The US relationship with Israel is already shifting..

Sign at an anti-War rally in San Francisco



I had a number of conversations with American Jews during the last election, and patiently explained to them that while their individual Congressmen and Senators might be pro-Israel, Democratic control of Congress was going to bring to power a group of Old Guard leftists, with a distinct anti-Israel stance to the chairmanships of the all-important Congressional committees.

For the most part, I was pretty much talking to the wind, and America's Jews, especially the more secular ones voted en masse for Democrats. And the shift has already begun.

President Bush, anxious to make nice to the new Congress and somehow try and survive the next two years (more on that later) is more than willing to accomodate the Democrats with a long history of Israel bashing slated to be in control of Congress. They include people like John Conyers(D-MI),Charley Rangel( d-NY), George Miller(d-CA),Neil Abercrombie(d-HI), and John Dingall (d-MI)

For a start, Israel Prime Minister Olmert, scheduled to have a meeting with the President November 13th has been advised that a meeting now would be `untimely.'

President Bush's official line now is that he's waiting for bipartisan Iraq commission headed by ex-secretary of state James Baker and former Democratic congressman Lee Hamilton to submit their report, and thus feels Olmert should postpone his visit at this time.

Since that report will cover the entire range of US policies for the Middle East and the Arab and Muslim world, including the Palestinians, Bush is planning on coming to a concensus with the Democrats on these findings. I doubt it will be too difficult.

James Baker is no friend of Israel, and this report can be expected to base the magic solution of Middle East problems, including the exit strategy of the US from Iraq on the Palestinian-Israeli issue...which translates into intense pressure on Israel to make further concessions `for peace' ala' Oslo.

This is the Saudis' viewpoint, it was exactly Baker’s line under Bush Sr. back in the 1980s and it coincides with the viewpoint of Washington's new Democratic party overlords, particularly the new Speaker, Nancy Pelosi.

Additionally, a number of strong friends of Israel like Curt Weldon, JD Hayworth, Rick Santorum and George Allen have left the building.

And Bush, of course, has nothing to lose by throwing Israel to the wolves at this point.

Not good.