Think-Tanker Suggests Linkage Between Health Care And Israel Policy

[grassfed]

(snip)

"Any US Congressperson or Senator who actually explicitly withdrew or withheld support for health care reform because of loyalty first to Israel and its needs would invite serious questions about his or her patriotism and oath to the US Constitution and American people."



Think-Tanker Suggests Linkage Between Health Care And Israel Policy
Justin Elliott

Is there any connection between the Obama Administration's policy on Israel and its push to close the deal on health care reform?

David Schenker, a fellow at the hawkish Washington Institute for Near East Policy, suggested during a TV appearance earlier this week that the administration's push to finish health care bill would lead to a quick end to the showdown over Israel's decision to build 1,600 new housing units for Jews in East Jerusalem.

The Obama Administration reacted with public anger after Israel made the settlement announcement last week during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden quickly issued a statement condemning the move, and that was followed by several similar comments by administration officials. On Sunday, David Axelrod called the development an "affront" and an "insult.

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[tabatha]

1. But Israel has universal health care.

[LeftishBrit]

3. So it does. The headline is a bit misleading.

The article isn't saying either that Israel is against America having universal health-care, or that Americans who support Israel are against universal health-care in their own country. It seems to be saying that American politicians would rather not be involved in two controversial issues at the same time, and therefore may choose to avoid confrontation with, or about, Israel, until they've passed the health-care bill. As I'm not in America, I have no idea if this is accurate. I do know that the American health-care bill is much in the news in the UK, and that Obama is taking it very seriously, and e.g. has cancelled a foreign trip so as to be around when the vote takes place.

[aranthus]

2. Although that's the headline, that isn't what the man said.

He was pointing out that Congress could actually take some flak for passing the current health care bill (I'm not agreeing with him), and that they also don't wan to be seen as on the side of an "anti-Israel" President. So to help out Congress Obama will make nice with Israel until after the election. He wasn't suggesting a linkage at all.

[grassfed]

4. Congressman holds out on Health Care until Obama takes the pressure off Israel

HCR/Israel linkage

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. Think-Tanker Suggests Linkage Between Health Care And Israel Policy

Justin Elliott | March 19, 2010, 12:30PM


Is there any connection between the Obama Administration's policy on Israel and its push to close the deal on health care reform?

David Schenker, a fellow at the hawkish Washington Institute for Near East Policy, suggested during a TV appearance earlier this week that the administration's push to finish health care bill would lead to a quick end to the showdown over Israel's decision to build 1,600 new housing units for Jews in East Jerusalem.

The Obama Administration reacted with public anger after Israel made the settlement announcement last week during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden quickly issued a statement condemning the move, and that was followed by several similar comments by administration officials. On Sunday, David Axelrod called the development an "affront" and an "insult."

That was the context for a discussion on Monday featuring Schenker and several other experts on Alhurra, the US-sponsored Arabic language satellite station.

The host of the program asked Schenker if he thought Iran was gratified by the disagreement between the United States and Israel on the settlements issue.

Schenker replied:

"I'm sure that they're pleased with it. But I don't really think this will last very long, primarily for political reasons. President Obama has mid-term elections coming up. He doesn't want these congressmen to be seen as being allied with an anti-Israel president. He's also asking these congressmen to back a very unpopular health care bill. This is not a winning political issue right now. "

(The video can be seen here; the exchange begins a bit before the halfway mark. There is a loud Arabic voiceover that makes the English difficult to hear.)

Steve Clemons of the New America Foundation, who was on the same Alhurra segment, seized on Schenker's remarks, writing in a blog post that, "Any US Congressperson or Senator who actually explicitly withdrew or withheld support for health care reform because of loyalty first to Israel and its needs would invite serious questions about his or her patriotism and oath to the US Constitution and American people."

read on...
http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/think-tanker-suggests-linkage-between-israel-policy-and-health-care-reform.php

[ProgressiveMuslim]

6. Sorry for the dupe!