USA–Israel: Obamas Vermächtnis

„For all eight years of the Obama administration, Democrats have made believe that Barack Obama is a firm and enthusiastic supporter and defender of the Jewish state. Arguments to the contrary were not only dismissed but angrily denounced as the products of nothing more than vicious partisanship. Obama’s defenders repeatedly used the trope that »Israel should not be a partisan issue,« as if Obama’s views and actions were beyond reproach. A whole corps of Jewish leaders, some at the major organizations and many from Chicago, showed far greater loyalty to Obama than to the tradition of true nonpartisanship when it came to Middle East policy.

All of those arguments have been ground into dust by Obama’s action Friday allowing a nasty and harmful anti-Israel resolution to pass the United Nations Security Council. Just weeks before leaving office, he could not resist the opportunity to take one more swipe at Israel – and to do real harm. So he will leave with his record on Israel in ruins, and he will leave Democrats even worse off. (…) It is a strike against Israel. The inclusion of the usual language calling upon ‚both parties‘ to show ‚calm and restraint‘ and avoid ‚provocative actions‘ and ‚incitement‘ is pablum meant to attract European votes – and perhaps to attract Barack Obama. But in fact, there is no possible way that this resolution will advance the cause of peace between Palestinians and Israelis.“ (Elliott Abrams: „Obama’s Disgraceful and Harmful Legacy on Israel“)