Trump Mideast Envoy Barrack Claims Israel is "Not a Democracy" But Calls Hezbollah "a Political Party"

Here is a significant reason as to why I am not convinced President Trump is as pro-Israel as he claims or is advertised by others.

Enter Thomas Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria.

At the Doha Forum last night in Qatar, Barrack said this about Israel:

We have never had a democracy in [the Middle East]...I don't see a democracy. Israel can claim it is a democracy, but in this region, what's worked the best, whether you like it or you do not like it, is a benevolent monarchy.

Now contrast this with what Barrack had to say about Hezbollah after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun back in July:

Hezbollah is a political party. It also has a militant aspect to it. Hezbollah needs to see that there’s a future for them, that the road is not harnessed solely against them, and that there’s an intersection of peace and prosperity for them also.

Well, let's begin with Barrack's claim on Israel. Now Barrack might very well prefer Middle Eastern monarchies, but his statement is simply fatuous nonsense.

Since 1948, Israel has held 25 elections, has peacefully transferred power from one ruling coalition to another 11 times, has a fiercely independent judiciary (notwithstanding recent challenges) and a thriving civil society. If that isn't democracy, then what is?

Certainly not Hezbollah. Calling Hezbollah a political party with "a militant aspect to it" is pure whitewash. Hezbollah, after all, bombed the military barracks in Beirut in 1983 killing 241 U.S. Marines along with 58 French military personnel and assassinated former Lebanese President Rafic Hariri in 2005 and saw fit to attack Israel in solidarity with Hamas the day after the October 7th attacks. Last I checked, the United States deems Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization.

Barrack's apologia for Hezbollah and disdain of Israel is buoyed by Trump's tolerance of these outbursts. But Trump's tolerance is not surprising considering they have been business associates for 40 years and Barrack was crucial in getting leaders in the Gulf Arab states to warm up to Trump following his inflammatory anti-Muslim rhetoric during the 2016 presidential campaign. Indeed, Barrack was later arrested and tried for unlawfully lobbying the Trump Administration on behalf of the United Arab Emirates although he would be acquitted.

Acquittal or not, this illustrates Trump's transactional approach to governing often for personal gain as illustrated by Qatar donating Trump a new Air Force One. It is why Barrack can get away with praising a Gulf Arab monarchy which has long harbored Hamas and is actively trying to prevent Hamas from disarming along with Turkey (no doubt with Ambassador Barrack's blessing). 

When it comes to Trump and what he will allow from his underlings, always follow the money.