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/DamienRyan 6d ago

This is exactly the kind of infighting that makes the left so ineffective.

Yes, Obama is very late to the party. Yes you can accuse him of political cowardice. Yes, he was well versed in the sins of the Israeli state leading up to his election in 2008 and did almost nothing for the Palestinians while in power, all these things are true.

He is also a powerful political ally that is moving into the anti Israel tent and everything possible should be done to encourage him to move in further. This is what the right understands and does so well. They ignore these inconsistencies and grievances in pursuit of a larger goal.

If Obama helps bring the end of Israeli occupation and apartheid .1% closer than I welcome him with open arms. I am willing to ignore his opportunistic nature in pursuit of a greater good. We can save the criticism for the history books.

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u/buppiejc 6d ago

The only reason why he's even bending on this is because the left flank has never stopped talking about it, and demanding more, and started primary centrists. What other strategy would have worked?

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u/Wb9VBScxu2uZJHeq2E3W 6d ago

That's fine with me. Keep on talking about it. Keep on demanding more. Keep on primarying centrists.

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u/xdre 5d ago

Opposing Republicans getting in office would be a strong start.

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u/buppiejc 5d ago

Attempting to distract from legitimate constructive criticism for the party that’s failing to represent you by casually mentioning Republicans is the type of fear-based politics that loses presidential elections to a felon, and only aids in Fascism since said party, in its current form, is toothless to fight against it.

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u/xdre 5d ago

Is it “distracting” when the criticism is bullshit? Y’all have already ignored how tough Obama was on Israel during his two terms to pretend you somehow influenced him to be tough on Israel now. I find that revisionist and reductionist.