Never in my life have I seen a president that fawns over the Israelis, begs for their approval, sings their praises and lauds their achievements and history like the American President, Barack Obama.
Obama set a historic record in his country by becoming the first elected non-white president. However, we wrongly assumed that just because of his racial background, and the fact that he belonged to a people who had suffered centuries of persecution, that his stance would be different. It was expected that because he spoke so bitterly about the racial discrimination his grandparents and uncles had suffered through in Chicago, such as being prohibited from sitting on the same bus with white people, that he would better understand our suffering under the discriminatory Israeli occupation. However, he has disappointed us and reminded us of Uncle Tom in the famous American novel in which the black slave’s humanity and dignity is disregarded by his white master.
Mr Barack Hussein Obama surprised us in the speech he made before a group of Israeli youth in occupied Jerusalem in which he, the African, demanded that the Palestinians recognise Israel as a Jewish state and urged the Arabs to normalise with this state. He also said to those who reject Israel’s right to exist that they might as well reject the earth beneath them and the sky above. He stressed that Israel is not going anywhere, and as long as the US exists, the Israelis will not be alone.
We do not understand why Obama used these words or why he went through with this demeaning ingratiation; Israel is the one threatening our existence, denying our rights and monopolising over 300 nuclear warheads capable of destroying the entire region.
We are astonished that a president of African descent is demanding that we comply with the same discrimination his ancestors rejected; they sacrificed thousands to break the bonds of slavery and racial and religious discrimination. His demands to recognise Israel as a discriminatory Jewish state threatens the existence of a quarter of its population and strips them of their right to citizenship.
None of the “white” presidents stooped so low on this racial slope, and most of them pressured Israel in order to force them to recognize the rights of the Palestinian people. What drove Obama to deviate from the rule and grovel at Netanyahu’s feet, asking for forgiveness, as he has done in the last 2 days”
Obama’s visit to the region was not that of a peace mediator, but of a warlord who came to spark its fire, and agree on the details with his Israeli counterpart, Netanyahu, who openly insulted him when he publically announced his support for republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney.
Obama gave Israel the green light to launch an assault on Iran without first deliberating with the US, and urged the world to add Hezbollah to the list of terrorists. He also vowed not to allow Iran to possess any nuclear weapons.
It is unfortunate that Obama is asking President Mahmoud Abbas to resume negotiations without stipulating a freeze on settlements, which is the condition he himself set during his speech made at Cairo University just weeks after winning the election.
We must expect such lean positions that are fully attuned with their Israeli counterpart over the next 4 years, which is the duration of Obama’s second term. Lean in the view of Arabs and Muslims, but firm in the view of the Israelis and their extremist right-wing government.
The Palestinians who protested in Ramallah, and were driven away by the Palestinian security forces who prevented them from approaching the PA headquarters where Obama’s plane landed were expressing the true feelings of the Palestinian people towards the American president who turned his back on the injustice and oppressed, and favoured the tyrant and oppressor.
The Palestinian Authority, led by Mr Abbas, which halted reconciliation talks once Obama’s visit was announced, is mostly responsible for this American shift in favour of Israel. This is because it is still counting on meaningless negotiations and has high hopes in Israel. This is why it prevented the protests and aborted an Intifada that was forming as a result of the death of the Palestinian prisoner, Arafat Jaradat, who died while being tortured in an Israeli prison. The Palestinian Authority did not even demand an investigation into his death.
Now, after Obama’s black smoke has been revealed and we have discovered the truth about his fully submissive positions with Netanyahu, we must take on a new position; a position of intifada, civil disorder, going to the International Criminal Court and Human Rights Council and making every possible effort to confront the Israeli occupation.
Finally, we hope that the cheque Obama waved at the Palestinian Authority for $500 million will not have the desired effect of taming the Palestinians and confirming Obama’s impression of the Palestinians; that they are being beggars waiting for crumbs of financial aid granted by donor countries, in exchange for relinquishing its legitimate rights and ending all forms of resistance against the occupation.
Obama is supplying the Israelis with iron domes and advanced warplanes, and has vowed to support their security and existence forever; meanwhile, he has presented the Palestinians with compliancy cheques… it is an utter tragedy.
Why would he urge the Arabs to normalise with Israel; is it to reward Israel for Judaising occupied Jerusalem, settling 600,000 settlers in the West Bank, storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque and undermining its foundations and scorning their peace initiatives”
We live in a time of American hypocrisy and undisputed Arab shame.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.