RJC: Dangerous Escalation in Obama Hostility Toward Israel

Washington, D.C. — October 28, 2014 … The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) responded to several troubling expressions of hostility toward Israel coming from the Obama administration in recent days.

These included a snub towards Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon. The White House denied him meetings with Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser Susan Rice.

Jeffrey Goldberg, diplomatic correspondent for The Atlantic, reported today that he recently spoke to a senior Obama administration official about, “the foreign leader who seems to frustrate the White House and the State Department the most.

“The unnamed official told Goldberg: “The thing about Bibi is, he’s a chickenshit.”

“Last week, the Obama administration went out of its way to ‘humiliate’ a top Israeli official in retaliation for private remarks for which that official had publicly apologized,” said RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks.

“Yesterday, the State Department accused the Netanyahu government of lacking a commitment to peace because it had the temerity to authorize housing construction in the capital of Israel. And today, top aides to the president attacked Israel’s Prime Minister in coarse, insulting language from behind the veil of anonymity.

“Americans expect their commander-in-chief to keep faith with critical allies in perilous times. This administration is dangerously off-course and its apparent determination to provoke a crisis in US-Israel relations is the latest disastrous evidence.”

Obama, rather than supporting Israel’s historical, biblical and legal right to Jerusalem, appears to side with ISIS, Hamas, Al Qaeda and Islamic Jihad – creating doubt as to the true roots of Jerusalem.

Netanyahu noted that Obama and his staff could do themselves a favor by learning the facts before commenting.

“I think they (the Obama administration) should be acquainted with the facts first. You know? First of all, these are not settlements. These are neighborhoods of Jerusalem. We have Arab neighborhoods and we have Jewish neighborhoods.”

Netanyahu said that the Obama Administration’s position was discriminatory against Jews, and that he could not adopt such policies.

“Arabs in Jerusalem freely buy apartments, and nobody says that is forbidden. I will also not say that Jews cannot buy property in Jerusalem. There cannot be discrimination between Jews and Arabs,” insisted the prime minister.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat voiced similar sentiments. In a statement released by his office, Barkat said adamantly: “Discrimination based on religion, race or gender is illegal in the United States and in any other civilized country. The 2,600 apartments in Givat Hamatos, which we [first] approved two years ago, will enable more young people from all communities and religions to live in Jerusalem and build their future here, thereby strengthening the capital of Israel. We will not apologize for that.”

Obama can delete the words “Islam” and “Jihad” from the training manuals of the FBI, but he will never delete the word Jewish from Jerusalem.

One must ask if Obama’s obsessive criticism creates unity or encourages terrorism against Jews and Christians in Israel?
Is Obama and the Democratic Party of the US allies or enemies to the State of Israel?

“We urge pro-Israel Americans to register their reservations about President Obama’s naïve and petty foreign policy next week by supporting Republican candidates and electing a Congress that will stand up to him,” said Brooks.