Obama, Palestine and the U.N, an election year nightmare.

Map from Family Security Matters

The United Nations general assembly meets this week in New York, and the Palestinians will be petitioning the U.N. for recognition of statehood.

Significance

Why is this significant?  Take a look at the map to the right and notice who surrounds Israel.  Each and every state surrounding Israel has either attacked or vowed to attack Israel in the near future.  Why is this significant and where does Obama come in?

First, we have to recognize that in this region, Israel represents the only true American Style Democracy and free state.  Not only that, Israel is the most American friendly, pro United States country in the world.

As stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  during an address to congress recently, America has no better friend than Israel, we stand together ...  In an unstable Middle East, Israel is the one anchor of stability, in a region of shifting alliances, Israel is Americas unwavering ally.


Watch the inspiring moments from the speech in front of Congress.

Happening This Week

So what is happening this week? Mr. Abbas (Palestinian President) will address the United Nations General Assembly on Friday and request Palestine be recognized as a State.

In reality no-one expects that to actually pass.  The request will go to the U.N. Security Council where it is expected to be defeated.  The United States has signaled that it would veto the measure there.  However whether that happens or not is difficult to predict.  The Obama administration has gone out of their way to endear themselves to Arab states in the region and a veto vote in the Security Council would send the wrong message.  However an obstain vote could potentially give Palestine what they want.  Either way the United States comes out looking weaker in the region.  Next after the Security Council, Mr. Abbas is expected to appeal to the General Assembly for an upgrade from their current Permanent Mission status to Non-Member Permanent State Observer Status.

Significance

So what is the significance?  If the Palestinians get this upgrade status here is what they get (Taken from AmericanTaskForce.org website) ...

• Gives members full sovereign rights over air space, a contentious issue with Israel, which currently controls the air space above the West Bank and Gaza. The Palestinians could bring claims of violation of its air space to the International Court of Justice.
• Law of the Sea Treaty, they would gain legal control of national waters off Gaza—where they are currently under an Israeli naval blockade. Under the treaty, the Palestinians could challenge the blockade at the International Court of Justice. They could also claim rights to an offshore natural-gas field now claimed by Israel. 
• Palestinian membership in the International Criminal Court. Ambassador Christian Wenaweser, president of the ICC Assembly of State Parties, said in an interview that a Palestinian observer state could join the ICC and ask the court to investigate any alleged war crimes and other charges against Israel committed on Palestinian territory after July 2002. including Israel's 2008-09 assault on the Gaza Strip. 

Troubles for Obama and his re-election

How does this translate to trouble for Obama?  His stance over the past several years on these matters has been significantly Pro-Palestinian and Anti-Israel.

Statements such as "Going Back to the 1967 borders", "End occupation of Palestinian areas", "America does not accept the legitimacy of Israeli settlements" has angered the electorate (Both Jew and Non-Jew) and had negative ramifications resonating through his base, affecting Democrats as a whole.  Take a look at the Special Election in NY District 9, where it is said the vast majority of conservative Jews who carried Democrats for 90 years now voted for a Republican. See this Link for more info ... (Link)

In an article in the Jewish Times (Link) referencing Ben Smith of Politico, he is quoted as forecasting Jewish problems for Obama ahead of the 2012 election year.
Smith said that Obama’s May 19 Middle East policy speech, in which he called for negotiations with the Palestinians based on the pre-1967 lines, with land swaps, had shaken Jewish confidence in the president.

To be clear ... The economy doesn't help either. In past years Democrats could count on significant support and donations from Jewish constituents.  This elections cycle might see that diminish, and the economy plays quite a big role in that.  This years' election cycle, the democrats must own up to the fact they own this economy now.

In a region where chants like "Death to America and Kill the Great satin, and the little Satin" are common in Arab/Musilm states; where regimes' allegiances are never sure or secure, and where human rights violations are common; where government actors spread propaganda from the Holocaust being fake to the attack on the twin towers being the work of Israelis, its is hard to I find common ground with the Obama Administrations stance on Israel.  Israel is not only our ally, who could be counted upon at any given moment for any reason, their inhabitants feel the same towards America. 
We should be honoring that, not undermining their government.  This administrations stance sends a clear message to our other allies, basically saying you cant really count on us.

Our national security is threatened because of all of this, and plenty of folks, even if they are not interested in the Arab-Israeli issues see this as undermining the U.S.'s potion in the world, and will accordingly, both in local and national politics.

Obama Speech to U.N 2009

Obama Mentions in Speech to the U.N 2010 that he wants to see Palestine a State by this time next year ...

Obama wants Palestine to join United Nations by EUXTV

Links
Palestinian Upgrade at the U.N. to Permanent Observer State
Obama popularity among Jews dropping - Jewish Times