[](/sites/default/files/uploads/2015/03/Kotel_Israeli_Flag.jpg)Media has reported that the Obama Administration has threatened to support a United Nations resolution calling on Israel to retreat to the pre-1967 armistice lines. Obama is lashing out at Israel – this time because the Israeli public re-elected Benjamin Netanyahu.
The truth is that the Obama Administration has consistently been hostile to Israel. They have threatened, warned and pressured – and that will continue until the last day Obama occupies the White House.
Yet, America needs to remember that Zionism allows Jews self-determination. Israel will do just fine without Barack Obama’s approval. As history repeats itself, America should remember that Israel has lived without understandings with America (and the Arabs) – and indeed will continue to.
In 1981, Prime Minister Menachem Begin summoned the United States ambassador to his home, and read him the following statement. Later, Begin released the statement to the cabinet and issued it to the public.
Now you once again declare that you are punishing Israel. What kind of expression is this – “punishing Israel”? Are we a vassal state of yours? Are we a banana republic? Are we youths of fourteen who, if they don’t behave properly, are slapped across the fingers?
Let me tell you who this government is composed of. It is composed of people whose lives were spent in resistance, in fighting and in suffering. You will not frighten us with “punishments”. He who threatens us will find us deaf to his threats. We are only prepared to listen to rational arguments. You have no right to “punish” Israel – and I protest at the very use of this term.
You want to make Israel a hostage of the memorandum of understanding. I regard your announcement suspending the consultations on the memorandum as the abrogation (by you) of the memorandum. No “sword of Damocles” is going to hang over our head. So we duly take note of the fact that you have abrogated the memorandum of understanding.
The people of Israel has lived 3,700 years without a memorandum of understanding with America – and it will continue to live for another 3,700.
What did you want to do – to “hit us in our pocket”? In 1946 there lived in this house a British general by the name of Barker. Today I live here. When we fought him, you called us “terrorists” – and we carried on fighting. After we attacked his headquarters in the requisitioned building of the King David Hotel, Barker said: “This race will only be influenced by being hit in the pocket” – and he ordered his soldiers to stop patronizing Jewish cafes. To hit us in the pocket – this is the philosophy of Barker.
We have enough strength to defend our independence and to defend our rights.
Indeed, Prime Minister Begin said it best, and its worth repeating when he told the United States Israel was no “vassal state” or a “banana republic.”
Allies may not always agree – yet “punishing” Israel will not happen in these days. The people of Israel have chosen a nationalist government.
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Don’t miss Shillman Fellow Daniel Greenfield on The Glazov Gang discuss What’s Behind Obama’s Bullying of Israel (starts at 19:00 mark):
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