Matthew Yglesias » Obama, McCain, and Jerusalem

Sep 3rd, 2008 at 10:24 pm

Obama, McCain, and Jerusalem

Rudy Giuliani just did a fair hit on Barack Obama for telling a pro-Israel group that he favored an undivided Jerusalem and then back-tracking a day later and having his staff clarify that he actually had a sensible position on this issue. As I say, fair hit. But then Giuliani came back to say that he and John McCain really do take the position that Obama swiftly abandoned — namely that it would be unacceptable for the part of Jerusalem that’s inhabited by Palestinians to become part of Palestine.

I suppose some pro-Israel groups like to hear that kind of rhetoric but it’s really a ludicrous position on the merits that would make it impossible to ever achieve peace — it’s the Israeli version of the “right of return.”

Comments
17

17 Responses to “Obama, McCain, and Jerusalem”

Gabriel Says:
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I’m glad someone picked up on this – I was checking the news/blogs immediately after he said it and no one else seems to have picked up on it. Is this even John McCain’s official position? Or is Rudy just talking out of his ass?
Gabriel Says:
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Also, has anyone commented on the creepy “Patton”-esque visuals of the gigantic flag behind the open stage?
the puzzled one Says:
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:39 pm
The majority position in Israel is not the one the right-wing Americans & AIPAC support.
Sorry about that. Unified Jerusalem is a fiction. Arabas have no business in Western Jerusalem, and Jews have business in Eastern Jerusalem only when supported by the might of the gun.
David Morris Says:
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:24 pm
wooooooooooooord
Colatina Says:
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:39 pm
“it’s the Israeli version of the “right of return.””

I guess I agree with the main thrust, but having Israel control a unified Jerusalem is not rooted in and called for by international law (quite the opposite in fact, since East Jerusalem was territory acquired in war), whereas the right of refugees to return is.

Of course you can’t have both Zionism and millions of Palestinians actually returning to Israel proper, so in that sense it’s a deal-breaker. But recognizing the right of return in some way–say offering compensation for most and actual return for a few–is probably as crucial for peace as letting go of these claims about a unified Jerusalem.
Richard Steven Hack Says:
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:57 pm
If you want to see where Obama and Biden are on Israel, read this:

Biden: Obama and I will be strong on protecting Israel
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1017551.html

“I am chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee,” Biden said. “I give you my word as a Biden: I would not have given up that job to be Barack Obama’s vice president if I didn’t in my gut and in my heart and in my head know that Barack Obama is exactly where I am on Israel. And he is.”

Biden told the crowd to ignore the scurrilous things said about Obama on the Internet, including rumors that the Christian Obama is a Muslim.

“To the extent you trust me and understand where my heart is, I promise you the stuff you’re getting on the Internet is simply not true,” he said.

He also said the terrorist threat to Israel has increased, along with the threat from Iran as it tries to develop nuclear weapons.

“By any objective fact, Israel is less secure today in the world than it was eight years ago,” Biden said. “I promise you … we will make it more secure.”

And this:

Biden camp says report on Iran a lie
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1220186495107&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

A spokesman for US Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Biden on Monday scathingly rejected an Army Radio report which claimed Biden told Jerusalem officials three years ago that he firmly opposed an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities and that Israel would likely have to come to terms with a nuclear Iran.

“This is a lie peddled by partisan opponents of Senators Obama and Biden and we will not tolerate anyone questioning Senator Biden’s 35-year record of standing up for the security of Israel,” Biden’s press secretary, David Wade, said in a statement.

“Joe Biden’s first trip as a senator was to Israel. He has worked with every Israeli leader from Golda Meir to Prime Minister Olmert, and he takes a back seat to no one when it comes to protecting the relationship between Israel and the US,” Wade added. “Senator Biden has consistently stated – publicly and privately – that a nuclear Iran would pose a grave threat to Israel and the United States and that we must prevent a nuclear Iran.”

Wade noted that only two months ago, in a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations committee – which Biden heads – the senator reiterated his long-held view on this subject by stating that “Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear weapon would dramatically destabilize an already unstable region and probably fuel a nuclear arms race in the region. It is profoundly in our interest to prevent that from happening.”

Biden has a solid 36-year Senate record of pro-Israel leadership. He has called Israel “the single greatest strength America has in the Middle East” and declared himself a Zionist in an interview with a US Jewish television channel last year, saying that “you don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist.”
otto Says:
September 4th, 2008 at 3:10 am
It’s almost as if our politicians are pandering to jewish colonial chauvinism even at the price of creating hatred against the United States.
Richard Steven Hack Says:
September 4th, 2008 at 8:08 am
There’s nothing “almost” about it. Guys like Biden have been bribed to work for Israel. It’s that simple.
McKingford Says:
September 4th, 2008 at 10:13 am
it’s the Israeli version of the “right of return.”

Except right of return is actually fair and equitable, albeit never going to happen…
saifedean Says:
September 7th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Matt,

This is plain absurd.

It tells you all you need to know about American views on Palestine/Israel that even someone as knowledgeable and reasonable as you is willing to spout such obvious nonsense: You are equating the right of Palestinians to return to their legal property with the “right” of Israelis to ethnically cleanse MORE Palestinians from their legal property in Jerusalem! These for you are two faces of similar fundamentalism: the right of people to live in their homes is as fundamentalist as the right of others to kick them out of their homes.

The racism is mindboggling, too much Marty Peretz reading has obviously rubbed off on you.
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Matt Yglesias

Obama, McCain, and Jerusalem

17 Responses to “Obama, McCain, and Jerusalem”

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