By Michael Wilner—
Barack Obama is one of five presidents in modern history who has made a “conscious decision to try to distance from Israel,” his former aide, Dennis Ross, said on Sunday.
Addressing The Jerusalem Post’s annual conference in New York, Ross, a veteran diplomat who has worked on peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians under the Reagan, H. W. Bush, Clinton and Obama administrations, said the White House has worked under the assumption that “Israel is more of a problem than it is a partner.”
“If you distance yourself from Israel, you’ll gain with the Arabs,” Ross said, summing up the premise of the Obama administration’s policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
But he said the assumption is not unique to this White House as former presidents Eisenhower, Nixon, Carter and H. W. Bush all tried to distance themselves from Israel for the same reason.
Ross offered his analysis of the policy approach: “Every administration that has tried to distance itself from Israel has gained nothing,” he said.
The diplomat also said the Obama administration worked toward a two-state solution believing it would bring peace to the wider Middle East, but argued that assumption is flawed, as well.
“If tomorrow you could solve this issue, it wouldn’t stop one barrel bomb in Syria,” he said. “It wouldn’t change Iran’s ambition in the region. It wouldn’t change the challenges Egypt is facing.”
Ross questioned whether a comprehensive peace deal is possible in the current political climate – both in Jerusalem and Ramallah. But he characterized himself as an optimist, and said his recent book, Doomed to Succeed, is intended to educate the next president on the mistakes of past negotiations.
What the five former Presidents have failed to understand is that when they distance themselves and America from Israel, that brings a curse to our land whether they know it or not and whether they believe it or not. Genesis 12:3 states, “I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you” – speaking of Israel and the Jewish people. Hosea 4:6 states, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Lack of what knowledge? The knowledge of the Bible. Proverbs 9:10 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 3:5-7 states, “Trust in the LORD with all you heart, and lean not on you own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD and depart from evil.” Our leaders, especially Obama, certainly could learn from these verses. Don’t think America is under a curse? Look at our economy, lack of prosperity, lack of jobs, droughts, floods, terrorism, anarchy in the streets, plagues such as Zika virus, disrespect for parents and law enforcement, increase in crimes such as murder, rape, child trafficking, sexual sin such as homosexuality and same sex marriage, inability to win wars, being invaded by illegal aliens, and on and on. Read about all the curses God puts on nations who turn against Him until they are utterly destroyed in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. That is why it is imperative we elect a new leader in America who is God fearing and knows the Bible. If we fail to do that, we are doomed as a nation.