© AP
Jared Kushner, WH Senior Advisor to President Trump
Jared Kushner, WH Senior Advisor to President Trump
There was a time when we all went along with the myth that American peacemaking in the Middle East was even-handed, neutral, uninfluenced by the religion or political background or business activities of the peacemakers. Even when, during the Clinton administration, the four principle US "peacemakers" were all Jewish Americans - their lead negotiator, Dennis Ross, a former prominent staff member of the most powerful Israeli lobby group, AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee) - the Western press scarcely mentioned this. Only in Israel was it news, where the Maariv newspaper called them "the mission of four Jews".
The Israeli writer and activist, Meron Benvenisti, wrote in Ha'aretz newspaper that while the ethnic origin of the four US diplomats may be irrelevant, "it is hard to ignore the fact that manipulation of the peace process was entrusted by the US in the first place to American Jews, and that at least one member of the State Department team was selected for the task because he represented the view of the American Jewish establishment. The tremendous influence of the Jewish establishment on the Clinton administration found its clearest manifestation in redefining the 'occupied territories' as 'territories in dispute'.
Comment: Manipulation of terms - subtle changes that few notice - have a way of impacting future understanding and points of view by the tweak in meaning. Israel is a masterful and successful manipulator of awareness and context to suit its needs. Look at how it has gained command of the USA and how many Americans are under this stupor. Should objections be raised, Israel plays the 'anti-semitism card and the sheeple dutifully fall back in line, demonstratively more enthusiastic and blindly supportive of whatever is next on Israel's agenda.
Comment: US citizens and politicians are conditioned to accept a close relationship with Israel. Israel has special privilege to call the shots. Even if Kushner's vulnerabilities are exploitable, it may be difficult to get a consensus that targets his activities. As this article points out, a Palestinian would never be viewed in the same bias, nor treated as well.
See also: