O Israel

So, Obama gave another one of those speeches he gives.  You know, where he talks about something at length with moderation and perspective.  This one was on the Israeli-Palestinian question in specific and the Middle East as a whole.

It was all those things a good Obama speech can be: thoughtful, measured, nuanced and tinged with optimism even when it may not be warranted.

Needless to say, the response to it was brain-dead, knee jerk, manichean and suffused with dread and paranoia.

Obama said, rightfully, that there can be no peace without a two state solution to the Palestinian question.  He also said that the starting point must be the 1967 borders, and then negotiations should proceed from there.

Of course, the GOP freaked out over that, which is about as predictable as the sun rise.

More concerning was the reaction of Benjamin Netanyahu.  He chided and belittled Obama's proposal and basically treated the President like an errant child.  This is a nice take on it from a pro-Israel columnist at the Atlantic.

As Clinton tried to bring some resolution to this issue in the late '90s, it was pretty clear that the negotiations fell apart because of Arafat.  Right now, the fault looks to be primarily with the Israeli government.  They have taken a "Bush-like" stance in negotiation: give us everything we want and we will talk.

While Hamas remains the worst actor in all this, there is a stark denial of reality on the part of Netanyahu's government.

Frankly, I would like the impossible to happen.  I would like the US to NOT exercise its veto on the upcoming UN vote on recognizing the Palestinian state.  Vote against it, sure, as long as Hamas is the principle player in Gaza.  But as long as Israel takes the US for granted, they will continue to thumb their nose at us.

The US does not need Israel, but Israel needs the US, and that simple fact seems to have eluded Netanyahu. As I said, it will never happen, because the Israel lobby is too strong in DC.  But aside from cultural affinity, is there some reason why we need to bend our entire Mid-East policy to accommodate Israel?

As Israel slowly slips into the tragic role of the new Union of South Africa, complete with apartheid, what is the true role of America as Israel's friend?

Are we to be an enabler to their folly?  Or must we endeavor to save them from themselves?