Reality in Washington, denial in Ramallah, fantasy in Stockholm and the U.N.
The long anticipated meeting between Israel’s Prime Minister and President Trump has taken place. Fallout has been swift with reactions ranging from shock to pleasant surprise.
It is obvious to any observer that the personal chemistry between the two leaders is vastly different to that prevailing under the Obama Administration. Gone is the spectacle of Israel’s PM being lectured by those whose sole objective was to impose a solution which would have inevitably led to another terror State threatening us. Missing was the rhetoric of “we know what’s best for you” which in reality was a recipe for future disasters.
Michael Kuttner
Obviously there will still be differences but the atmosphere has lost its toxicity and narcissist hectoring. Problems can now be discussed and thrashed out in a mutually acceptable manner. Above all the common interests of both countries are now more closely aligned. This means that the challenges of Islamic terror and Palestinian Arab fostering of it can be tackled more successfully.
This fresh wind of reality blowing through Washington is bound to cause upsets amongst those entrenched in the State Department and above all those at the UN, EU and other bodies remaining fixated on solutions which have failed in the past and are no longer realistic at present or in the future.
Will it be “this year in Jerusalem” for the American Embassy or will the bully, scare and fear-mongering tactics of Arab/Moslem countries combined with the usual politically correct enlightened ones once again prevail? In the past there was no doubt as to the answer. Today it’s a different attitude which may finally recognise that the embassy deserves to be in Israel’s capital.
Giving Iran (and North Korea) a free pass to develop weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them is ending. Going ballistic when Israel builds homes and prattling ineffectually after Iran and North Korea fire off missiles is at an end. Sponsorship of terror groups and their threats to eliminate others will hopefully be vigorously challenged. Feeble protests and unenforceable resolutions will we hope be replaced by robust action designed to thwart the nefarious ambitions of these two countries.
The past fruitless and failed attempts to establish yet another terror State on territory originally allocated to Jewish settlement has been spectacularly jettisoned. Undoubtedly this major shift in policy will cause major eruptions of outrage and dire predictions of doom from all and sundry.
The French will be frothing. The Germans are grumbling. The Swedes are steaming and their Foreign Minister, aiming to emulate New Zealand’s useless precedent at the UN has just appointed a special envoy to the non-existent peace process. Meanwhile every politician, commentator and media expert on the left has collapsed into a frenzy of doom and gloom.
Let’s get one thing straight. The demise of the prospect of yet another terror State arising which teaches its children that Jews have no connection to their Land and delegitimises Jewish historical rights, is not a major calamity. It is instead a glorious opportunity to inject some realism into a conflict which at its core is about rejection of any sort of Jewish State. As Netanyahu put it so succinctly in Washington – “the Chinese are called that because they come from China; the Japanese come from Japan and the JEWS are originally from JUDEA.”
There are all sorts of alternative solutions which have never been tried because the international community instead swallowed the big lie about a Palestinian People dispossessed from a State which never existed. For over 50 years the world has deliberately ignored the fact that Jordan illegally occupied Judea, Samaria and half of Jerusalem and that today 70% or more of its population are those who claim to be Palestinian Arabs. A confederation between PA controlled areas and Jordan or the eventual conversion of Jordan into the desired Palestinian State is the answer. It of course needs a major change in Arab/Moslem thinking and firm leadership to withstand the fanatics of the Islamic world and the hysterical ranting of “enlightened” elites who are so firmly entrenched in academia, the media and politics.
If you need an example of why the two State solution failed look no further than the pronouncements of Saeb Erekat, a leading PA politician. Double speak, Orwell style, is his forte. Combined with historical revisionism on a grand scale his assertions always find a willing audience amongst the masses. Here is what he stated this week: “the Two State solution represents a painful and historic Palestinian compromise of recognising Israel over 78% of historic Palestine. Today almost six million Palestinians live under Israeli control in all of historic Palestine while almost six million Palestinians live in exile.”
These claims which the majority of Israel haters will swallow hook, line and sinker are just a tiny example of the lies and myths disseminated every day. Not content with distorting facts the same gentleman also denounced the UK Prime Minister for planning to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the issuing of the Balfour Declaration. He claimed that this would be “unacceptable and insulting to the Palestinian people.” For good measure he also demanded that the UK Government recognise the (fictitious) State of Palestine and ban all Israeli settlement products.
The newly appointed Swedish “peace” envoy can now no doubt join with the EU and UN “peace” envoys in cheering on such unmitigated rubbish. Perhaps they could take up residence in Bethlehem where they could lay claim to being the last of the three “wise men.”
If Donald Trump and his team can clean out the polluted swamp which currently poisons any chance of establishing peace and improve the impoverished lot of those held hostage by corrupt, terror supporting and inciting leaders then there is hope for the future.
Reforming the United Nations and standing up to Islamic terror is a start. Years of appeasement, misguided and misdirected policies have caused untold damage.
The time to act is now.
Michael Kuttner is a Jewish New Zealander who for many years was actively involved with various communal organisations connected to Judaism and Israel. He now lives in Israel and is J-Wire’s correspondent in the region.
Michael Kuttner is such a wonderful writer who explains the situation that Israel faces so clearly and cogently. It’s a pleasure to read Michael’s articles. If only the rest of the world had the understanding and depth of knowledge that Michael has. Margot Wallstrom should read Michael’s article after she enjoys a big meal. This would be dessert for her.