Bibi's visit

Both left and right in the USA are following their tribe's "official" position. Sadly, no one is asking the right question - how much of America's security depends on Israel's existence? If we ignore moral dictates on whether Israel should exist or not, do we have any good reasons to preserve the country?

Israel and Palestine are in a deadly embrace, where Israel will likely lose because of demographics. The Haredim are deadbeat leeches, but they are preventing the moderates from cutting a deal. (One could say the same thing about a couple of Palestinian factions.) Unless a two-state solution is enacted soon, Israel will have no choice but implement a single state Apartheid type system where the natives of what might have been called Palestine are even more harshly repressed than they are now - and then cut off from the world, as South Africa was. Can America afford to take the "wrong side" if this happens?

There is an effective taboo in American politics - "Thou shalt not criticize Israel." In the urban areas (mostly Democratic), there is often a sizable and influential Jewish population, with the vast majority supporting Israel's existence, simply as a potential home in case of domestic persecution. In the rural areas (mostly Republican), there is often a sizable Christian fundamentalist population who wants to see Christ's second coming in their lifetime, and will do anything to facilitate it. Israel, more so than fixing Social Security or cutting military spending, is a third rail of American political thought. Touch it at your own peril.

We are now seeing an unholy alliance between America's rural (usually Republicans) politicians (playing to their base) and the hard core Israeli leadership that feels there is no way to ever cut a deal with the Palestinians. This group not only wants to emasculate Palestine, but abort the birth of a new nation. And they have good reasons to do so, considering what Hamas has done in the Gaza Strip. Yet, an equally good case could be made for striking a deal with the moderates, given Israel's relationship with Al Fatah in the West Bank.

Sadly, Congress has made an invitation for Bibi Netanyahu to come to America, so that he can speak to the Senate and House of Representatives. However, this invitation was not made through the State Department or any other part of the Executive branch of government, and protocol does not require our President to even recognize this visit. They want to make it harder for Obama to work with Iran to prevent them from building nuclear weapons. They want to continue the war of words and isolation that started over 35 years ago when our embassy was taken, and hostages held for 444 days. (They conveniently ignore the fact that the USA was actively preparing to overthrow their newly elected government. and that the Iranians had no way to back down the rhetoric against the USA once this proof was pieced together - literally pieced together from shredded paperwork coming from our embassy.) 

In this case, Iran is a side show. The fundamentalists in both countries are afraid of what will happen if Palestine stands on its own. Would it be a threat to Israel? No one knows. Would Palestine accept a foreign presence on its soil to insure it is no threat to Israel? Probably not for long? Could a new Palestinian government hold its people responsible for any attacks on Israel? I doubt it. There are many good reasons for fearing the existence of a healthy Palestine.

Bibi, like many in his political faction, wants to prevent Palestine from ever existing. The illegal settlements have never been removed. Can Palestinians act "responsibly" when they continue to be squeezed out of their own lands? (We've seen this in our own country, with the forced migration of our "Indians" into reservations, and then the mismanagement of their resources by the Bureau Indian Affairs, with no profits being sent back to the native peoples. No wonder why the Indians fought for so long in the West!)

Could Palestine be a peaceful partner of Israel? Given how Jordan works with Israel to deal with water rights, the answer is a maybe. Could Palestine hold off fighting Israel as Egypt has done? I'd hope so. There are many possibilities for Palestine to prosper by having a peaceful and friendly relationship with Israel. But I'm not sure if the Palestinian people would realize this, and accept the fact that they have to co-exist with a powerful Israel.

The reality is - do we want to be on the side of the people who get to write the history books, or do we want to be seen supporting another lost cause - whatever that is? And even more importantly - what is in America's best interest regardless of tribal loyalty?