The U.S. Failed Israel By Supporting Unity Gov’t

Members of the Palestinian Authority continue to call for Israel to be wiped off the map, yet the United States remains adamant on continuing the peace process, even at the expense of Benjamin Netanyahu and the State of Israel. Throughout the latest round of peace talks, the Palestinian government has asked Israel for various concessions, such as prisoner releases, but it did not openly heed to any Israeli demands regarding secure borders and recognition of the Jewish state. To add insult to injury, the Palestinians deviated from peace with Israel to end a nearly decade-long internal dispute.

When Fatah and Hamas agreed to reconcile and to form a unity government, Israel had every reason to walk away from the talks. Netanyahu could never justify negotiating with a terrorist organization responsible for launching thousands of rockets into Israel. Nevertheless, Secretary of State Kerry had the nerve to say that Israel needed to make compromises. Unfortunately, he was blind to the reality that Israel will never make concessions at the expense of its own security.

Israel has fought for its survival for the last 66 years, surrounded by countries that either previously sought or still seek its destruction. The U.S. does not realize that any peace agreement with the Palestinians could fall apart due to anti-Semitic incitement by religious leaders and refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. The Anti-Defamation League concluded that anti-Semitism within the Disputed and Palestinian territories is at an astronomical level, further diminishing the likelihood that a Palestinian state would want to live in peace with the Jewish state. For the State of Israel, making peace with a vehemently anti-Semitic government is farfetched in reality.

The United States government has been silent on this matter, and it is becoming increasingly hard to believe that it is looking out for Israel’s interests when its right to exist is continuously questioned. It was bad enough that the U.S. openly expressed hope that Israel would give Fatah-Hamas reconciliation a chance. It became worse when the new unity government was announced, and President Obama agreed to work with the newly formed Palestinian government. In doing so, Obama demonstrated that he would partake in talks with a nefarious anti-Semitic faction. Hamas, already listed as a terrorist organization according to the State Department, has neither renounced its charter calling for the destruction of Israel nor has ceased in its genocidal intent.

Not even three days prior to the announcement of the new cabinet, Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniyeh shared his expectations of such a government: to liberate the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the rest of “Palestine.” It is unclear how Obama can justify his rationale for supporting a government that collaborates with a terrorist organization bent on destroying Israel. Jerusalem has stated its disappointment in the United States, and rightfully so. It is the lowest point in the long-standing relationship between the U.S. and Israel, and the Obama administration has facilitated it. In short, the United States has not only failed the State of Israel, but it has openly facilitated a terrorist agenda by refusing to condemn Hamas’ genocidal rhetoric.

If the United States government wishes to see peace between Israelis and the Palestinian Authority, then it must cut off its foreign aid supply to the Palestinian Authority following the formation of a Fatah-Hamas unity government. The U.S. should not turn its back on its most critical ally and tarnish one of the strongest political relationships in the world. More importantly, no rational government sponsors a group that it labels as a terrorist organization while simultaneously fighting a war against terror in other parts of the world. However, President Obama has slammed the door in Netanyahu’s face in an attempt to give “peace” a chance to individuals who would rather see Israel destroyed, rather than to live in co-existence with “the Zionist entity.”