Foxman Scolds Biden For Stating The Obvious.

We can expect more rants like this:

While much of this is understandable, there needs to be some stepping back so that there are no long-term deleterious results from this contretemps. The vice president’s comments in his Tel Aviv University address softening the U.S. response was helpful. Less helpful were his comments that Israel’s announcement on building in East Jerusalem was endangering American troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the kind of rhetoric that does exactly what Mr. Biden has studiously avoided doing, linking the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to America’s larger Middle East challenges, and it unnecessarily calls into question Israel’s role as an ally and the impact on American interests. The Mearsheimer and Walts of this world will delight in this kind of criticism of Israel.

Now, no-one is arguing that the Israel-Palestine situation is the only, or even the main, reason for anger on the Arab street. But it is undeniably a factor.

What is enraging Foxman is that Biden has let the cat out of the bag by daring to even acknowledge that there might be a link of any kind.

And I expect a very strong push back against General Petraeus' remarks that Israel's actions might have consequences for American troops, and may even lead to the deaths of American soldiers.

Petraeus has put this in a context for which the pro-Israeli right wingers have simply no answer. For he is daring them to make a choice between Israel and the lives of American forces.

They're not going to want to be pushed into that corner, so soon we can expect to hear that Petraeus has got this all wrong.

Click here for Foxman's article.

Tags: Petraeus, Foxman, Biden, Israel, Palestine