Thursday, December 28, 2017

Jerusalem

It's been a few weeks since President Trump directed that our Embassy will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.  Of course, that caused a big hubbub around the world and in our own country.  It continually amazes me how Americans don't see that supporting our closest ally and the only democracy in the Middle East is the right thing to do.  And for several decades moving the Embassy has been official American policy.  No previous President has had the balls to do it.  President Trump does.  

One big thing that this little episode has done is to shine a light on Nikki Haley, our Ambassador to the UN.  She is the real deal and will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.  She took on the bureaucrats in the UN and showed her mantle.  I wouldn't be surprised at all to see her as Secretary of State at some point.  Some even go so far as to tout her as a future Presidential candidate.  I could see that. 

And so all the predictions of doom and gloom have not come to pass, at least in the short term.  I'm not sure what the upshot will be but I do know that the Israelis are happy and the Palestinians are pissed.  Of course, they are perpetually pissed.  The Palestinians have shot themselves in the foot for as long as I can remember.  They have have had corrupt leadership, inept strategy, and have aligned with terrorists supported by the Iranians.  Not a good way to get to a two state solution, which most intellectuals believe is the right solution.  I don't know what it's going to take, but I know the Palestinians don't want peace.  How do I know?  Here's a little scenario.  Let's say the Palestinians decided that they wanted to open a new chapter and seek peace.  Let's say they laid down their weapons, renounced terrorism, and  sought compromise with the Israelis.  Does anyone, anywhere believe that the Israeli's wouldn't jump at the chance for peace.  Now let's say the tables are turned.  Suppose the Israeli's said they would exit the West Bank in total, that they would remove the barricades and checkpoints, that their Army would assume a defensive-only posture.  Does anyone, anywhere believe that the Palestinians wouldn't attack Israel with gusto?  And that is why there will never be peace.  


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