Obama Falling Short on Israel

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is taking his people’s bid for statehood to the United Nations this week with a speech set for Friday, followed by a formal application for membership to the U.N. shortly thereafter. If Palestine succeeds in its unilateral efforts, it would be detrimental to U.S. interests in the region, isolate Israel, and deal a major setback to Israeli–Palestinian peace prospects.

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Palestine’s move comes despite intense U.S. diplomatic efforts and words from President Barack Obama warning that “efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure.” The President has vowed to veto any such attempt in the U.N. Security Council and, in a speech yesterday to the U.N., he reaffirmed his support for Israel and a peace process that ensures its security. Heritage’s Brett Schaefer, though, writes that the President’s words were marred by a soft-pedaling stance toward Palestine.

President Obama proffered a more robust defense of Israel than has been his want, perhaps driven by a desire to bolster waning support among American Jewish voters. Even so, he still maintained a false moral equivalence between the Palestinians and Israel, stating, “That truth – that each side has legitimate aspirations – is what makes peace so hard. And the deadlock will only be broken when each side learns to stand in each other’s shoes.

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