Another Sunday, and naturally one can expect another anti-Israel New York Times editorial by Thomas Friedman. In 2011, Friedman described the Israeli government as "drunk","out of touch" and "in-bred", and wrote that congressional ovations for Prime Minister Netanyahu were "bought and paid for by the Israel lobby." Quite the friend.
And now, in his first op-ed since Obama’s re-election he has let his “Israeli friends” know that “My President Is Busy.” In a condescending manner, Friedman said “Israelis should understand that the United States isn’t their grandfather’s America anymore”, and that Obama has more important things to worry about than Israel. (Didn’t all these liberals just last week let us know that Obama was Israel’s best friend and would stand by Israel? Quite a change.)
Well, Uncle Tom, some of us understand that “…the United States isn’t their grandfather’s America anymore” – and there ain’t no one in the Middle East awaiting Obama’s arrival. As you suggest, Israel is indeed focused on January 22nd elections, and their own elections – and the right-wing Netanyahu government is sitting pretty. ]
Witness the merger of Avigdor Lieberman with Netanyahu’s Likud who leads a major Zionist party with many voters who escaped communism and now live as a free people in a free land – and Lieberman has support from many in Israel. He’s doing just fine, thank you.
Witness Naftali Bennett, a success story of Israel’s start up nation who launched a technology company and sold it in 2005 for $145 Million, and was recently elected to reinvigorate the vibrant National Religious Party.
Bennett, Lieberman – and the Israeli public led by Netanyahu are focused on elections – and am sure wouldn’t mind if indeed Obama and his liberals stay away from Israel. (Get your President to keep your promise and not interfere in Israeli elections as the liberal Democrats did in every single Israeli election).
Uncle Tom, some may wonder if indeed America would have been better off if Obama would have stayed away from the entire Middle East during his previous term. Israel may have been able to tell Obama that the Arab Spring ain’t so good for the West. Observers of the Middle East – and certainly supporters of Israel – concur that the safety and security of Israel (and America) could be better off if indeed Obama leaves Israel alone.
America isn’t in a better place since Obama’s reign began – and indeed, Israel remains focused on Zionism – self-determination and is doing just fine.
In your article, you lambast Netanyahu for scorning President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority who declared on Israeli TV: “Palestine for me is the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. This is Palestine. I am a refugee. I live in Ramallah. The West Bank and Gaza is Palestine. Everything else is Israel.”
Netanyahu is also busy – that proposal is a non-starter and one which has zero support amongst the Israeli electorate.
Mr. Friedman – Why don’t you keep worrying about Obama and let Israel manage the Mid-East. Seems America is on the edge of financial collapse, and there’s some unsorted business in Libya. Owning 5WPR, a PR agency I think Israel would be much better off if indeed American media and the American government focused their vast efforts away from Israel.
Guess what, Uncle Tom, Israel is just fine
You write you “find it very sad that in a country with so much human talent, the Israeli center and left still can’t agree on a national figure who could run against Netanyahu....”. Yes the country has a ton of human talent, and no center-left candidate who won’t get trounced in national elections. And guess what Uncle Tom, Israel is just fine.
And let’s indeed hope as your President is too busy to deal with the slaughter of thousands of innocent people in Syria, he remains busy the next time some teenage Israeli foolishly writes graffiti as kids do worldwide, or some idiotic American peace seeker stands in front of an Israeli bulldozer and rightfully gets run over.
Some of us American Jews know damn well “.. that the United States isn’t their grandfather’s America anymore” – because in that America people were expected to work hard and knew damn well that socialism wouldn’t work.
And Tom, as an American entrepreneur I’d say your President really has a ton of work to do on the economy. Market really tanked Day One, didn’t it?
Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR a US PR agency, and author of “For Immediate Release.”