UPDATES 6 pm Israel time Friday:
**It as if the rocket attack on the communities around Sderot never happened yesterday–not one word from the Israeli government and not one word from the Israeli media.
**Theater of the absurd: As he was leaving Ben Gurion airport this afternoon, while in the company of PM Netanyahu, Obama called Turkish PM Erdogan and handed the phone to PM Netanyahu who then apologized to Erdogan for the Mavi Marmara incident–which Erdogan engineered with IHH Turkish terrorists. Completely pathetic.
TODAY’S BLOG:
President Obama’s speech in Jerusalem has been hailed by some as speech of vision–and the speech of friend administering “tough love” to a friend. Most of those who are saying this are those of the same “leftist” ilk as those that Obama handpicked to be in the International Convention Center to cheer his every word wildly as if those words were emanating from the Moshiach himself.
As your humble servant listened to the speech yesterday, he had a sense of waiting to get sucker-punched. Obama artfully began his speech with flattery, a paean to Israeli resilience, determination, and democracy.
But finally came the part of the speech that Obama had been waiting to deliver since his arrival–the lines that were the ultimate point of his “charm offensive”.
Today is Part 1 of your humble servant’s analysis of that part of Obama’s speech [with my comments interpolated]:
“First, peace is necessary. Indeed, it is the only path to true security. You can be the generation that permanently secures the Zionist dream, or you can face a growing challenge to its future. Given the demographics west of the Jordan River, the only way for Israel to endure and thrive as a Jewish and democratic state is through the realization of an independent and viable Palestine.”
[The demography argument for a Palestinian state has long been exposed as a canard on this blog. The day may come when Arabs outnumber Jews west of the Jordan River but most of those Arabs are in Gaza (which Israel evacuated nearly a decade ago) and in Israel itself (where the Arab proportion of the population is actually beginning to decrease). Even if Israel annexed Area C of Judea and Samaria with its 50,000 Palestinians, Israel’s Jewish majority would not even be remotely threatened.]
“Given the frustration in the international community, Israel must reverse an undertow of isolation.”
discount viagra The PDE5 enzyme is mainly responsible for the issue. Take this medicine with levitra purchase canada full glass of water or any other liquid a required. They can purchase sildenafil online then leach into the blood and not letting it pass ahead to the penile organ is not able to receive ample blood circulation required for erection. The drug starts working after 30 minutes minimum, depending on the body state and the last Recommended website levitra purchase meal.
[So now Obama expects Israel to agree to a Palestinian state because the international community is frustrated? The international community has always been “frustrated” with Israel.
Of course, one of the ironies of Obama’s visit to Israel has been his announcement to the Palestinians that they should negotiate with Israel even if Israel continues building homes, schools, and hospitals in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. It was Obama himself in early 2009–as well as his entire Administration notably Secretary of State Clinton– who led to Israel’s isolation and the Palestinians pulling away from the so-called “negotiating table” by demanding that Israel cease all construction before peace talks start.]
“And given the march of technology, the only way to truly protect the Israeli people is through the absence of war – because no wall is high enough, and no Iron Dome is strong enough, to stop every enemy from inflicting harm.”
[Another irony: Obama’s speech made a personal reference to a resident of Sderot whom Obama had talked to in the past, yet Obama did not utter one syllable about the missile barrage that hit Sderot yesterday morning.]
“This truth is more pronounced given the changes sweeping the Arab World. I recognize that with the uncertainty in the region – people in the streets, changes in leadership, the rise of non-secular parties in politics –it is tempting to turn inward. But this is precisely the time to respond to the wave of revolution with a resolve for peace. As more governments respond to popular will, the days when Israel could seek peace with a handful of autocratic leaders are over. Peace must be made among peoples, not just governments. No one step can change overnight what lies in the hearts and minds of millions. But progress with the Palestinians is a powerful way to begin, while sidelining extremists who thrive on conflict and division.”
[Once again, Obama’s perception of what has taken place is short-sighted and dangerous. Where exactly have autocratic leaders been replaced? In Algeria perhaps, in Tunisia maybe. However, in Egypt, President Morsi is every bit as autocratic as Mubarak ever was. No “democratic revolution” has taken place anywhere else.
And what happened in Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt? “Non-secular” parties did not take over–Islamic parties took over. The popular will of the Arab street is deadly, unremitting anti-semitic hatred of Israel. Peace with these Arab peoples is farther away than ever.
And where is Obama at this moment? In autocratic Jordan where King Abdullah is perilously close to being overthrown by the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood].
Part 2 of Obama’s speech tomorrow.
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.