Why is President Bush applying a double standard in his treatment of Israel?
Apparently he thinks the U.S. policy of targeted killing against Osama bin Laden and his henchmen is OK. But it’s wrong when Israel targets Islamic militants who have masterminded the murder of Israeli civilians.
It’s also OK for the United States to conduct daily bombing raids against Afghanistan and send commandos on search-and-destroy missions. Yet Bush criticizes Israel for moving tanks into Palestinian territory, even though some of the worst militants are hiding there.
How hypocritical.
The primary issue is not approval or disapproval of either country’s military tactics. It’s U.S. treatment of its major Mideast ally.
No doubt the Bush administration must realize the hypocrisy of its latest criticisms of Israel. The United States is basically telling the Jewish state, “Do as I say, not as I do” — a message many parents give to their children.
But Israel is not a child. It is the only democratic state in the Mideast, and should be treated with the respect due a true friend of America.
Until recently, the Bush administration treated Israel amazingly well, better than most critics of the president would have expected. The reason for the latest twist is obvious. Bush wants to maintain his coalition with other Muslim states while the war against Afghanistan continues.
But many Arab states are only paying lip service. Saudi Arabia has refused to freeze money belonging to the Taliban or bin Laden. Syrian officials have claimed Israel’s Mossad is behind the Sept. 11 World Trade Center bombing, adding that Jewish employees in the towers were warned not to go to work that day. Jordan and Egypt say they support the United States, but what have they done to help?
The only real support they’ve given Bush is to suppress the people in the street who support bin Laden.
Such support hardly warrants the administration’s hypocritical treatment of Israel. And for that reason alone, Israel is not bending to U.S. pressure.