Pete Buttigieg doesn’t think President Trump was right to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The disturbing story is here:
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana and a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 election, denounced Tuesday US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, as an interference in Israeli politics, JNS reported.
“There are very legitimate Israeli security concerns,” Buttigieg told JNS, “That being said, I would have, in that situation, had this be part of a negotiated discussion.
“The really upsetting thing about what was done with the Golan Heights was that it was an intervention in Israeli domestic politics.”
“In other words,” he added, “The president used US foreign policy to put a thumb on the scale for right-wing allies within Israeli domestic politics. This is totally the wrong basis for our policy.”
“The bottom line is that when I am president,” Buttigieg concluded, “We will do it not based on US politics and not based on Israeli politics but based on what is best for the security of the Israeli-Palestinian [future].”
When asked about possibly undoing the president’s move, Buttigieg told JNS that he will not “make any declarations now about the future of that status other than to say that on my watch it would not have come as part of the intervention of [sic] Israeli [politics].”
The Republican Jewish Coalition replied to Buttigieg, saying that he “apparently wants Syria to have the Golan Heights, supports a foreign policy strategy that denies reality.”
Pete Buttigieg believes that President Trump’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights constitutes “interference in Israeli politics.” That might be true, if Trump had lobbied for Israel to annex the Golan Heights. But the Golan Heights were annexed by Israel in 1981, 38 years before Trump recognized the simple fact of its annexation. That annexation is not an issue in Israeli politics. At the time of the annexation, 80 per cent of Jewish Israelis supported the move, according to opinion polls, “even if” returning the Golan to Syria would mean a permanent peace with Syria. Now 85% of Israeli Jews would not consider giving up the Golan Heights under any scenario. Ever fewer Israelis believe that a lasting peace with Syria or the other Arab states can be obtained through treaties; the only secure peace with Muslims, they realize, is that obtained and maintained through deterrence. To ensure that, Israel’s military power must be overwhelmingly greater, so as to deter any would-be aggressors. Part of that strength requires continued control of certain territories, and the Golan Heights have always been understood in Israel as critical to its security. According to U.N. Resolution 242, Israel has a right to territorial adjustments so as to obtain “secure” — i.e., defensible – borders. That, according to successive Israeli governments, must include the Golan. And others agree: when President Johnson had the Joint Chiefs send a delegation to Israel after the Six-Day War, in the report they wrote they concluded that Israel had to hold onto the Golan.
The Golan Heights loom high above the Israeli farms beneath, and from 1949 to 1967, Syrian gunners rained fire down on those farms below. Wresting the Golan from Syria was a costly undertaking for the Israelis in 1967, and holding onto the Golan in the face of the Syrian surprise attack in October 1973 was even more difficult. After that history of pain and sacrifice, and remembering how that land was used by the Syrians, nothing will induce the Israelis to give up the Golan. Why not recognize the annexation, and thereby help to “take it off the table” of any future negotiations?
Jewish support for the annexation now stands at 85%; Israelis overwhelmingly agree that, as Prime Minister Netanyahu has said, possession of the Golan Heights, won in a war of self-defense, remains essential to Israel’s defense. It is even more so now that the Iranians have been setting up bases in Syria; imagine if the Golan, in such circumstances, were again in Syrian – or possibly Iranian — hands.
Pete Buttigieg has in the past been criticized at pro-Palestinian websites for being too sympathetic to Israel. Would that it were true. But I don’t see him as being particularly understanding of Israel’s plight. Granted, he’s not part of the “Squad.” He visited Israel in 2018, on a trip sponsored by the American Jewish Committee. Afterwards he did blame Hamas for the wretched condition of the Palestinians in Gaza, but said nothing about Hamas’s firing of missiles into towns and cities – civilian targets — in southern Israel. He did not discuss the Hamas campaign to breach Israel’s security fence, nor did he take the opportunity to note that those Gazans who keep being described in much of the media as “unarmed protesters” in fact flung Molotov cocktails, grenades, incendiary kites, and in some cases even fired guns, at Israeli soldiers. He did not describe Israel’s use of tear gas and rubber bullets to halt the rioting mobs, and the Israeli soldiers who reluctantly found it necessary to use live fire, and only in the most threatening situations. He said nothing about the security situation in the West Bank, nothing about the Palestinian Authority’s “Pay for Slay” program, nor the naming of squares and streets after terrorists. He said nothing about the Palestinian textbooks full of antisemitic venom, nothing about the Palestinian children’s programs where little kids declare their admiration for those who “kill Jews.”
Nor did Pete Buttigieg mention the 140,000 missiles from Iran that Hezbollah has stockpiled in southern Lebanon, or the tunnels dug by both Hamas and Hezbollah to smuggle weapons, money, and fighters. He did mention that the threat from Iran was made clear to him by Israeli officers; he described the situation with that country as “complex”; a less ambiguous denunciation of the Islamic Republic as an aggressor throughout the Middle East, especially of concern to Israel because of its supplying of advanced missiles to Hezbollah, and its attempts to create bases in Syria, would have been welcome.
Judging by his post-trip comments, what impressed Buttigieg the most about Israel was the high-tech modernity of Tel Aviv, that is, the Jewish state, as the “start-up nation.” That is impressive, but more impressive still is how Israel manages, despite every conceivable threat, to remain a wide-open democracy. It’s a place where Arabs serve in the Knesset, on the Supreme Court, in the diplomatic corps and, if they wish, in the military as well. It’s a place where human rights and the rule of law are respected. And in Israel, this occurs even while the people in this tiny country are under a permanent siege: they remain the object of Islamic terrorism, of missile attacks from Gaza, of Hezbollah’s building of terror tunnels, and of bloodcurdling threats from Iran to destroy the country. Its people are resilient, intelligent, and brave. Those qualities are even more noteworthy than their astonishing inventiveness. Buttigieg might have taken note.
Me says
A Simple THANK YOU would do for a friend HELPING a Friend. Geez… Common sense buddy…
mgoldberg says
Now, just sit back and consider the Syrian destruction of it’s own people; it’s hideous torturing, chemical weaponry, slaughtering, and how they used to use the golan to shower Israeli farmers with bullets for their own greedy conquering memes. Then look at the situation now and see how ‘progressives’ always turn to giving such nations their ‘right’s to their claims. Israel should never give any of that land back. I visited there about 15 yrs ago, and stood in and old syrian pill box where you could see how they were treating Israel and the people below, murdering them, with their land claim. it’s time all this nonsense ended, and any pretense about returning anything to the nation of Syria that attacked israel and lost a piece of land from whicht they used to murder Jews.
gravenimage says
Spot on.
Linda Vinecour says
Awesome!!! I will probably quote you in discussions…
Jim Scott says
Repeating a false statement doesn’t make it true.
gravenimage says
What did mgoldberg say that is not true?
alrassooli says
It is truly disheartening as well as disgusting how every single one of those Democrats attempting to be President are more than happy and willing to sell their mothers to the whorehouse if it helps their agenda.
I have always asked the simplest of questions (invariably the most difficult to answer TRUTHFULLY) on what rational foundations they truly expect to have PEACE between Muslims and Israel? Have the PLO, Hamas and all the other Islamic entities REVOKED publicly and irrevocably their charters to EXTERMINATE Israelis?
If there ever was a Palestinian people, Where in the last 6000 years of recorded history (prior to 1964 when this myth was invented by the KGB) can one find it?
UN Resolution 181 addressed the creation of TWO STATES in British Mandated Palestine: one Arab and one Jewish. The Jews accepted. The Arabs started a publicly declared war of EXTERMINATION (the first act of WAR that the UN was created to prevent) and LOST.
WHY for 19 years from 1948 till 1967 when there was not a single Israeli in Gaza or the West Bank did these so called’ palestinians’ NOT declare their Statehood?
WHY for 19 years NOT a single UN member, any Arab or Muslim entity decry the OCCUPATION of Gaza by Egypt and the West Bank by Jordan.
WHY only when Israel won the 6 Days War against the attempted GENOCIDE declared by ALL the Arabs from 15th May 1967 that all of a sudden all of the UN woke up in SHOCK at the so called OCCUPATION by Israel?
WHY not a single member in the UN and not a single politician or the media address the Occupations by Turkey of north Cyprus; by Russia of the Crimea; by China of Tibet etc? ONLY when it comes to Israel that the’ rules of law’ are to be applied?
Pete Buttigieg and clueless idiots like him have as much knowledge of Islam, Arab Israeli confrontations, history of the Middle East and or the Bible as the knowledge of a Pig regarding the science of personal hygiene (I am sorry I am insulting pigs)
The Golan must and will forever be part of Israel because the security and survival of Israel depends on it
IQ al Rassooli
mortimer says
Well expressed. Double standards are actually no standard at all.
gravenimage says
Good comments.
And good to see you posting here again, IQ al Rassooli.
mortimer says
ISRAEL’S BORDERS WERE SET IN 1923
It’s time to stop humming and hawing about the borders of Israel once and for all. The borders of Israel were established in 1923 when the British arbitrarily violated the Mandate, morally and legally, by creating the “Emirate of Jordan” in Eastern Palestine. The British announced that this was a “temporary” measure, which they quietly and quickly made “permanent.” Jews were no longer allowed to live there. Once the British established the Mandate, and Jewish immigration began to create a mini-industrial revolution, both Western and Eastern Palestine attracted waves of Muslim Arab immigrants from Egypt and Syria. These new immigrants found it convenient to make common cause with the non-Bedouin residents of Jordan and much later, specifically after 1967, called themselves and their children Palestinians. President Roosevelt pointed out in 1939 that “Arab immigration into Palestine since 1921 has vastly exceeded the total Jewish immigration during this whole period.” Until 1946, its British administrators called TransJordan — Eastern Palestine.
Sticking to the facts would be a good idea for Pete Buttigieg … but he DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THE FACTS ARE.
Nonetheless, Pete Buttigieg opens his mouth and shouts whatever EMOTION comes into his head. NOT responsible.
STUDY FIRST … THEN TALK.
DeAnna says
Well that’s certainly one side of the story.
Jim Scott says
The wrong side DeAnna.
gravenimage says
How so?
Rich says
His ignorance has just disqualified him from consideration for the presidency.
Angemon says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FopyRHHlt3M
Eric Jones says
God ordained that marraige is between man and woman. I will not vote for Buttigige. He cannot run South Bend Indiana properly let aone the USA. He cannot conduct a fair and even foreign policy for the USA.
Eric
James Lincoln says
Israel must never ever give up its sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
It’s a strategic military asset for Israel’s protection.
Nonnegotiable
Beverly says
Not only that, but when you attack other people and you lose land, tough beans. You don’t get the land back. End of discussion.
gravenimage says
Yes–Israel was *not* the aggressor.
Maureen Jones says
I am not weighing in on the issue as I do not have enough information to make an informed comment. However, many Dems remember the end run the Senate did around President Obama and Netanyahu’s cooperation by appearing in the Senate without meeting with the President first. This was a huge slap in the face to our President and Netanyahu’s verbal praise of our President were meaningless in sight of his actions. Meddling in US politics should not be the action of a close ally yet he did and he was fully aware of what he was doing.
Humiliating a sitting President is not something that will endear the leader of a nation to the American public. Israel needs the support of ALL Americans, not just the corrupt party that will be voted out, God willing, in the next election.
Claudia barnickle says
Almost 2 thousands years ago the sovereign God gave Israels borders to Abraham. God declared it eas his land to give. The golan heights were part of that land. The Bible says those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. This country, i beleive has been blessed by God because of its stance for Israel. In 1948 president Truman againt advice of his counsel sign to have Isarel become a state . And maybe you didn’t know Pete, he was a democrat. Of coutse the democrats of today all seem to be liberal socialist who want power for themselves and not the good of the people. Socialism is one step from communism. Thre power is not goven to thr people but to the government. I hope the american people wake up soon and see the truth.
Claudia
b.a. freeman says
“The really upsetting thing about what was done with the Golan Heights was that it was an intervention in Israeli domestic politics.”
—
that’s strange; i seem to remember that mr. obama spent about $300 000 in state department funds supporting OneVoice, a hard-left political action organization in israel, in order to help defeat mr. netanyahu in the 2015 elections. i can’t seem to find any comments by mr. buttigieg about that. of course, if the gutting of the defense of israel is at stake, anything is legal, especially if one is the president and has a pen and a phone.
sieg heil, mr. buttigieg!
gravenimage says
Pete Buttigieg on the Golan Heights and “the Occupation [that] Must End” (Part 1)
……………….
Does it matter that Israel could not defend herself against her genocidal Muslim “neighbors”? Either Pete Buttigieg does not know that, or he does not care.
elee says
Does he actually DESIRE to get thrown off a high building? Thanks for publishing this information.
Jay says
Buttigieg is an idiot ! If you look up “stupid” in the dictionary, his picture appears!
There is no cure for stupid as we all know!
TRUMP 2020. our only hope to save and protect America!
????????????????
jca reid says
Israel give back the Golan Heights – no way Pedro! It is such a strategic & tactical advantage to the IDF to defend Israel, by giving it away to Syria one is inviting a mass invasion. Anyway, what have the Syrians done with their side of the lands in the region? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. On the Israeli side they have turned a desert area into a most fruitful area with orchards all over. Israel is called the Fruit Basket of the Middle East, whereas the surrounding Arab countries simply wallow in self pity & a “victimhood” & think Allah will sort things out. Well their Allah has done nothing really for 1400years. what the Muslims got was simply by conquest by taking what others had: no innovation, no development. simply hoping somebody else will provide.
Mrs. Good says
Buttigieg knows what he is talking about. He was an intelligence officer in the Navy. I support Pete Buttigieg for president. It’s funny to see “news” articles trying to spin what he says/doesnt say to try to make him look bad or something.
Angemon says
“ It’s funny to see “news” articles trying to spin what he says/doesnt say to try to make him look bad or something.”
That’s what i call “giving someone the Trump treatment”.