What has disturbed me almost as much as the agreement itself is the treatment of Israel throughout this process. It's not simply a matter of failing to thank Israel for its role. The way Israel has reportedly been treated has been disgraceful.
Israel supplied intelligence, took risks, absorbed retaliation, and helped make the military success possible. Yet when it came to shaping the agreement, Israel appears to have been pushed to the sidelines. Reports that Israel asked to see or participate in discussions regarding the document and was essentially told no are deeply troubling.
It leaves many of us wondering: who exactly is being listened to? Qatar? Turkey? Pakistan? How is it possible that countries with their own agendas seem to have more influence over the process than the nation that carried so much of the burden?
I continue to support Trump, and I'm not prepared to pass final judgment until the 60 days are up and we see the final outcome. If this process ultimately produces a verifiable end to Iran's nuclear ambitions, then much of today's criticism may prove premature.
But regardless of how the negotiations end, the treatment of Israel has been difficult to understand and impossible to justify.
And as for JD Vance, I have to admit that I was never entirely comfortable with his views on foreign policy. After watching how this has unfolded, I'm considerably less comfortable today than I was before.
I was a Trump supporter. No more. He has sold out and thrown Israel under the bus. I’ve never liked Vance, and now definitively know why. They’ve sold out to Qatar and Turkey, and now Trump is going to fly around in his Qatari – gifted Air Force One! I resent them both tremendously for creating such angst for American Jews, who now have to worry about their future in this country (myself included). Shame on them and their Jewish negotiators, Witkoff and Kushner. It’s all so bizarre, it’s almost biblical.
It IS biblical! Read your Torah. Things are accelerating so rapidly (the increasing isolation of Israel) that it appears God is getting ready to part the waters again!
America owes a lot to Israel .. those who cosy up to Qatar are fools .. Qatar is state sponsor of worldwide terrorist group, Muslim Brotherhood .. banned in Egypt, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and others .. for the USA to count Qatar as an ally, ie being bought off is a disgrace .. Trump, Vance and others are morally and financially corrupt .. accepting the Boeing 747 from Qatar is but one example.
Absolutely correct on all points! Furthermore, any fair agreement would require Iran to pay reparations to Israel for all the damage caused by incessant attacks by Iran and its proxies.
Wow! This is the most cogent explanation yet of the gains made as a result of the combined power of the combination of American and Israel’s war capabilities. The sum is most definitely greater than the parts except for one crucial part. This administration and Trump in particular uses Israel for its own interests, then abandons it when it suits him, treating the Jewish state as some kind of lap dog emboldened to him when it is the exact opposite.
It reminds me of the classic story of the compulsive guy who bets the house on the long shot in a race. The horse is falling behind, way behind, half way through the race. The desperate bettor begins imploring God to save him, promising “Teshuvah” (rehabilitation of his ways). His horse begins gaining ground. The guy is heartened and starts doubling down in the home stretch, his vows becoming more emphatic, “ Please God, help me this one time, I’ll never cheat on my taxes, wife, squander my inheritance, on and on.
The horse starts to take the lead and begins pulling away near the finish. “Oh, thanks HaShem, I’ve got this. I’ll take it from here.” So it always goes with Donald Trump and his bully hillbilly, Vice President.
Israel does the dirty work and Trump, in his Narcissistic arrogance, incredibly pulls the rug of strategic defeat out from under Israel and American victory. It’s not over yet. HaShem will somehow find the way forward for Israel.
An excellent accurate comment. The depths to which the current administration has sunk to protect US interests at the expense of profound disrespect for Israel. The only country which stood shoulder to shoulder with the US and outperformed its counterparts. The enemies of America, including the Iranian regime, are enormously strengthened by this back stabbing shameful administration.
Bob Goldberg, you deserve every prize / Oscar / gold medal for writing such an ‘on the nail article’. Those who are effectively throwing Israel ‘under the bus’ need to ‘face the music’, not the cash and aeroplane on offer from Qatar and the evil Erdogan in Turkey.
Bob, excellent article.
What has disturbed me almost as much as the agreement itself is the treatment of Israel throughout this process. It's not simply a matter of failing to thank Israel for its role. The way Israel has reportedly been treated has been disgraceful.
Israel supplied intelligence, took risks, absorbed retaliation, and helped make the military success possible. Yet when it came to shaping the agreement, Israel appears to have been pushed to the sidelines. Reports that Israel asked to see or participate in discussions regarding the document and was essentially told no are deeply troubling.
It leaves many of us wondering: who exactly is being listened to? Qatar? Turkey? Pakistan? How is it possible that countries with their own agendas seem to have more influence over the process than the nation that carried so much of the burden?
I continue to support Trump, and I'm not prepared to pass final judgment until the 60 days are up and we see the final outcome. If this process ultimately produces a verifiable end to Iran's nuclear ambitions, then much of today's criticism may prove premature.
But regardless of how the negotiations end, the treatment of Israel has been difficult to understand and impossible to justify.
And as for JD Vance, I have to admit that I was never entirely comfortable with his views on foreign policy. After watching how this has unfolded, I'm considerably less comfortable today than I was before.
I was a Trump supporter. No more. He has sold out and thrown Israel under the bus. I’ve never liked Vance, and now definitively know why. They’ve sold out to Qatar and Turkey, and now Trump is going to fly around in his Qatari – gifted Air Force One! I resent them both tremendously for creating such angst for American Jews, who now have to worry about their future in this country (myself included). Shame on them and their Jewish negotiators, Witkoff and Kushner. It’s all so bizarre, it’s almost biblical.
It IS biblical! Read your Torah. Things are accelerating so rapidly (the increasing isolation of Israel) that it appears God is getting ready to part the waters again!
Indeed, a great article.
America owes a lot to Israel .. those who cosy up to Qatar are fools .. Qatar is state sponsor of worldwide terrorist group, Muslim Brotherhood .. banned in Egypt, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and others .. for the USA to count Qatar as an ally, ie being bought off is a disgrace .. Trump, Vance and others are morally and financially corrupt .. accepting the Boeing 747 from Qatar is but one example.
Absolutely correct on all points! Furthermore, any fair agreement would require Iran to pay reparations to Israel for all the damage caused by incessant attacks by Iran and its proxies.
Face it. Vance is running for president and the “ price of gas crowd “ is his constituency, not the expendable Jews.
Wow! This is the most cogent explanation yet of the gains made as a result of the combined power of the combination of American and Israel’s war capabilities. The sum is most definitely greater than the parts except for one crucial part. This administration and Trump in particular uses Israel for its own interests, then abandons it when it suits him, treating the Jewish state as some kind of lap dog emboldened to him when it is the exact opposite.
It reminds me of the classic story of the compulsive guy who bets the house on the long shot in a race. The horse is falling behind, way behind, half way through the race. The desperate bettor begins imploring God to save him, promising “Teshuvah” (rehabilitation of his ways). His horse begins gaining ground. The guy is heartened and starts doubling down in the home stretch, his vows becoming more emphatic, “ Please God, help me this one time, I’ll never cheat on my taxes, wife, squander my inheritance, on and on.
The horse starts to take the lead and begins pulling away near the finish. “Oh, thanks HaShem, I’ve got this. I’ll take it from here.” So it always goes with Donald Trump and his bully hillbilly, Vice President.
Israel does the dirty work and Trump, in his Narcissistic arrogance, incredibly pulls the rug of strategic defeat out from under Israel and American victory. It’s not over yet. HaShem will somehow find the way forward for Israel.
An excellent accurate comment. The depths to which the current administration has sunk to protect US interests at the expense of profound disrespect for Israel. The only country which stood shoulder to shoulder with the US and outperformed its counterparts. The enemies of America, including the Iranian regime, are enormously strengthened by this back stabbing shameful administration.
I have never seen such rudeness in my life
If JD’s view of the world is the future of the Republican Party, the Democrats now have an opportunity to recapture much of what they lost.
I don't think so.
I don't think so.
I don't think so.
Bob Goldberg, you deserve every prize / Oscar / gold medal for writing such an ‘on the nail article’. Those who are effectively throwing Israel ‘under the bus’ need to ‘face the music’, not the cash and aeroplane on offer from Qatar and the evil Erdogan in Turkey.