“There’s no country on Earth that would tolerate missiles raining down on its citizens from outside its borders,” said President Obama. When he made this perfectly sensible statement he was not thinking of the Palestinians in Gaza, helpless victims of Israeli bombs and missiles in some cases dropped or fired by F-16 fighters or Apache helicopters manufactured in the US.

The Gaza ceasefire negotiated by Egypt has reinforced the position of Hamas regionally and internally. Meanwhile the UN voted to grant Palestine the upgraded status of non-member state, a success for Mahmoud Abbas. But the PA president faces opposition from the US, Israel and some countries in Europe and scepticism from the Palestinians themselves.

Until this year’s presidential election, victory meant both parties had to win the white vote by appealing to racism if necessary. The changing demographics of the US have now ended that simple route to constant success