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Bush in Israel: The End of an Affair?

Bush is in Israel, the one country that actually likes him. The President is in the region to carry forward the momentum of the Annapolis peace summit. Traffic stops, and speeches begin.

And what of the speeches? Sycophantic praises and hollow pledges.

If I have to hear one more time about how Israel and the US have an unshakable and eternal bond, I am going to toss my cookies.

Seriously though, when people in a relationship keep on publicly stressing how great and wonderful their bond is, you do not have to be Freud to know something is amiss. Who are they trying to convince? Just imagine if your significant other began obsessively reiterating how in love they are with you — cause for concern indeed.

People have opined that Bush's visit to the region is "historic" (another vomit word). He is after all, only the fourth American president to have visited the holy land (Richard Nixon in 1974, Jimmy Carter in 1979 and Bill Clinton in 1998 were his predecessors). But I believe that Bush’s visit is historic for another reason all together: Bush will be the last American president to support the Jewish state in such a lopsided manner.

I know, it seems quite far fetched—naïve even. But the writing is on the wall, and not just on the one dividing up Palestine. In the last few years it has become possible and even fashionable for all kinds of folks—politicians, intellectuals, academics, journalists, and students—to call into question the benefits of America’s relationship with Israel.

As a result, the climate of public opinion has begun to turn against the status quo. The current buzzword in the US presidential race is “change”, and if you think that Israel is not part of that equation then in the immortal words of Rob Halford, “You got another thing coming.”

But before you reach for that kleenex, ask yourself: What fruits has this relationship really produced? Would we not all be better off with an "honest broker" that was actually honest? Could Israel and Palestine not benefit from some Dr. Phil-like love?

The winds of change are blowing for American-Israeli relations. I, for one, am ready for a change.

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