Obama
To Visit Israel - Includes Iron Dome, Yad Vashem, Dead Sea Scrolls,
Iran Talks
Will understanding
replace arrogance?
By
Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
Jerusalem,
Israel --- March 11, 2013
Part of the following was communicated
by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser to the Israel News Agency.
The Israel
Prime Minister's Office, held a preparatory meeting yesterday
ahead of US President Barack
Obama's upcoming visit to Israel. In addition to personnel
from the Prime Minister's Office, representatives from the President's
Residence, the Israel Foreign Ministry, the Israel Defense Ministry,
the Israel Police, the Jerusalem Municipality, Ben-Gurion International
Airport and other agencies also attended the meeting.
Relations
between Israel and the US have never been better. The Prime Minister's
Office and Israel Ministry of Defense appears to be on the same
page and paragraph as the US Department of Defense and the US
Congress. But personal relations between Prime Minister Netanyahu
and President Obama could not be worse. After visiting the US
and being escorted into the White House via the servants quarters,
after Obama left Netanyahu in a White House meeting to have dinner
with his wife, after telling the former President of France: You
are sick of him, but I have to work with him every day,
one has very little doubt as to the contempt that Obama has for
Netanyahu. But does this contempt transcend bad chemistry between
Bibi and Barry?
That the ADL
had to put out the following statement: "We are deeply disappointed
and saddened by this decidedly un-Presidential exchange between
Presidents Sarkozy and Obama. President Obamas response
to Mr. Sarkozy implies that he agrees with the French leader.
In light of the revelations here, we hope that the Obama Administration
will do everything it can to reassure Israel that the relationship
remains on a sure footing and to reinvigorate the trust between
President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu, which clearly is
not what it should be. What is sad is that we now have to worry
to what extent these private views inform foreign policy decisions
of the United States and France - two singularly important players
in the peace process."
The White
House has made it very clear that they would want Israel to withdraw
to pre-1967 borders, borders that would allow Islamic terrorists
to launch rockets and missiles from the West Bank into the center
of Tel Aviv. The White House has made it very clear that they
want Israel to stop building homes in their own Capital - Jerusalem.
That Jerusalem should be divided. That Iran's nuclear weapons
program can be addressed by "talks", even though those
talks are being used by Iran to complete it building a nuclear
weapon.
One has to
wonder if Obama assesses issues in the region rationally, let
alone with much empathy for the Jewish state. For if Obama can
come to believe that settlements are blocking the peace process
or that Netanyahu rather than Abbas is the liar, many fear what
other non-facts he can talk himself into.
Obama wants
Israel to make peace with the Palestinians. But how can Israel
make peace with Hamas and Islamic Jihad who do not want to sit
down and talk, who have declared that they will never recognize
a Jewish state?
We can only
pray that Obama has become a bit more realistic. That he finally
recognizes that Islamic Jihad - a holy war against all Jews and
Christians - is the problem in the Middle East - not Israel building
more housing and schools in the land which has been Israel for
thousands of years.
Obama is now
scheduled for a warm and formal welcoming ceremony at Ben-Gurion
Airport. He is then to be taken to an Iron Dome anti-missile station
and then for a welcoming ceremony and meeting with President Shimon
Peres. Obama will have an escort of over 10,000 Israel police
throughout his visit to Israel.
The end of
Obama's first day will conclude with a meeting, press conference
and dinner with the Prime Minister Netanyahu.
On March 21,
Obama will visit the Shrine of the Book (home of the Dead Sea
Scrolls) at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, followed by a visit
to an exhibition of innovative technology at the Israel Museum
and a trek to the birthplace of Jesus Christ in Nazareth and the
Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Will President Obama remember
that this
holy church was attacked and the priests inside were taken
hostage by Islamic terrorists just a few years ago?
Obama then
heads to Rahmallah to meet with the Palestinian Authority.
On Friday,
March 22, 2013 Obama will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at Herzl's
grave followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at Yitzhak Rabin's
grave.
A tour of
the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum
is next and then Obama heads for a departure ceremony at Ben-Gurion
International Airport.
One wonders
why Yad Yashem is last and not first on this visit?
To promote
Obama's visit to Israel (sad when a US President has to promote
a trip to the closet ally the US has in the Middle East) will
be the launching of a smartphone social media app.
The Israel
Prime Minister's Office says that the app will feature real-time
updates, video, photographs and behind-the-scenes glimpses on
new media channels including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The app is available in Hebrew and English and will soon be available
in Arabic as well.
In addition,
President Barack Obamas upcoming visit is now taking on
the feel of a sporting event with Israels selection of an
official logo, looking more like a game show as the
US Embassy initiated a contest to attend Obamas keynote
speech in Jerusalem.
Want
to attend President Obamas speech? the US Embassy
wrote in Hebrew, English and Arabic on its Facebook page, as if
Obamas speech was a live taping of the David Letterman show.
Is Obama coming to Israel to coordinate security assets for a
possible attack on Iran and Syria or is this a popularity event
for the Democratic Party, even perhaps leverage to help decide
which parties will be joining the new Israeli government.
I truly pray
that both Obama and Netanyahu can forgive and forget. That Obama
learns something about Middle East history and is able to spell
the words Islamic Jihad. That in meeting with the people of the
only democratic state in the Middle East, Obama will learn that
Netanyahu has vast support for both a real peace and true security.
That Israel's security comes before any more delayed "talks"
of peace by Iran. That missiles will not be allowed to fall on
the children of Sderot, Ashdod, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and
Kiryat Shomena.
Israel National
Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror said: "It is very important
that this visit be marked by three points: One, that it goes smoothly
from start to finish. It is important for us that Prime Minister
Netanyahu and President Obama have fruitful and productive talks
this is the basis for the continuation of work over the
next four years. It is important to us that the President and
all those who watch the visit see the beautiful Land of Israel
as much as possible given the short schedule. Cooperation between
all elements among all the Israelis, and between us and
the Americans is also vital for the success of the visit."
Israel:
Canada An Example To Global Democracy In Cutting Diplomatic Ties
With Iran
Joel Leyden,
journalist, media consultant, social media and SEO pioneer
working with both the Israel Defense Forces and the US Army in
Haiti.
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