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The Election Of President Joe Biden: What Now For Israel? Part 8-2

A BDS supporter over here, a Hamas enabler over there, and an anti-Israel blood libelist …

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Former Ambassador to Jordan and Russia, incoming CIA Director William J. Burns is seen as a mixed bag when it comes to supporting Israel. (Photo: lasalle.edu)

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Carrying on with Biden’s appointments to senior positions:

Director of the CIA: William J. Burns          

Burns is a former Deputy Secretary of State, diplomat of 33 years in both Democratic and Republican administrations. Caroline Glick reports that Burns advocated against sanctioning Syria and Iran and tried to prevent Israel’s development of the Arrow missile defence system, by claiming that it violated the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).   

In 2000, when Palestinians launched their four year long terror war in the aftermath of the Camp David Peace Summit, Burns was instrumental in convincing then President Bush to support Palestinian statehood. Caroline Glick, Navigating Israel’s ship of state through the Biden storm, January 15, 2021 

On the other side of the coin, Danny Avalon, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Burns is a friend of Israel. According to Yonah Jeremy Bob “Burns is highly regarded by U.S. and Israeli diplomats and intelligence officials …It is expected to be a solid supporter of Israel.” cf. What will be the future of U.S.-Israel security cooperation?-analysis, January 23, 2021

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: Linda Thomas-Greenfield  

In her confirmation hearing she promised that:                                                           

a) America would work with its allies and other members of the U.N.Security Council (UNSC) to insure that we hold Iran accountable;

b) She would stand against “the unfair targeting of Israel, the relentless resolutions proposed against Israel unfairly. 

She expressed the hope that the countries that have normalised ties with Israel “will also see some opportunities to be more cooperative at the U.N. and more supportive of Israel’s presence there”. 

Finally, the nominee expressed her opposition to the BDS movement. She promised to work against the BDS’ers being allowed to have a voice at the U.N.

All of these commitments are jolly good PR moves, save and except that they are undeliverable and to the extent they might be in some instances, their effect will be insignificant unless  the commitments are backed up by sanctions against the recalcitrant U.N member nations; a  highly unlikely move. 

National Security Advisor: Jake Sullivan

Sullivan has already been in touch with his Israeli counterpart and informed him that ‘the United States will closely consult with Israel on all matters of regional security’ – an undertaking which has already been breached by Biden – and that he aims to build on the Abraham Accords.

Yoram Ettinger, a former Israeli Ambassador in his article titled Questions for Incoming National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan identifies the issues with which Sullivan must deal with and in the process addresses his views on a number of matters. Cf. the algemeiner, January 19, 2021 flipboard.com › topic › egypt › algemeiner

Senior Director for Intelligence, National Security Council: (Promoted) Maher al-Bitar

Although he is not an intelligence specialist or professional by any means, in his new position which is at the top of the foreign policy establishment, al-Bitar is the person who will formulate the foreign policy of the Biden administration. 

Caroline Glick reports that “The position is one of the most powerful posts in the US intelligence community. The incumbent is the node to which all intelligence from all agencies flows. He decides what to share with the president. And in the name of the president, he determines priorities for intelligence operations and collection. He determines what information the U.S. intelligence community will share with foreign intelligence services [and decides how to relate to information that foreign intelligence agencies [including that originating from Israel] share with the U.S.” Maher Bitar and Israel’s Ideological Elections, February 8,2021 

Daniel Greenfield, reports that in 2006,al-Bitar , then one of the executive board members of Students for Justice in Palestine”(SJP), an anti-Israel hate group,  was one of the principal organisers of the 2006  conference organised by this group which held a conference of the Georgetown University “[Bitar] has called for the destruction of Israel and lectured on how to best demonise Israel”; Daniel Greenfield, Biden Puts Anti-ISRAEL BDS Activist in Charge of NSC Intel, January 26, 2021. 

Special Envoy to Iran: (Promoted) Robert Malley                                                       

Malley was a top negotiator of the 2015 agreement.

In 2000, Malley, as Special Assistant to President Clinton for Arab-Israeli Affairs, was a member of the US peace team and participated in the Camp David summit. Malley whitewashed Arafat’s intransigence and rejection of Ehud Barak’s generous peace offer.

The Iranians could barely conceal their delight when they heard of Biden considering his appointment. No wonder: for some of Malley’s pearls of wisdom as negotiator cf. David Israel:  Biden Picks Negotiator of Original Iran Deal Robert Malley to Repeat the Same Thing, Get Different Results, The Jewish Express, January 29, 2020 

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Administrator of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and new member of the National Security Council:  Samantha Power

During the first term of the Obama presidency, Power had positive relations with the Jewish community and some of its groups, praised her initiatives of interest to the community as she moved to her next position as the U.S. ambassador to the U.N 

On Obama’s second term, things went sour when Power played a central role in the formulation and passing of the UNSC resolution 2334 of 2016 which refers to the Israeli communities and installations beyond the 1949 armistice lines as “flagrant violation” of international law and with “no legal validity”. The vote was: 14 for and 1 abstention (the U.S.) www.un.org Code: S/RES/2334 (Document) Date: 23 December 2016, Meeting no: 7853

Her appointment to the National Security Council is certainly not going to help Israel. 

Further, as the administrator of USAID, she will be responsible for providing U.S. financial support to the corrupt Palestinian Authority that finances terrorism and to organisations such as UNWRA that aids and abets the Hamas terror regime in Gaza, unless Congress enacts the bipartisan bill Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act (Text – H.R.261 – 117th Congress (2021-2022)) that originally passed in the House in 2019 but died in the Senate. JNS, U.S. House reintroduces bill to sanction supporters of Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, January 17, 2021 

Veteran Affairs Secretary: Denis McDonough                                                            

John D. Guandolo reports that he is a supporter of Muslim Brotherhood and has a long history of openly supporting Jihadis – Muslim Brotherhood Supporter Named VA Secretary, Jihad Watch, February 5, 2021  

Deputy Director of White House Office of Legislative Affairs: Reema Dodin   

Among other things, “her background is that of a Palestinian propagandist and supporter of suicide bombings who spread blood libels including the false claim that Israel denies Palestinian Arabs food, water and medical treatment et al.”

Proposed appointment to the State Department: Matt Duss 

Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch will tell you may want to know about the qualifications of the candidate who until recently was high on the team of self-hating Jewish senator Sanders.cf. Robert Spencer, Hard –Left anti-Israel “Islamophobia” propagandist Matt Duss, Jihad Watch, February 5, 2021 

Duss has also been described as being central to the anti-Israel movement. Adam Kredo, Report: Anti-Israel Activist Heading to Biden State Department, Morning Beacon Newsletter, February 4, 2021 

Defence subcommittee chair Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) supports the BDS movement, has accused Israel of apartheid, and voted against defunding Hamas. (Preston Keres/USDA)

Conclusion

Such is the list of officials with a long history of failure in resolving the Palestinian Israeli conflict and gave away the shop to Iran in  2105.Such are the people  with which Biden decided to staff his administration. Alex Nachumson, The insane repetition of failure, February 4, 2021 

For a detailed analysis of the failure, I suggest Sahny Mor,The Return Of the Peace Processors America’s foreign-policy establishment has, in the name of peace, incentivized conflict in the Middle East.

The question raised by Mor must be answered in the negative. I do not think  they can learn  from their mistakes, because  of  Biden’s  team’s persisting belief that their policies seek, as Michael Doran put it aptly, Saving Israel in Spite of Herself , Mosaic ,February 8,2021

Addendum 

The Chair of the House Appropriation Subcommittee on Defence: Rep. Betty McCollum

If the foregoing cast of anti-Israeli and in some instances antisemitic high level appointments was not enough, the House of Representatives, made the frightening appointment of McCollum. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the budget that has jurisdiction over the budget of the Defence Department and every military spending measure must be approved by the committee before being passed by the larger House. 

Among other things, McCollum supports the BDS movement; has accused Israel of apartheid; alleged gross mistreatment of Palestinian children, and voted against the 2006 Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act which aimed to curb and defund Hamas. And this is just the beginning of the list of her vile anti-Israeli record. Cf.  ZOA denounces selection of McCollum, JNS, February 26, 2021 

In Part 9-1, I propose to focus on Biden Administration’s moves to date in its treatment of the Palestinian Authority.

Doğan D. Akman is an independent researcher and commentator. He holds a B.Sc. in sociology, an M.A. in sociology/criminology and an LL.B in law. He held academic appointments in sociology, criminology and social policy; served as a Judge of the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, and occupied the positions of Crown Counsel in criminal prosecutions and in civil litigation at the Federal Department of Justice. His academic work is published in peer-reviewed professional journals, while his opinion pieces and other writings are to be found in various publications and in blogs.  

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Thank you for choosing TheJ.Ca as your source for Canadian Jewish News.

We do news differently!

Our positioning as a Zionist News Media platform sets us apart from the rest. While other Canadian Jewish media are advocating increasingly biased progressive political and social agendas, TheJ.Ca is providing more and more readers with a welcome alternative and an ideological home.

We revealed the incursion of anti-Israel progressive elements such as IfNotNow into our communities. We have exposed the distorted hateful agenda of the “progressive” left political radicals who brought Linda Sarsour to our cities, and we were first to report on many disturbing incidents of Nazi-based hate towards Jews across Canada.

But we can’t do it alone. We need your HELP!

Our ability to thrive and grow in 2020 and beyond depends on the generosity of committed readers and supporters like you.

Monthly support is a great way to help us sustain our operations. We greatly appreciate any contributions you can make to support Jewish Journalism.

We thank you for your ongoing support.

Happy reading!

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