Thursday, October 13, 2016

US and UN versus Israel—and Russia?



The New York Times wants US President Barack Obama to go to the UN to push for peace between Arab and Jew (editorial, “At the Boiling Point With Israel”, newyorktimes, October 6, 2016). It fears that time is running out. Obama leaves office January 20, 2017. If Obama wants peace, he must act now. According to the Times, Obama must stop protecting Israel and start protecting ‘peace’.

The underlying assumption is, Israel is the enemy of peace. It doesn’t deserve protection. Obama has to lead a UN Security Council (UNSC) effort against Israel. He must request an “official resolution” to impose a two-state solution on Israel (ibid). 

Tomorrow, October 14, 2016, the UNSC is scheduled to discuss Israel’s so-called ‘anti-peace settlement activity’ (Ben Ariel, “UN Security Council to discuss 'settlements'”, arutzsheva, October 7, 2016). This UN discussion, called ‘the Arria Formula’ (ibid), isn’t supposed to involve a vote (ibid). But Israeli officials believe this ‘discussion’ will turn into an international condemnation of Israel and serve as motivation for an “anti-settlement resolution” in the Security Council later in the year (ibid).  It’s what the Times wants.

Even if this meeting doesn’t go off as scheduled, Israel is worried about a US ‘November surprise’ (Shmuley Boteach, “Obama’s November Surprise for Israel?”, algemeiner, June 6, 2016). That surprise means the US will soon do one of two things: (1) refuse to use its veto power at the UN to protect Israel; or, (2) take an anti-Israel action either unilaterally or at the UN—all, of course, in the name of ‘peace’ (editorial, “Why Israel fears Obama’s last days”, newyorkpost, October 12, 2016).

Israel awaits a ‘November surprise’ much like the US waits for a hurricane building up offshore to slam into its mainland. The Times editorial (above) fuels what Israel believes is an anti-Israel diplomatic hurricane heading its way.

An American anti-Israel move could come as early as tomorrow at the UN. More likely, it could hit after November’s US election (newyorkpost, ibid). That makes sense because after the election, Obama achieves political immunity. He’ll be a lame duck. Who’s going to punish him for turning against Israel?  

American voters can’t harm him. Neither can Congress.

Obama wants a ‘legacy’ (Gabby Morrongiello, “Rand Paul: Obama is a president in search of any positive legacy”, washingtonexaminer, January 12, 2016). His foreign policy efforts don’t help him (Dr Azeem Ibrahim, “History will judge Obama’s foreign policy legacy as one of failure”, alarabiya, April 7, 2016). Now, he has one last chance. He can create an instant legacy with ‘peace’ for ‘Palestinians’.

To do that, he’d have to abandon Israel. That doesn’t bother him.

The moment Obama abandons Israel, Israel would be thrown under the proverbial bus. Israel could end up with indefensible borders (if it surrenders land to create a two-state solution); or, it could face sanctions if it rejects 'two states'.

Conventional wisdom suggests that Jewish Israel is about to be sacrificed on a pagan UN peace-altar.  But conventional wisdom could be wrong. Israel might indeed be abandoned by the US—but not endangered. Israel could still be protected—by Russia.

While everyone has been watching Obama apparently prepare to betray Israel, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been courting Russia’s Putin (“Frosty with Obama, Netanyahu warms to Putin”, dw, 8/6/16). Putin reciprocates (“Netanyahu and Putin Celebrate New Era of Deep Cooperation and Friendship”, unitedwithisrael, June 7, 2016).

There are several possible reasons for such reciprocity. First, Russia and Israel have something in common: Russians. Israel has the largest Russian-born community in the world outside Russia. Putin likes that. Second, Israel’s Defense Minister (and former Foreign Minister) Avigdor Liberman is a Russian-born Israeli. He’s Russian-tough—and he maintains extensive contacts with Russia. Putin respects that. Third, both Putin and Netanyahu face Islamic terror attack. In the West, only Israel appears unafraid to fight that terror. Putin appreciates that. Fourth, Putin has been quietly working to make Russia more religious (Giulio Meotti, “Putin's Puritan Piety: The Ideological War against the West”, gatestoneinstitute, October 9, 2016). While he guides Russia to Christianity, the EU and the US become more anti-Christian. Israel, meanwhile, might be the only Westernized nation where a non-Islamic religion grows stronger, not weaker. Putin may admire that.

Unlike many of his predecessors, Putin has been kind to Russia’s Jews. In fact, he’s been so friendly towards Jews and Israel, at least one Arab newspaper has (no doubt incorrectly) concluded he must be Jewish (Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, “Hezbollah News: Is Putin Jewish?”, breakingisraelnews, August 12, 2016).

All of this leads to a question: would Putin replace the US as Israel’s protector at the UN?  The short answer is yes, especially if doing that would humiliate America.

Obama certainly seems ready to humiliate Israel (editorial: “Warning of A U.N. Betrayal, Obama Treats Israel As An Enemy”, investorsbusinessdaily, 06/03/15). Putin knows this. He knows the US has abdicated its leadership in the Middle East (Adam Garfinkle, “Putin, Obama, and the Middle East”, americaninterest, October 3, 2015). He knows that Iran suckered Obama (Mervi Yourish, “Iran to U.S.: You were played, suckers”, yourish, January 14, 2015).

Putin knows America is no superpower.

By contrast, Russia flexes muscle with a brutal aggression. It attacks Syria with an iron fist. It does the same in the Ukraine. It partners with Iran (Ephraim Kam, Zvi Magen, “Russia and Iran’s turning point: a strategic alliance”, jerusalempost, September 10. 2016). It threatens NATO in the Baltic region.

Russia challenges anyone to stop it. No one does. Russia appears too brutal to tangle with.

An Obama betrayal of Israel at the UN gives Putin a golden opportunity to defang America’s reputation. All Russia has to do is condemn (or veto) any US-inspired anti-Israel move.

The world will gasp. America abandons the Jew and Russia-the-brutal protects the Jew even as it partners with the anti-Jew Iran? 

Yes, Russia can do that because protecting Israel changes everything for Russia. If, just as the UN feels it’s finally got Israel by the throat, Russia protects Israel, that move would send a breath-taking message: to get to Israel, the UN will first have to go through Russia.  

The UN won’t challenge Russia. It wouldn’t dare. 
  
To repeat, the world sees Russia as brutal. The world fears this Russia. If Russia decides to protect Israel, everyone knows Russia has the brutality-capacity to silence any anti-Jew complaint.

The US, meanwhile, talks like a superpower—but kowtows to Iran. It paralyzes itself over Syria (E. Jeffrey Ludwig, “The U.S. Fiddles while Syria Burns”, americanthinker, October 6, 2016). It treats a staunch ally (Israel) as an enemy.

The world sees America as a two-faced, cynical betrayer. It scorns that America.

If this scenario is correct, the moment Obama turns on Israel, Russia-the-feared will fill the resulting vacuum. By protecting Israel against the UN, Russia will prove it is the world’s only ultra superpower—the only country capable of stopping--and willing to stop--the UN in its tracks.  

That changes everything. Instantly, Russia becomes ‘King-of-the-Hill’. America becomes ‘has-been’.

What’s the fallout from this? G-d knows.

On Rosh Hashannah, we read that G-d determines the fate of nations. On Yom Kippur, we read that G-d seals the fate of those He judges.

Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur are over. Heavenly decisions have been made. What’s going to happen to Russia, America and Israel?

G-d knows.


No comments:

Post a Comment