In an ignominious display, Obama and Romney are falling over themselves to pander to Israel more than the other, writes Khaled Amayreh in occupied Jerusalem In a classic example of the tail wagging the dog, US Republican presidential runner Mitt Romney heaped praise on Israel and Zionism this week in the hope of tilting Jewish voters to his camp in the November US elections. "I love this country, I love America, I love the friendship we have," Romney said, receiving a standing ovation from a carefully-selected Israeli-Jewish audience, which included the country's political and military leaders as well as a multitude of Jewish tycoons and wealthy business people from the United States. According to the latest opinion polls, more than 60 per cent of American Jews favour incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama, who, too, is doing his best to woo American Jews to his side by embracing Israeli causes to the hilt. American Jewish voters, though relatively small in numbers in comparison to other ethnic and religious minority groups, for example, Hispanics, are concentrated in crucial states such as New York, Florida and California, giving their votes more weight in the November showdown between Obama and Romney. In a brashly sycophantic speech intended to please and appease Jews, even at the expense of whitewashing crimes and excesses, such as the enduring Palestinian plight under Israeli occupation, Romney used every epithet in the book to praise Israel and condemn her foes, from Gaza to Tehran. Eyeing Jewish money and votes, Romney spoke elaborately about the Iranian "nuclear threat", saying the fanatical clerical regime in Tehran must not be allowed to possess "the world's most destructive weapons". He dutifully ignored two outstanding facts pertaining to this issue: first the vast Israeli nuclear arsenal, which is widely thought to include 250-300 nuclear weapons, along with their deliver systems. Second, the nature and make-up of the current Israeli regime, considered by many the most fanatical and extremist since Israel was founded 64 years ago. Two years ago, one Israeli cabinet minister and son of a former Israeli president was quoted as saying that "We already live in a fascist state." Romney spoke of "thousands of missiles landing in Israel from the Gaza Strip", but ignored the genocidal blitzkriegs Israel has been launching on the coastal region, using the latest and most advanced weapons produced by American producers, killing and maiming thousands of innocent civilians and destroying homes, mosques, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure. Likewise, Romney didn't utter a word about the decidedly criminal activities of Talmudic-minded Jewish settlers in the West Bank, who are hell-bent on ethnically cleansing the occupied territory of its native Arab inhabitants. Even the newly elected Islamist president of Egypt, Mohamed Mursi, was not spared by Romney, so intent on pandering to Israel and grovelling at its feet for Jewish money and votes. Recognising the fact that Islamists were the winners in Egypt's democratic process, he demanded that the majority respect the rights of minorities. A follower of the Mormon faith, which many Christians think is heretical, Romney was alluding to the Egyptian Coptic community whose rights all Egyptian leaders, including Mursi, have vowed to respect and preserve. Again, Romney didn't speak of the dismal Israeli record in treating non-Jewish minorities. A metaphor for Israel's contempt and disrespect for its non-Jewish citizens occurred last week when a Jewish member of the Knesset tore up a copy of the New Testament in full view of the plenum. The profanity received far more cheers than jeers, a sign that Israeli Jewish society is drifting to jingoism at a time when American political class is still singing the praise of Israeli democracy. This is exactly what Romney did on the eve of his arrival in Israel this week. "I would treat Israel like the friend and ally it is," he told Israel Hayom, the Hebrew newspaper owned by Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, who has donated millions of dollars to Republican and Zionist causes. "I cannot imagine going to the United Nations, as Obama did, and criticising Israel in front of the world," Romney continued. "You don't criticise your allies in public to achieve the applause of your foes." On Monday, Romney tapped Jewish American tycoons and others millionaires for more than a $1 million, ending his visit to Israel, aimed at convincing Israelis and Jews that he would be more obsequious and loyal to them than is Barack Obama. Earlier in the week, President Obama sought to outmanoeuvre his Republican opponent in currying favour with Israel. He signed a new US-Israel pact, granting the recalcitrant Jewish entity a virtual carte blanche to arrogate, free of charge, the secrets of American technology in order to achieve more territorial expansion and military aggrandisement at the expense of its often poor and weak neighbours. The baleful and vapid race between Obama and Romney to satisfy the Jewish Golem did not escape the observation of the deep American intelligence establishment, as the CIA leaked a caveat this week, warning that officially the United States still views Israel as an ally that is striving to spy on the US. According to unnamed US intelligence officials, the CIA continues to view Israel as a major intelligence (read spying) threat. Reports to that effect were published in major American media outlets this week although officials in Tel Aviv and Washington sought to downplay the significance of the reports. John Winthrop, who dreamed of a shining city on a hill, must be turning in his grave, seeing the country of Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin and Madison willingly teetering under the Jewish yoke. Winthrop warned: "The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause us to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world."
