He has spoken.
"He," of course, being Barack Obama. And what the former president has predictably spoken about, in an equally predictable way, was the Israel-Hamas War.
Among the things I'm most sure about in life, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, daylight gives way to darkness and vice versa, and whenever Israel strongly defends itself against brutal unprovoked attacks, Obama always avails himself of the self-assigned opportunity to admonish the Jewish State.
Such was the case on Monday when O posted a self-serving missive titled "Thoughts on Israel and Gaza."
After the horrific news began to break about the barbaric Hamas attacks on Israeli men, women, children, and even babies, Obama first wrote that Israel should "dismantle" the terrorist organization (those last two words are mine; O would never designate Hamas as such), but as the IDF goes about doing exactly that, the legend in his own mind isn't all that happy about how Israel is working to dismantle Hamas.
He began:
As I stated in an earlier post, Israel has a right to defend its citizens against such wanton violence, and I fully support President Biden’s call for the United States to support our long-time ally in going after Hamas, dismantling its military capabilities, and facilitating the safe return of hundreds of hostages to their families.
But even as we support Israel, we should also be clear that how Israel prosecutes this fight against Hamas matters.
OK, stop the tape.
Forgive me, I must have missed it. Can someone please point to an example of far-left Democrats in Congress condemning the unspeakable crimes committed by Palestinian terrorists against innocent Israelis? Other than in obligatory boilerplate statements — just before rushing to condemn Israel for fighting back, I mean.
Obama mourned Palestinian lives lost during Israel's ongoing operations in Gaza:
Still, the world is watching closely as events in the region unfold, and any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human cost could ultimately backfire. Already, thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the bombing of Gaza, many of them children. Hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes.
The Israeli government’s decision to cut off food, water and electricity to a captive civilian population threatens not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis; it could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.
While all war is hell, and inevitably, innocent civilian lives are lost, please. Where to begin?
How many generations in the Middle East have seen Israel fight for its right to exist, against neighbors that deny that it should? And, global support? Really? On the contrary, the United Nations has repeatedly and overwhelmingly condemned Israel, while virtually ignoring the atrocities committed against it — and those who have committed those atrocities.
Obama further bemoaned the plight of the Palestinians, in his eyes.
It means acknowledging that Palestinians have also lived in disputed territories for generations; that many of them were not only displaced when Israel was formed but continue to be forcibly displaced by a settler movement that too often has received tacit or explicit support from the Israeli government; that Palestinian leaders who’ve been willing to make concessions for a two-state solution have too often had little to show for their efforts; and that it is possible for people of goodwill to champion Palestinian rights and oppose certain Israeli government policies in the West Bank and Gaza without being anti-semitic.
And what about Palestinians shielding Hamas terrorists and hiding them in their homes? And where are the Palestinian leaders who publicly condemn Hamas terrorism?
Did I mention that Obama also predictably took the opportunity to criticize America?
What screed from Barack Obama would be complete with a few shots at his own country?
This is an enormously difficult task. War is always tragic, and even the most carefully planned military operations often put civilians at risk. As President Biden noted during his recent visit to Israel, America itself has at times fallen short of our higher values when engaged in war, and in the aftermath of 9/11, the U.S. government wasn’t interested in heeding the advice of even our allies when it came to the steps we took to protect ourselves against Al Qaeda.
Unbelievable? Not in the least. Barack Obama? Again, predictable as hell.
Finally, this condescending ending of the Wise One's message to us all [heavy sarc]:
Perhaps most of all, it means we should choose not to always assume the worst in those with whom we disagree. In an age of constant rancor, trolling, and misinformation on social media, at a time when so many politicians and attention seekers see an advantage in shedding heat rather than light, it may be unrealistic to expect respectful dialogue on any issue — much less on an issue with such high stakes and after so much blood has been spilled.
But if we care about keeping open the possibility of peace, security, and dignity for future generations of Israeli and Palestinian children — as well as for our own children — then it falls upon all of us to at least make the effort to model, in our own words and actions, the kind of world we want them to inherit.
Say, I wonder if Obama's letter was published by Felestin, the largest circulation daily newspaper in the Gaza Strip, or maybe Gaza Weekly Newspaper — or Al-Hayat al-Jadida, the official daily newspaper of the Palestinian National Authority.
I'm gonna guess oh hell no.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member