NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME have senior politicians left the microphone running after it should have been turned off. Gordon Brown was overheard by the media describing a Labour voter as a bigot during the 2010 General Election campaign; and now presidents’ Obama and Sarkozy have been heard making disparaging remarks about the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the recent G20 meeting in Cannes.
Sarkozy called Netanyahu a liar, which is power for course for the diminutive Frenchman. But for president Obama to agree with Sarkozy is another matter. The brief comments they made were as follows, according to the journalists who overheard them:
Sarkozy: ‘I can’t stand him anymore, he’s a liar’.
Obama: ‘You may be sick of him, [ Netanyahu] but me, I have to deal with him every day.’
As any British politician knows; to be insulted by a cheese eating surrender monkey means very little in the scheme of things. But when it comes to an American president representing a country which has been, and still is Israel’s greatest ally, then it cannot be so easily dismissed. Especially as president Obama has been less than sound on Israel; and as such, his brief comment on the Israeli prime minister seems to confirm to his critics his innate dislike of Israel and its right to exist.
There have been those on the Right-wing fringes of Republican politics who have even questioned his Christian faith and dared suggest Muslim sympathies, if not roots. As extreme as these accusations are; I do not believe Obama has much sympathy for Israel, and has the Palestinian plight uppermost in his thoughts and feelings when it comes to the Middle East: and if he does not show this sympathy openly through his actions it is because he wants to become a two-term Democrat.
Which is why he will need the American Jewish vote, if the polls are to be believed; as he seeks a second term in 2012. His popularity is at an all time low and he cannot afford to offend any minority; especially one with so much clout within American culture.
The Jewish imprint on American culture cannot be underestimated. Their contribution to their nation becoming the most powerful, is equal to, and even surpasses many other minority contributions towards such an endeavour. The Jews have done great things for America; they are by nature entrepreneurial and as a consequence have mastered great wealth, and in doing so have employed may thousands of American people, and helped build their country.
But prejudice has stalked them for centuries throughout the Diaspora. Seen as money grabbing misers and conspirators involved in every bedevilment that inflicted itself upon, in particular, failing European economies in the East; they fell victims of programs and, eventually, to the death camps.
Now we see in its infancy, such bigotry on display amongst those young and naive protesters on Wall Street. Anti-Semitism grows out of economic devastation. When blame is to be apportioned, then historically, the Jews have been blessed with the honorarium of scapegoat.
I FIND IT DISTURBING THAT president Obama should express himself in such a manner as he did with Sarkozy. If George Bush Junior had uttered those same words, Netanyahu would have probably just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. For he would have known that George Bush would have meant it as a personal comment; from a man who stands full square behind Israel, but who disliked him individually.
But with Obama, it is another matter. Benjamin Netanyahu will interpret Obama’s remark to Sarkozy as a vindication of the Republican Right’s criticism of Obama’s questionable loyalty toward the state of Israel. He will take seriously Obama’s remarks privately; but will brush them aside publically.
Benjamin Netanyahu, is probably the only modern international politician worthy of the title, statesman. Neither Sarkozy or Obama can match Netanyahu’s record in terms of fighting for their own countries; or boast Netanyahu’s military record in defending his country. The Israeli prime minister has done daring deeds on behalf of his sapling nation, just as his many predecessors have done before him; and such endeavour, deserves more from Sarkozy and Obama - especially as neither of them can boast of his record on behalf of the nations they serve.
The state of Israel must at all cost be protected and preserved. If we in the West fail in our obligation to the Jewish state, then we will pay the penalty for our betrayal. If we allow once more the return of the Jewish people to the Diaspora, to yet again bear the brunt of any economic failure in whatever country they are forced to settle in, then their misery will continue.
But this will never happen because Israel’s fate is now our own fate. Israel will defend itself to the last including, in extremis, with its own nuclear capability. The Jews will never again become wholly dependent upon the Diaspora for their existence as they now believe Obama seemingly wishes them to become, after his latest remark.
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