In the waning days of the Obama Administration, international affairs are sullying the lame duck President's legacy. In a United Nations Security Council vote held before Christmas, the United States failed to block a resolution condemning Israel for settlements in disputed territories.
This was a shift in American policy, which had previously threatened to veto such condemnations of our democratic ally in the Middle East. It is widely speculated that American diplomats orchestrated the UN Security Council Vote vote, which the US subsequently abstained to not have diplomatic fingerprints on the rebuke of the Jewish State.
After Christmas, President Obama's Secretary of State doubled down on critics of America's ally in Israel with a 73 minute repetitive harangue of a speech which chided Israel about settlements 42 times and occupation 14 times, while the haughty foreign minister only mentioned Iran and Hezbollah one time, and Hamas (which is part of the Palestinian governing leadership) four times. Perhaps Kerry thinks that America's foreign policy will now pass "the global test".
Reaction to the Obama Administration's outgoing admonitions of Israel have been swift and bipartisan. The Washington Times characterized incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as tearing into John Kerry's Israeli speech as it emboldened extremists. House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY 16th) vowed to work with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Congress withholding UN funds until the anti- Israel vote is reversed Senator Cruz had some bitter analysis over the Obama Administration's anti-Israel tact.
Even President Elect Donald Trump entered the fray, opining on social media that things would change come January 20th.
Recently, a progressive interlocutor opined that President Obama has been Israel's best friend ever. I thought that was a dubious assertion. But Secretary of State Kerry's penchant for acting like a Diplomatch (sic) really impeaches that opinion.
Even after all of the tumult after the 2016 election, it is surprising that what is bringing Democrats and Republicans together is the foreign policy pyrotechnics of the outgoing Obama Administration.
This was a shift in American policy, which had previously threatened to veto such condemnations of our democratic ally in the Middle East. It is widely speculated that American diplomats orchestrated the UN Security Council Vote vote, which the US subsequently abstained to not have diplomatic fingerprints on the rebuke of the Jewish State.
After Christmas, President Obama's Secretary of State doubled down on critics of America's ally in Israel with a 73 minute repetitive harangue of a speech which chided Israel about settlements 42 times and occupation 14 times, while the haughty foreign minister only mentioned Iran and Hezbollah one time, and Hamas (which is part of the Palestinian governing leadership) four times. Perhaps Kerry thinks that America's foreign policy will now pass "the global test". Reaction to the Obama Administration's outgoing admonitions of Israel have been swift and bipartisan. The Washington Times characterized incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as tearing into John Kerry's Israeli speech as it emboldened extremists. House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY 16th) vowed to work with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Congress withholding UN funds until the anti- Israel vote is reversed Senator Cruz had some bitter analysis over the Obama Administration's anti-Israel tact.
Even President Elect Donald Trump entered the fray, opining on social media that things would change come January 20th.
Recently, a progressive interlocutor opined that President Obama has been Israel's best friend ever. I thought that was a dubious assertion. But Secretary of State Kerry's penchant for acting like a Diplomatch (sic) really impeaches that opinion.
Even after all of the tumult after the 2016 election, it is surprising that what is bringing Democrats and Republicans together is the foreign policy pyrotechnics of the outgoing Obama Administration.
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