RUTHFULLY YOURS

On March 30th, the Global March to Jerusalem (GMJ), an attempt to mobilize millions of demonstrators aimed at converging on the state of Israel and inevitably breaching its borders, took place. Joining the likes of Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Mavi Marmara flotilla veterans, were the inevitable horde of useful idiots from the West, including British anti-Semite George Galloway, anti-war Bush-basher Cindy Sheehan, Truther conspiracy advocate Richard Falk, and radical race theorist Cornel West. Yet it was one of the movement’s “official advisers” whose name stood out: president Obama’s former spiritual advisor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

In earnest, the GMJ was little more than a modern-day, jihadist-inspired confrontation aimed eliminating the Jewish State. It was an aim revealed by the GMJ’s logo, showing a map of Palestine in place of Israel. The GMJ rejects any two-state solution with the nation they consider the epicenter of ”apartheid, ethnic cleansing and Judaisation.” Furthermore, the organizers insist that they are “renewing the struggle to liberate Palestine,” a particular expression that is a common euphemism for the destruction of Israel.

The organizers planned a four-pronged assault on Israel’s borders from four neighboring countries: Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. Additional protests were organized to take place at Israeli embassies in Europe and Arab countries. Palestinian activist Dr. Mustafa Barghouti made the inevitable disclaimer that always attends such assaults on Israel’s sovereignty. “This march is absolutely peaceful and non-violent, and we will try everything possible to prevent violence,” Barghouti said. This disclaimer was followed by the curious caveat: “Of course, if they use violence against us, the world should protest,” he adds. “But the march is absolutely peaceful and nobody will try to provoke violence.”

Of course unprovoked violence did break out. It was no more than what was expected considering the history of Palestinian activism: A May 15, 2011 demonstration on Nabka Day, the day when Palestinians mourn the establishment of the Jewish State in 1948, resulted in 15 deaths when protesters attempt to breach Israel’s border. A reprise of violence occurred June 5, 2011, on Naska Day, when Arab nations commemorate their defeat (or “setback”) by Israel in 1967. At least 23 people were killed during a protest near the Golan Heights, when Israeli troops once again prevented a border breach by Palestinian demonstrators coming from Syria.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a man with a long track record of racist and anti-Semitic statements, was a prefect fit for this latest Palestinian PR endeavor. And despite the fact that Wright was president Obama’s spiritual mentor for over twenty years, the White House has refrained from commenting on his involvement with a movement designed to produce more violence and more bloodshed. Wright long ago offered his reasoning for being off the president’s radar. “Them Jews ain’t going to let him talk to me. I told my baby daughter that he’ll talk to me in five years when he’s a lame duck, or in eight years when he’s out of office,” said the Reverend during a 2009 interview. He also criticized the president at the time for not sending a U.S. delegation to the World Conference on Racism, an annual, anti-Semitic hate-fest that unfailingly singles out Israel for condemnation. ”Ethnic cleansing is going on in Gaza. Ethnic cleansing (by) the Zionist is a sin and a crime against humanity, and they don’t want Barack talking like that because that’s anti-Israel,” Wright contended.

Yet the president’s silence on the issue is disturbing. As recently as March 5th, Mr. Obama assured American Jewish leaders that he “will always have Israel’s back.” Yet even if one assumes that such assurances are specifically limited to Iranian belligerence, the White House is undoubtedly aware that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei publicly expressed his support for the GMJ in February, that Iran established local committees to help organize it, and that the Iranian-backed Islamic Centre of England is one of the top European organizers of the event. How is it that the same president who is more than willing to lend his voice to a variety of issues, even a controversial racial case involving a single death in Florida, has nothing to say about an internationally-organized demonstration that presents such a clear assault to Israel’s existence?

At the very least, the president might have warned the demonstrators that a breach of Israeli borders is unacceptable. With respect to the countries allowing the demonstrators access to Israel’s borders, the president might have also expressed the idea that foreign aid contributions are tied to responsible behavior. And since Jeremiah Wright sits on the advisory board of the GMJ, the president could have re-established contact with Wright to express his concern.

None of it has happened. Furthermore, in a remarkable exchange on Tuesday with reporter Matt Lee, State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland revealed that the Obama administration does not consider Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel. “We are not going to prejudge the outcome of those negotiations, including the final status of Jerusalem,” said Nuland. The administration also “scrubbed” at least one photo caption (and possibly others as well) of Vice President Joe Biden. The Biden photo had previously stated he was dining in the “David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem, Israel.” The photo now reads simply “Jerusalem.” Administration apologists contend that the Bush administration was equally un-definitive regarding Jerusalem. But the attempt to equate Bush administration documents that avoided the issue with the Obama administration’s active efforts to alter documents is absurd.

Thus the Global March to Jerusalem, a march purporting “to change the nature of the confrontation by compelling the occupiers to face millions of demonstrators demanding Freedom for Palestine and its capital Jerusalem” from the “racist state of Israel” proceeded with no resistance from the President Obama — and perhaps tacit approval. In another time, the president might even have participated in such an anti-Israel crusade along with Wright — before it got politically inconvenient, anyway.

Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.