O, Jerusalem

In the several weeks of hiatus for this Blog, I have considered a number of disparate topics. One candidate gave rise to a bone to pick with a number of elite males, but writing about Big Men behaving Badly left a bad taste in my mouth. Accordingly, Men behaving Well instead swelled me with pride for my gender. Thursday, in an almost unprecedented act of principle, President Obama called for the destruction of America's only dependable ally in the Mid-East, just when the entire Region is convulsed in violent upheaval. Amazing; never before have I seen an American President demand the Jews proceed to negotiate the dismantling of Israel, when no rational person can believe that they will willingly march back into the proverbial ovens of national suicide.

As Prime Minister Netanyahu stated: "It's not going to happen and everybody already knows it". Then, this presidential act of utter futility demands a one word question: whydoit? Spectacularly untimely, and more so because it came from a President facing a tough reelection bid, one in which the Jewish vote may prove decisive, I applaud the sheer courage of Mr. Obama's principled stand; well sort of, were I to have some insight into the why now question. With the recent "Unity Government Accord" entered into by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (thereby making it the official policy of the palestinians that the Jews should be exterminated, but only after they have been driven into the sea), there is no possibility of peace negotiations resuming anytime soon, let alone a settlement being reached.

So whydoit? Well, many in the main street media say that this President is a real leader who is willing to take risks for real peace. Yet, that refrain merely reminds me of Mr. Netanyahu's retort when a U.S. diplomat tried to foist that same canard on him in a private meeting:"I will not be schooled, by you Sir, on the need for Israel to take risks for peace promises, when you reside comfortably in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Talk to me about what you deem reasonable risk after you move your own wife and children to the very shadows of the Golan Heights, which you now want to be riddled with arab rocket launchers having all Israel population centers within range."

The only plausible outcome for this stunning reversal of fifty years of bi-partisan US policy toward Israel is that at the 2012 election, Mr. Obama will be hearing form all Americans - next year in Jerusalem, undivided and unsurrounded.