Ed Koch Flexes Jewish Muscles

As reported in this NPR article, former NYC mayor Ed Koch has issued a very direct warning to President Obama to "revisit" the administration's position on Israel or be prepared to pay a steep political price with his Jewish constituency. This news story was particularly interesting when juxtaposed against my prior post about former President Jimmy Carter's stance in favor of Palestinian statehood.

As I said in the previous post, Carter's position, while validated when viewed through the lens of history and justice, will not likely wield nearly the political influence with the White House as the small but vocal Jewish voting block.

Carter's Middle East Opinions Deserve Serious Consideration

Former President Jimmy Carter has an arguably more complete and profound understanding of Middle East politics than any President before or since. With Palestinians pushing the UN Security Council for a "statehood"vote this week, the former President is lobbying in favor of an independent Palestinian state, and his opinion should be (but won't be) seriously considered.

Carter views Middle East issues and events in a broad historical context, and the policy positions he advocates are intended to serve both justice and American interests in the long-term. Say what you will about his success as an American President, but you can't ignore his Middle East expertise and accomplishments which include:

• The Camp David peace agreements between Israel and Egypt during his presidency
• His role in designing and negotiating the Geneva Accords in 2002-2003
• The success of the Carter Center in fostering peaceful solutions in international conflicts (work for which the former President has received a Nobel Prize)

As a political leader no longer seeking office, Carter also has the luxury of being able to state his Middle East opinions unequivocally, without concern for the impact of his pro-Palestinian statehood position on his image or electability. When you consider that his policy positions bring him no personal loss or gain, and you couple with his vast historical understanding of the region, it's hard not to take President Carter's recommendations as relevant, serious, and ultimately correct.