A Topsy Turvy World

Several months ago, in the hopes of renewing Israel –Palestinian peace negotiations, the United States demanded that Israel halt all construction in areas outside of its pre-1967 boundaries. I find this unilateral demand amazing.

We demand that an ally, Israel, with a democratically elected government with a fragile coalition take actions that we know are against the principles of its coalition. On the Palestinian side ruled by a dictatorship, we demand nothing because we are afraid it will hurt the popularity of the leader and therefore the government. Doesn’t something seem wrong here? You demand unilateral action by a government that is popularly elected that goes against its stated self-interest. You refuse to demand anything of a government that maintains its position by the gun.

Our thinking is topsy-turvy. Our policy is just backwards. One government does everything by fiat but cannot do anything is this regard because it might be unpopular. The other who rules democratically is demanded to do something that we know is unpopular. I just don’t get it.