Trump Must Confirm Bush-Congress Commitments To Israel…writes David Singer
Donald Trump’s stunning Presidential victory – coupled with the Republican Party retaining control of the Congress – presents Trump with the opportunity to restore America’s tarnished reputation and integrity by affirming he will honour the commitments made to Israel by President Bush in his letter dated 14 April 2004 – overwhelmingly endorsed by the then Congress by 502 votes to 12.
Those Bush-Congress commitments were seriously undermined by President Obama and his two Secretaries of State – Hillary Clinton and John Kerry – just one of many American disastrous policy failures in the Middle East during Obama’s term of office.
The Bush-Congress Commitments were crucial to:
- Israel’s unilateral, unconditional and complete disengagement from Gaza in 2005 and
- Israel’s agreement to resume negotiations with the Palestinian Authority as publicly declared by Israel’s then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the international conference called by President Bush in Annapolis in 2007.
“In the course of the negotiations, we will use previous agreements as a point of departure. U.N. Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, the road map, and the letter of President Bush to the prime minister of Israel dated April 14, 2004.”
Israel has expressed concern that President Obama and current Secretary of State John Kerry might be planning to further undercut the following Bush Commitment at the United Nations or in the international arena during the period leading up to Trump and the new Congress being installed into power on 20 January 2017.
“… the United States remains committed to my vision and to its implementation as described in the roadmap. The United States will do its utmost to prevent any attempt by anyone to impose any other plan”
Obama and Kerry have not leapt to defend Israel’s refusal to take part in an international conference currently being planned by France in December – designed to depart from the clear negotiating guidelines laid down in the Bush Roadmap and Bush’s 2004 letter – as subsequently clarified at the Annapolis Conference.
Obama has remained mum on using America’s power of veto at the UN Security Council to resist any efforts to depart from the terms of the Bush Roadmap or substitute some different negotiating process outside the Roadmap and the Bush-Congress endorsed commitments.
President-elect Trump made his views clearly known on America upholding commitments to its allies during the election campaign:
”… your friends need to know that you will stick by the agreements that you have with them. You’ve made that agreement, you have to stand by it and the world will be a better place.”
Senator Marco Rubio – who unsuccessfully challenged Trump for Republican Party Presidential nominee but who has now been reelected to the Senate for a further term by a large majority – pledged during that campaign:
“I will revive the common-sense understandings reached in the 2004 Bush-Sharon letter and build on them to help ensure Israel has defensible borders”
Trump has been withering in his criticism of Obama’s conduct towards Israel:
“Israel, our great friend and the one true democracy in the Middle East has been snubbed and criticized by an administration that lacks moral clarity.”
Moral clarity demands that Trump immediately inform Obama that no action should be undertaken by Obama between now and January that would in any way depart from or undermine the commitments made by former President George Bush and the Congress to Israel in 2004.
Trump also needs to unequivocally state that his Administration intends to fully uphold those Bush-Congress commitments.
Draining the swamp and making America great again will be given a huge impetus if Trump makes these policy declarations without obfuscation or delay.
David Singer is a Sydney Lawyer and Foundation Member of the International Analysts Network
Mr. Singer seems to be totally oblivious to Trump,s behaviour and the advertisements produced by his team which can only be seen as being anti-Semitic. His association and endorsement by some of the most obnoxious groupings in US appears to be forgotten. Trump’s behaviour , and comments are not dissimilar to Hitler’s. Suddenly Mr Singer wants him to be a friend of Israel.
With due due respect to David I have to agree with you re Trump. I’ve come to the conclusion on this issue you have to have hope even against the odds. He already has gravel rash sucking up to the Catholics, promising “I’ll be there for you”. 52% of the votes are from that side of the political fence.
The acceptance of this speaks volumes……..http://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/11/26/donald-trump-mocks-reporter-with-disability-berman-sot-ac.cnn
Maurice
I can only judge a person by what he says and does and Trump told Israel Hayom the following on 11 November:
“I love and respect Israel and its citizens,” President-elect Donald Trump told Israel Hayom on Thursday evening, after his meeting with outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama.
“Israel and America share so many of the same values, such as freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and the importance of creating opportunities for all citizens to pursue their dreams,” he continued.
“I look forward to strengthening the unbreakable bond between our great nations. I know very well that Israel is the one true democracy and defender of human rights in the Middle East and a beacon of hope to countless people.
“I believe that my administration can play a significant role in helping the parties to achieve a just, lasting peace — which must be negotiated between the parties themselves, and not imposed on them by others. Israel and the Jewish people deserve no less,” the president-elect said.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=37923
How could you expect Trump to not be a friend of Israel after that statement?
Accentuate the positive – eliminate the negative.
Reading his transcript he sounds a little too sensible in my opinion.
The IDF is determined for stringent security in the narrow waist and Jordan Valley .
There are clashes re outpost settlements and the IDF having to expend resources either defending them or dismantling them .
The Arabs in Israel many contend have to have a good economy and a good autonomy .
Then the long truce is possible .
But there will be many attempts to sabotage a stability like this which have to be countered even pre-emptively .
Indeed David! And well written. One of Trump’s many promises was/is to protect Israel from her enemies. Let’s just watch that unfold. I have faith in his advisors to make the right decisions at the right time. Hashem Bless America and all who stand behind this business man who was able to morph into the most powerful of men. May he reign with insight, courage and sincerity.
What woman could ever vote for a man like this?
Men maybe with the same ego’s but women?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/donald-trump-sexism-tracker-every-offensive-comment-in-one-place/
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/10/misogyny-us-election-voters
#Lynne
The fact is that women did vote for Trump as this article in the New York Times explains:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/13/upshot/why-women-did-not-unite-to-vote-against-donald-trump.html
Yes they did, 20% of the voters were…..but as a woman and mother in obeyance never. I’m surprised his daughter a convert to Judaism and a mother herself…..……..http://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/11/26/donald-trump-mocks-reporter-with-disability-berman-sot-ac.cnn
I’m not alone on some aspects.
http://wordfromjerusalem.com/american-jews-face-dilemma-in-presidential-elections/