Shameful Omission

A few days ago I noted that Israel was one of the largest paticipants in the international aid effort for disaster stricken Haiti. Jay Nordlinger (NRO) cites this item from Martin Peretz writing in The New Republic. Though TNR is a left of center periodical, Peretz, a liberal, is known for his strong defense of Israel.

I’ve just read the transcript of the president’s remarks about Haiti, the ones he made on January 15. He noted that, in addition to assistance from the United States, significant aid had also come from “Brazil, Mexico, Canada, France, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic, among others.” Am I missing another country that truly weighed in with truly consequential assistance? Ah, yes. There it is. Right there “among others.” Yes, the country to which I refer is “among others,” that one.

The fact is that, next to our country, Israel sent the largest contingent of trained rescue workers, doctors, and other medical personnel. The Israeli field hospital was the only one on the ground that could perform real surgery, which it did literally hundreds of times, while delivering — as of last week — at least 16 babies, including one premature infant and three caesarians. . . .

Israel's omission from Obama's remarks was unquestionably intentional. I don't know what game he's playing - probably another shameful deep knee bend to the Muslim "street" - but whatever it is it's detestable, graceless, gutless, and disloyal. And, oh yes - anti-Semitic.