T. Belman. This pressure must be resisted at all costs. Its time for Israel to have its own Khartoum resolution and say “no” to a fully sovereign state, “no” to ’67 borders and “no” to dividing Jerusalem. That should be the only basis upon which we enter negotiations. If the EU apply sanctions , Israel should prohibit all European deals for our innovations and instead look to India, China, Singapore, Japan and South Korea who are clamouring at the door, for venture capital.
The honeymoon period for any new Israeli government will be short, and neither the EU nor the US will have much patience for promises, diplomats say.
The honeymoon period for any new Israeli government will be short, and neither the EU nor the US will have much patience for promises of developing new policies toward the Palestinians, according to Western diplomatic officials.
Israel will need an initiative to convince both the EU and US of its seriousness in working toward a two-state solution, the officials said.
This sentiment was also articulated earlier this week by former US peace negotiator Martin Indyk, who said at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv that after the election the prime minister, “whoever it is, needs to come to Washington immediately and recruit the American president to a serious, substantive, viable initiative – an Israeli initiative, which the Americans can get behind.”
European officials also want to hear more positive reaction from Israel regarding the Special Privileged Partnership that the EU offered both Israel and the Palestinians in 2013 if they complete a peace deal. Many in Brussels see the failure of the Netanyahu government to jump at the offer as a “missed opportunity,” even though – according to the officials – the government is more interested in a closer relationship with the EU than it wants to let on.
According to the officials, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is saving “for a strategic moment” the implementation of measures based on conclusions of the EU Council in 2012 regarding EU-wide labeling of settlement products.
The conclusions, issued after a meeting of EU foreign ministers, said “the European Union expresses its commitment to ensure that – in line with international law – all agreements between the State of Israel and the European Union must unequivocally and explicitly indicate their inapplicability to the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, namely the Golan Heights, the West Bank including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.”
That wording formed the basis of a long, drawn-out fight between Israel and the EU in 2013 over new guidelines for Israel’s acceptance in the EU’s well-financed Horizon 2020 EU R&D program.
In the conclusions, the EU reiterated its “commitment to ensure continued, full and effective implementation of existing European Union legislation and bilateral arrangements applicable to settlement products.”
That statement, officials said, could form the basis for EU-wide labeling of products from settlements. In the meantime, EU civil servants in Brussels are expected to continue working on a menu of potential sanctions to impose on Israel – such as reducing cooperation or adding restrictions on the free trade agreement – if Israel takes steps such as settlement construction in sensitive areas that the EU believes will render the two-state solution untenable.
Mogherini, meanwhile, is expected to name in the coming weeks a new EU special envoy, as a sign of what is expected to be increased European involvement in the diplomatic process. The last envoy, Andreas Reinicke, left his position at the end of December 2013.
France, meanwhile, is proposing a summit – similar to the 1991 Madrid and 2007 Annapolis conferences – though it realizes that after it voted for the Palestinian Authority statehood resolution at the UN Security Council in December, a resolution that failed, the likelihood that Jerusalem would agree to France hosting such a conference is slim.
Israel will want any such summit to take place in a more “Israel-friendly” country.
According to the Western diplomatic officials, Paris – which put forward a Security Council resolution of its own in December that was turned down by the Palestinians – is still interested in introducing a resolution as a way of keeping pressure on Israel by proposing recognition of Palestinian statehood within a set number of years if there is no progress in negotiations.
In a related development, Italy’s parliament is expected to vote in the coming days on a nonbinding resolution urging the government to recognize a Palestinian state.
It if passes, the Italian parliament will join the legislatures of Britain, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and France and the European Parliament that have already passed similar measures.
The Italian motion was proposed by the Left Ecology Freedom Party and the Socialist Party, and Israeli officials said it will likely be supported by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s Democratic Party, though that party’s support will likely result in moderating the final wording of the resolution.
This is a concern on many levels. Where is the pressure for the Palestinians? By now the U.S. and E.U. should have enough proof as to where the problems lie. Why are they denying them? What is their agenda?
This video clip is a little reminder of being absolutely asinine! I don’t believe there would have been any country in the world that would have stood in the way of Israel saying NO!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fiMVoZrTKOs
Millions of people all over the world would want to be locked up in Israeli prisons if this could be their life – a stay at The Hilton!
Check this out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=OOzODE-81pc
Jews all over the world cannot afford a spineless, weak Israeli government.
Just say NO to Sharia Law. Just say NO to rockets and tunnels. Just say NO to Palestinian occupation.
No amount of concessions will satisfy the Arabs and the West.
Hopefully the new government once for all will state unambiguously and emphatically what the Pal can hope for and not more. If they are unhappy they can take the exit door.
Procrastination will not benefit BB or Israel.
It appears that Israel is being given the opportunity to deal with the breach of the ceasefire in the syrian golan and retake the syrian golan which was returned under the agreement.
Perhaps the EU will have to be whining about the occupied syrian golan next.
@ mar55:
bernard ross Said:
@ bernard ross:
G-d moves in mysterious ways. This is a truth bigger than a temple. If we look through out our lives, we can reinforce this statement. So many times what we thought it was a horrible
deviation at the end, turns out to be to our benefit.
Your commentary is always sensible and very accurate.
I would like to see Israel as a Land for the Jews. We do not know how everything will turn out but, I’m sure that it will be for the best. Not without a few battles before Israel is totally and completely FREE. Free from any pressures and free to act in its own interest. Thank you.
Europe continues to be toxic for jews both in europe and in Israel. It is best for Israel to embark upon a lessening of this relationship which resembles that of a dependent/enabler/victim and abuser. Basic logic insists that one does NOT increase their relationship with a person or entity who is toxic, dangerous corrupt and crooked….. instead one at the least begins to move away. Israel is being wooed by Europe like a perverted pedophile woos children with candy. Its time to back off and begin severing, better to begin the sacrifice now than be left beaten like a battered wife.
a Better initiative would be to subsidize covert emigration to europe from gaza to complement the IS flotillas being planned to europe.
the Italians are the new symbol of europe and are suddenly in the news. It is interesting that at the same time Italy ascends to perpetuate the libels against the jewish state we also see this accompanying warning to their impertinence:
G_D moves in mysterious ways 🙂
This is why I think for now it is best to stick with Netanyahu with, hopefully, a strong Bayit Yehudit presence in the government. If Obama can’t stand him that means he must be doing something right. I would be afraid that any new government, or at least any new Prime Minister, even if it was from the right would immediately be under tremendous pressure to show he’s not Netanyahu and might start considering another shift to the left. Despite Netanyahu’s Bar Ilan speech, etc. we still haven’t made a bad deal (or any deal, for that matter- even better) and with Netanayu there’s no pretense with the Obama administration or the EU. I also think that Netanyahu is the only prime minister who can or would be willing to deal with Iran. We have two years left of Obama. With Netanyahu still in office I think we can best get by without any further Obama damage. I think his Bar-Ilan speech, his freezing of settlement building and even the unfortunate release of prisoners as well as his demand that Israel be accepted as the Jewish State all served the purpose of calling the Palestinians bluff. I don’t think a change in leadership right now would do us any good because the vultures from the US and EU would expect more. With Bayit Yehudit in the government Netanyahu can play to the center while blaming the right and, then, in two years we can see what plays out after Obama. Obama and the EU will start in right away with a completely new government with the “expectation” of more cooperation. Again, if Obama dislikes Netanyahu then Netanyahu must be doing something right. We should let him continue. I also think that before any one-state alternative solution or sovereignty are implemented the TSS must first be completely debunked. That’s going to take waiting out Obama. I think Netanyahu is best able to do just that.
If Israel succumbs to European pressure, it will never see the end of it. Find different trade partners and undermine European interests with the exception of countries like the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic should be encouraged to continue its brave support for Israeli self determination and self defense. One thing, it is about time for Israel to insist upon Pollard’s release. Obviously there are people in Israel who would prefer to see Pollard die in prison, probably because he knows too much, they are afraid of blackmail, aren’t you Shimon?
Can’t Netanyahu play HIS card against all these parties trying to make deals?
He can just say to them that either you join my coalition, or the leftists and Arabs will form a government.
@ Ted Belman:
Shalom Ted,
I cannot at this time fathom who will play which card for the Netanyahu coalition. I hope the various groups do not self destroy.
CRITICAL: Having failed so far to sway voters, the renegade camp received orders to start using violence.
One may notice the virulent calls to “expel” the Jewish parties issued by Aviv Geffen among others. Also on record are violent acts on sites of reunion of the Jewish Home party as well as defacing posters of Mr. Bennett using Hitler’s face representations and that also against many Jewish candidates.
I expect that before PM Netanyahu leaves for Washington the renegades will start deadly violence to prevent his speech to Congress.
We must all be very alert. That element under Hussein’s control is deadly.
Excluding Meretz, Lapid, the Arab bloc and Herzog/Livni, that gives a Likud led government 72 seats. Netanyahu can make do without one of Kahlon, Yishai, Shas or UTJ, but only one. Yishai has said he will demand the acceptance of the Levy Report. Kahlon has demanded acceptance of his social agenda as a condition of joining the government. Shas and UTJ will no doubt demand changes to the law drafting the Hareidi to the IDF. If they take the position of all hanging together, Bibi has no choice but to cobble something together. On the other hand if one of the four joins Bibi he could replace the rest with Herzog/Livni. If he goes with the right wing coalition, Bennett will be defense minister.
So the Nazi filth in Europe lack patience? We also have no patience left for the murderous garbage there.
Times ahead will represent the true objective of the Oslo renegade unJews plans. That was all along Peres, Rabin, Sarid, Aloni, Belin, Barak, Itzik, Ramon, Hertzog and other such ooze’s plan.
We SIMPLY must iron up and tear down the renegades ranks.
Violence against Jewish voters and parties from the Obama-Livni_Hertzog and Gal On groups can well occur as they are guided by Obama’s Chicago styled people.
BTW. Expect the industrial pollsters production lines to increase falsified data dispersion.
This is our cumulative poll status as of this Friday.
Likud, PM Netanyahu: 25 Steady
Obama-Livni_Hertzog: 18 Wildly drifting 18-20
Minister Bennett: 15 Steady
Islamic block: 12 Steady
Lapid: 10 Raising
Orthodox Jewish: 8 Raising
Mr. Kohalon: 6 Down trend
Mr. Lieberman: 6 Raising
Meretz: 6 Steady
Shas: 6 Raising
Rav Yishai & Otzmah 5
Fractional results do make for a floating difference.
25% still declare not having decided.