Nurit Greenger
For many years people used to say, "Israel is the 51st state of the United States of America." When people came back from a visit to Israel, they said, "We did not expect the country to be so beautiful; it is a little America over there…" Nowadays, we hardly hear Israel being called the 51st state of the United States; this is because it is treated as the US stepdaughter, the Cinderella with no majestic carriage to pick it up, no ball to go to and no prince in sight. "King" Obama has shown Israel's Prime Minister unprecedented disrespectful and harsh treatment, just like cinderella was treated; clean up, after us, come in and walk out through the back door and what we tell you goes and if not, beware...!
Israel always leaves behind 'little glass slippers', interpreted to new inventions, scientific discoveries and superb products it sells on the international market. However, instead of a prince picking up the slippers, the horrible stepmother – USA, and the two stepsisters - the EU and other unfriendly countries, undermine pummel, bash, pressure, threaten to boycott and boycott little cinderella – Israel – and its 'little glass slippers'.
The word "cinderella" has, by analogy, come to mean one whose attributes have come to be unrecognized, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect. This definition clearly points at Jews and Israel. For centuries the world had got used to the idea that Jews can be treated, no matter where they lived, as second citizens. They can be denied the rights the people amongst whom they lived had. They were denied any rights, were persecuted for no reason, were expelled on a whim , were massacred in any method imaginable. Jews were the scapegoat of the world. Even today, with Israel being a member of the international community the world finds it rather difficult to treat Israel in the standards it expects for itself. The world finds it rather difficult to bestow upon Israel the accolades it deserves for all its contributions to the world. It does it, but quietly, like a sneak in the dark, without the loud hoopla it really deserves.
Though today Jews have their own sovereignty in their Homeland, the world has not yet got accustomed, or it fully accepted, that after such a long period of obscurity and neglect the cinderella – Israel - is well deserved of recognition – the prince – for its success. Like the stepmother and stepsisters, they world still attempts robbing Israel if its prince – its success and its legitimacy.
Since its becoming a State and a member of the international community, Israel's stepmother, the USA, along its fickle, self serving policy, has used Israel when needed and tossed or betrayed it, on one level or another, when suited. Israel, though always living with the fear of US abandonment, remained loyal and respectful of its stepmother, probably is the best stepdaughter one can wish for.
When Barak Obama became the 44th President of the United States, bashing, mistreating and threatening stepdaughter Israel became his second nature on account of his favoritism and appeasement of the Moslem–Arab world. However, Obama did not score with either camp. The Jews and Israelis became leery of him, are keeping their distance from him and their support for him has significantly diminished. On the other hand, the Arab world grew disrespectful and distrustful of him.
At the beginning of his term in office Obama's harsh approach to Israel worked, for him. He installed fear of the unknown in the Israeli government and in all its supporters abroad. Obama's policy towards Israel showed some success at first. He expected of Israel to make the concessions he demands so the Palrabs do us all a favor and agree to sit at the same table with the Israelis and talk about possible peace agreement. The pressure Obama put on Israel was immense. Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu caved under the pressure. He publically called for 'two states for two people,' a phrase he despised using all along his political career. Then Netanyahu went on and made an unprecedented step when he froze all constructions in Judea and Samaria and later on adding Jerusalem to the long ten months building freeze.
What was achieved? The Palarabs set and waited for Obama to deliver their state unconditionally and on a golden plate. For nine months they feverishly sought for a way, for someone, to force Israel to agree, unconditionally, to give them statehood in the back yard of the Jewish state. They were not successful. So nine months into Israel's ten month constructions moratorium, the Palarabs finally agreed to meet the Israelis and talk peace. Washington was all smiles. But in the back of the Palarabs' mind they hoped and prayed that their goodwill gesture will oblige Israel's stepmother – the USA - to force her stepdaughter to extend the construction freeze.
As this Cinderella story goes, in the mean time Obama's true face was revealed. The support of the American people for him had dwindled while Israel's resolve to stand up to its stepmother mistreatment grew stronger. The weaker Obama is at home, the stronger Israel can now become. The American people and Israel now stand together in opposition to Obama and his administration.
The time has come for Israel to recognize that it is not the 51st state of the United States and it is not even its stepdaughter. Israel is the sovereign Jewish State, the home to all Jews. The story of cinderella has changed here; Israel is cinderella who left behind its stepmother to become independent, to stand strong on its own...and as this story goes, in time, the prince – the world – will come to cinderella - Israel - and will bring along the missing little glass slippers.
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