Rigged Netanyahu ‘conversation’ at Center for American Progress shows twilight of the Israel lobby

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

http://mondoweiss.net/2015/11/netanyahu-conversation-twilight

Tanden bent over backwards not to offend the prime minister. Even her most direct thrust — asking him about his racist appeal to voters on the eve of last March’s election, when he said that ‘Arab voters were coming out in droves’ — she couched. Some in the progressive community were concerned about this, she said. She never called it racism. She used the same Some-have-said locution to bring up the settlement expansion. Imagine a liberal thinktank inviting Lester Maddox or George Wallace to Washington in the 60s and softballing them. . . . It would never have happened.

Yesterday was a display of the Israel lobby’s strength in the Democratic Party. Netanyahu’s audience was obtained by the American Israel Political Affairs Committee — AIPAC — and the room was rigged, the questions were rigged, every moment from start to finish was scripted to make Netanyahu seem acceptable in Democratic circles. The crowd in the room looked like it was drugged. There was no animation, little audible response, no effervescence. The room was stocked with pro-Israel Jews. The only questions from the audience were from stalwarts of the Israel lobby: Morton Halperin of J Street, David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Greg Rosenbaum of the National Jewish Democratic Council. The arrangement of these three questions, two of them putatively adversarial (a Jewish publication quotes J Street saying it was the first time that J Street had ever had a direct encounter with the PM), was straight out of the history of the Soviet Union.

Max Blumenthal said Tanden was auditioning for her job in the forthcoming Clinton administration, and nailing it. Adam Horowitz said, It’s not entirely surprising that Tanden was unimpressive, given that it’s not her area of expertise, but she cowered and Netanyahu loved it. And by the way, the awkward chairs displayed the Prime Minister’s sizeable gut.

Yesterday was also a display of the downfall of the Israel lobby. This is what it’s reduced to: show-conversations, with a rigged room, inside the Democratic Party. Just about everyone in that room was older. It’s not American democracy on display; it’s the dead hand of an old order.

[oberliner]

1. Cool

Maybe Mondoweiss can stop running articles about the Israel lobby controlling America now that it is in "twilight".

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

2. Perhaps Mondoweiss can run more and

nail the coffin shut on the enablers and propagators of corrupt right wing zionism.

[King_David]

7. Most people consider Mondoweiss a hate site nt

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

12. I've seen posters embrace homophobic genocidal racists...

...then try to run from it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1134&pid=118089

[King_David]

13. Could you please stop with your obsession of myself being Gay ?

My obsession with it is understandable as I am Gay.... Your obsession with me being Gay is scary.

And I keep telling you I do not engage you in conversation primarily for THIS exact reason.


Another reminder :


http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1134&pid=113572

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

14. Actually, dave, for the record... the obsession is all yours.

You were the one who posted to Howard Stern, until other posters showed you what a homophobe and racist POS he is.

You were also the one who approved of the LGBTQ-hating Tennessee legislature in one of your posts.

Thus is a matter of record.

You have also tried to label me as a gay-basher, IMHO, and it is I that will ask you to stop.

The only one who may be obsessed with you is yourself...IMHO.

[King_David]

16. Again ?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1134118811#post1

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

18. Put me on ignore if you don't want to have a dialog, but please stop with the pretense.

[merrily]

15. Jury voted to leave 1 to 6

Could you please stop with your obsession of myself being Gay ?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1134&pid=118896

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.



Personal attack. The review was completed at Thu Nov 12, 2015, 12:44 PM, and the Jury voted 1-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Tit for tat in this sub-forum.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Not really much of a personal attack. Simply replying to an off topic week old thread.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Actually, he said nothing about you being gay in this thread. Claiming he is obsessed with you isn't right either.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: The OTHER post is a personal and stalking homophobic attack. Remember, the violation at DU is bigotry (see TOS), not calling it out for being victimized by it.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: With a relevant post self-deleted, I am not sure what is going on, other than a running grudge. Giving "leave" on benefit of the doubt grounds.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

[King_David]

17. Thank you...

[Jefferson23]

3. You have to laugh when J Street is touted as some liberal rebel outfit.

Bibi did begin a division with Democrats when he treated Obama so shabbily.
Let's not forget he pushed so hard John Lewis essentially said,
we're not going to stay silent about him coming here and thinking he can
disrespect Obama. AIPAC lost on Iran but they have never lost on the OPT.
Listening to the Republicans last night they brought it up as a tactic to sway
voters..Dems bad on Israel, Bibi did that. It use to be they wouldn't bother
since it was always bi-partisan..so we'll see. I wouldn't put those developments
in the twilight camp.

[King_David]

6. “The security of Israel is one of my top foreign policy priorities,” Obama said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-netanyahu-look-to-mend-fractured-relationship/2015/11/09/c4f62820-86b1-11e5-bd91-d385b244482f_story.html

[Jefferson23]

8. And? Is this new or something and have anything to do with my post? n/t

[branford]

4. I'm confused.

Netanyahu and the purported "enablers and propagators of corrupt right wing Zionism" are so strong and influential that they've co-opted not just the Republican Party, but virtually all of the Democratic Party, including many on the mainstream left like CAP? President Obama even believed it was important to meet with Netanyahu at the White House, lest the Iran issues jeopardize Democratic electoral prospects, and Hillary expressed even stronger pro-Israel views than the president. Support for Israel is so strong among the Republican candidates that is not even an issue. The fact that a small, anti-Israel minority and people like Max Blumenthal had no access, and it wasn't a news story outside of virulent outlets like Modoweiss, demonstrates the "twilight of the Israel lobby?"

Who's writing these articles, Baghdad Bob or former Soviet members of Pravda? If this is the "twilight," what the heck would they consider the "heyday?"

I believed the "enablers and propagators of corrupt right wing Zionism" will sleep well tonight despite the concerns of James North and Philip Weiss.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

5. Apparently you are...

Yesterday was also a display of the downfall of the Israel lobby. This is what it’s reduced to: show-conversations, with a rigged room, inside the Democratic Party. Just about everyone in that room was older. It’s not American democracy on display; it’s the dead hand of an old order.

Eventually the easily confused will come around to the obvious...with luck, and that is that the younger, progressive generation is less interested in Israeli bullshit, or whose ass who our elected leaders smooch.

If Israel was in the south pacific, nobody would give it a second look or tolerate its human rights abuses...let alone give it billions annually in military aid.

The question is not about who is writing these articles inasmuch as it is who has grown tired of their aging politician's fawning praise for a nation whose practices we would not allow in the present-day West.

I hope I helped you out.

[shira]

9. So kindly explain why bipartisan American support for Israel is strong & still growing.....

WaPo: Bipartisan American Support for Israel Is Strong and Growing
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1134118630

[branford]

10. "Eventually the easily confused will come around to the obvious...with luck."

That about explains it all. No actual evidence of any real change in Americans' perception or strong bipartisan support for Israel, just a desperate hope that us poor ignorant masses realize our foolishness, and with a whole lot of luck, diametrically change our positions. Good luck with that.

For reference, I will leave you this evening with a friendly reminder of the Democratic Platform concerning the Middle East, virtually of which is devoted to Israel.

President Obama practically quoted it this week during Netanyahu's visit, despite his terrible relationship with the Israeli Prime Minister, to say nothing of Hillary Clinton's even more supportive statements or Republican near unanimity concerning Israel. I don't know how I never noticed that we are experiencing the "twilight of the Israeli lobby." I guess I could have been confused had I only been reading publications like Mondoweiss.

https://www.democrats.org/party-platform

The Middle East. President Obama and the Democratic Party maintain an unshakable commitment to Israel's security. A strong and secure Israel is vital to the United States not simply because we share strategic interests, but also because we share common values. For this reason, despite budgetary constraints, the President has worked with Congress to increase security assistance to Israel every single year since taking office, providing nearly $10 billion in the past three years. The administration has also worked to ensure Israel's qualitative military edge in the region. And we have deepened defense cooperation—including funding the Iron Dome system—to help Israel address its most pressing threats, including the growing danger posed by rockets and missiles emanating from the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. The President's consistent support for Israel's right to defend itself and his steadfast opposition to any attempt to delegitimize Israel on the world stage are further evidence of our enduring commitment to Israel's security.

It is precisely because of this commitment that President Obama and the Democratic Party seek peace between Israelis and Palestinians. A just and lasting Israeli-Palestinian accord, producing two states for two peoples, would contribute to regional stability and help sustain Israel's identity as a Jewish and democratic state. At the same time, the President has made clear that there will be no lasting peace unless Israel's security concerns are met. President Obama will continue to press Arab states to reach out to Israel. We will continue to support Israel's peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, which have been pillars of peace and stability in the region for many years. And even as the President and the Democratic Party continue to encourage all parties to be resolute in the pursuit of peace, we will insist that any Palestinian partner must recognize Israel's right to exist, reject violence, and adhere to existing agreements.

Elsewhere in the region, President Obama is committed to maintaining robust security cooperation with Gulf Cooperation Council states and our other partners aimed at deterring aggression, checking Iran's destabilizing activities, ensuring the free flow of commerce essential to the global economy, and building a regional security architecture to counter terrorism, proliferation, ballistic missiles, piracy, and other common threats. Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel. The parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths.

[King_David]

11. +1

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