Mere Rhetoric: Memo To Democratic Jews: "US Engagement In The Peace Process" Is Bad For Israel, Barack Obama Edition

We're always eager to listen to how ostensibly pro-Israel Jews justify their support of the Democratic party. We understand that Heeb-reading New York and San Francisco hipsters can't care less about Israel, and we assume that they vote Democratic to make themselves feel superior to people with jobs and college degrees (or at least, with college degrees in majors other than Comp Lit). But the middle and upper class New England Jews who vote Democratic and pretend that they're casting a pro-Israel vote: you're the ones who drive us insane. Because really, you ought to know better. Let's take the speech that Barack Obama (he of we should negotiate with Syria fame) is going to give within a month:

On Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Dan Shapiro, a senior adviser to Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Florida), was saying goodbye to the job he has held for six years. He is as knowledgeable as anyone on Israel and the Middle East, and apart from the "real" job he got himself now, he has joined Obama's campaign as an adviser on issues related to Mideast policy. I spoke to Shapiro about Obama and his views earlier this week, and I asked him to highlight for me the differences between Obama and the current Bush policy regarding Israel. The first difference, he said, will be a greater emphasis on the need for constant engagement by the U.S. Obama will tell you that Bush wasted some long years without investing in diplomacy. You can either agree with him on that or not, but this has become the Democratic party line. All candidates condemn Bush for the hands-off approach.

Here's a little brainteaser for you: given that there's no support on the Palestinian side for peace with Israel (and don't say there is - if you think there is, then you're getting your news from the LA Times and ought not be making comments about Israel anyway)... any, given that there's no support on the Palestinian side for peace with Israel, what possible benefit is there for US pressure on Israel? Please articulate, in 1,000 words or less, what Israel can do to make the Palestinians like them. Hell, take 2,000 words.

Now listen, this part's important: no matter how personally pro-Israel a Democratic candidate is, their constituency is rabidly anti-Israel and their foreign policy team will be institutionally Arabist. As always, we can understand not voting Republican - we can't understand how you can be shameless enough to pull the lever Democratic.

PS - Or, at the very least, meet us halfway: feel free to vote for Democrats, but don't fool yourself into believing you're casting a pro-Israel vote. Seriously. You're just embarrassing yourself at that point.

References:
* Assad Threatened To Murder Lebanese Parliament Speaker. Plus: Obama Promises To Negotiate With Assad. [MR]
* Obama will soon make the case that he'll be as strong on Israel as anyone [Ha'aretz]

Previously:
* MR Has A Question For Democratic Jews: Are You Fucking Retarded?
* More Leaks Point To Democrats Holding Talks With Hamas Terrorists
* It's Official: You Can't Be Too Much Of A Genocidal Jew-Hating Maniac For Europeans Or Democrats