Mitchell Bard, former AIPAC op, in his latest communique from the center of the earth (or Chevy Chase, MD, the quaking magmatic kishkes of the lobby):
[With Obama's victory] State Department Arabists see
a chance to be unchained after eight years
of Middle East policy being directed more
by the President, the National Security Adviser
and the Secretary of Defense than by the “experts” in
Foggy Bottom. These Arabists, along with
several of Obama’s advisers who are
expected to hold key positions, believe they
know how to make peace and are chomping at
the bit to resume their diplomatic efforts,
which are likely to focus largely on pressuring
Israel to make concessions. Most are vehement
opponents of Israeli settlement policy and
will try to convince President Obama to pressure
Israel to first stop construction and ultimately
dismantle them. They also will push for Israel
to divide Jerusalem and allow the Palestinians
to establish a capital there. The "Clinton Parameters" will likely be the starting
point for them. The only issues on which
they are likely to strongly back Israel are
on ending terror and incitement, and finding
a formula for compensating the Palestinian refugees that finesses the “right of
return.”
a chance to be unchained after eight years
of Middle East policy being directed more
by the President, the National Security Adviser
and the Secretary of Defense than by the “experts” in
Foggy Bottom. These Arabists, along with
several of Obama’s advisers who are
expected to hold key positions, believe they
know how to make peace and are chomping at
the bit to resume their diplomatic efforts,
which are likely to focus largely on pressuring
Israel to make concessions. Most are vehement
opponents of Israeli settlement policy and
will try to convince President Obama to pressure
Israel to first stop construction and ultimately
dismantle them. They also will push for Israel
to divide Jerusalem and allow the Palestinians
to establish a capital there. The "Clinton Parameters" will likely be the starting
point for them. The only issues on which
they are likely to strongly back Israel are
on ending terror and incitement, and finding
a formula for compensating the Palestinian refugees that finesses the “right of
return.”
Boy am I glad I heard about this. Malcolm Hoenlein– get Rahm Emanuel on the blower!
