WASHINGTON, D.C.—President Obama has sealed his legacy. In his last days in the White House, his administration abstained in a crucial vote at the UN Security Council allowing yet another resolution condemning Israel to pass.
The decision was both spiteful and dangerous because it reflected a personal position towards Israel. The action will further destabilize an already frenzied Middle East.
For nearly 50 years the United States was a dependable ally of Israel. It supported Israel in international forums like the UN. It was consistent in rejecting terrorist/jihadist organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood.
Early in his first term, President Obama overturned this decades-long U.S. policy of not engaging the Islamists. Instead, he embraced them as cohorts. This change of direction led to the overthrow of leaders in Egypt and Libya. It facilitated the expansion of radical jihadism.
Collaborating with the Muslim Brotherhood has directly contributed to the increased instability in the Middle East.
Today, both Egypt and Libya continue to struggle to abolish elements of radical Islamism. Libya has become a failed state exporting jihadists, weapons, refugees and ideology throughout Africa and even into Europe.
When President Obama abandoned Israel by abstaining from the Security Council vote, he further destabilized the Middle East. The abstention will generate the same impact as the policy to embrace jihadists at the beginning of his presidency.
Forces around the globe now see an opportunity to demonize Israel, even challenging its right to exist.
America’s withdrawal of political support legitimizes anti-Israel groups. They will test the limits, seeing how the far the U.S. will go in disconnecting from Israel.
It breathes new life into the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The movement will renew its push to penalize Israel economically, further testing the U.S. commitment to Israel. The international community will also attempt to utilize this UN resolution to initiate a legal assault against the Jewish state.
John Kerry’s December 28th speech attempted to justify the UN action. He claimed Israel can either continue as a Jewish state or a democratic state, but that it could not be both Jewish and democratic. This furthers anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiments. His attempt at justification failed dramatically.
The bottom line is that the Middle East is in deep trouble. Genocide and armed violent conflicts have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees in places like Syria, Iraq and Libya.
President Obama has distanced the U.S. from the only democracy in the region. In the final days of his administration, Obama tossed another hand grenade into the turmoil that is the Middle East.
It was the absolute wrong thing to do.
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Ask these simple questions! Are the Middle East and Northern Africa more stable today than eight years ago? Is Israel more secure today than when President Obama came into office?
The answer to both questions is a resounding no. Embracing the Muslim Brotherhood unleashed carnage and instability. Pulling support from Israel will further that chaos. Israel is more isolated than it has ever been thanks to President Obama and Secretary Kerry.
President-elect Donald Trump recognizes the danger of the Obama administration’s foreign policy catastrophes. He tried to convince the Obama administration to veto the resolution at the UN Security Council demonizing Israel.
His effort came up short. Nevertheless, President-elect Donald Trump’s powerful and enduring support of Israel will mitigate the damage from the actions of the outgoing administration.
Come January 20, Israel will once again know what it’s like to have a loyal friend and ally – the United States of America.
Unfortunately, the Obama administration in 2016 confirmed and demonstrated that even in the U.S. there are powerful forces willing to turn their backs on Israel. This causes concern for Israel, and provides a sense of hope to haters of Israel worldwide.
Because of this, things in that region will never be the same and Donald Trump will now inherit an even more calamitous Middle East.
A former Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, Pete Hoekstra is a senior fellow at the Investigative Project on Terrorism and a graduate of the University of Michigan’s School of Business. Readers may write him at IPT, 5614 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 34, Washington, D.C. 20015
