Pres.-elect Trump is rounding out his cabinet nicely. So far, four generals, one multinational CEO, a billionaire who wrecked the Detroit school system–the list goes on. But it’s indicative of the importance Trump attributes to Israel that he tonight named his new ambassador there. He did this having named not a single other ambassador to any other country (though he did lobby the UK to name Nigel Farage as its U.S. ambassador!). Not China, not Russia, nor any EU nation. Any one of these should arguably have ten or one hundred times the weight that Israel has. Yet, we now are privileged to know that U.S. interests are in the hands of an avowed supporter not just of Israel, but settler-Israel. David Friedman, who has no experience in diplomacy or international relations; and whose expertise is in bankruptcy law, will be bringing peace to the Middle East according to the happy-talk press release distributed by the transition team. He does have one invaluable personal experience which justifies his appointment according to the press release announcing it: he celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Kotel! Baruch ha-Shem!
He has called the liberal Zionist group, J Street, “kapos.” He has denied its Jewish supporters are even Jews. He is the president of a foundation supporting the radical settlement of Bet El. Every major media headline notes that he is even more extreme in his views than Bibi Netanyahu. This is the ultimate triumph of Kahanism. It has literally taken over U.S. policy. Meir Kahane isn’t spinning in his grave. He’s doing the hora!
Historically, the U.S. ambassador oversees relations between this country and the PA. So how will any Palestinian leader look this settler cheerleader in the face?
It’s becoming ever clearer that, if anything, relations in the Middle East will become even worse than under Barack Obama. There are currently nearly 750,000 settlers in occupied Palestine. That number should easily exceed one-million within the next four years. Israel will, if it chooses to do so, find no U.S. opposition to annexing the West Bank. But Bibi may choose not to go that route. Why upset an apple cart that’s producing juicy, fresh apples every day? He will continue what he’s been doing, but on a more accelerated pace: more land thefts, more new settlements, enlarging existing ones, more segregated roads tying settlements to 1967 Israel. There will be no such thing as an illegal settlement. It will be the settler Gold Rush.
Friedman’s inaugural statement noted his joy at being the first U.S. ambassador to represent his country in Israel’s “eternal capital, Jerusalem.” There is no doubt construction will commence immediately on the new embassy compound on land purchased for that purpose in West Jerusalem. Within two years there will be a grand dedication attended by Trump himself to great fanfare and joy.
It’s not a problem according to Dennis Ross…or at least is shouldn’t be. He told the Wall Street Journal:
Practically speaking, moving the embassy to West Jerusalem shouldn’t affect the eventual “final status” of the city because few question whether that area of the city would be part of Israel in any final settlement of the decades-old conflict.
Except for those pesky Palestinians and their doggone emotional outbursts over such matters:
“But Jerusalem for both Israelis and Palestinians (and Arabs) is an emotional issue and it is easy to ratchet up those emotions when it appears the future of the city is being affected. Rational arguments don’t tend to be heard,”
What exactly is the ‘rational argument’ favoring moving the embassy to Jerusalem? C’mon it’s just a building. And we’re building it in West Jerusalem on good, ol’ Jewish-owned land (well, Jewish now, but before 1948…ah who the hell cares?).
As for those Palestinians…ah, who cares about ’em. Let ’em fester. On the dustheap of history. The ungrateful bastards never accepted the crumbs we generously offered them. To Hell with ’em. That will be the Trump approach.
It will be a disaster. There will be riots. Not just in Jenin or Ramallah. But in Beirut, Damascus, Cairo. Maybe even Riyadh, Lahore, Istanbul, Jakarta. Who knows? Remember the Danish cartoons and violent riots throughout the Muslim world? Do we think the Arab and Muslim world will sit back and say nothing? What about the Islamists? Though they have targeted some Jewish targets in Europe, this will redouble their efforts. It will also bring the U.S. into the crosshairs. We will not be spared for abandoning any semblance of fairness or decency in our relations with Palestine.
We’ll talk about Iran another time. But as Bibi has proven, there’s nothing like a war to stoke national hysteria and instill solidarity for tyrants and dictators. War with Iran? Why not? Did Trump warn against such foreign entanglements during the campaign? Who cares. That was then, this is now.
It will be a desperate time, the next four years. But one thing should lend comfort to us all if and when Trump fails: Friedman is an excellent bankruptcy lawyer, having shepherded Trump through several of them. I don’t know, however, whether he’s dealt with political bankruptcies. That may be beyond his expertise.
[Comment deleted: major comment rule violation. Comments must be DIRECTLY RELATED to the post on which they comment. Nor will I permit comments claiming this blog should deal with subjects outside the ones which are the focus of this blog]
The current U.S. ambassador is no prize himself. The fact is that the Obama administration has been the greatest friend to Israel and its reactionary policies, even if reluctantly so. Obama has done nothing for Palestinians, and his time in office has been nothing but a boon for Israeli occupation. His ambassador was a rubber stamp for Israeli entrenchment in the Occupied Territories ((I literally cannot recall even a single occasion he ever criticized Israel). Now that the Trump administration is about to take office, a refreshing new path is being forged for Israel and Palestine – one that does away with the pretense of the two-state-solution and moves headstrong towards the one-state-solution.
I say to the new ambassador – welcome!
@ Danny: Only an Israeli could write the cynical tripe you’ve just written. I assume & hope that your comment is meant ironically. But with Israelis, you can never tell.
The problem with Friedman’s one state solution is that it offers Palestinians nothing. They have no guarantees under a one state solution that they will become citizens in that state. Certainly Friedman & his fellow Kahanists will never permit this.
So where does that leave you? You think the world will unify against Israel as they did against South Africa & demand an end to apartheid? That they’ll sanction Israel as they did S. Africa? Even if they did, Israel is in a much stronger position financially than S. Africa was then.
So it could work & it might not. If it doesn’t, then you may guarantee yourself 100 years of Middle Eastern apartheid.
“There will be riots. Not just in Jenin or Ramallah. But in Beirut, Damascus, Cairo.”
If you are making this argument, then an important city is missing here: Amman.
Riots in Jenin and Ramallah is something Israel can contain, and the US needn’t worry about (except perhaps evacuating the diplomatic personnel in those cities, if there is any). Riots in Cairo would be Al-Sisi’s problem, and he can deal with it (as a not-quite-benign dictator which he is). Beirut, and the Lebanese politics in general, focus mainly on other issues, and the situation in Jerusalem is unlikely to produce a radical change there. Damascus is hardly worth mention in this context given the bloodbath in Syria.
But Amman is different. Jordan is a stable Arab state, whose king is considered the guardian of the Muslim holy places in Jerusalem. If the US makes a move perceived as recognition of Jerusalem as an exclusively Jewish city, King Abdullah of Jordan will be the first Arab leader to be hurt by popular rage. Jordan is also a key state with regard to preserving what has been left of security and stability in the Middle East. It has absorbed millions of immigrants from the wars in Iraq and Syria (with only a limited international aid, unfortunately), and it has a long border with Israel. Let the Hashemite regime fall, and ISIS with its affiliates will be sitting along the border of Israel and of the Palestinian territories. I don’t think anyone in Trump’s team has given a damn thought to this possibility.
@Meni: Absolutely right.
I’m not sure why you think its OK to give a “kosher stamp” to violence in response to a symbolic political act. They same holds true for the religious cartoons, etc.
@ Yehuda: Oh you are funny today! Moving the embassy is as much “a symbolic political act” as Sharon’s “visit” to the Haram al Sharif was. As much as the first tent pitched by an Israeli Jewish settler in the West Bank after the 67 War. As much as the continuing illegal outposts are symbolic political acts.
Of course there will be violence when the embassy moves to Jerusalem. Massive violence on a world scale. In which not only Arabs & Muslims will die, but Jews as well. In both Israel & the Diaspora.
“What exactly is the ‘rational argument’ favoring moving the embassy to Jerusalem? C’mon it’s just a building. And we’re building it in West Jerusalem on good, ol’ Jewish-owned land (well, Jewish now, but before 1948…ah who the hell cares?)”
Indeed, what exactly the problem with having the embassy in west Jerusalem? West Jerusalem is not more “occupied territory” than Tel-Aviv is. In fact, yes, Most of west Jeruslaem was indeed Jewish (In terms of having Jewish inhabitants) before 1948. Mishkenot Sha’ananim was built already in 1880, when Jews started live outside of the walls of the old city. What is the problem with having the Embassy there? or in Mahane Israel built in 1888?
@ Amico:
You are indeed obtuse. If the U.S. can move its embassy to west Jerusalem let’s also demand the U.S. build an embassy in Palestine in, shall we say, East Jerusalem? If not, let’s demand the new embassy serve the interests equally of the states of Israel AND Palestine. Or better yet, let’s change the embassy mission to serve the unified state of Israel-Palestine.
So when you’re willing to accept that reciprocity then come back to us & we can talk. Till then, stop the drivel. It embarrasses you & us.