene were not quick to open fire at the terrorist because of the conviction of Sgt. Elor Azaria, who shot dead a neutralized terrorist in Hebron. "

    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4904566,00.html

    Way to go Israel judges and everyone involved in convicting Azaria. The blood of the dead are on your hands now and every time a soldier hesitates.

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  6. I'd laugh if it wouldn't make me cry.

    "PreOccupied Territory
    Why Didn’t The IDF Just Shoot The Truck Out Of The Driver’s Hands?
    4 hours ago"

    http://www.preoccupiedterritory.com/why-didnt-the-idf-just-shoot-the-truck-out-of-the-drivers-hands/

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  7. "I don't know why 40 soldiers didn't shoot the terrorist'

    IDF investigating why soldiers ran away from scene of terror attack rather than shoot the terrorist."

    http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/222944

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  8. Move the damn Embassy!

    It's more dangerous not to move it.

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  9. Thank you Michael for what you said. I was your typical liberal Democrat, even went to UC Berkeley, but then 2006 war in Lebanon happened, and candidate Obama came on the stage and I saw what I saw....and so, I too left the democratic party and voted for a Republican the first time in my life (McCain for president); voted for Romney thereafter, and even for Trump.
    Now, to say that is risky living in Northern California. It would be more acceptable among my pro-Israel friends if I declared myself a lesbian, transgender, or even convert to Christianity. But a republican Jew who loves Israel and lives in Nor Cal, forsooth.....that makes me a pariah among my peers and family.

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    1. It's ironic how easily they like to project their tolerance views of humankind, while among themselves they profess such bigotry toward their perceived enemies.

      There are few Democrats and fewer progressives that are free of "fake" information about Trump supporters and so many other things. It's not a suprise, however, because their reality is what ought to be. Which gives them the right to lecture and even be wrong in pursuit of their noble cause. Which you could not possible differ. That makes you deplorable.

      So easy when you pretend not to know.

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  10. "Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri has decided to revoke the permanent resident status of 13 members of Jerusalem terrorist Fadi Al-Qunbar's family, including his mother, following consultations Monday with the Shin Bet and the Immigration Authority.
    As a result of the terror attack, in which four IDF officers were murdered, Minwa al-Qunbar, a permanent resident of Israel who is also in bigamous marriage contrary to Israeli law, will lose her permanent residency and corresponding social benefits.
    Such a measure has previously never been implemented and prevents the family from appealing to the High Court of Justice, as they are not Israeli citizens.
    Minister Deri decided on the measure after discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who supported the move."

    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4905413,00.html

    More and faster. Watch all the terrorist lovers complain bitterly.

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  11. This woman has just lost her child! What kind of people wold do that? It's not who we are!

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    1. Ayup.

      What pisses the hell out of me is that most Americans do not understand that those kids are fighting on a daily basis for their very homes. They're not a thousand miles away on someone else's land. They're fighting to maintain their own homes and safety with their parents back at the house.

      I wish your average American could put him or herself into the shoes of the average Israeli soldier.

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  12. During the senate hearings today Bob Menendez went on a tear against Rex Tillerson - not so much asking questions as making a long speech. And you have to love the 'questions' they do ask - all semi retarded sounding like "So do YOU think raping and eating babies is GOOD for the US?"

    At any rate Menendez of course said 'the last time a country built a wall was in Berlin in 1961'

    But there's a key difference - WEST Germany didn't build it. The GDR did. Would Menendez be screaming if Mexico stopped 30 million people, however they did that, from streaming into the US? Or would he be attempting to subvert Mexican law and force them to comer here? After all, to liberals THIS country is the evil empire. Why would he fighting to force poor Mexicans here against the wishes of their government.

    Be that as it may, Maybe we need to give the people their head. If SF and Oakland want a gazillion illegalitos? Ok they can have them. As many as humanly possible. All I would do is microchip the aliens and if they step outside of their sanctuary cities, they're immediately put on a boat and dumped into Southern Mexico. And build a safety barrier around SF and Oakland to protect the poor illegalitos from horrible middle Americans.

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    1. People tend to forget that "no borders," while it may have a humanitarian sound to it is at its core a far left strategy to destroy Western society. Also a jihadist strategy. Gramsci would be proud

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  13. To be clear, I detest Glenn Greenwald for a lot of reasons which I'm sure many of you would understand but I gotta say this piece on the Trump Golden Showers episode is a MUST read:

    https://theintercept.com/2017/01/11/the-deep-state-goes-to-war-with-president-elect-using-unverified-claims-as-dems-cheer/

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    1. Speaking for myself, yes I do detest Glenn Greenwald. That being said, the attempted delegitimization of Trump's presidency before he even takes office, and the methods being employed, do not bode well for my country.
      At least let the guy screw up and judge him on that. Greenwald does actually make some good points, among them (and I have heard it before, amounts to the 'boy cries wolf' scenario, i.e., when most or all attacks on him have been found to be groundless, how will the media et al convince anyone when there really is wrong doing? It IS a dangerous game, and it helps none of us.

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    2. It really is far worse than Bush Derangement Syndrome. The media is looking mighty bad right now; even worse than normal. And places like dKos are looking downright loonie (well, loonier.)

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  14. 2 days until the new Dreyfus Trial in Paris. F**k you very much Franceistan.

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  15. "The difference between the proportion of Republicans and Democrats who sympathize with Israel over the Palestinians is the largest it has been in surveys dating to 1978, according to a new report.
    While 74 percent of Republicans sympathize more with Israel than the Palestinians, the number is 33% for Democrats, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted Jan. 4-9 and published Thursday."

    http://www.timesofisrael.com/74-republicans-33-democrats-back-israel-over-palestinians-poll/

    F**k you very much Democraticstan.

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  16. " German court calls synagogue torching an act to 'criticize Israel'
    ByBenjamin Weinthal
    13 January 2017 03:41
    A regional court in Germany has decided that a brutal attempt to set fire to a local synagogue in 2014 was an act meant to express criticism against Israel's conduct in its ongoing conflict with Gaza .

    http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/German-court-calls-synagogue-torching-an-act-to-criticize-Israel-478330

    Good old Germany. You never change when it comes to Jews do you?

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