Over the past week, headline after headline emanating from Washington and the Middle East has caused us to do a double take. In this week’s Action Update, we’ll discuss developments which give further insight into what the Biden administration, the Iranian regime and the Palestinian Authority are thinking.
Kumbaya Foreign Policy
On Thursday, President Biden offered to reenter negotiations with Iran to discuss the terror sponsoring, human rights abusing theocracy’s nuclear program. One might have hoped this wasn’t the predictable next step for the Biden administration after their appointment of appeaser-in-chief Robert Malley to serve as the US Iran envoy, or his ideological kin Colin Kahl to serve in the Defense Department, but, of course, it was.
Likewise, we’re sure the “diplomacy is an ends not a means” caucus on the far-left might’ve thought the tyrants of Tehran would respond to this offer with a good faith effort to resolve the issue, but of course they didn’t. Rather, the Iranians saw the Biden administration’s weakness and reacted predictably, announcing a few days later that they will now (further) limit international inspectors’ access to Tehran’s nuclear sites, and then threatening to begin enriching uranium from the current level of 20% to 60%. All this after Iranian militias attacked the Kurdish city of Irbil,
killing a contractor and injuring a US service member, and continue to fire rockets at the US Embassy in Baghdad.
Chamberlain couldn’t talk Hitler out of his maniacal ambitions. Obama couldn’t talk Khamenei out of his. And Biden can’t either. Just because the lessons of history don’t match up with the way you want the world to work doesn’t mean you should ignore them. Only a strong, principled approach with the support of our Israeli and Gulf allies has any chance of bearing a diplomatic resolution.
Pay-to-Slay
According to a report released this week, the Palestinian Authority (PA) doled out over $150 million to terrorists and their families in 2020. This news comes on the heels of a report that the Biden administration is trying to work with the PA to find a way
around the Taylor Force Act, a law that prevents US taxpayer dollars from going to the PA until that entity stops paying salaries and pensions to terrorists.
We realize there are differing views on foreign policy, and that Washington remains an acrimonious place, but can’t we all agree that American money shouldn’t go to Palestinian (or any other) terrorists?
The average Palestinian does not enjoy the good life. His/her plight is troubling. $150 million dollars spent on basic government services, rather than supporting terrorism, would improve the lives of Palestinians and would open up additional aid to those people. But that’s not the PA’s approach and the Biden administration seems ok with that. Pro tip: you can’t be pro-Palestinian and look the other way as the PA’s corrupt and autocratic leadership takes money from its people to entice other Palestinians to commit murder.
Free Palestine!
Speaking of the Palestinian plight, PA President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree this week that, in advance of the Palestinian election, Palestinians would no longer be arrested for exercising their right to speak freely or for their political affiliations.
At first glance, one might view that as welcome news. But consider for a moment that this means that prior to Abbas issuing his decree (itself the act of a dictator, not a democratically elected leader) Palestinians were being arrested for their speech and associations. Pro tip: You can’t be pro-Palestinian and look the other way as the PA imprisons and tortures innocent Palestinians who dissent against the PA.
The issues raised in this week’s Update beg the question, have we once again returned to a foreign policy marked by weakness that emboldens our adversaries? Will the Biden administration look the other away as Iran and the PA continue to keep their boots on the throats of their people?
Actions speak louder than words, and at this point, Christian Zionists seem to be more concerned with the plight of innocent Palestinians and Iranians than do those in the
Biden administration Those who pay lip service to these issues but turn around and empower the worst actors in the region are showing their true colors, and it ain’t pretty.
Sincerely,
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