Obama Releases Activist Chanukah Statement
President Obama’s official Chanukah statement released by the White House Tuesday contains unusually activist language compared to his previous annual statements for the Jewish festival.
Also, unmentioned in this year’s official statement is the Jewish Temple, which is central to the Chanukah story. Aside from his 2009 statement, all other previous White House Chanukah statements referenced the Temple, which was rededicated on Chanukah.
This year Obama declared, “May this Hanukkah embolden us to do what is right, shine a light on the miracles we enjoy, and kindle in all of us the desire to share those miracles with others.”
Obama said the “courage of the Maccabees reminds us that we too can overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.”
Obama said that over the “eight nights of Hanukah, Jews across America, Israel, and the world will remember an ancient triumph of freedom over oppression, and renew their faith in the possibility of miracles large and small.”
Obama’s call this year for Chanukah to “embolden us to do what is right” comes as the president has been criticized for bypassing Congress with executive orders, interagency directives, and memoranda setting policy agendas on such issues as immigration reform and environmental activism.
His reminder this year of “ancient triumph of freedom over oppression” is issued at a time when the U.S. is reportedly undecided on a French initiative to impose a binding two-year timeline at the United Nations Security Council for creating a Palestinian state.
Russia May Instigate Mideast Conflict
Russia is preparing a contingency plan to prompt Hizbullah and possibly the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad into a direct military conflict with Israel, according to a French official who has been apprised of the situation.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the contingency was meant to be used as a card against the West, particularly the U.S. and European Union, which has been engaged in efforts to isolate Moscow.
This past week, the U.S. and EU adapted tighter sanctions on the Russian economy, including restrictions on investments in the Crimea, with emphasis on Russian Black Sea oil and gas exploration and tourism.
The official said there is information Russia in recent weeks successfully shipped to Hizbullah a large convoy of Iskandar ballistic missiles and surface-to-air missiles. The missiles were received, despite Israel’s alleged air strikes in Syria targeting Russian-shipped weapons earlier this month, the official said.
The official said Russia has not made any decision about agitating a Hizbillah attack on Israel, but views a possible conflict in the Mideast as a card it can play in its confrontation with the West, particularly in Ukraine.
Was Obama’s Cuban Move Inspired By Russian Manuevers?
While outspoken critics view President Obama’s announcement of renewed diplomatic ties with Havana as rewarding a dictatorship, the White House move may have more to do with checking Russia’s growing influence in Cuba, located just 90 miles from the U.S. coast.
On Wednesday, Obama announced the restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba, including the goal of reopening a U.S. Embassy in Havana that has been closed for 50 years.
The U.S. will ease travel restrictions on Cuba and will make it easier for Americans doing business in the country.
The State Department has also been ordered to review Cuba’s status as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Russia responded to the U.S. move with public praise. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called Obama’s decision a “step in the right direction.” However, the Russians must be concerned that Obama is responding to Moscow’s recent muscle-flexing in Cuba.
In July, the London Guardian reported that Russia had quietly struck a deal with Cuba to reopen the Lourdes military base, a Soviet-era spy base and military facility that was the USSR’s largest foreign base during the Cold War. The Soviets reportedly used the base to intercept American radio and telephone communications.