No photo op, no statement, no press conference, no recognition of lasting friendship... Obama was trying to put Israel in its place, and that place was no longer as part of the discussion. When Netanyahu refused to budge on the settlement issue, Obama unceremoniously walked out of the meeting to have dinner... without his guest. Link here.
Where George Bush refused to speak to Yassir Arafat, Barack Obama has no problem dressing down Netanyahu, to the cheers of Palestinians everywhere. Links here and here and here. Now, given the diplomatic green light by Obama, the Arab League will be meeting to reassert its desire to take back Jerusalem.
Why did Obama do it? Because he can. Obama knows that the American Jewish community, a group that supported him generously and fully, will not call him on it.
It was all well and good that House Democrats offered a hand of friendship to the beleaguered and besieged Israeli leader, but unless they renounce the appalling treatment Netanyahu received from Obama, they are complicit in the humiliation. And unless Obama's Jewish supporters denounce the way this meeting was conducted, they will rightfully be considered as enablers of the policy.
[Jennifer Rubin raises the issue of American Jewish support for Obama on the Commentary Contentions blog today. Link here. I would add that I think that Jewish Democratic members of Congress should be leading the charge.]
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