(New York Jewish Week) Gary Rosenblatt - Many American Jews no doubt were surprised and annoyed to see President Trump greeted in Israel this week with such enthusiasm by Prime Minister Netanyahu. But Israelis are a pragmatic people with few allies around the world. And after eight years of tension, and worse, with Barack Obama in the White House, they are relieved to see President Trump pledge his allegiance to the Jewish state, talk tough on Iran and have Nikki Haley at the UN speaking out on behalf of Israel and against the hypocrisy of the world body when it comes to the Jewish state. Israelis are, naturally, looking out for themselves in a tough neighborhood and welcome the prospect of their most important ally having their back and not being shy about proclaiming that position. At a forum marking the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Ambassador Dennis Ross, an American diplomat who advised four presidents on the Mideast, noted that in the days leading up to the war, with Egyptian President Gamel Abdel Nasser threatening to drive Israel into the sea, the U.S. and the UN were passive. President Lyndon Johnson was "emotionally committed to Israel," Ross said Thursday. "But the U.S. did nothing. The short-answer why: Vietnam." The U.S. had 550,000 troops in Southeast Asia at the time and the White House and military were "totally consumed" with that war. The reality was that Israel was virtually alone.
2017-05-26 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive