{Originally posted to author’s website, Emes Ve-Emunah}
Sometimes it’s hard to believe how partisan we all are. And yet that is exactly the case. It seems that when it comes to partisanship, logic goes out the window. Right along with common decency and even common sense.
The latest manifestation of this is now being played out in media reports and analyses. The hottest topic of discussion of late is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s acceptance of House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to address a joint session of congress later this week. The lack of following protocol in by-passing the White House by both Boehner and Netanyahu is being labeled a snub. For his part President Obama decided to snub the Prime Minister back – claiming that as a matter of tradition, US Presidents had always refrained from meeting with foreign leaders just before an election.
Political pundits on both sides of the political aisle cannot not help playing up the supposed hatred between the 2 leaders. It is interesting to note that Obama supporters (who generally are Netanyahu haters) characterized this as a blow to bi-partisanship by a Prime Minister interested more in his own political fortunes than he is about the welfare of the country he leads. While the Obama haters (who generally support Netanyahu) see Obama as another Neville Chamberlain pursuing a deal that gives Iran a green light to eventually become a nuclear power. And they characterize Netanyahu as a leader using every opportunity to explain why Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is an existential threat to his people.
As I have explained in the past, my own views on this tend toward the latter. I agree that getting a few standing ovations (which he will surely get) during a bipartisan address to the US congress will boost his popularity among voters in Israel. But that does not take away from what I believe to be the reality of Iran becoming a nuclear power and his mission to prevent that.
Iranian leaders have repeatedly said that Israel must be wiped off the map by all means at its disposal. This is not just an empty threat by a former Iranian President. It is the view of Iran’s supreme leader. He is the man who sets the tone for the country. It is his theological views that supersede anything any President of Iran would say or do. He has been clear. As their ‘Gadol HaDor’ he has stated that Israel mus be destroyed as a matter of theology. If he decides that Iran should fire a nuclear tipped missile at Israel, that is what that government will do.
Israel may be a strong country and have nuclear weapons of its own. But that will not deter a religious fanatic who think that God is on his side from attacking it when they think they have the weapons to do it.
Be that as it may, I have to take issue with a most disgusting comment by an Obama hater. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach has apparently taken out a full page ad in the New York Times that among other things said the following about the President’s national security adviser: “Susan Rice has a blind spot: Genocide,”
To mention genocide in the same breath as Susan Rice goes well beyond being critical about the President’s foreign policy. It is true that Ms. Rice has said that Netanyahu’s speech is destructive to the US Israel relationship. But that does not in any way indicate that she has a blind spot to genocide. Not that I agree with her. Without a doubt Nenatyahu’s speech to congress will not harm Israel in the slightest. I am 100% convinced that the bi-partisan support will remain the same. The democrats that say it will not are simply playing politics.