As an American I am ashamed of my president

By Mahmoud S. Audi, Ph.D.

At the 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel, the President said in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) what no president of any country should have said. I am a proud American, but like many Americans, I am ashamed of this President. What he had said did not rise to the level of greatness of the American people, and did not rise to the level of dignity the President of this great nation should demonstrate.

He is so adamant in trying to dictate to history his shallow and unrealistic view of the World that no one can stop him from continuously trying. Even his attempt at fortune telling would not help—he claimed to see, by looking into the future, an image of the Middle East that reflects his childish understanding of history. He does not know that even false prophets will not accept him among their ranks!

I was expecting my president to stand in the Israeli Knesset and say I am here to congratulate you and to congratulate the Israelis and the Zionists for your defeat, around sixty years ago, of the unarmed and unorganized Palestinians. The tanks, the airplanes, and the training provided by the British and others helped. But, now it is time to reconcile and to live in peace with your neighbors. One state, two states, it does not matter, peace matters. Now is the time for serious negotiations (you have already exhausted all delaying tactics) with the Palestinians. The support of future American Presidents, Congresses, and other governments, may not come readily.

His infamous speech insults Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and peace loving peoples of the World, including many great Americans, and some Jews. The speech ignored their feelings either because of the speaker’s ignorance, his lack of tact (diplomacy), or because he decided to ignore them, and treat them like dirt. In any case, he created more enemies, when he should have worked to make friends among all the people including them.