Gov. Palin 'expected' to join Glenn Beck in Israel Aug. 24 (Updated)

Now is the time to Stand with Courage
*
Editor's note: Although this story says several GOP stars are 'expected" to attend this event, at least two of those named in the report - Romney and Gingrich - have no plans so far to be there. Until we hear comfirmation from Gov. Palin's camp, we won't just assume that she will attend. See update below)

According to a Ynet News report, Gov. Palin will again team up with Glenn Beck at a huge outdoor rally. Similar in concept to Beck's Restoring Honor Rally, which was held August 28, 2010 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Restoring Courage is scheduled for August 24, nearly one year later, at the Southern Wall Excavation site in Jerusalem:

This year, the Wailing Wall will replace Lincoln Memorial as the backdrop for the event, which will take place at Jerusalem's Old City and the Teddy Stadium simultaneously.

The multi-million dollar production is expected to be attended by a convoy of American dignitaries, including former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. US Senator Joe Lieberman, a Democrat, and Republicans Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee and Congresswoman Michelle Bachman are to join Beck at the rally as well.

More here and here.

Update: Ynet's report seems to have been a bit premature regarding some of the GOP stars attending:

Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul told NRO that Romney has no plans to attend the rally.

Newt Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond told NRO that Newt Gingrich has neither ruled out attending nor confirmed that he will go.

- JP

Gov. Palin: Barack Obama’s Disregard for Ally’s Security Begs Clarity

Obama's words have caused confusion and distressed Israel
*
A new foreign policy commentary by Sarah Palin, posted today on her Facebook page:

Barack Obama’s Disregard for Ally’s Security Begs Clarity

As I noted on Judge Jeanine Pirro’s show this weekend, I reject President Obama’s idea that Israel must cede back its territories to the 1967 line. Will we now be in the habit of telling our allies what their borders should be? Should Prime Minister Netanyahu suggest we return to our 1845 borders before the annexation of the southwest of the United States during the Mexican-American War? Should we give back parts of Texas, New Mexico, and California?

But the problem is even deeper. In both his State Department speech and his speech yesterday at AIPAC, President Obama made some seemingly specific comments about the Palestinian state that he wants to see created. He either misspoke or he has even more dangerous plans for our friends in Israel than he is publicly admitting.

In the State Department speech, President Obama said that he wants the borders of Palestine and Israel to “be based on the 1967 lines” (in other words, with both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as part of the new Palestinian state) and that he wants a Palestine that is a “sovereign and contiguous state” (emphasis added). The Merriam–Webster dictionary defines “contiguous” as “being in actual contact: touching along a boundary or at a point; of angles, adjacent; next or near in time or sequence; touching or connected throughout in an unbroken sequence,” like the “contiguous United States” which obviously excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

But the 1967 lines do not include a “contiguous” Palestine. (See the map here.) So what does he mean? The President proposes “mutually agreed [land] swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.” Is linking Gaza and the West Bank with a road the “secured border” he has in mind? Or is he suggesting something more? Is it not possible he’s suggesting that the only way you can create a “contiguous” Palestinian state with “secured” borders is by carving Israel in half? Clarification on this point is of paramount importance, Mr. President.

In fact, that leads me to another even bigger geographic problem with the President’s remarks. As the British newspaper The Independent points out, there is further confusion because President Obama said, “The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine.” As The Independent asks: “How does that square with the pre-1967 borders? Was the President implying that the new improved Israel will border neither Jordan nor Egypt, as it does now? Would Palestine’s contiguous territory come at the expense of Israel’s? Would Israel get the Gaza Strip and the Mediterranean and Palestine get the Negev and a Red Sea port?”

Is that what you have in mind, Mr. President? Do you not want an Israeli border with Egypt? You need to clarify what you mean. Diplomacy requires precision and you are causing enormous anxiety for some and making commitments to others that you might not be able to keep.

It has long been the dream of radicals like Noam Chomsky to create a “contiguous Palestine.” True, President George W. Bush spoke ambiguously of a “contiguous” Palestinian state, but he never defined it geographically with borders the way President Obama has, and he had the security of our ally Israel in mind more than our current President. President Obama has in essence boxed Israel in without regard for the facts on the ground and without appreciating the fact that Israel looks across the negotiating table and sees the terrorist organization Hamas in alliance with Fatah. Israel has demonstrated in the past that it is willing to negotiate fairly with a genuine partner in peace. Just look at the treaty it maintains to this day with Egypt. All of this should have been considered and the President’s words should have been carefully measured so as to help and not hinder the peace process. Unfortunately, his words have caused confusion and distressed our ally.

- Sarah Palin

This opinion piece by Gov. Palin has been cross-posted here on the SarahPAC website.

- JP

Boom, Taste Her Nightstick Again, Obama bin Panderin'

"That's gonna leave a mark" - John Nolte
*
Just tweeted by Gov. Palin, after President Obama became the first president to call for Israel to return to 1967 borders and on the eve of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's arrival here to meet with him:

"Dear Mr. President, please allow our ally, PM Netanyahu, to respectfully arrive through the front door this time. Thanks,Concerned Americans"

Even the liberal Jerusalem Post called Obama's statement "a substantial shift toward the Palestinian position."

- JP

Gov. Palin remembers Israel's Independence Day

Silence my enemies... for I am your servant.
*
Sarah Palin remembered Israel's 63rd Independence Day Saturday via Twitter, calling for peace and prosperity in Jerusalem:

"May 14, 1948 Jewish independence in their homeland called Israel! May Jerusalem be peaceful & prosperous; may our ally's enemies be silent"

In a reference to Psalm 143:12, she also called for Israel's enemies to "be silent." That verse of the Psalm, a warrior's prayer, is translated in the NIV version of The Bible as:

"In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant."

h/t: US for Palin

- JP

More Quote of the Day Honorable Mention, Part 243

"Minute by Minute" Edition
*

Tommy at The Right Sphere:

"I can’t say that I am shocked, but I though it might take more than a few minutes for the left to use the sad passing of former U.S. Representative and 1984 Democrat Vice-Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro to play politics. But, it turns out I was wrong... I will never get why the 'tolerant left' needs to use almost every event imaginable to bash Sarah Palin. Not only is it tacky and crass to use the death of an honorable public servant like Gerry Ferraro as a club to bash Sarah Palin with; it just shows that the only tolerance the left really has is for those they agree with. You know, for someone that they consistently try to portray as... woefully unqualified to be president, they sure do spend an awful lot of time talking about her. I wonder why that is?"

Weasel Meister at Weasel Zippers:

"Pure Class: Sarah Palin extols Geraldine Ferraro’s accomplishments... High road all the way."

Clyde Middleton at Liberty Pundits:

"I can’t leave this topic without commenting on the National Organization of Women and all the similar entities that purport to further women’s equality. When they supported Bill Clinton in the 'Hide the cigar... ' days, pimped Geraldine Ferraro as the incarnate Virgin Mary, and dissed Sarah Palin as 'well, sure, a woman, but not that one' they lost all credibility. Planned Parenthood’s mantra of 'choice' is thin gruel when the definition of 'endangering a woman’s life' includes worrying over money because of another mouth to feed. We have no 'equality' movement in the United States, just a collective of carnival freaks that pimp a narrow political ideology."

Vain at The Sarah Palin Revolution:

"I think Bill Maher has encountered Sarah Palin's 'No Mosquito Zone'"

Joe Newby at Examiner.com:

"Sarah Palin compared Bill Maher to 'an annoying little mosquito found zipped up in your tent' and encouraged conservatives to not get distracted by the petty, vulgar attacks of liberals like Maher. The problem with mosquitos, however, is that many carry diseases like encephalitis, dengue fever, and malaria. In Maher's case, the diseases are ignorance, hate, and radical liberalism."

R.G. Yoho at Allvoices.com:

"Bill Maher hates Sarah Palin because she bravely stands for all of the things he despises - faith, family, moral values, love of country and personal responsibility."

DCE at Weekend Pundit:

"It never ceases to amaze me, the level of vitriol leveled towards Palin or at her family. It shows how far manners and adherence to the unwritten rules of politics have fallen among the Left. This may end up coming back to bite them in the a**, as it should. During the 2008 presidential campaign, both the Democrats and their bought-and-paid-for media went after Sarah's family, a long standing taboo. Candidates were always considered fair game. Their families were not. The Dems crossed that line and now they may never be able to step back across it. Even now they continue to hammer her and her family as if they are deathly afraid of her. Maybe it's because they are."

Lee Stranahan at Big Journalism:

"Breitbart’s statement about Palin as... kingmaker was not, as [TPM] claims, a response to polls, but something that Breitbart has been saying for at least 70 weeks. As in, well over a year."

John Nolte at Big Hollywood:

"The former Governor of Alaska has star power to burn, savvy to spare, is as tough as a hickory knot, and yet while were told again and again by The Sophisticated Class that she’s dumb as a post, somehow she also happens to be right about almost everything... I’ve never seen anyone put through such a cruel, mean-spirited, public meat grinder where their family, womb, faith, gender, dialect, looks and culture are all fair game for the worst kinds of smears. And because she has survived this unprecedented evil with such grace and dignity – Sarah Palin is my hero. And of course I want her to be president... But it’s just a fact that the price of a President Sarah Palin is a hole in the crucial pop culture war that only she can fill. And only a wicked, journOlisting MSM would attempt to spin into a negative a man publicly declaring that he would like to see this one person lead the charge in a battle that has defined his life more than any other."

Designated Conservative:

"We need a President like Sarah Palin."

Doug Ross at Director Blue:

"After an exceptional track record as a local official, mayor, and then governor, Palin was tarred as 'inexperienced' and 'stupid', though her resume far surpassed that of the Democrat presidential candidate. Post-election, a series of 18 frivolous lawsuits, most launched by Democrat political operatives, threatened to bankrupt her and her family. She resigned the governorship and began raising money for Tea Party-backed conservative candidates in 2010, arguably becoming the primary rainmaker in the historic GOP landslide. Palin's charismatic appeal, plain-spoken American values and love of country make her a favorite for conservatives and a huge target for Democrats and legacy media, who appear terrified by her amazing popularity."

Jacob Sanders at 208 Weeks:

"Public Policy Polling collected Palin's approval/disapproval ratings in 27 states, and I have created a map version..."

Paul Bedard at Washington Whispers:

"The poll was also good news for Palin... Not only did she best Christie as the candidate who likely GOP voters see representing their views, 17 percent to 14 percent, but she was second to him for who voters would pick today to run against Obama in the general election. And when Zogby removed Christie from the presidential preference poll, she topped the nine others in the field, winning 14 percent of the support."

Nikki Schwab and Katy Adams at the Washington Examiner:

"Palin picking pro-life group over 'nerd prom'..."

Benyamin Korn at JewsForSarah.com:

"The good news is that both the RJC and the good folks at SarahPac are on the same page. Long-time RJC director Matt Brooks was pro-active in contacting SarahPac to assure Gov. Palin’s team that Frum’s trouble-making was in no way at the behest of RJC leadership. At the same time, Mr. Brooks included an item in the RJC’s national newsletter praising as 'entirely accurate' Gov. Palin’s 'harsh criticism' of President Obama’s latest lame statement on Israel – this time in response to Wednesday’s terror-bombing at Jerusalem’s central bus station. "

- JP

NY Sun: Sarah and Sarah

Her mantra of constitutional conservatism welcomes everyone
*
An excerpt from Sunday's editorial in The New York Sun

One of the things that Sarah Palin did on her stopover at Israel was announce that she was eager to return for a longer visit, and we found ourselves wondering whether she will eventually make a visit to the Machpelah. For the first body laid to rest there in the cave purchased by Abraham was that of Mrs. Palin’s namesake, Sarah, Abraham’s wife and the mother of Isaac. We have sometimes found ourselves wondering whether the affection Mrs. Palin exhibits in respect of Israel is related to the fact that the former governor — the Alert Alaskan is our favorite alliteration for her — is named after the first, the most beautiful, and the most prickly of the Jewish matriarchs.

We were put in mind of this not only by Mrs. Palin’s visit to Israel but also by the contretemps that followed the suggestion by a leading journalist in Washington, David Frum, that Mrs. Palin was alienating Jewish voters by failing to arrange her visit through a the Republican Jewish Coalition, of whose board Mr. Frum is a member. The RJC has been paving the way for one of the most important migrations of American Jews, from the Democratic Party to the party of Lincoln and Reagan. It’s sometimes lonely but always heroic work, and no doubt there were those in the RJC who wished they could have been the organizing party of Mrs. Palin’s first visit to the Jewish State.

The contretemps, however, was a matter of politics rather than principle, and how could it be otherwise? For on the substance Mrs. Palin has been a passionate supporter of Israel. This seems to be well-recognized by the executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition Matthew Brooks, who made a point late last week of defending Mrs. Palin’s most recent critique of President Obama...

[More]

- JP

More Quote of the Day Honorable Mention, Part 242

"Living on a Thin Line" Edition
*

Jonathan S. Tobin at Commentary Magazine:

"Did Palin Zone Out on Obama and Israel? Nope... An on-line discussion at Politico about her comments was headlined on its homepage as concerning 'Palin’s idiotic comments about Israel.' So how 'idiotic' were they? The correct answer is not very... Far from stupid, these remarks are actually very much to the point about the willingness of this administration, and some of its predecessors to pressure Israel to make concessions when the real obstacle to peace is what it always has been: the Palestinians' unwillingness to make peace or to give up terrorism... If Palin thinks of it in terms of zoning, it may be because, unlike Obama, she takes it for granted that Jews have the right to be in their own country and build wherever it is legally permissible to do so. Twice in his first two years in office Obama picked very nasty and public fights with Israel’s government over the building of homes in existing Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem. These arguments were not only an unprecedented attack on Israel from an American president on the issue of Jerusalem. They were both unnecessary and had the effect of making peace negotiations with the Palestinians less likely. So when you look at it from that perspective, maybe it’s Obama and not Palin who has been the 'idiotic' one when it comes to Israeli building policies."

MariaS at Dodo Can Spell:

"I absolutely love her stance on Israel... No wonder the hard-Left hates her the way they do .... she's going to push their faces into the dust at every opportunity... much to our eternal entertainment."

Mendy Ganchrow, M.D. at Ganchrow World View:

"As I wrote previously, I did not believe Sarah Palin was a credible candidate for President. Last nite she was on Fox with Greta,and I have to say that both Sheila and I were truly impressed with her demeanor. She just returned from India and Israel. It was not just her views in Israel that I felt comfortable with, but her whole approach to Libya and leadership. She has matured since the hectic days of the campaign. If she runs she will be a formidable candidate."

Zvi Wiesenfeld at Doozenhowser:

"Well Done Mrs. Palin... I am officially in love with Sarah Palin."

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air:

"Palin says she would have supported a no-fly zone a month ago when the mission was defined as pushing Gaddafi out of power. Now, with an almost completely ambiguous mission and unclear objectives, Palin says we shouldn’t have bothered... Palin does a good job here providing the conservative viewpoint on military intervention and victory. She offers much more coherence in ten minutes than the Obama administration has offered in six days of fighting in Libya."

Robert Naiman at The Christian Science Monitor:

"As a matter of logic, if President Obama can bomb Libya without congressional authorization, then a future President Palin could bomb Iran without congressional authorization."

Tom Donelson at Texas GOP Vote:

"Ah, in reviewing Obama's performance in the White House, there is one thing that comes out truthfully; how Obama stacks up poorly against Sarah Palin when it comes to leadership... Obama's biggest failure is to set forth a vision for his policy and even today, Americans and the world for that matter, don’t know what end game Obama has in mind. With President Palin, the end game would be the end of the Gaddafi regime... We are seeing a President who was not ready for prime time with advisors who were also not ready for prime time. So how it is that Sarah Palin would have been worse? At least President Palin would not have needed to be educated on the importance of America’s role in the world nor the importance of market economics as the basis for economic policy. But it is now apparent one learns more from the University of Idaho than Harvard."

Patrick S. Adams at Liberty's Lamp:

"All of those on the Republican side who put Sarah Palin down are either purposely or inadvertently getting into bed with the liberal media."

Chris Wilson at Wilson Research Strategies:

"Recent interpretations of national polling data have suggested that former Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin is “losing ground” based on movements in her image rating among all self-identified Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents. But what are we really looking at? FACT: The recent Washington Post/ABC news poll that is the basis the 'losing ground' comments still shows Palin on the right side of the favorable/unfavorable scale with 58% having a favorable impression and 37% with an unfavorable impression... If you look hard enough, you might just find some of the same 'conservative elites' who are attacking Sarah Palin today saying eerily similar things about Ronald Reagan in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s... In the recent past these 'conservative elites' have been important in how conservative voters evaluate candidates. So far their attacks on Palin aren’t having as much of an effect as one would think. And her image, especially among strong conservative voters, remains very positive... her greatest asset is that she can appeal to the same large voting blocs of middle class conservatives who elected conservatives in primary and general elections in 2010, and when she gets a chance to speak to increasing numbers of voters on her terms, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see her number shoot right back up."

Jim Geraghty at NRO's The Campaign Spot:

"Palin Isn’t the ‘Through’ CNN Might Want You to Believe"

Poll Insider:

"There are 5 major issues that will win or lose the 2012 Election for someone, if they can handle those issues correctly... and Palin is on the right side of all of them. She can be on the offensive on every one, as Obama is left defensively responding or flat-out lying (but, alas, he has a record now!). She can go after spending, healthcare, jobs, energy, and immigration. Where she can succeed, the others will stumble. Romney’s big skeleton is Healthcare. Sure, he can say it was different because it was a state issue. But, alas, the principles of his state law were liberal. Gingrich loses on immigration and energy. Huckabee loses on immigration and spending... Not only is Sarah Palin the only major candidate that is completely tuned-in to public opinion on the big 5 issues, but she is also the only candidates who can put together all of the necessary components to win against the $1 billion candidate."

ZIP at Weasel Zippers:

"Sarah Palin Hits Back at 'Annoying Little Mosquito' Bill Maher… He’s more of a cockroach, but annoying little mosquito will do."

Lori Ziganto at NewsReal Blog:

"Women don’t need the likes of NOW 'defending' them. Sarah Palin knows this. She is often accused of 'playing the victim' too often, and the reason given is that she stands up for herself and issues her own statements in lieu of waiting for others to do so. That is the opposite of victimhood. She is not relying on the likes of N.O.W. or other faux women’s groups to 'defend' her. She has come a long way, baby. It’s far past time that we all do. The first step is hammering the final nail in N.O.W.’s coffin... They should be marginalized as the group full of useful idiots that they are."

Ann Althouse:

"Sarah Palin's joke writers are better than Bill Maher's."

Star Parker via Scripps Howard News Service:

"Slaves who had the temerity to run away from their plantation 'home' paid dearly if they were caught and returned. Measures were taken to make them an example to others who might harbor similar thoughts about freedom... Such is the fate today of those uppity souls who choose to challenge the authority and legitimacy of our inexorably growing government plantation. Those with interests for the care and feeding of this plantation cannot physically punish these rebels with the whip. Their whip is the mainstream media and the means of punishment of this virtual whip is not beating of a physical body but assassination of character. This perspective helps us understand the ongoing liberal obsession with destroying Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin... But it is brave individuals like this, in public and private life, upon whom our future depends."

- JP

Quote of the Day (March 23, 2011)

The Left Doesn’t Get Palin’s ‘No Apologies’ Tour in Israel
*
Susan L. M. Goldberg at NewsReal Blog:

"While the official faces of Left-Wing America are walking the tight-rope over to the dark side of the anti-Israel movement, Sarah Palin is making the Star of David a fashion statement for which she refuses to apologize."

- JP

Palin camp refudiates media's checkpoint mendacity

“Gov. Palin was never scheduled to go to Bethlehem.”
*
One of Gov. Palin's top aides has stated that she was not turned away at a checkpoint crossing into Bethlehem, as the lamestream media has widely reported:

SarahPAC Treasurer Tim Crawford told POLITICO on Tuesday that “Gov. Palin was never scheduled to go to Bethlehem.”

“They had always planned on viewing Bethlehem from the Separation Wall,” Crawford said of Palin’s visit to Israel with her husband, Todd. “They did that, then drove past the checkpoint on the way out.”

“Their guide is not licensed or insured for tours of Bethlehem,” he added.

The account relayed by Crawford contradicts stories from the British press, which widely reported that Palin had intended to visit Bethlehem before turning around at the checkpoint.

By "the British press," Andy Barr means The Guardian, which can be counted on to ignore facts and make things up to crank out a story which will fit the expectations of its "progressive" readers. The left wing rag wrote Monday that Gov. Palin “apparently had second thoughts about crossing an Israeli checkpoint.” The story was widely regurgitated on leftist blogs in the U.S.

Had any of these intellectually incurious "journalists" and bloggers bothered to read accounts of her visit in the Israeli press, they would could have learned the actual facts, as the Jerusalem Post reported Sunday:

"Palin expressed regret that she would not be able to visit Nazareth or Bethlehem during her brief stay in Israel, but promised that she would soon come back for longer."

But that's probably too much to ask of a group of people with access to the Web, a leftist agenda, and total disregard for the truth.

- JP

MSNBC/Politico Tag Team Criticizes Palin for Overseas Trip

Mitchell misrepresents Sarah Palin's travel record
*
MSNBC and Politico, two of the most virulent anti-Palin outlets in the Democrat/Media complex, teamed up to blast Gov. Palin for her overseas visit to two countries which are among America's strongest allies. Obama PR operative Andrea Mitchell, who plays a journalist on TV, and Jeanne Cummings, a managing editor at leftsite Politico, are seen ganging up on the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate in this clip from Eyeblast TV:


Mitchell lied through her teeth, a common practice for the leftist talking head, by mumbling that Gov. Palin's recent trip was "one of her first ventures overseas." Actually, it was her fourth excusion overseas and seventh visit of significance to take place on foreign soil.

As governor of Alaska, she made a surprise sojourn to Kuwait to spend some time with the Alaska Army National Guard's 3rd Battalion 297th Infantry, which was deployed there at the time. She then flew to Germany to visit wounded soldiers in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center there before returning to the U.S. Two years later, Gov. Palin again visited troops from Alaska deployed overseas, members of 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, form the bulk of Task Force Arctic Eagle at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.

In September, 2009, Sarah Palin flew to Hong Kong, where she had been invited to deliver a major address which was well received. In March of 2010, she spoke to a crowd of over 1,000 in Cagary, Canada - not an overseas journey but a visit to our northern neighbor and another country which is a key U.S. ally. And her recent trip to the nations of India and Israel included a brief stop in Taiwan. Were Andrea Mitchell not so intellectually incurious and left-biased, she would know these facts and report truthfully.

h/t: Breitbart TV and NewsBusters

- JP

Levin: Frum is a disgraceful, petty, Palin-obsessed DC-insider

"As an American, Jew, and conservative, I consider Frum an embarrassment"
*
Mark Levin gives Vichy Republican and pretend conservative David Frum the drubbing he deserves via Facebook:

Here's a part of his post at CNN, where he is apparently a regular contributor, which makes the point:

"Ben Smith in Politico reports that the trip was booked through a Christian tour operator. But the real news is who did not book the trip: the Republican Jewish Coalition, the group that brought George W. Bush to Israel in 1998, Mitt Romney in 2007, Haley Barbour in 2011, and many other presidential hopefuls beside.

"Very likely you have never heard of the Republican Jewish Coalition. But then again, you probably are not seeking the Republican presidential nomination. If you were seeking the nomination, the RJC is one of the groups whose support you would certainly want.

"Joining an RJC Israel tour is a well-established ritual in gaining the support of the RJC's board and the group's 40,000 activist members."

The rest of Frum's brilliance is here.

By most accounts, Palin's trip was a great success. She stated her emphatic support for Israel. She met with several important Israelis. She was invited by the Prime Minister for a private dinner. And more.

But that's not good enough for Frum. According to him, she didn't use the RJC, of which he is a Board member, to handle the event. As an American, Jew, and conservative, I consider Frum an embarrassment. With rising anti-Semitism throughout the world and support for Israel weakening in the West, including among young people in the United States, he should be praising her visit and her commitment to Israel. He should encourage more such trips and meetings by more opinion-makers and politicians, regardless of the group that handles these events. Instead, Frum focuses on nonsense. This is why Frum is neither taken seriously nor should be by a growing number of thinking conservatives.

As for Ben Smith at Politico, why does it matter if Palin's trip was booked through a Christian tour operator? Indeed, why isn't that a good thing? Do we not want Christian organizations promoting Israel? Smith is another small mind.

More Frum dismemberment here by Sheya.

- JP

Quote of the Day (March 21, 2011)

Wonderful
*
Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit:

"It looks like Sarah was a huge hit her first day in the Holy Land."

- JP

JPost: Gov. Palin wraps up whirlwind Israel visit

She "politely declined" P.M.'s offer of a full Monday night reception for her
*
Gov. Sarah Palin and husband Todd have concluded their two-day visit to Israel after dining with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at his official residence, the Jerusalem Post reports:

Ahead of the meeting, Netanyahu’s office checked with Palin to see whether they could expand it to a full reception for her with other politicians and aides, but she politely declined.

In an effort to keep her visit as private as possible, Palin also declined all requests for interviews and did her best to avoid the media as she toured the Mount of Olives and Christian sites in Jerusalem on Monday.

Palin was due to leave Israel early Tuesday morning.

[More]

Privately, the former Alaska governor and Republican Party vice presidential candidate assured her hosts that she would return soon for a week long visit and would meet with more Israeli politicians and the media then.

- JP

AFP: Sarah Palin dines with Israel's Prime Minister

She is planning a second - more "official" - visit to Israel in the coming months
*
Gov. Palin joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for dinner at his Jerusalem residence Monday on the second day of her (mostly) private visit to Israel, according to an AFP report:

The meeting, at which the two were accompanied by their spouses, was off-limits to the media, and Netanyahu's office did not immediately publish any statement.

A pair of photographs released by the Israeli Government Press Office showed the two couples standing in front of the Israeli and United States flags in the residence:



Gov. Palin, who will return to the U.S. Tuesday, is planning to return for a longer visit in the coming months, according to reports in the Israeli media.

Here's a video clip from coverage by Israel National TV:


- JP

AP: Palin stays mostly out of sight for Israel visit

Hebrew University's David Ricci: "She is keeping her options open"
*
Aron Heller, Associated Press correspondent in Jerusalem, reports that Gov. Palin's two-day visit to Israel has been anything but a series of photo ops. To the contrary...

Sarah Palin stayed out of sight Monday during her first trip to Israel, dodging paparazzi staking out hotels and holy sites in hopes of getting a glimpse of the former Alaska governor who might run for president.

A visit to Israel, a key U.S. ally, has become almost a rite of passage for potential Republican candidates at a time of strained relations between the U.S. and Israeli governments. Israel is a key American ally in a volatile region and a top concern for Jewish voters and pro-Israel Christian groups in the U.S.

[...]

For the most part, however, Palin evaded the waiting press hordes, changing her schedule at the last minute, leaving sites before reporters could catch up with her. While most politicians seek out coverage, Palin is derisive of the media and avoids contact when possible.

Benyamin Korn, director of Jewish Americans for Palin, a grass roots organization advocating for Palin in the Jewish community, said she would not be making any further public statements during her stay. He said she is planning a more substantial visit in the coming months.

Danny Danon, a lawmaker in Netanyahu's Likud Party, accompanied Palin in the Old City and said he found a very down to earth woman with a deep love for Israel. He said she told him she keeps flags of Israel in her office and home.

Netanyahu has had a rocky relationship with Obama over Israel's settlement building in the West Bank and the lack of progress in peacemaking. Danon said the Republican candidates' embrace of Israel offers an alternative to Obama's combative approach.

[More]

- JP

Klein: Israelis know Sarah Palin loves Israel

"...and that really resonates"
*
Aaron Klein, a conservative radio talk show host in Israel, discusses Gov. Palin's visit to Israel on "Fox & Friends":


h/t: The Blaze

- JP

Sarah Palin visits old city, says she 'absolutely supports Israel'

"She really connected to the story of the Jewish nation"
*
The Jerusalem Post reports that Gov. expressed her support for Jews praying openly on the Temple Mount on a visit to the Old City of Jerusalem on Sunday with Likud chairman Danny Danon and Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz served as her guides. When told that Jews were not allowed to pray openly on the Temple Mount and about the Arab riots that followed Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to authorize the creation of an exit from the Western Wall tunnels in 1996, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate asked her guides, "Why are you apologizing all the time?":

Palin expressed regret that she would not be able to visit Nazareth or Bethlehem on her brief stay in Israel. She promised that she would soon come back for longer.

"It's overwhelming to be able to see and touch the cornerstone of our faith," Palin told reporters upon exiting the tunnels. "I'm so thankful to be able to be here, and I'm thankful to know the Israel American link connection will grow and strengthen as the peace negotiations will continue."

Rabinowitz said that Palin prayed at the point closest to the Holy of Holies
and left a note with a personal prayer. Unlike when then-presidential candidate Barack Obama visited the Western Wall in July 2008, no one removed her note from the wall and gave it to the press.

"She said that she absolutely supports Israel and that America is the biggest friend that Israel has," Rabinowitz said.

When Rabinowitz shared the story of Purim with Palin, she told him it was especially meaningful to be at the Kotel on Purim.

Danon said that Palins' visit to the Western Wall Tunnels was very exciting. He called upon Obama to make his first visit to Israel as president as soon as possible.

"She really connected to the story of the Jewish nation," Danon said. "She knows the material but there's nothing like standing in front of those big stones and hearing about the connection. I know that she loves Israel, and after a visit like this, she has a personal connection to the Western Wall."

[More]

Todd and Sarah Palin plan to visit the Old City again on Monday, touring Gesthsemane and the Mount of Olives. Monday evening they will have dinner with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at their official residence in Jerusalem.

h/t: Jennifer

- JP

First Photos: Gov. Palin in the Holy Land

She is visiting the sacred sites
*
Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit reports that Sarah and Todd Palin are touring the holy sites surrounding Jerusalem today with Knesset member Danny Danon as their guide.

Danon posted this photo on Facebook of their visit to the Church of the Nativity.



And from Reuters, a photo of Gov. Palin at the Western Wall tunnels in Jerusalem’s Old City:


- JP

Jerusalem Post: Sarah Palin arrives in Israel, set to meet Netanyahu

"A leading light in the fiscally conservative Tea Party movement"
*
Via Reuters, the Jerusalem Post reports that Gov. Palin's flight from India has arrived in Israel at Ben-Gurion International Airport :

Leading US Republican Sarah Palin began a private visit to Israel on Sunday, her first to the Jewish state, and planned to meet Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and tour holy sites.

Palin, a 2008 vice presidential candidate, is a potential White House contender in 2012 and a leading light in the fiscally conservative Tea Party movement.

[...]

Israeli media described her trip as a bid to show support for Israel, whose standing is strong among US voters, and gain more experience in international affairs ahead of a possible presidential run.

Palin, who is keeping her supporters guessing on whether she will run for the presidency, made no comment to reporters on arrival at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport for the two-day visit.

On the itinerary for the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate is dinner with Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife on Monday, after visiting holy sites in Jerusalem, including the Western Wall.

- JP

Gov. Palin will visit Israel after she speaks in India

Both countries key U.S. allies
*
Following her Saturday speech in India, Gov. Palin will stop in Israel for a two-day visit before she returns to the U.S., CNN reports:

“I'm thankful to be able to travel to Israel on my way back to the U.S.,” Palin said in a statement obtained by CNN. “As the world confronts sweeping changes and new realities, I look forward to meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the key issues facing his country, our ally Israel.”

According to the Jerusalem Post, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate will also meet with other members of Israel's Likud Party, including MK Danny Danon:

She was also expected to visit the Western Wall and Nazareth during her short stay, according to Army Radio.

Palin, an outspoken supporter of Israel, has often criticized the Obama administration for what she believes to be its unfair treatment of the Jewish State.

Related: Shalom Sarah Palin, welcome to Israel

h/t: JewsForSarah.com

- JP