r/politics • u/Particular_Log_3594 • 6d ago

No Paywall Obama: Israel 'took the land' from Palestinians, 'ceded moral ground' in Gaza

https://www.jpost.com/international/article-911851
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u/walkallover1991 District Of Columbia 6d ago

I'm sorry but statements like this give me "one day everyone will have been against this" vibes.

As President, Obama opposed Palestine's bid for full UN member status and then later also opposed their bid to non-member observer state status. His administration also worked to block Palestinian efforts to pursue charges against Israel at the ICC.

He continued doing the Democrat song and dance regarding settlement expansion, but expansion continued throughout his Presidency. The U.S. abstained from a UNSC vote on settlement expansion.

You can't be against settlement expansion while simultaneously sending military aid to Israel, protecting Israel on the international arena, and not sanctioning high-ranking Israeli leaders.

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u/Engrish_Major 6d ago

Cool. And we should want people to change for the better. The best accountability is changed behavior.

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u/evilgigglefish I voted 6d ago

we should also want people who genuinely believe in what's right, not conveniently changing their beliefs as soon as american public opinion changes.

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u/Zealousideal-Map9327 6d ago

That's not fair to Obama.

Nor is it even accurate.

Obama is risking his political capital by giving this statement.

Despite what internet echochambers would have you believe, Israel is not unpopular enough to be criticized without losing a chunk of your main moderate base.

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u/beornn2 Texas 6d ago

I agree with what you are saying, but I’m curious; what does he care about political capital at this point? He’s never going to hold another public office, and I’m not sure how much pull he has campaigning for others. I simply think he wants to be on the right side of history at this point.

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u/GrumpyCloud93 5d ago

He cares precisely for what he's doing now. He may not personally run for office, but his support and backing helps others, as long as people respect him. I note George W has been silent on much of what's going on with his party, speaking of respect from party...

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u/evilgigglefish I voted 6d ago

in 2021, 58% of americans supported israelis and 25% supported palestinians. in 2026, 36% support israelis and 41% support palestinians. make whatever conclusion you want with those numbers, but it's very easy to spot a shift in public opinion.

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u/BillyJoeMac9095 5d ago

Careful not to assume that it means folks are anti Israel, as per my comment above

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u/Hertock 5d ago

Your numbers don’t add up.

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u/ObiWanChronobi 6d ago

Only 1/3 of Americans have a positive view of the Israeli government.

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u/spookynutz 6d ago

That isn't actionable information. Only 1/3 of Americans have a positive view of their own congress.

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u/halt-l-am-reptar 6d ago

“Only” as if a third isn’t an incredibly sizable chunk of the population. Especially when elections are usually incredibly close. Also it sure as shit wasn’t only 1/3 when he was in office.

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u/Adventurous_Salt 6d ago

Obama is risking his political capital by giving this statement.

What risk, he's retired. Will this risk his chances at making crappy Netflix documentaries or something?

Also, "political capital" isn't a think, it only exists so dems can "save" it by not doing anything useful.

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u/BillyJoeMac9095 5d ago

Indeed. Being against Israel's current actions and leadership is not the same as wanting to put an end to the nation.

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/shoot998 6d ago

Hey EnhancedWithAI, I'm assuming you're a liberal based off of the rest of your comment. I've got to ask, what's it like to hold a position that's as popular with your fellow liberals as anti-choice legislation

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u/EnhancedWithAi 6d ago

I don't sit in the binary system , you can't get more swinging than me baby.

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u/shoot998 6d ago

Well you're in the minority for American Adults as well so you must be swinging your head right into a wall

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u/EnhancedWithAi 6d ago

Of course, you're left leaning, I get just as much flak on the right forums. There's no place for my voice. C'est la vie.

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u/sea___ 6d ago

Saying you support and side with "freedom of life within their population" implies you have full knowledge that they are occupying another population and denying them their freedom (and presumably you know that they are killing them in massive numbers) And STILL support them

So you are surprised there's no place for your voice when you are saying "I support the side that has their own freedom at the cost of the freedom of other people"

Ok ...

I don't really understand why you would expect any reasonable person to agree with you tbh

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u/EnhancedWithAi 5d ago

And I don't understand any reasonable person who would side with a country that supports the death and stoning of Homosexuals. But here we are.

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u/OppressedCow6148 5d ago

So support the side that supports the death of ALL brown middle eastern people not just the homosexuals? Make it make sense.

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