You see no universal Western outrage over the US support for the Saudi blockade on Yemen, which has killed an estimated 377,000, most of them children dead of famine. The Western press sometimes does report on Western atrocities, but with nothing approaching the rage it reserves for the crimes of our enemies. If there isn’t a constant drumbeat of stories about our atrocities as there is for Putin’s, and pundits aren’t constantly agonizing over our need to do something, the unspoken message is that our crimes simply aren’t that important or bad. Yes this is an argument for whataboutism– but you must be a moral imbecile to think there is something wrong with it because of that.  

If you want to understand the power imbalance between the United States and Israel, the farce over Biden’s broken promise to Palestinians to reopen the former U.S. consulate in Jerusalem is a good place to start. The State Department has beseeched Israel to relent in its opposition to the reopening. But the Israeli government is adamant against it. And guess who wins?

Israel has just approved a plan to double the roughly 25,000 settlers on the occupied Syrian Golan heights. Because Biden refused to reverse Trump’s decision on the illegally-acquired territory. And because leftwing Meretz, a government coalition party, went along too, saying the matter was “complicated.” Only Ahmad Tibi says the truth: the Golan belongs to Syria.

Trump says Israel used him to attack Iran, and Netanyahu was “willing to fight Iran to the last American soldier.” That ought to be big news– especially as Israel’s defense minister gets unrivaled access in Washington and pushes war to block the Iran deal. But only the leftwing press is focused on Israel’s efforts to spark another war.

Rep. Jim McGovern says he has seen “no evidence” to support Israel’s designation of 6 Palestinian human rights groups as “terrorist,” but he muted his criticism of the measure, noting that pro-Israel forces came down on him last month for his “urgent” letter on the subject. McGovern also says that leftwing criticism of J Street trip to Israel, bringing Reps to meet Prime Minister Bennett, was “jarring” and polarizing.

Openly demanding that the U.S. abandon talks with Iran, Israeli PM Naftali Bennett has just violated his deal with Biden that differences are to be worked out behind closed doors. He does so because the “special relationship” between the countries gives him power: the Israel lobby works inside the U.S. to make sure there is no daylight between the White House and Israel and to immunize apartheid. But the American people want distance.

Great news. Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern, a 25 year House veteran and co chair of the Human Rights Commission, issued a stiff letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying it is “urgent” matter for him to get past his “initial leeriness” and “firmly and unambiguously denounce” Israel’s hateful decree that six leading Palestinian human rights groups are “terrorist” organizations.

The new Israeli government this week moved forward on plans to build 3000 more settlement units in the West Bank; and yesterday the State Department issued its strongest opposition to the plans since Joe Biden took office, calling the plans “unacceptable.” The State Department spokesperson said yesterday the U.S. “strongly” opposes the expansion of settlements.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid visited Washington and Democratic leaders embraced him and offered empty statements about the Palestinian future. Nancy Pelosi and the Israel lobby group Democratic Majority for Israel were thrilled by the restoration of bipartisan support for Israel that Trump and Netanyahu threatened.

The script of the Naftali Bennett visit to the White House was set yesterday when Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the prime minister, “Maybe you have something to teach us,” with reference to Bennett’s diverse governing coalition. The idea that Israel is a model democracy (and not an apartheid state) is sure to be a theme for President Biden in his meeting with Bennett today.