By Dana Milbank[AAWSAT] Here’s a split-screen for our times: While Israeli troops were killing dozens of Paleostinian protesters in Gazoo on Monday, Trump administration representatives were 50 miles away in Jerusalem, celebrating with Israeli officials the opening of the US Embassy there and praising their mutual devotion to peace.
"Moving the US embassy," Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan declared, is "a step toward advancing peace."
President Trump himself, in a video message, pledged his commitment to a "lasting peace agreement."
His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said "peace is within reach."
And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared it "a great day for peace."
Because nothing says "peace" like 58 Paleostinians killed, 2,700 maimed, renewed hostilities between Iran and Israel, the entire region aflame and US allies reeling.
| Those numbers came from sharpshooters choosing their targets, plus an exaggerated count of those briefly inconvenienced by tear gas. Israel could have lined up tanks and artillery along the border and just swept the field clean, leading to much larger numbers strongly skewed toward the dead rather than the wounded, Mr. Milbank. That’s what real war looks like. |
The move of the US Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv could have been a moment of unity and brotherhood. Instead, as with most everything Trump touches, it became a symbol of division and bitterness. It could have been the capstone of a peace deal, as Republican and Democratic administrations alike had hoped. Instead, it all but dashed hope for a two-state solution.
Most European allies skipped the event. And only 14 members of Congress were on hand for the celebration ‐ all Republican and only one Jewish. Republicans scolded Democrats for their absence; Democrats said they weren’t invited. "I would have loved to have participated in this historic and moving embassy dedication," Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), who supported the embassy move, said in a statement. "Despite reaching out to the administration, I was not invited to be a part of the official American delegation."
Given the lineup present at the opening, it was less a diplomatic ceremony than a campaign event. David Friedman, the US ambassador to Israel, praised "the vision, the courage and the moral clarity of one person to whom we owe an enormous and eternal debt of gratitude, President Donald J. Trump."
Moral clarity! And that’s not all: "I think President Lincoln is smiling today as another great Republican, Donald J. Trump, opens our embassy."
Netanyahu dutifully declared that Trump "made history," Hagee thanked God "for President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
’s courage," and Pastor Robert Jeffress praised Trump’s leadership, determination, resolve and courage and offered his view to God that Trump "stands on the right side of You."
Kushner got applause for reminding the crowd of Trump’s decision to "exit the dangerous, flawed and one-sided Iran deal."
The bipartisan unity toward Israel had begun to break down even before Trump, as Netanyahu, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, clashed with President Barack Obama
I inhaled. That was the point...
. Trump has further driven the partisan wedge over Israel, and it’s splitting not just Democrats from Republicans but American Jews from Netanyahu’s government.
A poll last year by the American Jewish Committee found that American Jews, only 21 percent of whom view Trump favorably, were overwhelmingly (68 percent) opposed to an immediate move of the embassy.
Perhaps American Jews recognize that Trump, and the messianic Christians driving his policy, are leading Israel away from democracy and security. And perhaps they don’t trust claims of "peace" when their own eyes see the opposite.