Preparing to throw Israel under the bus.

During the Presidential campaign, then candidate Obama wooed Jewish voters with a pledge to support Israel. In the true fashion of one who is beginning to follow the lead of Robert Mugabe, he is not actually living up to his promises.

First it is the small issue of the Durban II conference, and now it is this coming from Congressional Democrats:

A US congressman plans to brief fellow members of Congress and the Obama administration about his recent trip to Gaza, saying the US should pressure Israel regarding border closures and reassess its military support for the Jewish state.

Rep. Brian Baird, a Democrat from Washington state, visited Gaza last week with fellow Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota and was struck by "the level of destruction, the scope of it, specifically the civilian targets - schools, hospitals, industry."

Baird also said Israel had "apparently willfully destroyed any capacity of the Palestinians to rebuild their own infrastructure."

The trip to Gaza by Baird and Ellison coincided with a separate visit there by John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Their presence marked the first time members of Congress had visited Gaza since US personnel were killed in a roadside bomb in 2003.

Baird maintained that his fellow congressmen would benefit from his first-hand account of the situation in Gaza, as well as from photos and video footage he took. In addition to pictures of physical devastation in Gaza and families living in make-shift shelter there, Baird also has photos of damage from rocket fire on Sderot, which he condemned and planned to share as well. He also indicated he would like to bring in aid and medical workers from Gaza to share their stories.

He also said he was troubled by the American origin of so much of the IDF weaponry used in Gaza, and suggested that the US should reconsider the military aid it provides and the weapons it sells to Israel.

"We need to use every pressure available to make these needed changes happen," he said.

Baird said the Congressional briefing could come as early as next week, with administration briefings being more tentative. He has also talked to Ellison about penning op-eds and otherwise raising awareness of the issue.

Ellison's office had not responded to queries from The Jerusalem Post by press time.

Pro-Israel organizations were chagrined at the message Baird was preparing to deliver to his colleagues but said they weren't concerned that many minds would be changed.

"By and large, we continue to see support for Israel and understand why it was necessary for Israel's leaders to do what they did," one official said about Congress, speaking anonymously. "I'm not afraid of these members coming back and giving a briefing."

A representative from a dovish Israeli group welcomed Baird's efforts to publicize his experience in Gaza, noting that it was unusual to hold Congressional briefings presenting this perfect, but also didn't expect members' attitudes towards Israel to change.

"To expect that that would bring about a sharp change in Congress's attitude toward Israel is a reach," he said.

Meanwhile, the State Department said Monday that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would pledge a "substantial" amount of aid for Gaza and the Palestinian Authority at a donors' meeting in Egypt next week.

Read more here.

First of all I am amazed that they would mention industry in Gaza. Outside of tunnel and rocket building, what industry did Gaza ever have.

A fine example of industry in Gaza.

And of course they refuse to visit Israel. To see cities and towns that have been attacked by Hamas on a daily basis for the past 8 years. Towns like Sderot. You know. The one that is attacked daily. The small town with rooms filled with the rockets that have rained down on it. Maybe Congressman Baird's family would like to move there. Or better yet. Someone could start shooting rockets into their home on a daily basis. Let the authorities do nothing to stop it, and give a 15 second warning to the family when it happens. How would he like that.

Just a few of the thousands of examples of Gaza industries collected in Sderot.

But of course this is to be expected from the only member of the Religion of Peace in the Congress, Keith Ellison. If it is Muslim it is good, if it is Jewish it is bad. That is how he was raised and votes.

The next push is coming from our dear Sec. of State Hillary (won't give Bill a BJ) Clinton. She and her hubby have been bought by the Saudis, so what ever they want, they will get.

The United States will likely donate more than $900 million for the reconstruction of Gaza, a US official said Monday, as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prepared to attend a donors conference for the war-ravaged territory next week.

She provided no other details, but a US official in the United States said Monday that the Obama administration's donation will likely top $900 million in humanitarian and rebuilding aid to the Palestinian Authority to help Gaza recover from Israel's offensive against Hamas last month.

The Israeli officials, meanwhile, said Clinton will arrive in Israel on March 2 for meetings with the country's top leaders. Israel is currently ruled by a caretaker government as Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu cobbles together a new coalition.

The Israeli officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the visit had not been announced by the State Department, which has not released Clinton's schedule for next week.

Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said Clinton also would visit the West Bank during her stay.

Read it all here.

A billion dollars of US taxpayer's money to a gang of thieves. I can actually make book that there will be no rebuilding, no infrastructure, nothing done in Gaza with that money. Correction. It will buy weapons galore for Hamas. Hamas who helped Obama win last November with donations and by working phone banks for him.

Obama has chosen his allies. And is preparing to throw Israel under the bus to please them. Only this time I don't believe he will be able to.