Politics
More PoliticsBiden's Disastrous Israel Trip
Ariel Schalit / AP Photo
Israel apologized for embarrassing Vice President Joe Biden by announcing it had approved 1,600 new homes in disputed east Jerusalem while the vice president was engaged in talks with Palestinian leaders—but now Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has pulled out of peace talks. Reihan Salam on America's waning influence abroad.
Among Israelis, opinions of the Obama administration are decidedly mixed. Last year, many latched onto poll numbers that suggested that President Obama only had the support of 4 percent of Israelis. Yet those shockingly low numbers were misleading. Another survey, sponsored by the New America Foundation, found that 41 percent of Israelis held a favorable opinion of Obama, while 37 percent held an unfavorable opinion. Interestingly, only 42 percent of respondents believed that Obama supports Israel. If we accept that reality lies somewhere between these extremes, one gets the impression that while the White House has alienated many Israelis, the damage isn't necessarily permanent. That's why Vice President Biden's mission to Jerusalem is so vitally important, and why it's been such a disaster so far.
It's hard to see the awkwardness of Biden's visit so far having a broader political impact.
• Eric Alterman: The Only Hope for Mideast Peace Unlike President Obama, an outsider without a long track record on issues relating to the Middle East, Joe Biden had a reputation in the Senate as one of Israel's staunchest allies. Last year, during a memorable address at AIPAC's Annual Policy Conference, Biden had very warm words for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he claimed as an old and dear friend. More broadly, he described his lifelong commitment to the American partnership with Israel, which he traced to a fateful meeting with Golda Meir that occurred shortly before the Yom Kippur War. But then, after offering a deeply moving statement of his Zionist convictions, he gently offered what sounded to some like a rebuke. After insisting that Israel work towards a two-state solution, Biden added, in his wry and conversational style, "you're not going to like me saying this, but [Israel has to] not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts, and allow the Palestinians freedom of movement based on their first actions."
The vice president was quick to temper these remarks by insisting that this would be a "show me" deal in which the Palestinians would have to demonstrate their good faith. All the same, Israelis inclined to distrust the Obama administration were concerned, not least because U.S. diplomatic efforts seemed to place a heavier burden on Israel than on neighboring Arab states. The oft-heard critique is that by seeking Israeli concessions on settlement-building first, the White House was asking Israelis to give up something tangible without getting anything in return. So it's understandable that the Obama foreign policy team was looking to pivot away from nudging, if not pressuring, Israel into making any further sacrifices for a peace process that seems very remote.
Rather than focus primarily on kickstarting a peace process Israelis consider badly broken, the vice president's visit was intended to reassure the Israeli public that the Obama administration takes the threat posed by Iran seriously, and emphasizing that the U.S. is absolutely committed to Israeli security. But just as Biden arrived in Israel, the Interior Ministry announced the construction of 1,600 new housing units for Jewish residents in East Jerusalem, a move many, including many in the Obama administration, have interpreted as a deliberate provocation. The vice president put geniality aside to issue a stern and unambiguous statement: "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units." The general consensus is that Prime Minister Netanyahu was discomfited by the timing, yet he has relatively little leverage over his right-of-center allies in his fractious coalition government. Though spokesmen for the Interior Ministry insist that the timing of the announcement had nothing to do with Biden's arrival, it's undoubtedly true that the move will enhance the nationalist 'street cred' of its architects. Moreover, East Jerusalem is viewed very differently from the West Bank and Gaza. A government announcement of a ten-month freeze on settlement construction did not include Jerusalem, and there is very little appetite for surrendering an inch of the city to a future Palestinian state.
It's hard to see the awkwardness of Biden's visit so far having a broader political impact. But it does contribute to the impression, fair or unfair, that President Obama is presiding over an era of diminished American influence, in which allies and rivals alike feel comfortable thumbing their noses at a White House focused above all else on its domestic priorities.
Reihan Salam is a policy advisor at e21 and a fellow at the New America Foundation.
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OldCrow
Don't send a boy to do a man's work. Joe fits in better a country fair - not diplomacy. Obama should have sent Hillary.
libertyville
Joe has never been able to pull off the country charm though he has often tried. He places better at one of those neighborhood carnivals.
FarLeftFist
Israeli minister apologizes to Biden over homes plan
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli cabinet minister apologized on Wednesday after Israel embarrassed visiting Vice President Joe Biden by announcing plans to build 1,600 more homes for Jewish settlers.
Biden condemned the project, whose announcement clouded a mission to Israel that had been focused on reassuring Israelis that President Barack Obama was committed to their security in the face of a possible Iranian nuclear threat.
"This should not have happened during a visit by the U.S. vice president," Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog said on Army Radio. "This is a real embarrassment and now we have to express our apologies for this serious blunder."
Palestinian officials said the planned construction near Jerusalem could kill any chance of reviving peace talks, which Israel and the Palestinians had agreed this week to restart through U.S. mediation of indirect negotiations.
sangha774
You are, of course, being silly 'libertyville'. The U.S. has historically supported everything Israel wants and they have taken advantage of that support. This has, effectively damaged U.S. image worldwide. Israel does what it wants when it wants, kills who it wants upsetting the balance of world peace and giving birth to terrorism since '67. They then ring fence themselves and hold the world to ransom by invoking holocaust guilt and by bashing any criticism of Israel as anti-semitic when, for the most part, it is anti-injustice. Israel is inadvertently generating greater world support for the Palestinians and less for themselves.
Israelis are guided by their obsessive committment to "never again". The "never again" committment is understandable but the obsessive nature of it incites Israel into making hugh mistakes. Committment, and in particular, justice and wisdom will benefit Israel and its surrounding neighbors best. Announcing the building of new settlements whilst vice-president Biden's is visiting is highly provocative and the equivalent of pissing directly on the U.S. and the rest of the world. Israel's right wing government is out of control and is on a destructive course. Israel deserves the right to exist but does not deserve support for its stupid actions.
johnwr3
The thing that is becoming very apparent is the lack of grownups in the White House. There is a junior blue bird feel to almost everything they do. They send Joe to Jerusalem to talk peace and they didn't think to coordinate the message? Hey Rahm, this is relationship 101 stuff. Israel looks like the bigger player and poor old Joe looks like a fool. FIRE RAHM
Garvagh
libertyville - - Biden spoke out strongly against the idiotic continued construction of illegal Jewish colonies in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem). That Israel is the tail wagging the American dog is not Biden's fault.
hockeydog
sangha - yours is the very best post! Truth shines throughout your words.
binkis
This article is so much BS..We need to quit pandering to the Israeli selected failed hawks. They have made a sham of all the support the World has to offer.. Cut them loose and let them deal with the Russians who think BiBi is crazy... The World leaders see the atrocities and have turned away except for the other selected leader the runt from Iran! They embarrassed themselves and HAD TO APOLOGIZE!
case1234
What if the Israeli public does have unrealistic expectations? Obama's position on settlements and the peace process mirrors that proposed and promoted by Condi Rice, so why the reaction? Unlike the Bush administration, Israelis believe Obama actually means it.
Right now it really does seem they are operating on short term goals without much thought for the long term implication. Like the US, this is likely driven by a "spirited" political process to say the least political fortunes are measure in weeks and months rather than years.
What is still not being adequately discussed is the demographic future of Israel. Unless immigration greatly increases. Their will be an non - Jewish majority withing Israeli and controlled lands. That situation will be politically and socially unsustainable. Israel has to be the cooler head and move forward with the peace process. What is the alternative?
sangha774
What and Israel wouldn't have announced new settlements? You're naive OldCrow.
sangha774
The above by Sangha774; "What and Israel wouldn't have announced new settlements? should have read "What if Israel hadn't announced new settlements?
BransoMo
Secretary of State Clinton's visits to Israel have never achieved American foreign policy objectives. Netanyahu is only interested in money from US taxpayers to fund his wars and American security council vetos to defend his nuclear weapons programs. Since diplomacy doesn't work, America should simply end the Israeli entitlement program.
monzo11
There it is! Forget the empty words. It's a matter of money, and the U.S. has enormous leverage with its indiscriminate aid to Israel. If the U.S. wishes to be a peacemaker, it has to be risk offending the Israeli lobby and cut the aid. There is "no free lunch," and Jerusalem and Washington should acknowledge this.
kilchis
What the hell was Biden suppose to say,that it's OK for Israel to do this? Israel was founded at a desperate moment and has valiantly and courageously fought for its preservation but it is no longer an under-dog. There will be no peace until there is an independent Palestine. Israel has every right to defend itself but this is blatantly aggressive and it will cost us.I'm proud of Joe Biden for standing up to the right- wing both in Israel and here.
xlntcat
What an inane uninformed remark. Joe Biden has been successfully dealing with Israel for decade regardless of who was in the WH. So far this mission has been no where close the the disaster that Clinton's mission was. No one has yet walked away from the table this time. Like the US, there are elements in Israel that are not only seeking to embarrass the U S but also to undermine the current administration in Israel. Sound familiar.
TOMMcG
Reihan Salam's bit of opinion journalism is not good journalism. He seems to be saying little more than Biden made the Israelis unhappy with his condemnation of their constant attempts to trash the peace process, so called. So what if they are unhappy, it is about time an American Government stood up to the perfidy of the this Israeli right wing government. Far too much American security is tied to Israel's shabby, contemptible treatment of the Palestinians. And Salam's attacking Biden's credentials backing up his statement? Are you serious. All of this makes Salam's piece tendentious and poorly thought out. More suitably published in the National Review.
OrionCA
LOL!!! You want to start a war, don't you? Hillary is Secretary of State because Obama didn't want her running against him in 2012 and it was the highest office below VP he could offer her. If she would have taken Ambassador to Iceland he would have given her that instead - and she'd be just as qualified for the job - ie., not at all. Hillary's foreign policy experience consists of hosting White House dinners and flying around to meaningless women's conferences while her husband was in office. Maybe a few junkets overseas while she was junior Senator from New York. Howdy Doody is about as qualified to be Secretary of State as Hillary - and probably a whole lot more diplomatic.
zaks5thave
Howdy Doody also has more street cred than the current sec of state.
cottonmouth
@sangha774.
If Israel did what it wants and killed who it wants as you suggest, they would have toppled the hate filled and corrupt theocracies that threaten its very existence years ago. The inept leaders of the Arab world are no match for Israel, but Israel has resisted this because they are civilized and would rather have some sort of peace, though not at the cost of their existence.
Your blaming of Israel for somehow giving "birth terrorism" is ridiculous both as logical and historical comment. If the Arab governments had the military power of Israel, no sane persons doubt that these anti-Semitic thugs would long ago have wiped out all Jews from the Arab world.
Israel is anti-justice? Then how would you describe the Arab governments around it who sponsor the killing of innocent women and child across the world, not remotely connected with their conflict. Who deny basic human rights to women, homosexuals, and people of differing faiths? And who willfully impose fatwa's of death on people such as authors, activists or any other person they deem fit? I don't believe there are sufficient adjectives to describe how "anti-justice" this is. Brutal, despicable, uncivilized, revolting, inhuman, intolerant and loathsome, these are just a few.
strydes
I have always been appalled that when Arab terrorists murder innocent young Israelis in pizza parlors and other public areas that no one sees the horror of the act. On the other hand there is so much sympathy for the terrorists that do these deeds that I wonder if I am in
ohiocitizen
Yes the Arab world has serious problems.
But that does not excuse the generally right wing Israeli governments that year after year take land from Christian and Muslim Arabs. Israel is in a difficult situation, but it makes it worse in so many ways, over decades.
Israel does not need our money, they have plenty of nuclear and other weapons, tell Congress no more money for any one that spits in our face.
mikamandi
The Palestinians have done exactly what they had to do and SHOULD have done - pull out. Arrogant Israel has, still again, demonstrated it doesn't want peace unless it is entirely on its terms, which means it continues to steal as much Arab land as it pleases, whenever it wants. As long as the U.S. is the lapdog of the Israeli Washington lobby, peace will never be achieved. The U.S. must withdraw all of its support of Israel until Israel decides to be reasonable. The we will have helped our friends in Israel achieve real peace and security.
johnstafford
After 8 years of "nudge-nudge, wink-wink" by the Bush administration as the Israeli government ignored its own promise to stop expanding its settlements in Palestinian territory, perhaps it's time for the U.S. to become "more unpopular" in Jerusalem.
=Nobody knows better than the people of Israel that their long-term security depends on a mutually-respected peace agreement with their Arab neighbors. It's in their interest, as well as ours, that the U.S. "nudging" this time be in the
direction of a permanent accord.
JohnConnughton
Let's see how unpopular we become when we cut off our foreign aid to our number one recipient.
Maverick
We'd become vastly more popular in Iraq, Eqypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Libya, Morroco, Tunisia, Kuwait, Algeria, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Mauritania, Somalia, Palestine, and Djibouti. Not to mention parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. So we become less popular with Israel, but more popular with a population that is 20X as large? Who wouldn't take that deal?
parke47
to maverick,
what in Gods name are you talking about?you would have to be insane to take that deal.you are talking about being friends with people that will cut your head off for dancing at a wedding.free palestine from hamas!
Scorp1on
As a white boy who was in Ethiopia while Israel was slaughtering Gazans indiscriminately early last year, I became acutely aware of the way American news is whitewashed to the benefit of Israel versus the news the rest of the world sees. I have to agree with Maverick. I'll take being popular with all of Northern Africa, the ME, and southern Asia over being popular with a couple million Israeli transplants from Russia and New York. Oh, and parke.... Israel helped grow Hamas as a counter weight to Fatah. Hamas became successful by being disciplined and non-corruptable. Darned if that second characteristic didn't throw a wrench in Israels plans to orchestrate the inter-gang warfare in their giant open air prisons.
Beachman
So we have two Biden stories on TDB at the same time. You say the trip was a disaster and the other story proclaims that the Israelis have apologized to Biden for very poor timing in making their latest settlement announcement.
It is one thing to be devoted to a friend but it is another to be so devoted that one overlooks the shortcomings of that friend. A true friend tries to help and points out those shortcomings in order to help that friend lead a more peaceful and successful life.
Keep on keepin' on Joe.
xlntcat
Israel's prime minister apologized to Biden. This announcement was as much directed at the prime minister as it was a thumb of the nose at the U S.
However, pretending that this isn't the identical same behavior that Israel has exhibited with every administration exceeds denial and resorts to lying. When haven't the Israelis defied every tentative agreement by either making a settlement announcement or taking actions that undermine peace talks either during a visit by the U S State Dept or other officials while they were present or within 24 hours after we depart. This is businss as usual. The only difference is that Israel is no longer confident that we will back whatever outlandish thing they do to their neighbors and that is a positive not a negative ddevelopment.
aackc1
Biden is a joke. I love how he was lauded as balancing the '08 ticket, in terms of international relations experience. Since our current POTUS, has none.
Bunch of amateurs...
Johnnyappleseed
"Being vice president is easy, you don't have to do anything"...Joe Biden
Gracchus
Joe was merely echoing opinions of the Vice-Presidency going back to John Adams. Of course, Adams managed to voice this opinion more eloquently: "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived."
Garvagh
aack1 - - Do you think Biden should have been stronger in his criticism of idiotic illegal Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem?
Panger
You can hate the man, hate the team, hate the Democrats. That's cool, you have a right to your opinion. And you might have something very useful to say.
But your dislike doesn't give you the right to make up facts. Biden's foreign policy experience is not debatable.
Hurling invective doesn't change anything except your blood pressure and people's respect for you.
Gracchus
Amateur? As opposed to the international relations expert ("I can see Russia from Alaska") balancing the McCain ticket? ROFL
Joe Biden may be tactless, but his foreign policy experience a matter of record.
Mike Stewart
So is his record of being fantastically wrong. For the war, against the surge, wanted to trisect Iraq... the man is an imbecile.
By the way, you should know that he cheated in law school, lied about his academc record, has been a repeat plagiarizer, and falsely accused the man who had died in the accident with his wife of being drunk and causing her death.
A creep and a fool, to be brief and blunt.
ohiocitizen
Very smart amateurs at the worse.
I'll take them over 'experienced' Neo-Con's that start unnecessary wars any day!
Iraq, if the blood does not turn you off, will cost the average barely making it US family $ 40,000 by the time we pay back Red China in many years! Now there's reason for a tea party, but most of them approved of this incredible blunder!
Chaiya Eitan
We apologized??? What the hell for?? We have the right to build anywhere in Jerusalem! It is our capital! Joe - go home!
oddie303
germany?
citivas
Your comment is as moronic as the person who posted in the Haiti rape article that they all deserved it because they worshipped the devil. You're both about as credible.
ohiocitizen
Sure! But Not with US money any more !
No more aid for Israel, they don't need it, they spit in our face year after year!
Call Congress, No more aid for any of these self-destructive people in the Mid-East. Let them destroy themselves if that's what they really want.
larryfromkansas
Joe spoke truth, an ugly truth. Truth told by a friend like Biden means more than just some political hack. It means something. To most of middle America (save the rapture types), support for Israel has cost the U.S. far too much in blood and coin. We had high hopes with Carter, Begin and Sadat nearly 30 years ago on the settlement issue. Because we speak truth, we are respected. Joe's doing the right thing, no disaster here.
barrylane
Agreed. Israel has been moving ever further to the right, and with Netanyahu in the big seat they're as far away from center now as they've been in a while. I'm proud that this country is at last taking a small stand against Israel's more incendiary actions that have destroyed the already slim chances that existed for some kind of accord between Jerusalem and the Palestinians - not to mention the other nations of the Middle East who side naturally with Palestine.
Dubya and Cheney gave Israel actual and tacit support no matter how heinous their offenses. I'm happy to see the VP and the president take a principled stand. I only hope that Palestine and others in the region recognize that stand and give Obama and Biden some credit for it.
It seems pretty clear that our own right-whingers won't like it no matter how much good it does.
Johnnyappleseed
It was the people of Isreal that elected Netanyahu.
To build or not to build, that is the question....anon.
dalelama
But Joe is nothing but a political hack who has been wrong on every major foreign policy vote he has ever taken; no on Desert Storm, yes on Iraqi Freedom, no on the surge, not even to mention his goofy idea of splitting Iraq into three countries which Iran would have loved. No "Old Plugs" is a moron, who else according to the left would get crushed in a debate with Sarah Palin. He is the walking caricature of the village idiot.
sangsue
Oh puleeze. Unless you're a Rightwing Jewish person, the only reason you want the Jews in Israel is collateral damage for when you use our lives to bring upon your End of Days. Zionist Christians like that are the biggest joke in the universe and every time my family members talk about how good it was that Bush and/or other ilk like him support Israel I point to people like Ann Coulter who says that the world would be better with no Jews (we'd all become perfected Christians though she only made that distinction when Donny Deutch asked her to clarify since he got what she really meant). So pardon me if unless you're a Right Wing Jew, I think you're full of $hit.
adifferentage
Okay, this is ridiculous. Coming out on the wrong side of policy votes in the past does not preclude any individual from taking a policy stand in the future, and furthermore it does not erode the veracity of this particular statement. If you're so caught up in taking cheap easy shots as to miss the very SENSE of what he is saying, then... I don't even know what to say to you.
"who else according to the left would get crushed in a debate with Sarah Palin"
I can only assume you mean the VP debate, in which case I would be really interested to hear your citations, because this seems to have been a media phenomenon that, despite my closely following the election at the time, escaped my attention. Please oblige me with the quotation by one authoritative voice on "the left" who espoused this exact perspective.
This user is no longer registered.
Konchster
The Israelis have cost us billions maybe trillions, thousands of young American lives and yet we bother to court them. Just one time I would like to see them do something for us. Even more I'd like to see them go it alone instead of taunting countries then running and hiding behind mommie's skirts
Stephen R
The timing may be unfortunate, but it still does not change the fact tha Israel should be able to build homes in its capital City without having to have the blessing of anyone. Obama painted himself into a corner by imposing this freeze as pre-condition in the first place. He thus showed a very poor grasp of reality and negotiating skills. Biden is perhaps loyal to Obama and thus is in the same corner as Obama, but even Abbas was apparently dismayed by Obama's original pronouncement. He knew that such a pre-condition could never work.
Obama was and is completely out of his depth. Good at winning elections, but crap at what to do next.
Scorp1on
Israel isn't going to have a capital city if they continue to behave in this manner.
prufrock
Contrary to what the author states, building in East Jerusalem is a HUGE deal. Asking the Israelis to freeze (not halt) this illegal practice for ten measly months is a small request, especially considering all the US does for Israel. Yesterday's announcement to build 1600 new flats was made purposely to derail peace negotiations- Bibi's govt has no interest in a two state solution. So, if Biden's trip is a disaster, place the blame on an uncooperative Israel, not the Obama administration.
after-pre
I like the mumbo jumbo rhetoric of less government control from Republicans and some Dem's, as they invade other countries to diminish their governments and replace it with ours- that's not a military move, its just "American"-
its the hands off approach- cough cough........
(ya shoulda brought Sarah "witchya")
poedinmo
very funny.
refiguy
Looks like it's finally sinking in ..Israel has no intention of NOT expanding. How many Israelis lived in this city 20-30 urs ago..few if any,,,now...soon they will disenfranchise all take the land, and just keep on goin as they did when they came out of Egypt ...killed all the villagers and took the land, This time the world is paying and has paid too much. Time to say stop and let's live in peace this is 2010
Johnnyappleseed
Go for it reffy, that plan has not worked in centuries, if you can sell it to the Islamic countries who want to kill all Infidels, Jews and Christians, I'm with you.
edubble
That shows your ignorance Johnny. You're putting people of Islamist faith in one basket, which is simple stupidity. And, they don't want to kill anyone. It's the radicals and all religions have radicals. There was no Israel, it was Palestine well before the 1967 Intifida. They killed and stole the land that they now call home. This is a Palestinian holocaust, apartheid and genocide. Educate yourself a bit before you post such ignorant thoughts.
JohnConnughton
As much as I would like to support the one solidly democratic nation in the Middle East, I have had enough of Israel being number one in American foreign aid while CHEATING at the game of negotiations toward peace. Every wall they raise puts them closer to de-facto ownership of land to which others also have some claim legitimate enough to bear consideration. The Israelis are armed squatters, and every day they dig in deeper.
It is understandable. The West Bank is a gaping hole in any defensive wall facing East, it gives Israel 170 miles of border in every direction where the Jordan would make one neat 60 mile stretch of water. But the Paestinians exist, so too bad. Israel needs to make a deal that is at least FAIR to them, or their
war will never end.
And America is paying for it all. Don't kid yourself, whatever we say our money is for, it frees up money for government spending on new settlements that are being created as a military solution. It is time to cut that funding and make them negotiate in better faith.
sharinlite
Gee, you're asking for the impossible JohnConnughton. Negotiate in better faith? For whom? the Israelis or the Palestinans. The Palestinians want the Israels dead, every single one, period! How do you negotiate with that? Perhaps by allowing small groups murdered each year until the Jews are literally gone? Please!!
JohnConnughton
Believing it is impossible is a major step toward making it impossible. I'd rather do something to shift the model. Both sides need to change, and the USA has economic leverage on both sides.
Do not think I excuse the daily rockets or any other acts of terrorism done by the Palistinian militants or their so-called allies. I do not. But you need to understand that if SOME Palistinians want all the Jews gone, most are not that hateful; and conversely, SOME Israelis, but far from all, appear to want all Palistinians dead and gone.
Leaving them alone together would at least not ruin America. But I am not suggesting we abandon them. I just want better faith from both sides, which we are not getting from either now. Somebody has got to put a fair thing on the table first, and I am not above using economic leverage to force that. Those settlements are EXACTLY the wrong thing, it is building seige-castles where they can only provoke. They are a provocation. They need to stop!
xlntcat
You could sell that one to a fifth grader. Israel has been the big, bad bully for decades. They are quite accomplished at it. The only real meaningful resistance that Israel experienced was at invading Lebanon and discovering they had bitten off more than they could chew. What expertise do you bring to the table on Palestine as you seem to be totally ignorant to Israel history in the region.
JohnConnughton
Hello xIntcat.
'Totally ignorant' is actually hard to be. But there are signs by which it can be recognized. Making assumptions about people you kow nothing about is one sure-fire way to know a fool.
Scorp1on
Is this one of those evil Palestinians who awant all the Israelis dead of whom you speak?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4fpjDUl1vk
Tmikes
Biden was put in an awkward position by the ingrates in the Israeli government. He didn't create any awkwardness or disaster. The Israeli gov't treated the Bushies with equal disdain and will continue to thumb its nose at the U.S. as long as those God-fearing people continue to elect saber-rattlers. I think the writer was terribly naive in saying, "It's hard to see the awkwardness of Biden's visit so far having a broader political impact." What Israel did will create a backlash in the U.S. that Israelis may come to regret. Americans are tired of the same poor excuses and over-the-top provocations and the yearly checks for billions.
xlntcat
Biden was put in an awkward position of having to go to Israel to try to clean up the mess Clinton made on her disasterous trip.
canamjay
Founding and forever funding a nation based on myth, superstition and dogma is a failure predictive strategy; the Holocaust was a catastrophe of epic dimension revealing human depravity horrific for most to contemplate. But the time is long past to stop rewarding belligerent, illegal, universally condemned behavior in the name of atonement; it's way past time to put the brakes on these out of control fanatics with a loud and persistent lesson in humility too long deserved.
JeffreyinLA
Well stated. We can never satisfy Israel's unquenchable greed for more, more, more, no matter how much they have.
tehixe
Israel is our friend and our ally, but there should be SOME conditions on that relationship. We wouldn't support Britain if they started to colonize the independent parts of Ireland, why should we support Israeli colonization of territory they've already given to the Palestinians?
edubble
Friend and ally. No. The US is Israel's friend and ally. We give them money and munitions. They give our politicians votes and money. They didn't "give" anything to the Palestinians. They "took" everything by killing women and children and literally kicking Palestinians out of their homes. Would you want a friend and ally like that?
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