Commentary… Has Been Steady and Unapologetic from the Get-Go, Which Is As It Should Be
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בס״ד have come as such a עש"ק פרשת חיי שרה 24 MarCheshvan 5780 ISRAEL NEWS surprise. November 22, 2019 Since his election Issue number 1271 A collection of the week’s news from Israel three years ago, U.S. President From the Bet El TwinniTwinningng / Israel Action Committee of Donald Trump has been Jerusalem 3:57 consistent in his efforts to reverse Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto Congregation Toronto 4:28 the policies of the administration of his predecessor, Barack Obama. Not only in relation to Israel. But his pro-Israel stance Commentary… has been steady and unapologetic from the get-go, which is as it should be. Trudeau Sides with Israel's Enemies By Lorrie Goldstein Indeed, each of his decisions—such as recognizing Jerusalem as It’s no secret why Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has, suddenly the capital of Israel and moving the embassy accordingly, defunding and without prior notice, reversed Stephen Harper’s policy of refusing the Palestinian “pay for slay” machine and acknowledging Israeli to support the never-ending deluge of Israel-bashing resolutions passed sovereignty over the Golan Heights—has been geared towards by the United Nations General Assembly. cementing the natural U.S.-Israel relationship in a healthy way. Every Canada under Harper and his Conservative government was action that his administration has taken stems from the understanding Israel’s strongest ally in the world, more than even the U.S. under that the so-called “Israeli-Palestinian peace process” has failed Barack Obama, before he was replaced by Donald Trump. repeatedly—not only as a result of being based on a false premise, Maintaining Harper’s policy, as Trudeau did during his first term but of following the same old paradigm. in office, put Trudeau at a huge disadvantage in his campaign for Team Trump has been engaging in what the high-tech sector Canada to win a temporary, two-year seat on the UN Security Council, refers to as “disruption.” starting in 2021. Its shift in settlement policy is part of the program. As Pompeo Canada’s already in a tough fight against Ireland and Norway. pointed out, calling settlements illegal “hasn’t worked. It hasn’t Trudeau had no hope of winning the Security Council seat as long advanced the cause of peace.” as the Israel-loathing UN General Assembly viewed Canada as a That’s for sure. strong ally of Israel and aligned with Trump on the Mideast. Fittingly, Washington’s latest bombshell came on the heels of a Especially now that the Trump administration says it doesn’t horrifying European Court of Justice ruling that all E.U. countries consider Israeli settlements in the Occupied West Bank in violation of must label goods produced in Israeli settlements, so as to enable international law. consumers to make “informed choices”—a euphemism for giving Trudeau’s new position is in keeping with the traditional Liberal shoppers a heads-up over which “made in Israel” merchandise they view of the Mideast, less supportive of Israel than the Conservatives, should boycott. and what the Liberals call “nuanced”, meaning more pro-Palestinian. Though much has been made of the proximity of the European That fits with the views of the UN General Assembly and the UN and American decisions, the latter has been in process for weeks, Human Rights Council, which have a history of selectively with U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Israeli denouncing Israel for violating the rights of the Palestinians, while Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer reportedly having ignoring far worse human rights abuses all over the world. worked in tandem to iron out the details. Last year, the Israel-obsessed General Assembly passed 21 Critics of the move have been implying that this is the Trump resolutions condemning Israel compared to a grand total of six for all administration’s most recent attempt to bolster Israeli Prime Minister other nations on Earth. Benjamin Netanyahu. Aside from the fact that Netanyahu can’t be The UN Human Rights Council, going back to its creation in 2006, helped electorally at this point—as the current coalition condemned Israel 10 times that year, without criticizing any other negotiations/impasse are not affected in the least by outside factors— country, establishing its long-term bias against Israel. the suggestion on the part of those who oppose both Trump and The UN resolution Trudeau endorsed — one of 16 aimed at Israel Netanyahu is laughable considering the gleeful claims they made in the General Assembly passes every year — was sponsored by North the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 17 Knesset elections of a broken Korea, Zimbabwe and the PLO. “bromance” between the two leaders. It “reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to self- When the votes were being counted and it became apparent that determination, including the right to live in their independent State of Netanyahu was heading for a similar coalition deadlock to the one Palestine” and “urges all States and the specialized agencies and that followed the April 9 Knesset elections, Trump was asked by organizations of the UN system to continue to support and assist the reporters whether he had spoken to his Israeli counterpart. Palestinian people in the early realization of their right to self- “I have not,” he responded. “Those results are coming in, and it’s determination.” very close. … Everybody knew it was going to be very close. We’ll In isolation, that’s Canada’s position on the Mideast. see what happens.” But Harper and, until now, Trudeau, refused to endorse this Trump concluded by adding, “Look, our relationship is with resolution because it condemns Israel’s construction of its border wall Israel.” for impeding the rights of the Palestinians, but makes no mention of Journalists at home and abroad promptly pounced on this Hamas terrorism against Israeli civilians, violent intifadas and rockets statement, attacking the U.S. president for ostensibly dumping the fired into Israel from Gaza and Syria. Israeli prime minister when the chips were down. Trump, they said, Canadian-born lawyer Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN in “typical fashion,” was distancing himself from a “loser.” Watch, tweeted Canada has joined the “jackals” who selectively It was a classic “two-fer” takedown of both leaders, purposely condemn Israel by “trading Canada’s bedrock principles of fairness & obfuscating the most important element of Trump’s remark: that his equality for a UN Security Council seat.” administration would remain steadfastly supportive of Israel, no He called it a, “Faustian bargain with dictatorships that does not matter who is at the helm in Jerusalem. bode well for a free and democratic society.” That welcome message was conveyed two months ago, even as Trudeau knows the UN singles out Israel year after year as part of the U.S. administration’s yet-to-be-revealed Mideast peace plan was its ongoing campaign to demonize and delegitimize Israel. put on the back burner—yet again. Pompeo’s blessed declaration is While the Trudeau government says it will continue opposing the further proof, if any were needed, that Trump meant what he said. It vast majority of its anti-Israel resolutions, Trudeau has embarked on a is great news for Israel, regardless of the makeup of the next major foreign policy reversal in the Mideast he said nothing about government. (JNS Nov 19)_ during the election. All in the hopes of securing a temporary seat on the Security Council by gathering enough votes in the Israel-bashing UN General A Profound Diplomatic Revolution By Amnon Lord Assembly. US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo What a disgraceful way to betray an ally. (Toronto Sun Nov 20) were apparently asleep in class when Hagai Elad, Zahava Galon, Amos Shoken and Talia Sasson were conducting their lessons. Suddenly, according to Pompeo's declaration on Monday, it appears Trump makes pro-Israel history again that the legality or illegality of Jewish settlements beyond the 1967 By Ruthie Blum Green Line was nothing more than opinion – political opinion. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s dramatic announcement on Essentially, as many pre-eminent Israeli legal scholars – among Monday that the “establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the them late Chief Justice Meir Shamgar, Prof. Yehuda Blum, Meir West Bank is not per se inconsistent with international law” sent Rosenne and others – argued in the aftermath of the Six-Day War, shockwaves around the world. In retrospect, however, it shouldn’t Jewish settlement up to the Jordan River is completely legal according to international law. I can only presume that Israeli authorities” and urge the French government to "take all the measures representatives in Washington, such as Ambassador to the United needed" to prevent French public operators SNCF, RATP and CDC States Ron Dermer and Dr. Dore Gold, have explained to Trump from fulfilling their contracts with the Jerusalem tramway. administration officials what international law actually says about the Another boycott group working alongside the Platform is the West Bank. What it says, and which is the position Prime Minister International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). Together, they Benjamin Netanyahu has adopted, is that the West Bank is "disputed" established the "created illegally" campaign in France, which calls on territory, not "occupied" territory. the French government to sever its economic ties with the "Israeli Without a doubt, this is perhaps the most significant shift in settlements" and any business with connections to them. The American diplomatic policy toward Israel and the territories it campaign's demands include prohibiting the import of products from liberated in 1967.