Are Israelis Buying Obama’s Latest Charm Offensive?
After a year and a half of keeping Israel at arm’s length, the Obama administration has radically changed its behavior, now not only reaching out to the Jewish state but grasping it in a big bear hug. As with all sudden romance, the party being courted, Israel, is naturally suspicious of the intentions of its new suitor and is asking questions. What has changed? Why now? And how long will it last? Is this true love, or a fling that will leave Israel vulnerable, bruised, and heartbroken?
The U.S. president, during his campaign and during his presidency, has always paid lip service to his commitment to Israel and its security. But while his words have been supportive, his actions have consistently told a different story.
During his presidential campaign, he always sent intermediaries to address the worried American Jewish community on the subject of Israel and the concerns over his affiliation with Reverend Jeremiah Wright, rarely taking on the matter personally.
After he entered the White House, early decisions — such as giving his first media interview to al-Arabiya, and his outreach tour of the Arab world culminating in his Cairo speech — kept Israelis wary for much of the first year of his presidency. His policy of wooing the Arab world together with keeping the “special relationship” between Israel and the U.S. on the down-low seemed to send a clear message. All the while, in the background were worries as to exactly where the efforts of Middle East envoy George Mitchell — appointed nearly immediately after Obama took office — were heading.
Both Israel and the U.S. denied and downplayed their differences until March, when the underlying tensions between the two countries bubbled to the surface after the mini-crisis sparked during the visit of Vice President Joe Biden. This occurred when the announcement of plans to build 1600 housing units in East Jerusalem was viewed as an insulting slap in the face by the White House. Bad turned to worse during the subsequent pre-scheduled visit by Netanyahu to Washington, which the Israeli and foreign press described as an exercise in punishment and humiliation: the delayed and reluctant White House invitation, no photo opportunities, no press briefings, and no private meal between the two leaders. Netanyahu was reportedly “dumped” for dinner by Obama, who preferred to dine with his family.
Then, with little warning, the advent of warm weather brought on this sudden deliberate defrosting of the relationship. It began when Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, visited Israel to celebrate his son’s Bar Mitzvah. Though ostensibly a purely private visit, there were signals that the visit was playing double duty as a diplomatic mission. Emanuel not only held an unexpectedly friendly visit with Netanyahu, he made a major show of delivering a personal invitation to Netanyahu to come to the White House.
The “kiss and make up” meeting was scheduled for early June. Even before Netanyahu’s plane took off, accounts detailed how this was being planned to be a fence-mending success which would erase memories of the March fiasco. But the reconciliation rendezvous was interrupted by the flotilla crisis, and both Jerusalem and the White House decided it was best to let the furor over the Mavi Marmara pass before the visit.
And, indeed, it happened precisely as planned, flotilla or no flotilla — the warm words, the photo op, the cozy lunch, the sudden access to the president by the Israeli press, whose requests for interviews had until then been ignored or rejected.
Now, like Netanyahu, Israeli journalists suddenly became welcome guests. During his extended interview with Israel’s Channel 2 news anchor, Obama was asked why Israelis didn’t trust him. He replied:
Some of it may just be the fact that my middle name is Hussein, and that creates suspicion.
Nevertheless, the tone of the interview was stroking and reassuring. Obama was in full charm mode, giving a hard sell regarding his friendship and loyalty towards Israel, and deftly fielding the softball questions from the Israeli anchorwoman (so soft that one can only presume that they were carefully worked out ahead of time).
“Are Israelis Buying Obama’s Latest Charm Offensive?”
No.
Next question?
”Are Israelis Buying Obama’s Latest Charm Offensive?”
Simple answer – no.
Polls show no change in Israeli public opinion. The vast majority of Israelis believe Obama is hostile to Israel. His ”charm offensive” was merely offensive.
True, Terry. The average Israeli doesn’t believe any politician’s charm offensive, including those of Israeli pols.
Jewish financial support for democrats has dried up. BHOs charm offensive is financially driven as midterm elections approach. Netanyahu will keep smiling as long as needed arms are being shipped. He has no illusions regarding BHO. Neither do Israelis. Obama has not changed, only the situation has changed. After midterm elections the pressure on Israel will resume. Then its rope a dope until the one term disaster, BHO, is flushed from The White House.
Krauthammer is predicting two terms for Obie. He is often right on many subjects. I agree that many Jews are turning off to Obama; however, the real nuts with the big bucks will probably keep on giving.
Larry.
Krauthammer didn’t predict two terms, he said that no one should under-estimate Obama.
Republicans would be wise not to sit back & think this is a done deal.
I agree. Leftists are unprincipled, unscrupulous, will do anything to hold onto power.
Menachem Ben Yakov.
Exactly, that’s what I’ve read as well. Democrats up for election, especially Jewish candidates, have been complaining that contributions are way down.
This Israeli surely isn’t buying the cow dung peddled by Obama and his Jewish court jesters.
In fact, while Obama reviles Israel more than he would a true pariah state, the only constraints he currently has are those involving political cost benefit ratios.
Except for the radical leftist Jews who indeed concur with his anti-Israel animus, most Jews in the US at the very least want Israel to survive.Therefore, when they (mainly Dems) finally saw Obama’s mask slip, thus exposing his nefarious plans for Israel, they were aghast and terrified.
To wit, Obama was tasked to perform a volte face,(an easy task for a narcissist and a consummate liar) the likes of which would make a whore blush.
Regardless, most Israelis-except for the fringe hallucinatory left-are immune to smoke and mirrors, understanding full well the clear and present danger he poses.
At the same time, it may very well come to pass that Obama-despite his reflexive pro Muslim, anti-Israel bent-will task the US military to deal with Iran.NOT to assist Israel, but to protect the free flow of its lifeblood-oil.
“it may very well come to pass that Obama-despite his reflexive pro Muslim, anti-Israel bent-will task the US military to deal with Iran.”
I’ve been wondering about that possibility myself. Obama let himself get trapped by the consequences of his amateurish decisions. It may very well be the Sunni Arab states that pressure him into bombing Iran. They fear a new Persian empire much more than they fear Israel. In fact, some influential Arabs are openly insisting that Iran be bombed. How very ironic that would be.
I expect from B.Obama full support to Israel, a country which prooved to be the only true and faithfully bound partner of USA
Gabe, I beg you not be deceived by this jackel.If unfamiliar to you, pls read what Black Liberation Theology is and know Obama is long committed to this. This man has a deep, life long hatred of Jews, of Israel…and sadly, of America. Obama was born Muslim and will be Muslim to the end. When he states should the political winds get ugly, he will stand with them (Muslims), when he misspoke and referred to, “my Muslim faith,” when he proclaims the Islamic evening call to prayer is the most beautiful sound on Earth…these are the nuggets of truth you must remove rose colored glasses and look at. Speaking for myself, and I believe most of Americans, Israel is a remarkable gem surrounded by thorns. The Jewish people, despite all odds and with everything against them, have prevailed and given more to the human race, to the world, than any other. You are our one and only true friend in the Middle East…and perhaps of the world.
As far as I’m concerned, any Jew in America who continues to support this man should never refer to themselves as Jew again for they are a disgrace to their people.
DREAM ON, GABE.
They’d be fools to rent the charm offensive much less buy it. As history has proven, when push comes to shove, the Israelis are not fools.
The time when Obama is bounced from Washington and returns to the fetid moral swamp whence he emerged cannot come soon enough for decent people everwhere.
“…All Politics is Local…” Go from there on both sides. -S-
“Cold political calculations” do not reflect warm fuzzy shared values. Obama’s turnaround is so swift and determined that it wreaks of the smells associated with vigorous gymnastics. It is also typical of his psychopathic tendencies in that he really really expects people to accept the last thing he said rather than the thing he said just before the last thing he said.
With regard to elections, it is not Jewish support that he wishes to maintain, but Democratic support. Without modifications to his hostility toward Israel, he will lose support from non-ideological Democrats for screwing the party to satisfy his personal and unnatural biases against Israel. While America becomes suspicious of Muslim intentions in terms of their religious demands and hypersensitivities, he would play into those feeling of threat and would likely be forced to walk away from the 2012 election.
He also may be planning to bomb the hell of of Iran as an elections precursor to strengthen is position; in which case he will need Israeli military expertise and intelligence to succeed. He cannot proceed with his “peaceful-world” agenda while nuts like the triumphalist Iranians inhabit the planet.
The question, of course, isn’t whether Israelis are buying al-Bama’s spiel, but whether American Jews are- after all, they’re the marks in this hustle.
Exactly! Many of them do still buy it, even with the hand-writing on the wall, in flashing neon colors. It’s very hard to admit you’ve been made a fool of.
True for American politics, basically irrelevant to Israel’s existential situation. Obama doesn’t need to lose most of his Jewish support to fail; he only needs to have independents and conservative or sensible Democrats to abandon him. True, many Jews will remain hitched to the fantasies that Barry represents, but it won’t save him. And he will lose Jewish votes; he will not get 77% or whatever it is. Assuming he runs – and I agree with the poster who wrote that he may not be able to – Obama will probably get about 55-60% of Jewish votes this time. That will hurt him. He knows it, so does Axelrod.
Of course, he can cook up an ‘event’ and declare martial law, but I don’t think he will really do that.
Jewish votes don’t count much except in a few areas. The issue is campaign contributions – Jews contribute far out of proportion to their actual numbers.
True. So the real point, I think, is that a small group of very wealthy Jews or ex-Jews really, like their ex-Christian counterpoints, will keep funneling money into a Democrat Part of which people like Soros are ‘godfather.’ It still won’t save Obama, Terry, if current trends continue. What will save him electorally, if something does, is the combination of diehard liberals and minorities who support Democrats because it benefits them to do so, they think.
al-Bama is genius!
Bombing Iran will do nothing. All the facilities, assuming that we know where they are, are rumored to be deep underground and are scattered. In order to stop Iran, total annihilation is required. He will never do this.
While showering I developed the following understanding of why Obama has spun about 180 degrees to “support” Israel. If Obama attacks Iran without Israel’s involvement, then Iranian retaliation against Israel will be considered an offensive act, rather than defensive. Any reaction from Israel would then be considered more than justified.
Attacking with Israel’s involvement then makes Israel’s reaction nothing unusual and thus not justifiable to others. Any damage Israel causes will be subject to the same limitations as Cast Lead, just another sign that Israel is trying to gain hegemony in her region.
As an American who has belief of Israel and thier people all of my life I hesitate somewhat of Mr. O’bamas dramatic staging. His experience as a leader is fairly limited. Most Americans do not stand with his decisions that he has made regarding our Country (USA). The decisions he has throttled through to not necessarily ly with the will of the people of the United States. Many feel very uncomfortable with him in office, and he will be removed when we can. However, Israel must know that we the people of America, stand with you. This has been through our religous upbringing. I am 60 years old, and stand with Israel, I envy the leadership of Israel, praise them for thier leadership abilities and understanding of what is going on with thier country. I also feel that Mr. O’bama can at this time not back down from what he has spoken in regards to Israels allied committment as with ours. This would bring him more critizism than he could with stand. Mr. O’bama simply does not have the ability to lead a Country as strong as America..We the people know this and will not allow anyone to destroy the Country we Love and the allies that have been loyal to us. God Bless Israel..I am proud to know the chosen. thank you
Israel and Israelis have matured a lot over the past thirty years, due in part to the fact that Israel now has sources of information outside of the mainstream media here.
The msm here is far more Left wing, almost radically so, than anywhere else in the world, and for generations was the only source of news and commentary for Hebrew speaking Israelis.
Of course Israelis have also had direct experience with the real world of Palestinian terrorism and the failure of Socialism, and thus the falsehoods and lies of the Israeli Left have been exposed for what they are.
In simple terms, the Leftist Israeli minority supports Obama, but the vast majority of Middle Israelis see Obama as he is, antagonistic and hostile towards Israel, and deeply sympathetic to our enemies.
There was a joke during WWII that Hitler would die on a Jewish Holiday, the punch line was that any day Hitler died would be a Jewish Holiday.
Well, Israelis are beginning to feel the same way about Obama.
“Some of it may just be the fact that my middle name is Hussein, and that creates suspicion.”
Yeah, that’s right, Mr. President. Any the anti-Zionists are suspicious of me only because my middle name is Ha. And in the case of your explanation, that goes double.
Good catch, ahad ha’amoratsim.
When I read the article this was the one sentence that really caught my attention.
What a demeaning comment from the president of the USA. As if the Israelis are so stupid and unaware of the damage Obama caused their country and the surge in Antisemitism around the world since he threw Israel under the bus.
Furthermore, his comment makes the Israeli’s look like a bunch of racists with blind hate to anyone who may have a Muslim sounding name.
Small correction, ahad. If anti-Zionists knew what ‘ha’ meant, it might make them suspicious, or cause them to cross those carefully drawn lines between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism (cough).
My ‘liberal’ dentist with a Jewish last name informed me on my last visit that ‘they can all blow each other up over there’ – and then added, correctly, ‘I know you just came from there.’
By my count, no more than 47% of all ‘anti-Zionist’ groups in the US are led by ex-Jews/ex-Israelis.
Obama has lost all credibility. All he is good at doing is waiting. He’s been waiting all along on Iran and by doing so he propped up the regime when was most vulnerable. The big issue in the area is a nuclear Iran. Look to Russia and Putin to understand how weak Obama comes off. Obama will never bomb Iran, it would harm his moslem sensibilities.
Can anyone explain why Mr. Netanyahu looked thrilled to death to be in the presence of Obama during their last meeting. I watched their handshake at the end and thought Mr. Netanyahu was positively giddy. There has to be an underlying reason for this. My respect for Mr. Netanyahu dropped a notch.
With all due respect, I think that Netanyahu has made a very smart political decision by “re conciliating” with Obama.
You have to remember that Bibi’s strongest oponents, such as Livni are trying to gain ground by claiming that Bibi’s coalition destroyed Israel’s relationships with the US. By agreeing to do the “show” with Obama, Bibi has strengthen his hold on the government and Israeli’s positive opinion of him. Up until now it seems that Bibi defeated Obama with ease and class.
Israeli generals win US high-tech ballistic missile tracking system
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report July 18, 2010, 8:41 PM (GMT+02:00)
Tags: Active missile defense system Iran US arms for Israel
US AN-TPY-2 radar, coordinated US-Israeli early warning nerve center
A ballistic missile fired at Israeli from any spot in the Middle East, be it Iran, Syria or South Lebanon, can now be tracked from launch by top Israeli commanders by means of the Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense System (ALTBMD) developed to protect NATO forces against missile threat and provided Israel by the United States.
DEBKAfile’s military sources report: The system’s interim stage links up radars of early warning sensors, radar, missile interceptors and space-based detectors. This integrated, layered protective network against tactical missile threats will alert Israeli division and brigade commanders in the field and the home front from a combined US-Israel operations center to the launching of a ballistic missile (from up to 3,000 kilometers) against Israel by sea, air or land.
For the first time, Israel’s war commanders will be forewarned in real time of an approaching ballistic missile, its estimated launch point and impact target and be able track the engagement by counter-missiles. The information will give them a sense of whether the incoming missile threatens command bases, military forces or civilian population areas.
From Reuters-
U.S., Israel close to deal on F-35 fighters
2:02pm EDT
* Deal would cover 19 airplanes
* Decision due “any day”
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 19 (Reuters) – The United States and Israel are days away from reaching an agreement on the sale of 19 Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) F-35 fighter jets, which would be the first foreign military sale of the new warplane.
“The ball is in their court,” Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, who heads the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency, told Reuters at the Farnborough Airshow.
“I am waiting for them to make a decision any day,” said Wieringa, who is retiring at the end of the month.
Lockheed declined comment on the status of the arms deal, since it will be concluded between the U.S. and Israeli governments, but said the fact that Israel wants to buy the new F-35 fighter underscored global confidence in the jet.
Analysts say the deal is worth about $3 billion.
In return what the US military wants-
Israeli Firm Develops ‘Stealth Paint’ for Aircraft
Av 4, 5770, 15 July 10 02:33by Hana Levi Julian
(Israelnationalnews.com) Shades of Star Trek’s Romulan cloaking device: The Israel Air Force may soon be flying under the radar – even when it isn’t – thanks to a new “stealth paint” developed with nanotechnology.
The science of the material is, in fact, not so far a stretch from the famed classic American sci-fi television series, in which the cloaking device caused spaceships to become invisible to parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The Israel-based Nanoflight firm has just completed trials on a special paint that can make an aerial vehicle nearly undetectable by radar. It won’t make it impossible, but it will certainly make the task infinitely more difficult, due to the qualities of the paint, which makes it appear as if the aircraft is some other object in the surrounding environment.
The cost-benefit ratio is also a major plus: a U.S.-made Stealth plane costs in the vicinity of $5 billion. “Stealth paint” costs considerably less.
A successful test run of the technology was completed this week, with a thin layer of the paint spread over dummy missiles. Radar waves aimed at the “missiles” had a tough time finding them, and could not identify them as missiles.
Obama: “I’ll still respect you in the morning.”
Beyond courtesies that simple statesmanship require, Netanyahu is nuts to give Obama the time of day. Obama lives in a gated community of privilege with well-behaved neighbors. Netanyahu lives in bad neighborhood and must be ever vigilant.
Until the LAT releases the video of Obama as a guest of an Muslim extremist some years back all bets are off with respect to Obama’s olive branch with Israel.
The MSM cover up for this empty suit-in-Chief still astounds..
Richard S. – my sentiments exactly.
Judith, if Mr. Ben Yakov’s information is correct about the technology transfer, then it does explain why Mr. Netanyahu was so excited and pleased. Still irks me just a little to see him so cordial to Obama though.
I think the Obama machine is just responding to the will of the the electorate. In the US as opposed to everyone else, we are more pro Israel than ever. They know where the political winds are blowing. That is the one thing they track.
If you have watched the numbers and polls, the further Obama goes away from Israel support, the more Americans close ranks behind it. Israel support is now at an all time high in US polls. I also believe that our security and military establishment, as well and congress are telling them ‘do not f… With this, you do not even know how tight we are’.
One does not need to sign on to the current US administration to see a good deal on the table. I think Israel has the best it can now.
Spin
answer: It does not matter
Israeli don’t get to VOTE in US elections
America has mostly Jews in name only who either are apathetic and have no interest in US-ISarel relations OR worse they are openly willfully hostile to ISrael- and share the exact minset of the Obotic pro Muslim crowd
Thye have 10x the hostility for home grown Christians and Republican Party who they are afraid will implement theocracy (as if!), US has a huge share of “BUSH did it, they hate those evil neocon enviro- torturer capitalists, US has no shortage of “my momma was a socialist and I love Chomsky” “Israel is a criminal state”, wont compromise etc who identify as “assimilted” JEWS
meaning they are more loyal to DEMOCRATS party than fellow JEWS in USA or Israel and they postitively STILL LOVE OBAMA – facts and evidence do not peentrate their mindset- I fully expect a similar turnout of JEWS for Obamanation as last time
Back in May it was reported BHO had lost 50% of his prior support in the American jewish community.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/137449
Although I have not seen a more recent poll I would guess that his support has dropped even further since then.
Israeli’s have lost that loving feeling? Are there poll stats for this?
American Jews have stopped donations to the Democrats? Are there credible articles about the numbers?
I haven’t seen either and I have been waiting to trumpet this response, because I believe it is long overdue. I read the comments of people who are not given to hyperbole here…but, no links were given.
Old habits die hard. And Rahm/Axelrod are the “binky” for left leaners who want to feel “security” in Obama’s bone fides and that his believe “intentions and sentiments” are pure as the driven…sand.
Having two of his closest “inner circle” be of Jewish blood, removes the stain of Robert Malley, Jeremiah Wright, Rashid Khalidi and Brzezinski apparently.
So, please…where is the evidence that Israeli citizens are not buying the snake oil? Where is the credible evidence that money is drying up for those attached at the hip to Obama in the Democratic Party?
Wishful thinking isn’t enough, unfortunately.
http://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=181594
Although Israelis might not be fooled by a desert snake, The Jewish American voting population will somehow, by-in-large, find sympathy and an inner weakness to cast a vote for Obama come 2012.
@Menahem Ben Yakov,
I am not so eager to see Isrel purchase F35s
This aircraft is far too expensive and will maintain our dependance on US
It would be better to relauch LAVI project with China or buy “naked” MIG 29s from Russia