Opinion: Cozying up to the PA and fighting anti-Semitism – Can the Americans do both?

While slamming anti-Semitism, the Biden administration has warmed up to the PA, which glorifies and incites terror against innocent Jews.

By Atara Beck, World Israel News

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a visit to the Middle East, announced at a press conference in Jerusalem Tuesday evening that the “despicable” anti-Semitism in America must end.

At the same time, he said that “continuing to rebuild our relationship with the Palestinian people and the PA” would be a major focus of his visit to the region.

Can he have it both ways?

Virulent anti-Semitism in America – as well as in Canada and across the globe – went totally out of control over the past couple of weeks, since the start of Operation Guardian of the Walls. Anti-Israel demonstrations became violent and openly anti-Semitic – not merely “anti-Zionist”; Jews were attacked and beaten. It was a rude awakening for many.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the administration was working to “bolster safety and security of synagogues and other religiously affiliated facilities and organizations.”

Meanwhile, the “moderate” Palestinian Authority continues to fund violence against Jews and Israelis, refusing to end its pay-for-slay policy, according to which it funds terrorists who sit in Israeli jails as well as providing lifelong stipends to the families of terrorists who died while committing an attack. Terrorists are glorified in the PA. Streets are named after terrorists, who are lauded as heroes at cultural events and school programs.

Nevertheless, the Biden administration has reversed a number of Mideast policies set by former President Donald Trump. For example, it has pledged to reopen the U.S. consulate in eastern Jerusalem, which in fact serves as a de facto embassy for the Palestinians in the Israeli capital, and has restored funding to UNRWA.

“As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas, the United States will be moving forward with the process to reopen our consulate in Jerusalem. That’s an important way for our country to engage with and provide support to the Palestinian people,” Blinken stated on Tuesday.

In other words, the Biden administration is crying about anti-Semitism while strengthening an anti-Semitic regime.

Throughout the recent conflict with Hamas in Gaza, the Biden administration pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to de-escalate – although rockets from Gaza were raining down on central and southern Israel. Israelis across the political spectrum were opposed to de-escalation, hoping to end the Hamas terror once and for all.

Before the 11 days of fighting began, Arabs in Jerusalem were rioting due to the Israeli court decision to evict six families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in the eastern part of the city.  However, the State of Israel has nothing to do with the case; private parties had brought the case to court because the tenants were not paying rent. It was a real estate dispute, plain and simple.

Yet the Biden administration has interfered in this case as well, taking the side of the tenants – and the Palestinians, who used the case as an excuse for violence, including the launching of missiles from Gaza towards Jerusalem.

Abbas expressed his appreciation to the Americans at a joint press conference with Blinken in Ramallah Tuesday, saying: “We would also like to thank the U.S. administration for its support to the state of Palestine and for the resumption of its assistance to us and to the UNRWA…

“We also thank the U.S. administration for its commitment to a two-state solution, and the maintenance of the status quo in Jerusalem, and to keep the residents of Jerusalem and Sheikh Jarrah in their homes.”

Just last week, President Biden told anti-Israel Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who disseminates lies and blood libels about the Jewish State:  “I admire your intellect, I admire your passion and I admire your concern for so many other people…

“You are a fighter and God thank you for being a fighter.”

Indeed, there has been a major shift in U.S. policy that has emboldened the PA, which glorifies and incites terror against innocent Jews. It has also invigorated Iran’s proxy Hamas. Not to mention the eagerness to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal.

The new anti-Semitism in America is based on hatred for the Jewish State and support for the PA and Hamas. How Blinken expects to fight anti-Semitism while encouraging a pro-terrorist Palestinian regime and its supporters in America and pushing Israel to de-escalate when attacked is anyone’s guess.

anti-SemitismAntony BlinkenBiden AdministrationHamasIran nuclear dealOperation Guardian of the WallsPalestinian terror fundingRashida TlaibUS Mideast policy