Let's unpack this declaration. We start with the sentence "the Jewish people know better than any other people, any action that marginalizes one ethnic and religious group imperils us all." It is correct that, given their history, many Jews should recognize Biden's statement as true. But all those who are Zionists will make an exception for Israel. They must do so in order to avoid outright contradiction. Why so? Because Israel has posited both its identity and its security on the "marginalization of one ethnic and religious group," namely, Palestinians. Maybe President Biden senses that there is some inconsistency here, but being a Zionist he dismisses it as justified. Addressing an AIPAC audience, of course, meant no one challenged him.
We move on to the next sentence. "It is incumbent that all of us to stand up against those who traffic in pernicious stereotypes." When Israeli leaders and Zionists such as Joe Biden constantly refer to Palestinians who resist Israeli oppression as "terrorists," they too are "trafficking in pernicious stereotypes." It is a safe guess that Biden does not realize this.
Next sentence, "It is incumbent that all of us that stand up against those who...seek to scare and divide us for political gain." I cannot think of a more apt description of what the Zionist/Israeli aim is here in the United States and the West in general -- to scare us away from the defense of Palestinian rights and divide us when it comes to legitimate criticism of Israeli behavior, all done for political gain in the form of maintaining an extraordinary level of financial and military support of an apartheid state.
Finally, the last statement, "because the future belongs to the bridge builders, not the wall builders." It is amazing that, given his immediate audience, Biden made this statement with a straight face. For he was addressing those infamous for building a wall that divides and isolates.
Essentially, this entire declaration by Joe Biden attributes to BDS all the negative characteristics that Israel in fact displays. As a self-declared, true-believer Zionist, he does this without any recognition of the deep irony his declaration contains.
Part IV -- Conclusion
How much history does Joe Biden, or his foreign policy advisers, know? For instance, do they know the history of Lyndon Johnson's presidency? Lyndon Johnson could have gone down in U.S. history as a remarkably successful and progressive leader. He could have done this on the basis of his championing civil rights. But he was destroyed by the Vietnam War -- a war fought by the U.S. because of ideological imperatives.
President Biden may well be faced with the same choices. He probably could go down in U.S. history as the 21st century's first truly great president for all those reasons listed at the beginning of this essay. But these achievements may be diminished by adherence to obsolete and dangerous foreign policies in the Middle East. If he follows his current trajectory he will bury the 2015 Iran agreement -- one of the most promising diplomatic achievements of the 21st century. He may linger on in that "forever war" in Afghanistan. He will let both the Israelis and the Saudis off the hook for their past and future abominations. And, he will sustain Israeli dominance in the region even as that country confirms itself as a rightist, racist threat to human rights and international law. Through all of this, Joe Biden may lose his moment in history.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
