Israelis, Why Are You Celebrating Trump's Jerusalem Decision?

ed note–please consider a few items here that our esteemed Hebraic writer underscores–

1. She (and we have to assume) as well as a good number of other analysts, writers, commentators, etc, recognize the nature of the game being played here and she is not fooled. Trump’s recognition–like the bombing of the Syrian airfield–is a political trick being done to appear to placate world Jewry as a necessary precursor to him putting the squeeze on Netanyahu vis a vis the ‘ultimate’ peace deal with the Palestinians. 

I/we disagree with what our esteemed Hebraic writer does predict however vis a vis the following–

‘It’s surprising that the right-wing Israeli leadership isn’t taking into consideration that in exchange for Trump’s declaration, settlements will be evacuated in order to implement Trump’s peace plan…’

The right wing leadership knows what Trump is up to but can’t come right out and say it publicly (as much as Trump would love for them to do so) because if they did, they would be painted as lunatics in the aftermath of Trump going to such lengths with his ‘declaration’. Furthermore, Trump does not intend to have the settlements ‘evacuated’–under his ‘ultimate deal’, the settlements will stay where they are, but no new ones will be initiated.

‘But why be surprised when every blogger who says something good about Israel is elevated to star status, and every diplomat (like Nikki Haley) opens news shows because she said a few things in Israel’s favor? When did we become like that?’

–And thus, we see what Trump, Inc’s ‘game’ has been all about from the beginning in constantly singing the praises of Israel. By doing so, they have anesthetized (at least a portion of) world Jewry as a necessary precursor to doing the painful surgery that Trump plans to do.

And, finally, drum role please–

‘The ‘affection’ thing has become so central that interests and long-term strategy have become irrelevant, and under the cover of love, everything is accepted. You can be a stupid racist like Marine Le Pen and buy some Israeli leaders with a mess of pottage; just bat your eyelashes a few times and they’re yours. You can be a serial sexual harasser, a racist and a liar, but if you wink at us, you’ll get a special day of broadcasts. In fact, chances are the U.S. Embassy won’t move to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv; no time table has been set and reality as we know it won’t change a whit.’

Pretty self-explanatory and needing no further comment.

Emilie Moatti for Haaretz

U.S. President Donald Trump is playing a political trick at Israel’s expense, intended to blur the fact that the U.S. Embassy won’t actually be moved to Jerusalem and that he’ll probably demand a strategic price – regarding his peace initiative with the Palestinians – in exchange for his announcement.

This announcement serves no purpose but the possibility of distracting public opinion from what’s really important, and to hell with the cost. It’s also surprising that the right-wing Israeli leadership isn’t taking into consideration that in exchange for Trump’s declaration, settlements will be evacuated in order to implement Trump’s peace plan, as he’s a passionate supporter of a two-state solution.

This is strange and sad. Sad that the people of a nation that raised its head after 2,000 years in exile, whose capital is Jerusalem, are waiting for the most racist American president to say the word in front of the cameras – like children waiting for a hug from a drunken father who doesn’t come home.

But why be surprised when every blogger who says something good about Israel is elevated to star status, and every diplomat (like Nikki Haley) opens news shows because she said a few things in Israel’s favor? When did we become like that?

When did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu succeed in his plot to turn us back into a persecuted people surrounded by enemies? When did we turn from the country with the most advanced army in the region, with the most developed research institutes, into an ethnic group waiting to be recognized? A group that celebrates the obvious? That makes do with crumbs?

Where did our national pride go? For it’s clear that every Israeli sees Jerusalem as his capital and most Israelis can’t understand the rejoicing over a declaration of the obvious.

Evidently, our right-wing leaders doesn’t really care about Jerusalem the city or Jerusalem the symbol. For them Jerusalem is a currency, leverage to pimp with. The main thing is that Trump makes the announcement, and after him the flood. It’s like the desperate expectation that the Palestinians recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, while aside from the right-wing leadership, no Israeli cares what the Palestinians think of us.

Trump, like Netanyahu, knows what repercussions will be caused by such an announcement, which will probably not be implemented. Any State Department travel warning to Americans planning to visit Jerusalem will attest to that. If the prime minister doesn’t care about the price to his own citizens, why should Trump?

Diplomacy and diplomatic relations aren’t a Hollywood movie. The right-wing leaders’ reduction of the debate to “Israel lovers” and “Israel haters” is its greatest success during their years in power.

The ‘affection’ thing has become so central that interests and long-term strategy have become irrelevant, and under the cover of love, everything is accepted. You can be a stupid racist like Marine Le Pen and buy some Israeli leaders with a mess of pottage; just bat your eyelashes a few times and they’re yours. You can be a serial sexual harasser, a racist and a liar, but if you wink at us, you’ll get a special day of broadcasts.

In fact, chances are the U.S. Embassy won’t move to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv; no time table has been set and reality as we know it won’t change a whit.