Obama - No Friend of Israel | Restoring Liberty

(by Randy DeSoto): Pastor John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), the largest Pro-Israel organization in America (over 725,000 strong), made it clear that Israel presently does not find the same support in the White House that it has enjoyed in years past. At the group’s 6th annual DC Summit this past week, Hagee pronounced at its “Night to Honor Israel,” “The truth that many Americans do not want to face is this: President Obama is not Pro-Israel!” This brought thunderous applause from the record number of over 5000 attendees, who filled the expansive banquet hall, as Jewish shofars (ram’s horn instruments) wailed out from various corners of the room. Of course, the applause was in agreement with Hagee’s grim, but forthright and bold assessment. Hagee went on to remind President Obama that Israel is not a vassal state of the United States. “Barack Obama does not have the authority to tell the Jewish people what they can and cannot do in the state of Israel.” He added, “The Jewish people are not occupying the land of Israel, they own it.” This too brought huge roars of approval from the crowd.

Hagee shared the stage with Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren that evening, as well as Glenn Beck. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he has in years past, spoke to the Summit live, via satellite earlier in the day expressing his heart felt appreciation for the work CUFI is doing to support Israel and reaffirming the strong friend the Jewish state has in the United States.

The morning following the “Night to Honor Israel,” summit attendees took to Capitol Hill participating in hundreds of meetings with members of Congress and their staffs encouraging them to stand by Israel in this perilous time. If Netanyahu’s reception in his speech to a joint session of Congress this past May is any indication, those advocating the support of Israel on Capitol Hill likely found receptive ears. You’ll recall that Prime Minister’s speech came only days after President Obama in his speech in support of the “Arab Spring” called on Israel to return, more-or-less, to its 1967 borders. President Obama was the first President to make a public proclamation stating the 1967 borders should be the basis for negotiating Israel’s borders with a Palestinian state. He said, “We believe the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.“ Of course, those lines, among other extremely problematic aspects, included much of the Jewish ancient capital of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount and the Western Wall in Palestinian hands.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, visiting the United States, quickly responded stating Israel could not return to those borders because they are indefensible. These borders made Israel appear far too vulnerable to its neighbors in previous wars. At the narrowest point, the pre ’67 lines make the nation only 9 miles wide and gave its enemies the high ground and robbed Israel of the natural boundary created by the Jordan Rift Valley.

Two days later, President Obama walked back those comments using a speech to AIPAC (as he has during past controversies regarding Israel) to re-affirm his support for and America’s friendship with the Jewish State, though he didn’t entirely back down from his call for the use of the ’67 borders. One senses there is still an unease on exactly where the President stands on this issue and his support for Israel generally. The crack in his support among Jewish Americans is evidence of this. A new poll came out this week indicating that President Obama is losing support among American Jewish Voters: in 2008, 65% backed Obama, and now his approval is down to 43%.