The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly 

You would think that with the enormous failures that can be traced to Rahm Emanuel and his respective bosses, failures that resulted in thousands of dead innocents, Emanuel would stay away from the Holy Land. Instead, Emanuel popped up giving a speech at Tel Aviv University last week with a new vigor. He “discovered” that the Palestinians want peace and the Israeli government is depriving them of their dreams. No mention of the failed Oslo Accords, which resulted in thousands of innocent Israeli deaths or the proposals made by successive Israeli governments of two-state solutions that were turned down by the Palestinians and triggered the Second Intifada and another list of thousands of innocent Israeli victims of the Intifada. No mention of October 7 and the 1,200 innocent Israeli victims. Just blame placed on the Israeli government, which has been fighting a defensive battle on seven fronts against seven existential enemies.

President Bill Clinton, Emanuel’s first high profile boss, has consistently placed the blame for the failure of the 2000 Camp David peace talks on former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Clinton has long expressed deep regret that Arafat walked away from his “Clinton Parameters” proposal, which would have granted Palestinians an independent state in 96% of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. But not Rahm. No way. Rahm places all blame on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Blame for Oslo, for Camp David, for the Intifada, for October 7. With the ultra-left peace camp now a thing of the past in Israel, Rahm Emanuel keeps it going (at least in his mind). Rahm, you hadn’t been to Israel (your parents’ homeland) in years. Stay away!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, one of the finest American patriots of all time unexpectedly passed away recently. The country lost a prince—Lindsey Graham. He lived his life for our country and worked harder than almost anyone for the United States. He was one of the strongest advocates and supporters for Israel in modern history. In a speech which I attended that he recently gave to Christians United for Israel, he predicted the scene when he would pass away and meet his maker. He said that he would start his discussion with G-d with an admission, “I sinned,” “I’m sorry,” and “I should have done better. But when it came to Israel, I was there,”

Senator Graham, my friend Lindsey, you were there. Always. 

J. Philip Rosen is Chairman of the board of World Jewish Congress-American Section and a Member of the Board of Trustees of Yeshiva University.