“Meal-Feasance”

The interlude from the mundane to commune with Hakadosh Baruch Hu for two days of Rosh Hashanah followed by a serene Shabbat revived my soul and recharged my batteries, and left me to greet the world on Tzom Gedaliah with a full-course breakfast of an “‘Obama’-let,” a side of “(Amira) ‘Hass’-browns,” and “‘Abbas’-ket” of fruit for dessert. As nauseating as these puns are, the existence and recent public appearances — the United Nations for Obama and Abbas, and Bir Zeit University for Ms. Hass — of these three people is worse.

The first course of “‘Obama’-let” is perfect for an “egg-on-the-face” president. During his address to the United Nations General Assembly  Erev Rosh Hashanah, the President in an ocean of words spent on ISIL and remarkably few on Iran, digressed to degrade Israel’s commitment to peace: “The violence engulfing the region today has made too many Israelis ready to abandon the hard work of peace. And that’s something worthy of reflection within Israel.” Admittedly, in making an omelet it is necessary to crack some eggs, which Obama did with these words. He preceded this condemnation by absolving Israel of the canard that its “refusal” to come to peace with the Palestinians is the sole source of instability in the region and with similar noblesse oblige followed his indictment of Israel with acknowledging that Israel has the right not to be a geographic pin cushion for the missiles of Hamas and Hizbullah. In the process of constructing this sandwich, did it even occur to the putative “Leader of the Free World” that the very points he was discussing — ISIL, bombardment from the Hizbullah in the north and Hamas in the south, and Islamic fundamentalism disregarding law and implementing terror throughout the region is the very reason why Israel puts no value on a peace treaty with a Palestinian entity led by a weak and scurrilous leader like Abbas?

With the “Obama’-lette” comes a side (far-left side) of “(Amira) ‘Hass’-browns.” While Obama masks his “Leftist” nature, Amira Hass, star reporter for the notoriously Left Haaretz, makes no pretence as to her preference. Hass is the vanguard of Israel’s insane Left. She does not believe in a two-State solution; her solution would be dissolving Israel and giving the land to the Palestinians to amend the crime perpetrated by the “colonizing and apartheid State of Israel.” Hass has not merely defended but encouraged Palestinians to throw rocks at Israelis claiming, “Throwing stones is the birthright and duty of anyone subject to foreign rule.” One would think that, with this “rock solid” support of the Palestinian cause and living among them in Gaza and Ramallah, she would be welcomed and feted as the preeminent “useful idiot” anywhere in the Palestinian world. Surprisingly, it seems that the world of Palestinian academia finds her every bit as offensive as does the majority of Israel.  While attending a conference at Bir Zeit University in Ramallah entitled “Alternatives to Neo-Liberal Development in the Occupied Palestinian Territories — Critical Perspectives” (I have no idea what this even means) she was ejected from the conference. The university claimed Hass was removed as a precaution for her safety, fearing that once her affiliation with an Israeli paper and her Jewish background became known she would be attacked by students. In truth, this “concern” for Hass’ safety was no more than a cover for Bir Zeit’s long-standing policy forbidding Jews on their campus. One would think that Hass would be enraged and vocal about this treatment after all she has done for the “cause.” Instead, she actually sympathized with them: “I understand the emotional need of Palestinians to create a safe space that is off limits to citizens of the state that denies them their rights and has been robbing them of their land.” Her logic and sympathies makes one wonder if she herself did not take a rock, or five, to the head.

Even if I had time for a dessert of “Abbas’-ket” of fruit, I already lost my appetite.

Meir Solomon is a writer, analyst, and commentator living in Alon Shvut, Israel, with his wife and two children. He can be contacted at msolomon@hamodia.com.

This article appeared in print in the October 1st, 2014 edition of Hamodia.