Squeeze Play

We are witnessing a startling attempt by the Obama administration to establish a peanut gallery of Jewish backers of his anti-Israel designs. * * * The original "Peanut Gallery" was a packed audience of little kids who were used to applaud the antics of a clown named "Clarabell" (on an early American TV show called "the Howdy Doody Show").
The Kiddies Watched.

The Clown Shpritzed.

Burning Bush (1989)

Today's Golden Oldie is from 1989.

I just did a cartoon the other day about how the situation with the current U.S. President is getting "Biblical". I'd forgotten that I'd used the same line twenty years ago. It seems like we move through cycles of history and re-experience situations.

The Jewish Calendar is believed by many to be a chart of our progress through regions of time. Today we are passing through one of those significant and fearful times. Today is Tisha Be'Av. The place in our journey through the year that is fraught with tragedy, danger, and misfortune for the Children of Israel.

For those who are fasting today, Tsom Kal (Have an easy fast).

Shepherd Hotel

The Obama administration is upset and angry about a Jewish philanthropist's plan to build on a plot of land in East Jerusalem. A plot of land which he bought way back in 1985.

. . . and which has resulted in a local dispute you probably have not heard about. Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman has issued an order to place a photograph of the previous owner of the property in Israeli embassies and consulates. The "professionals" at the ministry are upset at being forced to comply. So here's the background to the story.

On the property stands the abandoned "Shepherd Hotel". Unmentioned in the controversy is the fact that the building and land were previously owned by the family of the Islamic Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini. So why does Lieberman want to put up the photos?

Well there's this:

"Al Husseini was the notorious Nazi who mixed Nazi propaganda and Islam. He was wanted for war crimes in Bosnia by Yugoslavia. His mix of militant propagandizing Islam was an inspiration for both Yasser Arafat and Saddam Husein: He was also a close relative of Yasser Arafat and grandfather of the current Temple Mount Mufti." -more

and there's this:

"Husseini spent World War II in Berlin at Hitler's side. Husseini established a division of Muslim Nazis "the Hanzar" division and played a first-hand role in instigating the genocide of Europe's Jews, Serbs and Gypsies. After World War II, he actively recruited Nazi officers into the Arab governments of the Middle East." -more

So here's a few more photos of the man who managed to blend Nazi philosophy into Islam, and the former owner of the hotel that Obama is desperate to keep out of "Jewish hands":

Your thoughts?

American Pressure (1979)

Today's Golden Oldie is from August 31, 1979.
A cartoon that I did thirty years ago in the Summer of 1979!

The U.S. President was Jimmy Carter. The Israeli government was headed by Prime Minister Menachem Begin.

Then, as now, the man in the White House was trying to bully us into complying with his demands and vision.

Jimmy was rejected by Americans after his one term in office. Do you think that Obama is headed for the same fate? ...and do you think that we are still strong enough to withstand the Presidential Pressure while he is still in office?

History and Obama

The President was asked:

"Recently, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested at his home in Cambridge. What does that incident say to you? And what does it say about race relations in America?"

His answer began with:

"I should say at the outset that Skip Gates is a friend, so I may be a little biased here." the President then said: "I don't know all the facts".

His admission of both bias and lack of knowledge of the facts did not stop the President from pronouncing judgement by saying that:

"The Cambridge police acted stupidly"

* * * Exactly the way he does not allow his bias and lack of knowledge of the facts interfere with his pronouncing judgement on Israel.

How could I NOT have done today's cartoon?

He Hath Spoken

Washington is now trying to micromanage Jerusalem and to dictate the policies and steps that Israel's elected government should take.

President Obama's premise is both shortsighted and misguided. The outcome of his offensive and haughty bullying of the Jewish State will either be the weakening of America's only true ally in the Middle East or the driving of that ally to secretly build an alternative alliance with one of America's global competitors.

Your comments?

Expulsion of Jews (1992)

Today's cartoon is a Golden Oldie from 1992.

In 1492 the Jews of Spain were ripped out of their homes, towns, and villages and expelled. Exactly 500 years later, in 1992, the government of Spain apologised. Interestingly, that was the very same year that an American administration set as its goal the expulsion of the Jews of the "West Bank" from their homes, towns, and villages.

* * * From the New York Times (April 1, 1992):

500 Years After Expulsion, Spain Reaches Out to Jews

"In a poignant ceremony marking the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, President Chaim Herzog of Israel and Spain's King, Juan Carlos, prayed together in the synagogue of Madrid today. Their gesture symbolized reconciliation between their people.
For Mr. Herzog, it was an occasion that "closes one more of the many painful cycles in the history of our people." And he added: "We cannot change the past. But we can learn its lessons and thus assure a better future for ourselves and humanity."
For Juan Carlos, it was a chance both to pay homage to the exiled Sephardic Jewish communities that have never forgotten their Spanish roots and to tell Jews that Sefarad -- the Hebrew name for Spain -- was "no longer nostalgia" because the country was once again their home.
The King, who wore a skullcap, was accompanied by Queen Sofia. "It may seem odd to choose the anniversary of a separation for a meeting of such profound significance," he said. "But the history of all people and, without doubt, that of Spain, is full of lights and shadows." A Dubious Choice,
The expulsion edict of March 31, 1492, signed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in Granada, ordered "the departure of all Jews from our kingdoms with instructions that they should never return." Facing death if they stayed beyond July 31 that year, 100,000 to 200,000 fled the country." -more

I posted the 1992 cartoon because of the current expulsion orders coming out of Washington. Back then it was Republican George H.W. Bush with Secretary of State Baker, now it's Democrat Barack Obama with Secretary of State Clinton. Different names, different faces, different political parties. Seventeen years later and America's leader for "change" is giving us the old "same old". The 1992 cartoon closed with an angry Mr. Shuldig ...he's still angry.

Your thoughts?

Getting it Straight

Relations between America's new President and the Jewish State are rapidly deteriorating. To understand why, it would be helpful to take a close and analytical look at Obama’s Cairo speech. Such an analysis was done the day after the speech. It was written by Morton A. Klein, president of the ZOA (Zionist Organization of America).

Could this important document be the reason that Obama's meeting with American Jewish leaders left the ZOA out in the cold?!

To read the analysis click HERE.

Iranian Student Protests (1999)

Today's Golden Oldie is a cartoon from July, 1999. Exactly ten years ago this month ...and the news was about Iranian student protests in Teheran!

From Wikipedia:

"Iranian Student Protests of July, 1999 (Also known as 18th of Tir and Kuye Daneshgah Disaster (Persian: فاجعه کوی دانشگاه) in Iran) (7–13 July[1]) were, at that time, the most widespread and violent public protests to occur in Iran since the early years of the Iranian Revolution.

The protests began on July 8 with peaceful demonstrations in Tehran against the closure of the reformist newspaper, Salam. Following the demonstrations, a student dormitory was raided by riot police that night during which a student was killed. The raid sparked six days of demonstrations and rioting throughout the country, during which at least three other people were killed and more than 200 injured.

In the aftermath of these incidents, more than seventy students disappeared. In addition to an estimated 1,200–1,400 detainees, the "whereabouts and condition" of five students named by Human Rights Watch whom are believed to be detained by Islamic authorities remain unknown." -more

Your thoughts?

Iranian Street Scene

It's not that the world is sitting by and watching what's happening on the streets of Iran. No, it's even worse that that. The world seems not to be watching at all. Which lead me to wonder what it would take for either the UN or the current American administration to take notice.

And that, of course, lead me to do today's cartoon

Your thoughts?

Obama Meets the Jews

This week Barack Obama met with leaders of American Jewish Organizations. It was an attempt to confront the growing concern about his policy towards the beleaguered Jewish State. Obviously the President had decided not to seriously debate the issue at the gathering, since both the Zionist Organization of America and CAMERA were locked out of the meeting.

* * * From time to time I decide to create new characters for the strip. The two worried guys in today's cartoon represent a couple of American Jewish activists. I didn't decide to create them, they just seemed to appear. I've used them a few times already and just now recognized them as new characters. Given the growing anti-Israel pressure coming out of the White House, I figure I'll be drawing them more and more.

American Pressure (1989)

Today's Golden Oldie is from 1989.

We're continuing to follow the twenty year-old story of a cold and aloof American President who thought that he'd dictate a Middle East settlement by pressuring Israel ...while saving the Arab governments from having to recognize the Jewish State, negotiate with it, and having to make "painful concessions for peace".

Back then it was George Bush Sr. squeezing Israeli Prime Minister Shamir. Now it's Barrack Obama squeezing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

So those of us who thought that Obama was all about "change" are witnessing a tired repeat of the same old tactics of two decades ago.

And so it goes...

Obama to Jerusalem?

Rumors of an Obama visit to Jerusalem are now bouncing around the Middle East. Here's a piece from a Turkish source taken from an Israeli newspaper's speculation:

US President Barack Obama is studying a visit to Israel to deliver a speech to the Israelis, a report said.

Tuesday, 14 July 2009 13:26

"US President Barack Obama is studying a visit to Israel to deliver a speech to the Israelis as he did when he delivered a speech to the Muslim world during a trip to Cairo, an Israeli newspaper said Tuesday.
Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth paper said that the issue was discussed in Washington by Obama's assistants and leaders of Jewish organizations that support Israel.
The idea was proposed during Obama's meeting with 16 US Jewish figures Monday evening, it added." -source

Your thoughts?

Middle East Nukes (1989)

Today's Golden Oldie is from July 6, 1989.

Last week, in an attempt to ignore the tensions building between the Obama administration and the State of Israel, I searched out cartoons from 1989 to see what was happening twenty years ago.

The first Golden Oldie I posted was called "Collision Course". The "story" was about having to face a cold, aloof, and angry American President who was set on a collision course with our tiny ship of state.

The second cartoon, also from the summer of 1989 was called "Presidential Commandments" and examined the U.S. President's demand for Israeli obedience to his commandments.

I was eager to find out what happened next in this 20 year-old cliff hanger of the struggle between Israeli Prime Minister Shamir and U.S. President George H.W. Bush. Today's cartoon provides the surprising answer.

Growing reports of Saddam's nuclear weapons development program left us with the distinct feeling that the American President secretly wished that Israel would "take out" the threat ...Leaving him free to both condemn our actions, and to benefit from them.

Druse News

Druse and Circassian Israelis have protested against alleged government discrimination.

Here's the story as reported by Israel National News (run by the right wing/nationalist folks at Arutz Sheva)

Druze and Circassian Israelis protested on Thursday against alleged government discrimination. “All we're asking for is equality,” said organizer Salah Fares, head of the Forum of Druze and Circassians in Israel.

Protesters slowed traffic between the northern cities of Akko and Carmiel with a slow-moving procession of cars. Drivers waved black flags and the green, yellow, red, white and blue Druze flag.

The Forum held a demonstration earlier in the week as well, blocking traffic on Tuesday and calling on the government to help Druze and Circassian communities. The week before, activists held a rally outside the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem."-more

For more on Druse and Circassian Israelis, here's a previous piece from Ha'Aretz (Israel's left wing newspaper):

Druze, Circassian forum: Israel should remain a Jewish state
"The chairman of the forum of the Druze and Circassian authority heads, Nabiah Nasser A-Din, on Thursday criticized the "multi-cultural" Israeli constitution proposed by the Israeli Arab organization Adalah, saying that he finds it unacceptable.

"The state of Israel is Jewish state as well as a democratic state that espouses equality and elections. We invalidate and reject everything that the Adalah organization is requesting," he said.

Adalah recently wrote a proposed constitution classifying the State of Israel as a "bilingual and multicultural" country rather than a Jewish state." -more

Michael Jackson

A lot happened during the past week, but my American informants assure me that the death of Michael Jackson was what dominated their screens and riveted their Media interest.

With others around the world, I used the Internet to tune into a streaming video "feed" of the Memorial.

But as I watched, I couldn't shake the idea that no one had loved this talented and tormented person enough to get him into treatment. And the televised ceremony seemed, to me at least, to be an uncomfortable attempt to cleanse all of us of guilt ...even those of use who were just guilty of being amused and entertained by his increasingly bizarre and freakish appearance.

So what do YOU think?

Presidential Commandments (1989)

Today's Golden Oldie is from June 07, 1989.

The previous Golden Oldie I posted was also from twenty years ago. It was called "Collision Course". The "story" was about having to face a cold, aloof, and angry American President who was set on a collision course with our tiny ship of state.

I must admit that I don't exactly remember what happened that summer of '89. But it read like a cliff-hanger and I wanted to see what happened next! So I found the next 'toon and put it up today. It's a King Solomon cartoon. I use him to represent the government of the Jewish State in a broader sense than the particular administration at the time.

The punchline that Bush is burning is more than a biblical joke about him being angry. The subtext is that his pronouncements are meant to be received by us as if they were commandments like those that were given on Mount Sinai.

Maybe I'll keep posting these Summer of '89 cartoons to see how it developed. What do you think?

Iranian Repression

Today's cartoon, and the current repression in Iran, are expressions of "the Jews as the Canaries in the Coal Mine" syndrome.

The concept is that we are the first group to suffer the lethal effects of the poison spread by by repressive mass movements, but not the last. That, so the theory goes, makes us a convenient warning sign for others ...assuming that they're watching us being choked by the poison!

Collision Course (1989)

Today's Golden Oldie is from 1989.

It was summer, twenty years ago. Then, our "Right Wing" Prime Minister was Yitzhak Shamir. The U.S. President who, back in 1989,intended to fix the Middle East by leaning on Israel and appeasing his oil-rich friends in the area was George H.W. Bush.

Yes, twenty years have gone by and another iceberg is looming on the horizon. And yes, we're headed on another "collision course".

Obama's Filter

The digital world has opened up a flood of people to people communications. Blogs, which were cutting edge last week now seem almost staid and old-fashioned. And if there's a tsunami of info, how easy to delete stuff with a click of the mouse.

You'd think that Barack Obama, America's first "digital" President would have found a way to respond to the pitiful Internet calls for justice coming out of Iran ...other than hitting the delete key, that is.

When Bernie Burned Us

Bernie Madoff' Ponzi scheme has left many of our charities, philanthropies, and NGO's in pieces. At a time when we could least afford it. Not having any advice to give, I decided to go for a laugh.

So did I get a chuckle out of you?

Presidential Poker (1977)

Today's Golden Oldie is from May 30, 1977.

The Menahem mentioned in the first panel of the cartoon was Menahem Begin, Israel's then Prime minister. "Zbigie" (the off-screen kibbitzer) was Zbigniew Brzezinski ...who was, at the time, Jimmy Carter's national security adviser.

I did the cartoon when it became obvious that the American President had stepped in to negotiate for the Arab states. Sigh. As it was then, so it is now.

President Obama has been deluded into thinking that he can bring "Peace" by negotiating for the Arab states.

I wondered how he came to that disastrous conclusion ...until I discovered that Obama had chosen Zbigniew Brzezinski to advise him on Middle East policy!

Yikes!

The East Bank

I've always been fascinated with people who play blindfold chess. They actually play chess without seeing the chess board or the pieces. Of course the "trick" is that, with intense concentration, the player pictures the playing field in his/her head.

Most people who accept the politically correct pronouncements of the main stream media are even more amazing than players of "blindfold chess"! They offer assessments of the situation without ever seeing (or understanding the need to see) the "playing field".

* * * If you pooh pooh the threat to the Kingdom of Jordan posed by the Palestinian terrorist organizations, you're probably too young to remember the events of Black September.