Days of Rage

Let's try to deconstruct all of the breathless (and brainless) media reporting about the palestinian "days of rage" and the Universal condemnation of any action that might upset the delicate "peace process." All of this followed Donald Trump's announcement that the United States would at long last begin preparations for moving its embassy to Israel's capital, Jerusalem. It seems that the elites across the globe are opposed to Trump's actions. After all, their attempts at achieving peace between Israel and the palestinians have gone sooo well over the past five decades that they should unquestionably be the authority on these things. Not!

It amazes me that the global elites are so lacking in self-awareness and so full of hubris. Their efforts at the so-called middle-East peace process have failed and failed miserably, and yet, they "condemn" any attempt at trying something new. The elites have repeatedly tried to pressure Israel into national suicide, have allowed the palestinians to embrace a victimization culture, have looked the other way as palestinian groups have committed serial atrocities and, incredibly, have accepted the warped notion that a "palestinian" state that never existed is somehow "occupied" by the people of an actual state that has existing for thousands of years.

The elites who criticize Trump so quickly tell us that they are so, so concerned about the "aspirations" of the palestinians. The most notable "aspiration" of the palestinians and far too many of their Muslim brothers is to destroy the Jewish state and create their own country, "palestine," with its capital, Jerusalem.

It's very important to note a few inconvenient historical facts, pre-1947:

• the palestinians never had a country of their own and therefore, never had a country "stolen" from them
• the palestinians never had a leader or ruler of that fictitious country
• the palestinians never had a governing body made made up of the people of that fictitious country, and
• no one (not even other Arabs) recognized the fictitious country because ... well, it didn't exist ... EVER.

So "palestine" would be a new country, taken from the Jews who have lived there for thousand of years and were granted modern boundaries (insufficient no doubt, but still boundaries) by the United Nations in 1947, fought multiple defensive wars against the Arabs (winning every one) to protect their real country and in-so-doing, slightly expanding those boundaries, and would give up much to live in peace with the Arabs. Finally, it's worth noting that the Arabs have had a number of opportunities to do just that—live in peace—but have walked away from each, because ... well, becoming a real country as opposed to a corrupt, violent welfare culture living on the largess of the West is hard work.

Now, let's consider what has just occurred after Trump's announcement. The palestinians riot, launch rockets, and celebrate "days of rage" all because an announcement has been made? And the Israelis are expected, as they are always expected, to turn the other cheek, make nice, and sue for peace. Heh.

Noah Rothman comments on all of this:

To a self-righteous set of foreign-policy observers, Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is the height of irresponsibility. From real American allies like Britain’s Theresa May to fake ones, like Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trump’s move has been met with trepidation. Once again, we are told, an American president is sacrificing the credibility of the United States by going it alone, thereby abandoning the country’s singular role as global leader. This is, of course, a load of nonsense.

Hours after Trump’s announcement, the Czech Republic announced its recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Israeli media reported that Hungary and the Philippines will soon follow suit and begin the process of relocating their embassies to Jerusalem.

Trump’s decision to recognize an on-the-ground reality in Israel was made possible, in part, by the tectonic geopolitical shifts in the region—notably, a sub rosa Sunni-Israeli thaw led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. That rapprochement took place with America on the sidelines under Barack Obama, but that changed after Trump lifted an Obama-era arms embargo on Riyadh. Trump’s critics characterized this, too, as the end of American leadership. You see, the Saudis have engaged in a brutal war in Yemen against the region’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, for which the Obama administration thought it deserved to be punished. And yet, minutes after Trump recognized Israel’s capital as Israel’s capital, he also publicly asked Saudi Arabia to lift an embargo of Yemeni ports to allow in some humanitarian aid—a request with which Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House has reason to believe the Saudis are complying.

After eight years of the Obama administration's fantasy-based foreign policy in the Middle East (and its predictably disastrous outcomes) you'd think the elites would welcome a more reality-based approach. Nope. The elites think they're the smartest guys in the room. Never mind their serial failures or their lack of results, their fantasy world view is the one that matters. Until Donald Trump came along, that is.

Maybe those of us who have observed the elites at work in the Middle East over the previous decades should conduct our own "days of rage." Rage at the fantasy notion of who is aggrieved and who is the victim. Rage at the revisionist history that permeates all elitist discussions of the region. Rage at the rank stupidity and duplicity exhibited by the key arbitrators of the conflict. But the elites would tell us that rage is inappropriate and not accceptable in polite society. Unless, of course, the palestinians do it.

UPDATE:
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Here's the typical left-wing screed on Trump's Jerusalem announcement by Tony Burman of the Toranto Star. My comments are italicized and indented

We now know what the new American and Israeli approach to the Palestinian people will be in the Trump era: Having already slammed Palestinians against the wall and grabbed them by the throat, it’s now time to grind their faces into the ground for good measure.

Oh yes, Tony, for decades the West has slammed palestinian faces into the ground while they're provided billions in aid, ignored terror activities supported by that aid, looked the other way while palestinian groups like Hamas teach anti-Semitism in kindergarten, throw gay people off building, just for fun, and launch rockets at Israeli elementary schools to terrify 6-year olds.

That’s the real meaning behind Donald Trump’s bombshell announcement on Wednesday about Jerusalem, and there is no one in the Arab world — or in any corner of any world — who will misunderstand the message.

The message is very clear and I hope the palestinians, along with other Arabs and Western elites, understand it: Israel is a real country, not a fantasy country. Jerusalem is its capital. The fact that palestinians are upset by that reality is just too bad.

The unilateral decision by the Trump administration to favour Israel, defy the world and recognize the fiercely divided city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel not only reverses nearly seven decades of U.S. foreign policy. It does much more.

After all, who would favor the only liberal democracy in the middle east? the only country in the region with a vibrant economy? a tiny nation that produced more important technology, medicine, products than the entire Arab world combined, a country surrounded by 100 million enemies and yet survives and prospers? And by the way, you seem to be ignorant of the fact the U.S. foreign policy has recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital for decades.

It effectively sabotages any lingering hope that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be resolved in compromise with two states living in peace and security as neighbours.

I see. In your fevered imagination, we were on the brink of a settlement under Obama? There will be no prospect of peace until the palestinians recognize Israel's right to exist—a small existential detail. What the hell are you talking about?

It foreshadows a dangerous new phase in the conflict that will encourage extremists on both sides to reach for the gun and engulf the region in violence.

Last I checked, the only true "extremists" are palestinian. In fact, they have a name—Hamas. And their actions also have a name—terrorism.

And through the continuing oppression of Palestinians, it will inevitably lead to a “one-state solution,” with Israelis trying to act as perpetual occupiers, that will be neither majority Jewish nor truly democratic.

If there is a one state solution, that might be because: (1) there is only one state-Israel; (2) the palestinians are incapable of governing a peaceful and prosperous state, and have repeatedly walked away from opportunities to do so, and (3) the notion of "occupation" is a left-wing meme that allows you and your fellow travelers to justify a series of delusional arguments intended to demonize Israel.

Nuff said.