Netanyahu Versus Obama: Two Opposing Ideologies Presented by Frontline

Nadene Goldfoot                                                     

             
Last night I watched Frontline's 2 hour Presentation of Netanyahu At War on PBS.  They did a marvelous presentation of just how different these 2 men were, coming from such different backgrounds and ideologies.  I counted about 21 different speakers who told segments of the information about both of them. There were things spoken of that I wasn't aware of, things that had happened behind the scenes involving some of the treatment towards Netanyahu by Obama. It had been worse than even I knew about.  One thing that caught Netanyahu's eye right away when he first heard of Obama was his name:  Barack Hussein Obama II.
                                                                                  

Netanyahu "Bibi" as IDF soldier of Israel
All young men of Israel serve in the army unless receiving religious excuse of study in Yeshiva, and even this is changing

 Eyal Arad brought out the fact that Netanyahu understands the position he is in as the leader of the Jewish people of Israel and that his job is to save these Jewish people.  He thought Netanyahu sees himself in a Churchill-like position who had to stop the Nazis from destroying England.  David Axelrod thought Netanyahu had acted audaciously.  I see Netanyahu acting in the same way I hope I would act; doing everything to preserve the lives of 6 million Jews today against a very unfeeling and uncaring world population.                                                            

Netanyahu's father, BenZion Netanyahu-historian

  We learn that Netanyahu's father was a historian and passed on this love of our Jewish history to his 3 sons and gave them all the expectation that they were to do all they could to help their people.  This has caused them to be quite pessimistic as to their fate, except of course with the coming of the messiah in finally bringing us peace.  That's exactly the position I also share with him.  You can't help but read and learn our history from pre-biblical to biblical days and on through the next 2,000 years up to today without coming to such conclusions.  There are no rose-colored glasses on Netanyahu's nose.  He must be careful of each step in his decisions or it can mean the end of his country.  We live in a very hostile world.
                                                                           

Obama and Netanyahu-different lifestyles

 The prime minister was a soldier in 2 of Israel's wars already and has lost his oldest brother to war.  He knows first hand what life presents to Israel.  He's living in it.  Aaron David Miller spoke of Netanyahu being on the IDF team confronting the Sabena plane that was high-jacked by the Arab Black September terrorists that was headed for Israel.  They were to rescue those on board.

Obama comes to us in a different vein.  His father was a Muslim and he has many family members who are Muslims.  He sat in his church for over 20 years listening to a preacher damn Jews and Israel.  Surely we are seeing the consequences.  He has been "hell-bent setting up a Palestine state".  Speaker Zachi said he blames Israel for not seeing this happen.  He said Obama's soul is too cold to be connected to Israel.  Yet Obama told someone that he was the most Jewish president that has ever been in the White House.  I don't know how he ever sees himself standing in Jewish shoes.  He's the farthest of all people.  I believe it shows that he doesn't understand our position at all.  He never knew many Jews living in Hawaii and the people he has met have been very leftist American Jews, in quite a different position than Israeli Jews.!
                                                                           

Netanyahu has taken every step these past 8 years trying to change Obama's positions towards Israel.  From speaking at the UN to speaking to the Senators in the USA, he has taken the chance of telling them like it is, just like prophets of old.  To not speak out would be to pound nails in all their coffins.  He was not worried about what it would do to his political life, but that of his people.
                                                                               

What shocked him was Obama deciding Israel had to go back to the 67 lines-and never bothered to speak to him before he went on live TV to announce this, like a little emperor if you ask me.  This was a traumatic shock for Netanyahu, and brought out the historian in him to lecture him on TV as to why this would not be possible!  It caused Obama to fume.  Obama's idealism was not matching reality on the ground.  These 2 men were now showing how they were coming from opposing corners of the ring, and the gloves were on.  Rom Emanuel counseled Obama that he had to push Netanyahu to get what he wanted.  Obama was trying to win over the Arabs from the first day in office by distancing himself from Israel.  He then demanded that Netanyahu stop building and expected a settlement freeze.  All this made Netanyahu feel like he had walked into a trap.  This was the USA who had stood by Israel in the past?  Not this time.
                                                                         

Dennis Ross brought up that Obama had the chutzpa to tell Mubarak of Egypt to leave!  This was the start of the Arab Spring.  Obama had brought up the 1967 lines publically.  This had caused Netanyahu to hold an emergency meeting and spoke to Hillary about this decision of his, for he hadn't spoken to him, the Prime Minister!  It was an ambush against Netanyahu and was causing him to be weakened in his negotiating position.  Netanyahu was absolutely furious.  This was a war line, not a peace line.  This line meant nothing to Obama, not being a soldier or an Israeli.  By not discussing it first, it was an affront to Netanyahu, one of many to come.  This is why Obama got the lecture from Netanyahu who said he would not negotiate with Hamas terrorists.                                              

Ronen Bergman, speaker, said that Obama did not mince his words.  His anger was no secret to those around him towards Netanyahu and Israel.  He was livid!  This was an attack on his legacy, being more interested in himself and how he was seen than the position he had put Netanyahu and Israel into.  Obama was a friend of the Muslim world.  He was furious and felt humiliated as he was in the middle of secret negotiations with Iran about nuclear power at the time.

Netanyahu realized that Obama and the Arab states were out to get Israel.  It was his gestalt.  This hurt, being he had spent his formative years in the USA with his family and was a MIT graduate. He had been the Ambassador to the UN at age 34.  He had far more experience defending Israel than Obama had as Senator and President and being aware of Middle Eastern situations.    It was in 1980 that he had returned to Israel, the year I made aliyah there.                                                                                                              

Rabin, Clinton and Arafat-the Oslo Accord Handshake-NO KISS
Rabin was PM from July 13, 1992-November 4, 1995

                                                           

Peres-PM Nov 22, 1995-
June 18, 1996

                                                                     

Rabin

Saab Erekat spoke of the Oslo Accords.  This was when President Clinton was the organizer and got Palestinian terrorist Arafat together with Prime Minister Rabin.  Rabin was shook up at the thought of having to shake this terrorists hands in peace negotiations.  He was not from the same political party Netanyahu was from-but from Labor, a leftist party, but he gave the warning that he refused to accept any kissing from Arafat!  That he was adamant about, because Arafat was known to kiss.  Martin Indyk told of the opposition coming from Israel towards the Oslo Accords as it may mean a division of Jerusalem, something the Palestinians were calling for.  Those opposers felt Rabin was betraying them, and of course he was assassinated by an extreme religious righter.  Chem Shaley mentioned that Jerusalem was not to be divided.  This was on the line. Netanyahu was blamed for inciting the crowds because he did nothing to end their frenzy.  Well, he certainly must have felt the same angst they did.  How could he?  He wasn't that jaded to see where it could lead.  This caused Clinton to back Peres as Prime Minister in the next election.  Just at the curtain was ready to come down on this scene, the Palestinians, as if on cue, attacked # 18 bus in Israel by bombing it because they wanted to stop the process of peace of the Oslo Accords.                                                                               

Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu PM (June 18, 1996-July 6, 1999)
(March 31, 2009-Present) 

At Camp David
Ehud Barak, PM from July 6, 1999-March 7, 2001

This was exactly what Netanyahu had warned the world about and was trying to explain-that the Palestinians were not interested in peace-only wanted a piece of Israel, in fact all of it.  4 more bombs exploded killing 59 people.  "THIS PEACE IS KILLING US!"  LIKUD WAS RIGHT, was the message of the day.  Oslo went ahead and pictures were taken with Netanyahu and Arafat shaking hands.  He lost to Barak and Palestinians went violent once again.  American Jews still thought peace was possible in such an environment.                                                                                  

During a rare good moment

 George Mitchell said that Obama had turned to him for help with getting Israel to go along with what he wanted.  Obama was seen by Netanyahu as an adversary who was continuing to please the Arabs.  He was trying to show he could get in touch with Israel, but was floundering.  Michael Oren explained that Obama was siding with the Palestinians and had told other countries that the Palestinian position was INTOLERABLE by not having their own state on their terms.  He told Egypt in the Cairo speech that Israel must stop, so had gone against Israel in the first part of his presidency, setting the tone towards this tiny state early on with their enemies.  He went against Israel and insulted Israel.  He spoke in all the Muslim countries then but refused to stop in Israel and talk to Netanyahu.  Now, he and his handlers feel they made a mistake by this avoidance.  

Diana Buttu, former spokesperson for PLO, Arab lawyer from Canada,   said she had Muslim members in her family.  She wanted all monies going to Israel from the USA stopped if Israel wanted peace, I guess peace on Obama's terms, that is.    She was all against any building going on by Israel in land they had won from the 67 war.                          

Netanyahu warning UN of Iran's Nuclear Plans

         Tzipi Livni, former foreign minister of Israel,  was concerned and in the peace talks about nuclear weapons with Iran.  Ronen Bergman brought up that in 2012 it was possible for Israel to attack Iran's nuclear site and put an end to their building a weapon to use against Israel. Evidently Israel was prepared to take such an undertaking but didn't want to go it alone.   Dan Ephrom brought up that at the UN, Obama would not remain in the same room with Netanyahu.  I remember his Secretary of State walked out when he spoke-having a more important luncheon date, then, and Obama was absent.
                                                                       

Netanyahu Speaking to Senators 

During Obama's 2nd run for president, Netanyahu backed Romney, a Republican.  Obama wanted to talk with Iran and held secret negotiations that Israeli Intelligence found out about.  Did Obama really think he could keep such a thing a secret from him?  As it wound up, the USA gave in to all the demands and gave concession after concession to the Iranians.  Netanyahu felt betrayed and was highly alarmed.  When he spoke to Obama over the phone about it, Obama then told him that military options are now off the table, and that the only option he considered were these talks.  That's why Netanyahu  felt he had to go to the USA Senate  and try to stop this.  The "good" Democrats all walked out of the Senate when he came to speak.  Of course they did.
                                                                         
Now, North Korea has just tested an H Bomb.  Remember that they were in cahoots with Iran for years when Iran was creating their nuclear site and plans to destroy Israel.  We know this because they have so often threatened Israel with doing it.                    

Aluf Bar Kokhba fighting Romans 132-135 for Jerusalem; killed in battle

Rashi, Biblical Commentator in Troyes, France1040

We have the Christian Presybyterians backing BDS against Israel and now confronted with the word "Israel with negative feelings."  They are making a distinction between Biblical Israelites and today's Israelis as not being the same.  I'd like to say something about this.  We may not believe in the reincarnation of a person such as Aluf Bar Kokhba suddenly appearing amid us today, but many Jews do believe in reincarnation and feel we have had many past lives, sort of like what Hindus of India believe.  We are carrying segments of 23 chromosomes of past people in our bodies, however.  More and more Jews are testing their DNA and finding out about their ancestors, such as myself.  I go back to Rabbi Samson Wertheimer,  1658-1724.  He in turn had a genealogy tracing his ancestors back to the famous biblical commentator, RASHI and Rashi was able to trace his line to King David.  So we're not the same Jews?  No, but we carry a lot of common genes from them.   Israeli Jews have the same feelings as their Biblical ancestors. It seems they still have the same problems as well.  The question is, "who are you?"  I know who Netanyahu comes from and who he is.  He is a Jew who has put his life on the line for Israel and still does.                                                                   

Never have we ever seen any 2 leaders as different as can be.  One acting for the Palestinians and one for the Israeli Jews.  One living in luxury in Washington DC and one living in dangerous Israel.  One brought up in Indonesia and Hawaii and one having fought in 2 wars as part of Israel's IDF.

Resource: Frontline on PBS 1/5/2016 TV 2 hour program on Netanyahu and Obama's fighting"NETANYAHU AT WAR".
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/06/asia/north-korea-hydrogen-bomb-test/
http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/26310/presbyterian-church-usa-voted-erasing-israel-prayers-biblical-zionism/