After the latest tantrum by PLO boss Mahmoud Abbas, the consensus by the anti-Israel crowd that pretends to be pro-Israel (as opposed to the openly anti-Israel crowd who don't bother pretending) is to blame Trump and Israel.
"Sunday’s speech by President Abbas no doubt reflected his own and the Palestinian people’s deep despair at the ever-deepening occupation," is how J Street began its statement.
J Street calls Abbas' speech 'unacceptable', then excuses it, defends it and attacks President Trump.
"That frustration, however, is no excuse for calling into question either the Jewish connection to, or Palestinian recognition of, the state of Israel – or for language and proposals that are justifiably earning widespread condemnation. This speech – and the undercutting of America’s role as a mediator in this conflict – would not have come about if it were not for President Trump’s inept and disastrous missteps regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
But what did Abbas say that was really new?
Granted, the PLO boss hadn't previously called for the destruction of the White House. But beyond that there was little there that he and his minions hadn't said before, or threatened in the past. Even before Trump. The only difference is that this time the PLO made enough noise about it that people actually noticed. Even the people who usually make a point of not noticing.
That's how it usually goes.
The PLO always plays the same game. But mostly the international community pretends not to notice. The State Department dismisses it as meaningless rhetoric meant for domestic consumption.
Now that Abbas got everyone's attention, they're rushing to blame Trump and Israel for his actions. Nothing that the PLO does is ever its fault. It's always the fault of America and Israel.