By now, everyone is aware of the infamous open microphone incident in which President Barak Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy were overheard in a private conversation ridiculing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the G-20 summit in Cannes. After Sarkozy was overheard saying that he “could not stand Netanyahu” and calling him a “liar,” Obama replied “you are fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day.”
Obama’s lack of defense at the character assassination of a supposed ally should awaken Jewish voters to the inescapable conclusion that President Obama is not a friend of the Jewish state despite his recent efforts to change this perception.
It seems that Obama’s recent strategy of publicly adopting pro- Israeli stances, and avoiding public confrontations, condemnations and humiliation of the Israeli prime minister has only been a temporary public relations ploy to hold on to Jewish votes and donations in his re-election campaign. Obama has been publicly reassuring Jewish supporters of his commitment to Israel’s security and repeatedly pointing to the high level of security and diplomatic cooperation with the Israelis. However, privately he has been undermining Israel by agreeing with European leaders that the Israeli prime minister is to be blamed for the lack of progress toward peace in the Middle East while at the same time giving the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas a pass.
A reality check reveals that Obama’s view of the Israeli prime minister is distorted, whether by personal bias or selective memory. In fact, since Netanyahu came to power three years ago, the prime minister has bent to Obama’s will on many occasions. He agreed for the first time to commit his Likud party to accept a Palestinian state. He froze West Bank settlement growth as well as any buildup in east Jerusalem, Israel’s eternal capital. This is something no other Israeli leader has ever agreed to do, including dovish prime ministers such as Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres. Netanyahu removed dozens of roadblocks, agreed to dismantle illegal outposts and eventually accepted Obama’s territorial formula for a Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders with land swaps.
Moreover while Netanyahu accepted the Mideast Quartets’ call, which included France and the United States, to return back to negotiations with the PA without preconditions, Abbas said no. But much worse, Abbas has rejected numerous personal appeals from Obama not to take his bid for statehood to the United Nations. This may force the United States to use its Security Council veto, which is something Obama seems to dread.
For almost three years, until he began his re-election campaign, Obama has been involved in public confrontations, condemnations and humiliation of the democratically elected Netanyahu. At the same time he has been silent and respectful to Abbas, a corrupt and undemocratic Holocaust denier, who has never ended the anti-Jewish incitement in schools, mosques and the media.
Those Jewish Obama supporters — who claim that despite his apparent personal dislike and disrespect to Netanyahu Obama is still a friend of Israel and can be trusted to ensure its survival — delude themselves. Respect for and a cordial relationship with a democratic ally demand that the president accept the democratic selection of Israel’s leader and treat that elected leader with courtesy and respect. Anything else is a slap at the Israeli people.
It is even more humiliating when one witnesses the great personal rapport that Obama has created with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan. Turkish media outlets reported that after Erdogan’s mother died last month, Obama was among the world leaders who called him and the two “spoke for 45 minutes about their feelings.” The Washington Post reported that since the summer the relationship has been on the upswing and the two leaders speak often and frequently agree on policy in the Middle East.
It would be interesting to know if Obama agrees with the Erdogan policy toward Israel. Since the summer, Turkey has expelled the Israeli ambassador, downgraded diplomatic relations and suspended long-term military agreements with Israel. In September it even threatened that Turkish warships would accompany the next flotilla to Gaza.
Only fools will ignore the alarming signs of Obama’s animosity and Jews are not fools. Each Jewish voter must decide if they can trust Obama with Israel’s survival for four more years.
Shoula Romano Horing was born and raised in Israel. She is an attorney in Kansas City and a national speaker. Read more on her blog www.shoularomanohoring.com.