The two geriatric clowns running for the White House had their separate times to sit with an actual leader on Sunday.
Both Trump and Clinton were allowed to have closed meetings with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel’s separation barrier, which runs for 440 miles (700km) near or along the 1949 armistice lines set after Israel’s war for independence, is a fence of most of its length. In contrast, Trump has pledged to build a wall of concrete and rebar as high as 55 feet (17 metres) along the nearly 2,000 mile border between the US and Mexico.
And Mexico will not pay for it.
Trump insisted that there be no media. Netanyahu’s aides requested that the same conditions exist for both candidates, and therefore, asked that there be no media for the meeting with Clinton.
To the shock of many – I’m about to agree with something Trump put forth in his meeting with the Israeli leader.
According to a readout provided by the Republican’s campaign, the nominee signaled support for the controversial moving of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as the real estate developer “acknowledged that Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people for over 3,000 years, and that the United States, under a Trump administration, will finally accept the long-standing Congressional mandate to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel”.
That would be absolutely, without question, correct.
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and the Jewish people.
Always has been. Always will be.
That being said, I’m far less convinced that Trump won’t flip on this by tonight’s debate.
Trump hasn’t been the best on dealing with the Jewish voters. As is his habit, he has a tendency to let his warped notions about “other” creep out at the most inopportune moments.
In 2015, speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition, Trump referred to stereotypes relating to Jews and money and told the audience: “You’re not going to support me because I don’t want your money”, suggesting they wanted to control politicians. In 2016, speaking before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel advocacy group, Trump gave a notably stilted performance in what was his first speech using a teleprompter.
Then, of course, there was his comment from the 90s about “little guys that wear yarmulkes all day” counting his money.
Nope. Nothing cringe-worthy, there.
Clinton, by contrast, reportedly spent her time with Netanyahu speaking about the value of a strong Israel, and the shared values of democracy and freedom.
It would almost be a really good line. Her position is strengthened by the fact that last year, she publicly condemned the Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS), which sought to equate the situation in Israel with apartheid in South Africa.
However, considering she was on board with Obama’s ill-advised Iran nuclear deal, any credibility she may have as a friend of Israel is blown all to hell.
Both Trump and Clinton are in full pander mode, at this point.
PM Netanyahu is seasoned enough to know when he’s dealing with frauds or outright neophytes.
I can only imagine what he must think of the U.S. after watching this election season play out.
Pray for us, BiBi.
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