Worthy Christian News Blog » Israeli Politics

As I read through the polling results of the election, there’s a huge disparity between Jews living in the U.S. and Jews living in Israel.

In the United States, Jews overwhelming voted for Barack Obama by a 3 to 1 margin.

The majority of Jewish voters in the US presidential election voted for the Democratic Party’s candidate, and now US president-elect, Barack Obama, Wednesday’s segmentation of the votes revealed.

According to the data, 78% of the Jewish voters in the US lent their vote to Obama while only 21% voted for his opponent, Republican Senator John McCain. - Source: YNet News

However, American Jews living in Israel overwhelming backed John McCain by a 3 to 1 margin.

American citizens who voted in the U.S. presidential elections via absentee ballots from Israel overwhelmingly favored Sen. John McCain, according to exit polls released Thursday. Seventy-six percent said they voted for the Republican candidate, while only 24 percent voted for the Democrat Barack Obama. - Source: Ha’aretz

If Israel had voted in the Presidential election, they would have voted for John McCain over Barack Obama.

The survey found that given the right to vote in the US, 46.4% of Israelis would vote for the Republican nominee, John McCain. Thirty-four percent would vote for Democratic nominee Barack Obama, and 18.6% remain undecided.

Almost half of those polled (48.6%) believe McCain would better impact Israel, while 31.5% thought the country would better benefit from Obama’s leadership.

The poll found McCain to be Israel’s best bet concerning Iran as well. Over half (52.5%) believe he possesses the skills needed to deal with the security threat the country poses to Israel, more so than Obama, who has gained the confidence of just 27.6% of those polled. Source: Ynet News

So now we’re seeing the huge differences between how Jews view the world in the United States and in Israel. Perhaps it’s because Jews living in Israel see on a daily basis the security threat whereas Jews in America have been lulled into a false sense of security.  Whatever the case, it’s obvious that within the Jewish population there’s a huge polarization occurring.

Until next time…

It’s always amazing to watch the double standards displayed at the United Nations!

Yesterday, it was reported that Israel should consider capturing Iranian President Ahmadinejad and hauling him before an international court in Hague.  And suddenly Iran is demanding action by the United Nations!

Iran demanded on Tuesday a “resolute and clear response” from the United Nations to what it called dangerous threats against it by Israel, and said Tehran would not hesitate to respond to any attack.

A letter from Iran’s UN Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described comments by two Israeli ministers as “vicious threats … in blatant violation of the most fundamental principles of international law.”

Now let’s look at the differences.  On one hand, we see the democratic state of Israel desiring to bring the Iranian President before a court of law to judge him of any wrongdoing.  And on the other hand, we see the Iranian President repeatedly calling for the complete annihilation of the Jewish State.  Hmmm…I wonder what the United Nations will do!

Let’s look at their track record!  They’ve passed an astounding 429 resolutions either criticizing or opposing the actions of Israel.  As well as, being condemned by the international body 321 times.  Meanwhile, there has never been a resolution that has condemned the threats made against Israel and even more alarming there’s never been a resolution against any of terrorist acts which have been committed against Israel!

It’s no wonder the headquarters of the United Nations in Jerusalem sits on the site known as the “hill of evil counsel!” For those who are unfamiliar with the “hill of evil counsel”, it’s the location where Judas held his final meeting with the Pharisees when he betrayed Jesus!

Nevertheless, the Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli officials gathered together to discuss the Iranian nuclear program!

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is scheduled to meet Wednesday with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni for what have been characterized as “security discussions,” and which are expected to focus on Iran and the prospect it will soon open its first nuclear plant.

Until next time…

Two days ago, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert tendered his resignation which supposedly will go into effect September 17th — UNLESS the newly elected Kadima head cannot form a coalition government, and then Olmert will likely remain the PM until after a spring 2009 general election.  He may manage to stay in power for another nine months — that is unless he can’t stay out of jail!

In a recent survey, 53% of Israelis want new general elections now – but will the people choose their next Prime Minister?  Or will it be an internal Kadima primary that will decide the next Prime Minister?  Whatever the outcome, the “honorable” maneuver by Olmert very well may have been one of the shrewdest political maneuvers in Israeli political history.

Until next time…

Last night, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated he intended to resign immediately after the Kadima primaries being held on September 17th.  So what does this mean?

As I stated in an earlier piece, I was eagerly awaiting what was going to transpire politically in Israel. The day following Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s return from the United States, PM Olmert resigns which seems to imply that the Israelis will wait at least a few months before they strike Iran.

Now the question remains who will the Kadima party vote for in September?

Right now, I’ll be watching the race between former General and Chief of the General Staff of the IDF, Shaul Mofaz and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.  This primary will be interesting to watch because of the very different stances that Mofaz and Livni hold.

Mofaz has stated in recent weeks the need to attack Iran, despite the fact that he was actually born in Tehran, Iran.  His family immigrated to Israel in 1957 when he was just 9 years old.   He is likely to pledge no return of the Golan Heights to Syria, no division of Jerusalem ever, and no territorial compromise with the Palestinians until they defeat terrorism.

Livni is quite different, being one of Sharon’s strongest allies when Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip.  She advocates the need for a two-state solution, and its her determination to seek a peace deal with the Palestinians that distinctly differentiates her from Mofaz.

It will be interesting to watch for the next month, but for now it appears Israel will be at peace for the rest of its Shabbatical year which ends on Rosh HaShannah.

Until next time…

“What I’ve said is that we’re going to make sure that the Palestinians have a state that allows them to prosper as long as we also have certainty that Israel’s security is not being compromised. I think it’s in the interest of both parties, but we are the critical ingredient in terms of making sure that a deal actually gets done”, Barack Obama told Tom Brokaw on NBC’s Meet the Press. - Source:Ynet News

A largest segment of Israelis are secular and their viewpoint along with most of the world’s is simply this — If we can give the Palestinians an economic hope, then they will stop the terrorism and embrace peace. We can create a peaceful Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel.

The problem with this line of reasoning is simply this: You’re not dealing with “secular” Palestinians, you’re dealing with an Islamic indoctrinated society. Although the indoctrination process has been going on for generations, it really took hold when the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993.

When Oslo was signed, the agreement granted Yassir Arafat total control of all news media within the Palestinian territories — he took control of Palestinian TV and radio stations. With such control Arafat and the PA started indoctrinating his own people with such hatred for Israel, it will take generations to be undo the damage that was done.

The suicide bombers aged between 18-25 when the 2nd intifada broke out in 2000 were the same 9-12 years old who were brainwashed this hatred of the Jews espoused on Palestinian airwaves beginning in 1993.

So why aren’t older Palestinians becoming suicide bombers? Why are they all aged under 35? They weren’t indoctrinated in the same manner, and they remember what it was like before Arafat came to power. But now, this generation of suicide bombers that Arafat created is entering adulthood raising yet another generation with this same deep rooted hatred!

So what happens when the Palestinians are given economic hope? Let’s look at Gaza. What did the Palestinians do with the Gaza strip when Israel withdrew three years ago? Did they utilize the economy established by the Israelis? Did they embark on the path to peace?

Gaza is just a precursor of what would take place if a Palestinian state were created. They had an opportunity to really prosper with the economic infrastructure in place by the Israeli settlers who were forced for evacuate their homes — but they didn’t! Now they’ve embraced Hamas — they’ve embraced terrorism, because they believe that terrorism does pay! They’ve embraced the idea of a Palestinian state from sea to sea — which leaves no room for the Jews!

Until next time…

For weeks now, I’ve been feeling that a key factor in the timing of a unilateral strike against Iran by Israel was the Israeli election. This past week we’ve seen several headlines that suggest that Israel might very well be contemplating it.

Acting Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert said of a nuclear program in Iran, ‘”In any case, Israel will not accept a situation in which it is threatened.”

Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz stated, “We are giving priority at this stage to diplomatic action … but we cannot tolerate a nuclear option for Iran and we must prepare ourselves,” Mr Mofaz said. “We must develop the option of our defense with all that implies.”

The war drums are beating just a little louder these days in Israel!

If Israel does in fact decide to act, she will most likely be doing it alone. Why will no one step in and stand with her? Because of Iranian oil, of course! There is no doubt that the western world’s thirst for oil will prevent it from taking an active military role in this one.

Israel will probably be blamed for skyrocketing oil prices in the future. Hmmm… Zechariah 14:2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle – does this ring a bell?

Until next time,

George

For months now, we’ve been reporting the situation in Iran, regarding their desire to build a nuclear weapons program.

One could hardly say that Iran’s desire for nuclear technology is for peaceful means, considering that the newly elected Iranian President Mahmoud Amadinejad recently said, “Israel should be wiped off the map!” - [ Source ] Not only that, he denied the holocaust saying, “Today, they have created a myth in the name of Holocaust and consider it to be above God, religion and the prophets.” - [ Source ]

And with Israel acquiring 500 bunker buster bombs [ Source ] from the United States, it seems all too likely that Israel will strike Iran.

How do Israeli politics play into this? Ehud Olmert, the acting Prime Minister of Israel has no military experience and is considered by some to be a “push-over” compared to the military experience of his nemisis Benjamin Netanyahu who served in Israel’s military as a elite commando. If Ehud Olmert orders a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities it would undoubtedly guarantee him and his party, Kadima a victory in March.

We’ll see if something transpires in the weeks to come.

Until next time,

George