Thursday, September 23, 2010

Obama Owes Israelis an Apology

Here's a disturbing passage from President Obama's speech today before the UN General Assembly concerning the Middle East Peace Process:

Now I recognize many are pessimistic about this process. The cynics say that Israelis and Palestinians are too distrustful of each other, and too divided internally, to forge lasting peace. Rejectionists on both sides will try to disrupt the process, with bitter words and with bombs and with gunfire.

It's clear that Hamas has no interest in a peace agreement with Israel as its raison d'ĂȘtre is the destruction of the State of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic state (as if there aren't already plenty of those.) Hamas, to borrow Obama's words, have no shortage of bombs and gunfire to accompany their bitter words.

But who in Israel is going to try to disrupt the peace process with bombs and gunfire? The IDF? The settlers? Obama doesn't say.

Now one can make the case that Yitzhak Rabin signature on the Oslo Accords cost him his life. But there are no schools, soccer fields or town squares in Israel named in honor of Yigal Amir.

Baruch Goldstein (no relation) massacred Palestinians in prayer. But Israeli Jews did not have celebrations in the streets of Jerusalem handing out sweets to children.

Israelis deplored these acts. Those acts violence are the exception, not the rule. The same cannot be said of Hamas and those who do not want peace with Israel.

That President Obama would suggest Israeli Jews would wantonly disrupt the peace process with bombs and gunfire is an act of defamation for which he should apologize profusely. It isn't like he hasn't had plenty of practice. That is unless, of course, his apologies are strictly reserved for Muslim theocracies and other despots.

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