Sheldon Adelson is onto something. Learning from the Brand Israel model, in which virtually everything is for sale, he’s going to buy himself his own personal U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.
This could become a trend. Putin can find himself an oligarch to buy the Russian embassy in Washington. The Kardashians could buy the U.S. embassy in Armenia. Think how trendy that would make it! Our UK embassy could be named for Nazi-lover, Joe Kennedy and paid for by the remnants of the Kennedy family (if there are any) which stayed true to his nativist values.
But really, since when does one of the most powerful nations on earth need a private oligarch to fund an embassy?? But if you look at it another way it makes perfect sense. U.S. Middle East policy is bought and paid for by Adelson, so why not let him buy the embassy? He bought everything else, why not this?
Think of it: Trump could sell the rights to U.S. Middle East policy to Adelson and use the proceeds to pay down the debt or build a new (federally-funded, of course) Elon Musk hyperloop to deliver guests directly to his properties at Mar-a-Lago or Bedminster.
I can see the Adelson Embassy now: a huge model of the proposed Third Temple exhibited in the new Embassy for everyone to admire. The next goal of the Adelson Embassy (how about calling it the Sands Mideast?) would be to destroy the Haram al Sharif and replace it with the rebuilt Temple. Anything to advance the coming of the Messiah. Yes I know Adelson isn’t Orthodox, so this shouldn’t mean much to him. But settlers and their pagan Judean idolatry “own” Israeli society. There’s no reason they wouldn’t own Adelson as well.
A prominent place in the embassy could also be reserved for a Sands casino, where high rollers from the Jewish Diaspora and those new Sunni oil sheikhs who’ve become best bros with Israel could come to test their luck and gambling prowess. The revenues from the casino could fund the ongoing operations of the embassy and pay its staff. This could be a new model for financing the federal government. A “public-private partnership” in the true sense of the word. The one element he couldn’t include in his Embassy casino would be the prostitutes he procures for his high rollers in Macau.
This casino project isn’t as far-fetched as it may sound–Adelson once pitched Bibi on a casino in Eilat. Who knows how much graft and corruption would’ve been involved in that project if it had moved forward?
*The new embassy will cost “hundreds of millions of dollars.” Trump (or was it Bibi?) proposes a massive national fundraising campaign by American Jews and evangelicals to raise the funds. Adelson has pledged to make up the difference between the actual cost and the sum raised.
I can’t think of a more preposterous proposal…although arming “highly-adept” teachers with firearms comes close. By the way, why can’t those teachers stick to being highly-adept at their profession, teaching?
Add to Adelson’s monopoly on U.S. policy, he has a stranglehold over Israeli media, owning the largest daily, Israel Hayom (personally subsidizing up to $200-million in losses), Maariv and Makor Rishon. This allows him to spew his racist, pro-settler, Arabophobic bile throughout the Israeli media, resulting in tremendous impact on the Israeli electorate. Israelis are much more likely than the average westerner to access the news from print and online media publications than social media. So Adelson’s leverage is even greater.
Imagine Robert and Rebekah Mercer starting a free daily national newspaper with unlimited funding, then buying the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, as well. That’s what he’s done on the Israeli media landscape.
Adelson bought a prime minister too, Bibi Netanyahu. But when the “made”-PM sold Adelson’s paper out for a mess of favorable articles in Yediot Achronot, Adelson dumped him like a used Ford Pinto. Now he’s seeking a another far-right horse to add to his stable.
Trump and his libertarian-oligarch pals want to lease out American infrastructure and public services to private industry. We ought to do the same with our foreign policy. You’re an oligarch with a special family or personal interest in a particular country? You get to determine our policy…for a price. A wonderful way to privatize America, end Big Government, and wipe out the deficit.
If you decide we need to fight a war with or against “your” country, don’t fret. You don’t pay for that. That’s why we have a federal government to fight wars for you!
The reference to Joe Kennedy and Nazis was gratuitous.
[Comment deleted: read the comment rules. The comment threads aren’t a sports stadium and we don’t need grandstanding. If you have a substantive point or argument to make, do so. If you want to score points or root for your team, head to a soccer match.]
@ Greg Gilbert: I didn’t know I’d appointed you my editor…Oh, that’s right, I haven’t. Ask me if I care…
You probably have no issues with European money supporting all kind of Palestinian projects.
And yes, there are differences but you would never think of criticizing these donations.
@ Ariel Koren: I’ll make you a deal: if you object to Israel destroying virtually all the European funded projects in Palestine such as water & sewage treatment and elementary schools & if you get Israel to fund them itself, then I’ll object to the European funding.
You seem to object to this. The more US policy in the Middle East is linked to Trump, Adelson, et al, the harder it will be for the half of America more to the Left to stomach continuing to support it.
US support for Israel depends, above all, on an uncritical, bipartisan ‘consensus’ that tacitly or explicitly prevents any dissent or critical comment from reaching the mainstream media.
Changing anything requires first off, changing this. Once Israel becomes a partisan issue — something like gun control, or ‘Dreamers,’ or global warming, a major step has been taken. It will no longer be possible to maintain an essentially unquestioned presumption that Israel is ‘one of us,’ an ally, just fine, a meritorious cause, worthy of our support.
So go Sheldon. I hope he gets to put his name on the building and doll it up like one of his casinos.
Colin, I totally agree. It should be called the Adelson Embassy. It should have a huge portrait of this exceedingly ugly little man Inside….
We have ground down to throwing our hands up and letting go with cynicism. Let the chips fall.
The idea to talk about peace at the same time, the obstacle of course lays with the Palestinians.
Colin, excellent and important points, but the single-minded focus and the wealth of US based Zionusts tempers optimism. The biggest missed opportunity, so far, is a national consumer boycott. BDS is honored rhetorically but neglected as an actual staff-time-invested priority. We can admire but should not imitate the grand talkers.
First, just to clarify my stance, i’m a Muslim, and I want the Al Aqsa mosque to remain. But I also am a Muslim Zionist and support Jewish migration to Israel, and the two state solution, with Jerusalem as Israel’s capital with Muslim access to the Waqf, under Jewish sovereignty.
The Jordanians fund the Waqf, the Saudis fund Mecca and Medina, I am at a loss to understand why a Jew would think there is anything sinister in another Jew funding the rebuilt Jewish Temple.
Many Jews have a heartfelt desire to have the temple rebuilt. Now my questions to Mr Silverstein are these:
1 Do you think the Muslims will allow the Jews to share the Temple Mount and build their temple alongside the Muslim Waqf? There is plenty of room, but I am convinced the Muslims won’t allow it. If you think otherwise, please explain what you think should happen given Muslim rejectionism.
If the Muslims agreed (hyopthetical) would you be OK with Sheldon or another Jews funding the Temple rebuilding? Or do you object to the Temple being rebuilt?
Thank you.
#FauxFatima: Fellow readers, help me out here. How many times has a hasbarist tried the faux Muslim routine here? Too mant to count. You’re as “Muslim” as I am Shinto; and as phony as a $3 bill..
So stop right there. I don’t engage with anyone who posts under a false identity or false pretences. Post again here and I will ban you outright.
Characters such as ‘Fatima’ actually recharge my batteries.
There are several things about Israel that annoy me; but the one that truly infuriates me is the sheer dishonesty of its advocates. Anytime I seem to be flagging, just let me see another post like the above and I’ll be ready ‘n rarin’ to go.
Let ‘her’ post. It perks me right up.