The Obama administration reaches out to some of the world’s worst regimes in the name of its engagement policy.
America and our allies watch as sanctions are eased on Cuba. Letters are written to Iran’s mullahs only to see that regime start killing protestors in the streets of Tehran.
Envoys are sent to North Korea as that country continues to defy the world’s demand that it give up its nuclear weapons.
The Burmese military junta’s representative is allowed to travel to our nation’s capital.
The president’s envoy for Sudan talks about giving that genocidal regime “gold stars,” while the president shakes hands with Venezuela’s tyrannical leader.
In the midst of all this embracing of enemies, with whom does the Obama administration choose to escalate a minor incident into a major diplomatic confrontation? With Iran? Cuba? Sudan? North Korea? Burma?
No. With our treasured ally, Israel.
Last October, Secretary of State Clinton recognized Israel’s desire for peace in the Middle East and praised Israel’s “unprecedented” concessions for agreeing to halt settlement construction in the West Bank, a concession that did not include halting construction of apartments for Jews in Jerusalem.
Even two weeks ago, after planned construction in Jerusalem had been announced, Vice President Biden still expressed “appreciation” for the “significant” steps taken by the Israeli government to address this minor issue.
Now, however, we see the Obama administration has decided to escalate, make unilateral demands of Israel, and threaten the very foundation of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
This has quickly led to the worst crisis in U.S.-Israel relations in decades. But it did not have to happen. More important, it needs to stop before it spirals out of control. Vice President Biden should rein in the Obama administration’s overheated rhetoric and chill the political spinmasters’ fire as they take to the media to criticize Israel.
Once again, the Obama administration is missing the boat on a very, very important issue. The administration needs to go back to the basics and acknowledge that Palestinian leaders have not helped progress any peace process since Obama was elected.
As Israel makes concessions (and is still criticized by the Obama administration), Arab leaders are just sitting back waiting for the White House to pressure Israel even further.
The Obama administration needs to open its eyes and recognize that it is only Iran and its terrorist allies that benefit from this manufactured controversy with Israel.
Vice President Biden was actually right when he said, before the construction announcement, that “one necessary precondition for progress is that the rest of the world knows…there is absolutely no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to security.”
Right now, thanks to the administration, there is a chasm. It’s time for President Obama to push the reset button on our relations with our ally Israel.