Middle East Scapegoat

Where does the Obama administration stand on Israel? Although that vexed question is still open, the worrying signs are accumulating.

On Sunday it was National Security Adviser James Jones telling ABC that “We understand Israel’s preoccupation with Iran as an existential threat. We agree with that”—and adding: “…by the same token, there are a lot of things that you can do to diminish that existential threat by working hard towards achieving a two-state solution.”

With Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu slated to meet President Barack Obama in Washington on May 18, that statement and others—by Vice President Joe Biden, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller, and an earlier one by Jones, to name just some—are creating a mood of apprehension in Israel. Then there’s a rather bizarre interview with Jordan’s King Abdullah appearing in the Times of London on Monday. In it Abdullah, who met with Obama on April 21 in Washington, goes well beyond the two-state solution—or as he puts it:

What we are talking about is not Israelis and Palestinians sitting at the table, but Israelis sitting with Palestinians, Israelis sitting with Syrians, Israelis sitting with Lebanese. And with the Arabs and the Muslim world lined up to open direct negotiations with Israelis at the same time. So it’s the work that needs to be done over the next couple of months that has a regional answer to this—that is not a two-state solution, it is a 57-state solution.

Referring, in other words, to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the formal convocation of an entire civilization that views a Jewish state in the midst of Dar al-Islam as an offense against its God, and that includes such friends of Israel and human rights beacons as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Sudan.

A Look at the OIC and related ON THE INTERNET:

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (JERUSALEM POST): "AN ISLAMIST 'NEW WORLD ORDER'" (Posted April 22, 2009)

TRUTHUSA.com: A Look at More Than Cartoons

CNS NEWS.com: "BOYCOTT-HIT RACISM CONFERENCE GETS UNDERWAY" by Patrick Goodenough (SNIPPET: "Ahead of the 2009 gathering, a difficult and drawn-out preparatory process has been dominated by a OIC-instigated focus on Israel and attempts by the Islamic bloc to limit criticism of Islam -- or what it calls "defamation of religion."") (April 20, 2009)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "THE UN's JIHAD AGAINST FREE SPEECH" by Robert Spencer (April 3, 2009)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AFP): "ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (OIC) SLAMS WARRANT FOR SUDAN'S BESHIR" (March 28, 2009)

CNS NEWS.com: "OBAMA EXPECTED TO ENGAGE IN FENCE-MENDING WITH ISLAMIC NATIONS AT MEETING IN TURKEY" by Patrick Goodenough (SNIPPET: "Some critics see in the AoC's attempts to shape media coverage parallels with a "defamation of religion" campaign long promoted by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the bloc of Islamic states at the U.N.") (March 27, 2009)
JIHAD WATCH.com (AP): Geneva - "UN PASSES RESOLUTION CALLING FOR CRIMINALIZATION OF CRITICISM OF ISLAM" (March 26, 2009)

AMERICAN THINKER.com: "ISLAMIC STATES PUSH TO CRIMINALIZE 'DEFAMATION OF ISLAM'" by Peter C. Glover (SNIPPET: "Though the 57 nations of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), a bloc which also dominates UN's Human Rights Council, have been lobbying for the move since 1999...") (March 25, 2009)
JIHAD WATCH.org: "UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: SILENCING CRITICS OF MUSLIM ANTISEMITISM" (March 15, 2009)

JIHAD WATCH.org (WorldNetDaily.com, March 4, 2009): "UN MAY MAKE BAN ON CRITICIZING ISLAM MANDATORY, MAKING IT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE IN THE U.S." (Note: CNN Video included.) (March 5, 2009)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "SAVED FROM DURBAN II" by Joseph Klein (March 2, 2009)

JIHAD WATCH.org (NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, February 26, 2009): "WHY IS THE U.S. STILL ENTERTAINING DURBAN II?" (SNIPPET: "For one, Obama is making new friends. The administration's decision last week to participate in planning meetings for Durban II was very well received by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)") (February 27, 2009)
CNS NEWS.com: "OIC WELCOMES U.S. SHIFT ON DURBAN II; DENIES ANTI-SEMITIC INTENT" by Patrick Goodenough (February 24, 2009)

CNS NEWS.com: "OBAMA'S POLICY SHIFT ON DURBAN RACISM CONFERENCE DRAWS CONCERN, CRITICISM" by Patrick Goodenough (SNIPPET: "Arguing that "Islamophobia" is a "contemporary form of racism," the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is using Durban II to further its campaign to have religious "defamation" outlawed -- a drive which critics say is designed to prevent criticism of Islam and practices associated with it.") (February 16, 2009)
FRONTPAGE MAGAZINEcom: "A UN VICE FOR ISLAM'S CRITICS" by Nat Hentoff (February 9, 2009)

CNS NEWS.com: "ADDRESS 'ROOT CAUSES' OF TERRORISM, MUSLIM ENVOYS URGE OBAMA" by Patrick Goodenough (February 5, 2009)

JIHAD WATCH.org (WASHINGTON TIMES, February 2, 2009): "They don't want to limit free speech, they just want to kill it" (February 3, 2009)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AFP): "OBAMA COZIES UP TO THE PRINCIPAL ENEMY OF FREE SPEECH IN THE WORLD TODAY" (February 1, 2009)

Link

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: Shahab News, Iran, January 19, 2009"): "IRANIAN MAJLIS DISCUSSES BILL TO ESTABLISH 'ISLAMIC WORLD ARMY'" (SNIPPET: "It was proposed that this army would be part of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.") (Posted January 22, 2009)
JIHAD WATCH.org: "ISESCO (OIC) propagates Dialogue & Judeophobia in two books -- even quoting Nazi forgeries about Benjamin Franklin -- while celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the UN-Geneva" (January 16, 2009)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "THE OIC CALLS ON THE MEDIA TO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH" (December 20, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (REUTERS): "OIC CHIEF: "Attempts to equate Islam with terrorism should be stopped. Stereotyping and demonization of Muslims should be combated"" (December 20, 2008)

COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "OIC's 'DEFAMATION' DECLARATION COULD BE USED BY JIHADI TERROR NETWORKS" by Walid Phares (December 19, 2008)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "DON'T CALL IT ISLAMOPHOBIA" by Joel J. Sprayregen (December 10, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "HATE AND BIAS" (December 5, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (ORGANISATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE, December 2, 2008): "Islam a religion of peace -- daily headlines notwithstanding!" (December 4, 2008)

ATLAS SHRUGS - blog: "NUTS! UN'S DEATH KNELL FOR FREE SPEECH" (November 25, 2008)

CNS NEWS.com: "'DEFAMATION' OF ISLAM RESOLUTION TO SET TO PASS, BUT LOSING GROUND" by Patrick Goodenough (November 25, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (WEA, November 15, 2008): "INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC ORGANIZATION ATTEMPTS TO CRIMINALIZE CRITICISM OF ISLAM AT THE UN" (November 20, 2008)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "JIHAD AGAINST FREE SPEECH" by Deborah Weiss (November 6, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (TODAYS ZAMAN): "OIC CHIEF: ISLAMOPHOBIA IS A NEW FORM OF RACISM, EXCEPT IT'S EVEN WORSE THAN RACISM" (October 31, 2008)

FOX NEWS.com: "U.N. ANTI-BLASPHEMY RESOLUTION CURTAILS FREE SPEECH, CRITICS SAY" by Jennifer Lawinski (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Religious groups and free-speech advocates are banding together to fight a United Nations resolution they say is being used to spread Sharia law to the Western world and to intimidate anyone who criticizes Islam.") (October 3, 2008)
JIHAD WATCH.org (BERNAMA.com, September 25, 2008): New York - "MALAYSIA PROPOSES CONVENTION ON ISLAMOPHOBIA IN U.S." (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Malaysia has proposed that a large-scale international convention sponsored by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) be held as early as next year to tackle the anti-Islam movement...") (September 28, 2008)

WASHINGTON TIMES.com (UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND RED TEAM - UNCLASSIFIED): "FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN JIHAD ANALYSIS: DEBUNKING THE MYTH OF OFFENSIVE WORDS" (August 21, 2008)

ACLJ.org: "PETITION OPPOSING THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE"

Link (pdf)

WorldNetDaily.com: "U.N. SCHEME TO MAKE CHRISTIANS CRIMINALS Sharia-following Islamic nations demanding anti-'defamation' law" by Bob Unruh (July 10, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (REUTERS): Amman - "JORDAN CHARGES GEERT WILDERS WITH 'BLASPHEMY AND CONTEMPT OF MUSLIMS'; OIC 'DEEPLY ANNOYED' AT DUTCH DECISION NOT TO PROSECUTE HIM" (July 1, 2008)

HUMAN EVENTS.com: "GEORGE ORWELL MEETS THE OIC" by Robert Spencer (June 25, 2008)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "FREE SPEECH DIES AT THE UN" by Robert Spencer (June 25, 2008)

COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "JIHAD AGAINST FREEDOM OF SPEECH AT THE UNITED NATIONS" by Jeffrey Imm (June 19, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (REUTERS): "OIC: LACK OF PUNISHMENT FOR CARTOONS WILL LEAD TO MORE 'ISLAMOPHOBIA'" (June 24, 2008)

TRUTHUSA.com: "A Look at More Than Cartoons"

JIHAD WATCH.org: "OIC: COMBATING 'ISLAMOPHOBIA' TOP PRIORITY, WORKING WITH WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO RESTRICT FREE SPEECH" (June 23, 2008)

Link

CNS NEWS.com: "ISLAMIC NATIONS EYE UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEATS" by Patrick Goodenough (June 23, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "ITALIAN PM AND MUSLIM CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY TARGETS OF JIHADIST DEATH THREATS; ISLAMIC CONFERENCE DECRIES 'ISLAMOPHOBIA'" (June 18, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (KUWAIT NEWS AGENCY): "'INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC CONFERENCE ON INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE' CALLS FOR ACTION AGAINST 'CULTURE OF HATRED AMONG NATIONS'" (June 8, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (TODAY'S ZAMAN): "OIC TO DECLARE A 'MEMORIAL DAY' FOR MASSACRES AGAINST MUSLIMS" (May 17, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (TODAYS ZAMAN.com): "ISLAMIC NATIONALS LAUNCH 'ISLAMOPHOBIA OBSERVATORY'" (May10, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC NEWS AGENCY): "OIC CONDEMNS FITNA 'IN THE STRONGEST TERMS'" (March 29, 2008)

WTOP NEWS.com (AP): Geneva - "UN OKs ISLAMIC TEXT AGAINST DEFAMATION" (March 27, 2008, 11:40 pm)

HOT AIR.com - blog: "NEW JIHAD WATCH: DEFAME ISLAM, GET SUED" (March 24, 2008)

Video - Link

ASSIST NEWS SERVICE: "OIC: ELIMINATING 'DEFAMATION' OF ISLAM - an examination of the Organisation of Islamic Conference's Observatory Report on Islamophobia" by Elizabeth Kendal (March 24, 2008)

CNS NEWS.com: "OIC DENOUNCES TERROR, BUT FIGHTING 'OCCUPATION' STILL EXEMPTED" by Patrick Goodenough (March 18, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AFP): Dakar - "INDONESIAN PRESIDENT: "ISLAM HAS BEEN UNJUSTLY ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENCE'" (March 15, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "FITZGERALD: THE OIC's REBRANDING GAME" (March 15, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "OIC: 'COMBATING ISLAMOPHOBIA IS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACED BY THE MUSLIM WORLD'" (SNIPPET: "Well, Jihad Watch can offer a handy five-point plan for countering 'Islamophobia'...") (March 12, 2008)

CNS NEWS.com: "STATE DEPT INTRODUCES NEW ENVOY TO MUSLIM NATIONS" by Susan Jones (March 10, 2008)

COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "JIHAD, ISLAMISM, AND U.S. ENVOY TO OIC" by Jeffrey Imm (February 29, 2008)

WHITEHOUSE.gov - news release: Oval Office - "PRESIDENT BUSH MEETS WITH SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE" (February 27, 2008, 2:01 pm EST)

Previously...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090510/twl-us-iran-threat-underlines-need-for-i-3cd7efd.html
(AFP)

“US: Iran threat underlines need for Israel to seek peace”
Sunday, May 10 06:16 pm

SNIPPET: “The US government agrees that Iran’s nuclear ambitions pose an “existential threat” to Israel but that only reinforces the need for Middle East peace, a top official said Sunday. Skip related content

General James Jones, President Barack Obama’s national security advisor, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would hear the US message on the need for a “two-state” solution first-hand when he comes here soon.

“We understand Israel’s preoccupation with Iran as an existential threat. We agree with that,” he said on ABC television.

“And by the same token, there are a lot of things that you can do to diminish that existential threat by working hard towards achieving a two-state solution,” he said.”

Previously...

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1083080.html

Last update - 09:11 05/05/2009

“Obama gets tougher with Israel on Palestinians, Iran”
By Barak Ravid and Natasha Mozgovaya

Tags: Iran, Israel News

SNIPPET: “Gen. James Jones, national security adviser to President Barack Obama, told a European foreign minister a week ago that unlike the Bush administration, Obama will be “forceful” with Israel.

Meanwhile, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told an AIPAC conference last night that two states for two peoples is the only solution the United States is committed to.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2251139/posts

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6289593.ece

May 15, 2009
“Leon Panetta’s mission to stop Israel bombing Iranian nuclear plant”
James Hider in Jerusalem

SNIPPET: “As Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, prepares to visit Washington, it emerged yesterday that Leon Panetta, the head of the CIA, went to Israel two weeks ago. He sought assurances from Mr Netanyahu and Ehud Barak, the Defence Minister, that their hawkish new Government would not attack Iran without alerting Washington.

Concerns have been rising that Mr Netanyahu could launch a strike on Tehran’s atomic programme, in the same way that Israel hit Saddam Hussein’s Osirak reactor in 1981. Israel has been preparing for such an eventuality. It has carried out long-distance manoeuvres and is due to hold its largest civil defence drills this summer.”

SNIPPET: “Mr Netanyahu will leave for Washington this weekend. He will meet Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, and Mr Obama, whom he will try to convince of the need for tougher action against Iran.”

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