The same old Dennis Ross

By Ted Belman

I just returned From the Begin Centre where I attended a discussion between Dennis Ross and Uzi Arad on American policy in the Middle East.

Ross explained the American position on a number of matters:

1. Obama was incredibly supportive of Israel in its latest round with Hamas. He supported Israel’s right to self defence and got Europe to do so likewise.

2. The announced construction pissed off America because it smacked of ingratitude.

3. Peace isn’t anywhere in sight but that doesn’t mean America should drop the peace process ball now. It is important to keep the process alive even if no results because without it things could get out of control.

4. America wants the settlement construction to stop in order to preserve the possibility of a deal. The more Israel builds, the less likely it is that Israel and the PA will reach an agreement.

5. America is totally wedded to the two state solution. So is Israel according to him. But the US wants the deal to be close to the ’67 borders with swaps and they do not want Israel to go for a better deal by putting facts on the ground etc. I don’t trust Bibi to go for a much better deal. He isn’t about to upset the applecart.

6. He didn’t have much to say about how Obama’s policies are leading to the encirclement of Israel by the Muslim Brotherhood.

7. Obama may not attack Iran but he doubts that he will tell Israel not to. Ross thinks that if Israel attacks America will be dragged in. So its better if America is involved at the beginning.

December 20, 2012 | 14 Comments »

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14 Comments / 14 Comments

  1. “America is totally wedded to the two state solution.”

    Fun & Games between-the-sheets can’t be much fun with a dead spouse

    — unless, of course, one is a necrophiliac.

  3. @ NormanF:

    Facts on the ground seemed like a sound concept until First Yamit/Sinai, Oslo and Gush Katif.

    Israel has demonstrated that she has no Red Lines and everything is either negotiable or saleable.

    “Voltaire” a smart Jew Hater, once remarked; “that if the Jews ever regain National Sovereignty in their Own Land, they would sell it”!!!

    Marx I believe said something similar.

  4. @ jew:
    I agree 100%. Now is a clear window of opportunity.I think it’s particularly important not to back down which is my biggest fear. Let them be angry and let us build facts on the ground- our ground

  5. yamit82 Said:

    Don’t know why anyone would listen to Dennis Ross? His track record of being wrong is 100%

    Ted is right the Israeli elite agrees with him. Much of what is going on now is electioneering. Nothing will get built in Jerusalem and nothing will be done in E-1. Israel is not going to abrogate Oslo out of fear of offending Obama.

    Dennis Ross may be 100% wrong but you will look in vain at the Israeli elite offering an alternative to Oslo.

  6. Dennis Ross, US Chief Mediator, etc.,etc., is an example of how incompetence and stupidity rise to the top in our administration.

  10. I attended a Dennis Ross book-signing at the JCC in La Jolla, Ca. prior to the first election of Barack Obama. Dennis criticized the Bush Jr. administration for not having a day-after plan for his invasion of Iraq. At the question-and-answer session after his lecture, I asked Dennis, “After the 2000 Camp David summit, Yasir Arafat gave us the Al-Aqsa Intifada, so where was your day-after plan?” Dennis fumbled for an answer,then said, “I would have gone for more interim agreements instead of a final agreement.” After the q-and-a, an audience member asked me, “Who is this idiot?” I replied,”He was the US Chief Mideast Peace Negotiator during the Bush Sr.and Clinton administrations”.
    I think this says it all.

  13. Dennis Ross is in the business of the 2 state solution. Someone forgot to tell him that the business was burned down by terrorists. He is out of business but refuses to address reality. Never mind if he hurts Israel.

    He should not be invited for discussions as he is irrelevant.
    The discussion should be should Israel annex Area C or the whole of Judah and Samaria nothing else.