A Special Place in Hell / Tea Party Jews: Betraying U.S. and Israel at the same time
Every wonder what a future America might look like if the Tea Party took over? Try today's Israel.
By Bradley Burston Tags: Israel newsSILWAN, East Jerusalem – Ever wonder what a future America might look like if the Tea Party took over? Try today's Israel.
That distinctive brew of left-baiting, Obama-hating, poorly veiled racism, clergy-driven jingoism, clergy-fanned derision of the Supreme Court, the Luddite insertion of anti-government bile where an ideology should go, a majority which feels victimized and discriminated against and threatened by minorities of indeterminate legal status – it's all here. It just speaks Hebrew.
In fact, for a far-right segment of U.S. Jewry which, since the rise of Barack Obama, has mushroomed in volume and impact if not in numbers, anti-government animus has taken what may have been an inevitable next step: finding ways to betray in one stroke the policies and, in fact, the national interests of both the United States and Israel.
For proof, you need not rough it to the pistol-packing West Bank badlands, with their Bible-thumping libertarian homages to Dennis Hopper-strength nihilism.
Just leave the relatively friendly confines of West Jerusalem and stroll to the city's embattled Arab half. At any given Israeli prime ministerial visit to the president of the United States, right-wing Israeli Jews and their American vicarious Zionist groupies/bankrollers/plaque recipients will be hard at work leveraging settlement activity to jut a wrench into the works of anything smacking of a glimmer of a possible peace, or any effort at reconciliation.
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Palestinian youths throw stones at Israeli military vehicle in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem, in May 2010. |
| Photo by: Archive |
In this regard, no one comes close to the Grand Old Man of befouling Jerusalem and U.S.-Israeli relations by remote control, the retired physician-turned-bingo parlor mogul Irving Moskowitz of Miami Beach.
For years, Moskowitz has played godfather to what may be called the Inpost Settlements – moving Jews into East Jerusalem enclaves of dubious legality but unquestioned incendiary impact on the Palestinian population and the prospects of a future peace.
This week, two days after more than a thousand Jews and Arabs marched peaceably through the streets of Jerusalem's Palestinian Silwan neighborhood just south of the Old City walls, work began on a new settler neighborhood in a particularly sensitive quarter of East Jerusalem, Sheikh Jarrah. The owner and operator: Irving Moskowitz.
So practiced is the good doctor at acts of sabotage by real estate, that the following Time article, now 14 years old, could have been written today, with the revision only of the name of America's chief diplomat:
"Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State of the world's only superpower, visits the Middle East and manages to accomplish nothing for the peace process. Irving Moskowitz goes to the region after her, and the next thing you know, the process is threatened anew with riot and rupture. Of course, it's easier to hurt than help the onerous business of negotiating peace, but that's what makes Irving Moskowitz arguably the most pivotal player in the Middle East at the moment."
To be fair, Moskowitz has a serious rival of late in the race to dismantle the U.S.-Israel relationship, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. Not to be outdone by the Moskowitz initiative, Barkat this week leaned on his diplomatic Murder Incorporated, the Jerusalem Planning and Building Commission, to approve the razing of 22 Arab homes in the tinderbox neighborhood of Silwan, just south of the Old City walls, in order to make way for The King's Park, a pointed reference to the assertive if at times amoral David of the Jews.
Just a year and a half in office, Barkat has gone to great lengths – crowned by a spectacularly damaging post-Biden visit to Washington – to insult the U.S. government and embarrass his own.
But the Silwan affair sets the bar at a new low. The self-styled champion of authorized construction, Barkat rammed the project through the committee despite grave reservations on the part of Jerusalem City Engineer Shlomo Eshkol, Jerusalem municipality Legal Adviser Yossi Havilio, and the city the department which inspects building plans prior to their submission to the planning committee, which, according to documents obtained by Haaretz, found some 250 defects in the Silwan plan.
The thought occurs, that it is time to call the mayor by the name he has earned: Nero Barkat. If there is one man whose fiddling will cause this city to burn, this is your man. Not Raed Salah, not Irving Moskowitz, not Khaled Mashal. Nero.
This is dual disoyalty of an even more profound sort. In putting demagoguery and pandering to the far-right above the interests of Jerusalem Barkat is a true traitor to his city, and a true traitor to Israel. His actions go far beyond harming the fabric of life in this city of intolerable tensions and chronic woe.
In his recklessness and tunnel vision, Barkat is undermining the very legitimacy of Israel at a time when Israel can least afford it.
Forget, for the moment, that Palestinians universally, and justly, view East Jerusalem as their capital. Forget the issue of whether Israel has a right to claim all of Jerusalem – a claim which, having earned the world's (and America's) resounding non-recognition, has left Israel as formally the only nation on the planet without a capital.
Consider, instead, the issue of whether Israel is acting as a worthy custodian for this sacred city which, more than any other, belongs to the world. As Israel treats Jerusalem, so shall the world treat Israel. As Jerusalem goes, so goes Israel.
Mournful is the Holy City whose mayor is a shvontz.
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Why should rich Jews help anyone else besides their own? Who helps poor Jews? God?
You still have the semblance of a government and you still have taxes. Tea party-ers don't believe in having either. Their goal is a Christian Somalia, where party's have their own militias. The Republicans have Blackwater XE. But there would be no taxes and therefore no government.
The most famous tea party, even more famous than the Boston variety, was the the tea party attended by Alice, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse. From here, Israel left-wing and still relatively sane, The "Tea Party", and its Jewish adherent seem quite mad, even when compared to the Hatter.
Obama is a world society person, probably the first US president that doesn't actually love America. It's understandable since he had a Kenyan father, an Indonesian step-father, and a disgruntled American mother, who fed him anti-Americanism. Hopefully, the Congress will turn over in November and it will stop the damage that Obama is doing to the US. The Tea Party people are not what this nut-case of a journalist says, but are true American patriots. This comment by him says a lot "Forget, for the moment, that Palestinians universally, and justly, view East Jerusalem as their capital. "
I can see this analogy, the Tea Party represents a fairly extremist right wing view in the states. The movement is majority white ultra conservatives who dislike immigrants and social justice. By no means an echo of the origins of the original tea party movement which advocated for independence. Probably a similar mentality to the ultra conservative's in Israel that are making a 2 state solution next to impossible.
There's not much that can be added to it.
Wikipedia: "The writing on the wall" (or sometimes "handwriting on the wall"), an idiom, is a portent of doom or misfortune. It originates in the Biblical book of Daniel—where supernatural writing foretells the demise of the Babylonian Empire. The phrase is widely used in language and literature. In the book of Daniel, King Belshazzar of Babylon during a drunken feast takes sacred golden and silver vessels, which had been removed from Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem by his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar. Using these holy items, the King and his court praise 'the gods of gold and silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone'. Immediately, the disembodied fingers of a human hand appear and write on the wall of the royal palace the words מנא ,מנא, תקל, ופרסין (Mene, Mene, Tekel u-Pharsin). Although usually left untranslated in English translations of Daniel, these words are known Aramaic names of measures of currency: MENE, a mina, TEKEL, a spelling of shekel, PERES, half a mina. Despite various inducements, none of the royal magicians or advisors can interpret the omen. The King sends for Daniel, an exiled Jew taken from Jerusalem, who had served in high office under Nebuchadnezzar. Rejecting offers of reward, Daniel warns the King of the folly of his arrogant blasphemy before reading the text. The meaning that Daniel decrypts from these words is based on passive verbs corresponding to the measure names And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. That very night King Belshazzar is slain, and Darius the Mede becomes King.
The democrats did lose some mid-term seats, which may be normal. It would be a disaster, I think, to see a Republican win the next presidential election. Only higher taxes will help keep down the debt. It was Bush who squandered our surplus on a war. The tea party may object to higher taxes, but you cannot get services without taxes. I will be really surprised to see the USA, who voted 80% for Obama, to change and vote for another conservative Republican in the next election. I am not a rich Jew, nor a right winger. I read an article by a psychiatrist that warned the rich Jews to care about the poor; he said it was this apathy towards the poor and disadvantaged that created antisemitism (and possibly worse). Are our successful Jews, who have found riches, fame and fortune, going to face another downfall because of their apathy to the poor. Is the handwriting on the wall?
With all due respect to you and your opinion, you are way off-side when you assert that all opposition to the left is merely racism. That seems to be the new M.O. of the left, but I imagined you to be far more intelligent than that.
For the first phase, he's dead-on.
The Tea-Party is without doubt the most supportive of Israel. The democrats and leftist Israelis are scared to death of appearing too supportive of Jewish rights, and naturally hate this long needed popular upraising. No to Jihad, no to a peace that denies all just Jewish rights. Arabs do not deserve one inch of the Jewish homeland.
Jerusalem Is no far north as It was declared = By Sertainly enemy subjec that That North turkey Is nor the city of david (and) that is my entry to so liberty of espionagejeie that un remarcable of way of think that therer is not anglo gay. In unated state of chicovalchiking. Amen Let america rest in peace with and without subjetion of Libertim(N)MD.
The tea party is objecting to higher taxes whch are necessary to fund government programs and services - no taxes means a cut in services. Higher taxes are inevitable; no one can really stop them in the current environment. Right now we are facing cuts in all kinds of services, including education, health and the police dept. No doubt the poor would be more affected by these cuts, since the rich can afford to pay their own way. Israel used to be a country of socialists. Too bad it can't go back to its past. Too bad the rich don't care about the poor people and their welfare. There have been so many revolutions in the past; people seem to forget why these revolutions occurred. Either they take them for granted, or they are apathetic to the problems that exist today and how to take care of them. Women's rights, childrens' rights were all a product of these changes in society. Who would want to give up all the rights we have achieved. It seems like it is a constant fight to keep our rights, yet alone progress. People who have fought to get their civil rights are offended by what goes on in Israel. I tried to mention it at the time Obama was elected that some people are offended by civil rights violations in Israel. I was afraid to mention it; yet although I spoke quietly about it, now it is the big issue you are discussing. Not everyone in America, not every Jew is a right-winger. A lot of people support civil rights in the USA and in Israel. I am disappointed to see these things going on in Jerusalem, that I have read about before in World Vision reports, a Christian charity org. Surely, this is a peace loving org. working for rights for Jews and Palestinians. You should look in the mirror to see what is going on.
Is a law that says anyone seeking to settle, or helping to settle, in lands that have not yet been become recognized by the US, should be prosecuted. You can only settle in recognized nations.
The tea partiers want limited and non-corrupt government, both of which Israel could use a strong dose of, and neither of which have to do with what the author is complaining about.
I read Ha'aretz daily. I swear, there has never been a better editorial than this. GREAT JOB!!!
Is but an Israeli zionist with an american passport of convinience.
Unfortunately, you are tarring with a very broad brush a large segment of people. Ideology needs to be separated from charges of racism. Many people welcome a black president, but not THIS black president, due to his political views and troubling associations.There are many thoughtful people in the Tea Party movement. People of the Left, like Bradley Burston, usually do not want to exchange ideas. Easier to condemn a group and silence them. Tea Party supporters "traitors" to the US and Israel? Let's stand the world on its head.
Better a tea party than Communist party, comrade ! You and your fellow travelers take a hike !
BB has written a silly Democrat blog, distorting reality for the purpose of political propaganda. Tea Partiers are neither racist nor anti-semitic. Their only concern is the growth and metastizing of big government at the expense of democracy.
Obama is a world society person, probably the first US president that doesn't actually love America. It's understandable since he had a Kenyan father, and Indonesian step-father, and a disgruntled American mother, who fed him anti-Americanism. Hopefully, the Congress will turn over in November and it will stop the damage that Obama is doing to the US. The Tea Party people are not what this nut-case of a journalist says, but are true American patriots. This comment by him says a lot "Forget, for the moment, that Palestinians universally, and justly, view East Jerusalem as their capital. "
Tea Party Jews? There's only American's fed up with an administration not living up to our constitution and running on a socialist agenda, trying to completely remove any moral or ethical behavior from the world. So that includes whites, Jews, blacks or anyone else. Nice try to attempt to demonize people that want their freedoms maintained instead of bending and bowing, scraping and capitulating to the evil upon us.
While one can agree or not with Mr. Burston's point of view, his last sentence, referring to the Mayor as "a shvontz", is beyond acceptable writing for a newspaper such as Haaretz. This is the tone and tenor of discussion in Israel, sadly, and it is journalists like Mr. Burston, who should know better, that is contributing, nay at the vanguard, of the dangerously reduced civility in Israel. Mr. Burston will rail against the right for demonizing PM Rabin, but use his own soapbox to behave like a child, name calling in a playground. Here in Toronto, we have a Mayor who is divisive, embattled and well-disliked by a vast number of its citizenry and pundits, but no journalist would ever use such language to describe him in print, and no respectable newspaper would publish such an epithet. Brad, grow up!
Bradley, it seems as if you entirely misunderstand the origins, intentions and nature of the American Tea Party.
Tea Party movement is against everything the liberal wackos both here and in US stand for: profligate spending, high deficits, high taxes, etc. The TP does not believe in massive borrowing and bailouts to pay back the banks for their bad investment decisions. Why should the citizens pay for the banks' and governments' mistakes? It's illogical to borrow money to pay debts thereby increasing the debts requiring more borrowing and more debt!!! What a moron.
Don't you get it Brad? tea party people are average everyday Americans. In fact, the original tea party people were from the far left and were/are the very same people who now are mainstream academics and politicians....frauds like bill ayers, obama's buddy...they were anti establishment, anti gov't; essentially, they were pie eyed anarchists. Today's tea party people are generally are far less radical and far less dangerous. go figure eh brad....???
Mr. Burston betrays ignorance in his characterization of the Tea Party in the U.S. His hyperbole is exceeded only by his bias.
Protestors in the US tried to put Moskowitz's activities--all tax deductible--in the spotlight. The US MSM ignored them. At least Haaretz has the guts and integrity to tell it like it is. As for the US becoming like Israel, Rick Barber, a candidate for Congress in Alabama, uses precisely this extremist tea bagger imagery in his TV ads. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn14RwuJJRg&feature=player_embedded. Note the images of Nazi death camps. Sound like any Israeli politicians?
This is the first time I have read your newspaper And I am outraged at this article disparaging The American tea party and the Jewish Americans who are supporting the tea party and those who are against Obama. We conservative Jews are the last best hope for Israel because if Obama gets his way he will destroy Israel.
The Tea party crowd are a bunch of racist biggots. The understanding of government and world events and their own policies are frought with wild inconsistencies and contradictions. Luckily few Jews will associate with such an anti-semitic group. Don't let the, "we support Israel and hate Obama" fool you.
Schvontz here, The Author. Mr. Burston, I wouldn't wrap dead fish in your article. Total, absolute manure, Schvontz.
...that the Tea Party movement in the US may--like many previous "extreme" movements in a predominately "middle-of-the-road" country--end up having been "a tempest in a teapot." (And, yes, I have no shame.)
Sometimes it takes a genius to be a denier of simple facts. Here are some basic facts easy to come across: "The al-Aqsa Mosque was originally a small prayer house built by the Rashidun caliph Umar, but was rebuilt and expanded by the Ummayad caliph Abd al-Malik and finished by his son al-Walid in 705 CE. After an earthquake in 746, the mosque was completely destroyed and rebuilt by the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur in 754, and again rebuilt by his successor al-Mahdi in 780." - WIKI You can pick and choose a good date about the building or re-building, but the earliest is the time of relevance. As far as the Hadith, these are ORAL traditions that were collected and written down later. The Talmud was written down some 500 years after its first solid traditions (about Hillel).
Of course to those who see the future of America in turning it into pro Communist regime and the future if Israel in gradual dismantling of the country, tea party movement is an enemy. To everyone else tea party movement is hope
they are ouly used and brainwashed by palin and company to rob them blind so she can laugh all the way to the bank .so i say to you smarting yourself up and see who your real enemy is
...is reserved for commentators who would pretend the Arabs or so-called "Palestinians" have any agenda other than complete extermination of the Jews. One who purports to be so worldly wise as Mr. Burston should acknowledge - after 40 years - that "peace process" is a vacuous propaganda slogan. There is no "peace process." There are Jews who wish to live in peace and there are Arab funded antagonists who wish to kill Jews and eliminate the state of Israel. With his nonsensical Tea Party connection, Mr. Burston reveals that his analysis is entirely driven by his own irrational prejudices and hatred of people who only want to restore Constitutional government and individual liberty to America.
I'm all about our right to build in rightfully purchased areas of Jeru. I lean to the right and voted for Bibi. My problem is, I've been to Silwan (I've parked there on my way to the kotel). It's a bona-fide neighborhood. Eminent domain is not righteous or just.
The author is ignorant of American scene (Obama is more and more seen as one of the worst American president in the history), the Arab Israeli conflict and Jewish history. Just look at total disdain American senators (both Republicans & Democrats) have for the Israeli Judge Barak during Kagan hearings. He has become the symbol of the destructive nature of left! Left never brings peace but war!
How many Iraqis dead, injured and displaced? Of course we never hear about them.
Not killed by American or other soldiers. The Iraqi's are being killed by their other Muslim friends by bombings in the markets, mosques, streets, etc. Get your facts straight.
"Just look at total disdain American senators (both Republicans & Democrats) have for the Israeli Judge Barak during Kagan hearings." The senate confirmation hearings for Miss Kagan have not started yet.
You have no idea what your talking about. Obama has 70% of the Jewish support in America and over half of the whole population.
Obama will not even finish in the bottom 30, he has been left a disaster in America
And the right brings peace? Like all the extreme-right governments in Israel, like Reagan's support of fascist paramilitary groups in South Africa? Like Bush Sr Gulf War? Like Bush Jr Iraq and Afghanistan war? Don't be such an hypocrite. Obama couldn't be worse than Bush if he tried. Not even a monkey could do worse than dubya.
There is only one situation in which Jews and Arabs march together--it is when Jews surrender to Arabs. So it is Jews supporting Arabs. Now, tell me one time that Arabs have marched to support Jews. Did they march during Lebanon 2 (when they themselves were under attack) or during the 08-09 Gaza war when Sederot, Askelon and Ashdod were under attack? Did they march to support Israel after the Flottilla incident. NO, NO, NO. So there is something wrong here. Israeli Arabs are your ally only when you help them. Where is reciprocity. There is none.
Maybe if the Arab citizens of Israel would feel at home in Israel, maybe if they were not always discriminated against and made to feel that they do not belong in the country, they would have marched together with Jews? Israel's Arab citizens show more loyalty to the state than it has ever shown to them.
Joseph, you should learn the history Israeli Arabs played and play in support of Israel. Many have died in service to Israel. Druze fight along with other Israelies against any and all enemies of the state. Bedouins defended Israel with their blood. You should also learn that it was an Israeli Arab General that won the '67 war. Just in case you have any questions, I am Jewish.
Is your above reporter sane.? His comments are simple hate speech. To paraphrase his last sentence " Mournful is Haaretz whose reporter is a shvontz."
"Glory to He (God) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque (al- masjid al-aqsa), whose precincts We did bless" - Sura 17:1 This is the famous reference to "al-aqsa". That the reference was to the Jerusalem open space place of prayer ("mosque" in Arabic of the time) is clear, because in the Hadith (Islamic early traditions) Muhammad's widow tells of his night journey and refers to the destination place as Ilia (Capitolina, Jerusalem's name at the time). Also, already in the 7th century, not many years after, the al-Aqsa mosque was built in commemoration of the dream-event. Why would Muhammad refer to the place as the "farthest north"?Let us take a look at Psalm 48:2, "Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King". Everybody knows, and knew, that Jerusalem is not in the far north. In fact, it was in the middle of the country! But Canaanite mythology had their gods living in Mount Zaphon (= North) near Turkey. The reverence towards the north was inherited by the Israelites and so applied to Jerusalem. Muhammad picked it up, and the rest is history.
Because, in the 2 centuries that followed the writing of the Quran, Muslims thought it was the paradise that was mentioned. Infact, the hadith was issued just under the first Muslim ruler of Jerusalem, whose name I can't recall, and who built Al-Aqsa around 822.
Sometimes it takes a genius to be a denier of simple facts. Here are some basic facts easy to come across: "The al-Aqsa Mosque was originally a small prayer house built by the Rashidun caliph Umar, but was rebuilt and expanded by the Ummayad caliph Abd al-Malik and finished by his son al-Walid in 705 CE. After an earthquake in 746, the mosque was completely destroyed and rebuilt by the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur in 754, and again rebuilt by his successor al-Mahdi in 780." - WIKI You can pick and choose a good date about the building or re-building, but the earliest is the time of relevance. As far as the Hadith, these are ORAL traditions that were collected and written down later. The Talmud was written down some 500 years after its first solid traditions (about Hillel).
The messenger travelled from Mecca to Yathrib then Madyan (Red Sea/Tree of Moses), Sina (Mt Sinai) and Bayt Lahm (Bethlehem). So obviously he prayed at "the farthest mosque" which basically means the temple of Solomon. Temple of Solomon was a place of prostration and hence a mosque (place of prostration). He then ascended to hell and later paradise. Also, to clear things up, that ruler you mentioned is named, Omar. It was Omar who for the first time in 500 years since the expulsion of Jews from the Holy Land, allowed them to practise their religion freely and live in Jerusalem. How can you not remember him? Importantly, Omar ordered that the Hadiths be destroyed, saying: “These are like the Mishnah of the Jewish people.” Omar drew a parallel between the Mishnah that had contributed to the corruption of Judaism and the hadiths. You should do more reading Dan. Or simply your source is gravely incorrect.
Sometimes it takes a genius to be a denier of simple facts. Here are some basic facts easy to come across: "The al-Aqsa Mosque was originally a small prayer house built by the Rashidun caliph Umar, but was rebuilt and expanded by the Ummayad caliph Abd al-Malik and finished by his son al-Walid in 705 CE. After an earthquake in 746, the mosque was completely destroyed and rebuilt by the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur in 754, and again rebuilt by his successor al-Mahdi in 780." - WIKI You can pick and choose a good date about the building or re-building, but the earliest is the time of relevance. As far as the Hadith, these are ORAL traditions that were collected and written down later. The Talmud was written down some 500 years after its first solid traditions (about Hillel).
The Bible describes some of the history of Jerusalem before it was conquered by King David around 1000 BCE. Genesis 14 tells of a meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek King of Jerusalem: "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram to the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he [Abraham] gave him tithes of all." Note that Abraham recognized Melchizedek's priestly rank and gave him a tithe. Later in the Bible, with Jerusalem under Jewish rule, the historical figure of Melchizedek was still remembered. In Psalm 110, in what is thought to be a declaration during the coronation of the King, the MC (Court prophet?) declares "The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after in the manner of Melchizedek." It shows reverence for the pre-Israelite king of Jerusalem. Jerusalem did not start as a Jewish city, and there is no reason why it should end up as exclusively Jewish. Sharing it with the Palestinians who see themselves (justifiably) as descendants of the early residents, and view the Islamic religion (unjustifiably) as the religion of Abraham, will be historically correct and politically smart.
Abraham was called out of the Gentiles by the Most High God from Ur. His descendents were Jews ONLY after Judah was born many years in the future, thus the name. You mention the bible and Abrahams religion(.which was then under the Melchizedek Priesthood all the way to the Mosiac Covenant ) But you conveniently skip the part where Abraham was PROMICED, for his leaving Ur of the Chaldeans and journeying to "the promiced land", "Salem", or Jerusalem, or Zion, BY the Most High God, ALL the land of the Canaanites, through the lineage of his son ISAAC, forever.! God helped him take it away from those people who had corrupted the land and themselves as stated in the bible. It is NOT justifiable for ANYONE to take what God gave ONLY to them, forever. God is in charge, and as stated in the bible, anyone who defies God in this is cursed. God help us all to see this before it is too late.
There is simply not enough room here to properly address all your errors, miscalculations, lies, and slanderous accusations.
you used to write incisive articles. Now you write pandering articles chock full of meangless phrases, concepts and words. Its as if you realized that most people do not appreciate a well written article and instaed prefer to digest thier daily opinion article like their favorite reality show. Please stop with the inane subjects and focus on somthing productive. and please tone down the psychobabble. " left-baiting, Obama-hating, poorly veiled racism, clergy-driven jingoism, clergy-fanned derision of the Supreme Court, the Luddite insertion of anti-government bile where an ideology should go, a majority which feels victimized and discriminated against and threatened by minorities of indeterminate legal status " what does this even mean? Ugh...
What one party has to do with anothers vision of holding on to all of Jerusalem, I have no idea. I read this article on the 17th day of Tammuz, a day when Jews fast because over 2000 years ago the Roman breached the walls of Jerusalem before the ultimate destruction of the Temple. Jerusalem does not belong to the world. No other nation or peple commemorate anything having to do with Jerusalem. Was there freedom of worship under the christian rule? moslem rule as there is today? Why can i not stand up and say O want peace but Im not giving you this city? You fought me for 60 years. You dont get everything back just because you now have changed your mind allowing me to exist. There is a price one pays for war and killing thousands of people in the name of alah.
It is the Left that has led Israel into their present predicament. The Left as represented by the infamous and disgraced Olmert, Livni et al. has just about done in Israel. That's why Kadima is no longer in control. The Left under Obama is now busy destroying America and will be successful unless stopped by a united citizenry fed up with such idiocy. Obama will probably be lucky to finish out his term. Even leftist Democrats do not like to lose their jobs and they may just be the ones who throw him out of the boat . Either that or he will finish a lame duck president. He will have already committed damage that will take a generation to overcome. The ' Progressive ' Left is just another way of saying Marxist revolutionaries. They are as dangerous as terrorists !
Josiah - Most people I know, including alot of Jews, do not agree with you. They are very happy with Obama and what he is doing. He has gotten a lot of important legislation through in a very hostile Republican environment. Your assessment is wrong.
To the Israeli far-right, everybody is a leftist. Now ex-likudniks like Livni and Olmert are leftists? You make me laugh. Israel's left is long dead. Not even Labour can be called Leftist anymore (or rather, ever). The only true Israeli left, Meretz, is just a shadow of its former self, which wasn't much back then, anyway.
He wants to be the Supreme World Potentate. He has proclaimed that he will impose a peace treaty on Israel by the end of 2012. If he does that, he will have a civil war on his hands here in the U.S. His promotion to World Supreme Potentate will be the only way that he will survive. He is following the 'Peter Principle": You are promoted to your highest level of incompetense. O**** is already three steps beyond that.
Did someone just wake up during the administration of Obama and sleep through 8 years of George Bush? There was never a question by anyone, the policies of George Bush nearly bankrupt this country. Not only with fiscal policies that robbed us of a surplus Democrats provided but placed our banks, home owners, business owners, laborers and the professional class in total disarray. President Obama had to do whatever was possible to avoid a depression greater then what we experienced in 1929 through the '30s. Do not forget the moral bankruptcy of Bush who repeatedly lied about Iraq and got us into a mess there. His poor handling of it allowed the USA to take its eye off of Afganistand. We can go on. The problem with Obama is that he is not left enough. His policies on Israel and the middle east are a bit muddled for my understanding. He can do better but so does Israel. It has to do better -- along with the rest of the middle east.
This is the most hateful piece of journalism I have ever read. These so called "clergy-driven right-winger - bible bashers" are the only types of people that keep Israel alive today. Just imagine what would happen if the "left" was in power. There would be no Israel and Jews would be targeted elsewhere in the world with the same "lefties" arguing that we are doing something else wrong to inspire hate against us.
it is people like you who will destroy Israel. I watch Fox every night and I think you are a liar. It is Hussein Obama who will bring destruction to Israel unless he gets replace quickly.