By Ted Belman
It is sickening to read this. in TOI article.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett touted his “warm” and “successful” meeting with President Joe Biden on Friday, saying all of his goals had been achieved during his trip.
“We’re about to take off from a successful visit to Washington — the peak of which was meeting Biden,” Bennett said in a statement shortly before leaving the US capital. “We had a particularly warm and helpful meeting. Biden and I have developed a direct and personal relationship built on trust.”
To my mind it would have been better if he ensured that Iran would never get a nuclear weapon.
Biden reiterated the US “commitment to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon… We’re putting diplomacy first and seeing where that takes us. But if diplomacy fails, we’re ready to turn to other options.”
Does that mean that the US fulfills it obligation by getting Iran to agree to never develop such a weapon. Or does it mean that if Iran violates such a commitment, which is likely, that the US will destroy such weapon making munitions? What about if Iran proceeds to develop weapons grade uranium and stops short of “developing a nuclear weapon.” Remember US commitments are worthless as Afghanistan has proven. They lull you into a false sense of security.
Bennett is too easily satisfied.
Bennett said that he had “achieved and surpassed all the goals we set for ourselves for the meeting. We agreed on joint strategic cooperation to halt Iran’s nuclear race.”
Bennett had presented Biden with several conditions for Gaza’s reconstruction, including an immediate halt to rocket fire and rocket-gathering by Hamas, as well as progress on a deal to return two Israeli citizens and the bodies of two IDF soldiers believed to be held by the terror group.
“progress on a deal.” That’s it? Give me a break.
However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was said to have argued that the return of the Israeli captives should not be a prerequisite for basic humanitarian matters, such as fuel and electricity.
Of course it should be a prerequisite. Is not the return of the Israeli captives an “humanitarian matter” also.
Bennett and Biden had agreed during their meeting not to emphasize their disagreements regarding construction in West Bank settlements. The Biden administration will reportedly not pressure Israel on the matter, while Bennett’s government won’t approve massive construction.
“Both sides are determined not to define the relationship on this issue,” the outlet quoted an unnamed diplomatic source as saying.
Bennett should have asserted Israel’s independence by not committing to anything and making clear that its Israel’s business only. He succumbed too easily.
Biden highlighted “the unwavering commitment that we have in the United States to Israel’s security,” and pledged to work on “ways to advance peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.”
Such a commitment is of no value. Also the Palestinians have no interest in “peace and security. There is no equivalency here.
Biden added that the US supported Israel developing “deeper ties” with its Arab and Muslim neighbors, though he did not use the term “Abraham Accords,” in apparent accordance with administration policy toward the deals mediated by the previous US administration.
What a weasel.
Bennett told reporters shortly after the meeting that he had invited Biden to visit Israel at a future date, and said their meeting was warm and constructive.
“It was a wonderful meeting, especially the one-on-one,” he said. “It was mostly a working meeting. There was a feeling that we’ve known each other for a long time. I found a leader who loves Israel, who knows exactly what he wants, and is attentive to our needs.”
The premier said that even after the blast in Kabul, Biden had been adamant about rescheduling the meeting.
“I am truly grateful to the president and his entire staff for their determination to carry out the meeting,” Bennett said, praising the Biden administration for its “attentiveness and focus at the height of a complex American incident.”
Bennett’s also a weasel. He got nothing bankable yet he submitted to handcuffs in Judea and Samaria, Sheikh Jarrad and in Gaza.
He didn’t even stipulate that Israel wont permit the reestablishment of the American Consulate in Jerusalem.
@Bear
This is a good point, and such logistically based conceptual details are both critical and crucial to deploying such a weapon, but I am hoping this is not something the IDF is counting on in their delays to strike Iran. And whatever/whenever the decide to act, I am hoping they will not be so bold/stupid as to pre-warn Iran, er, I mean the US…This group have shown they can not be trusted with any point of sensitive concern. Not in 2014 and not in 2021.
Iran will in theory have enough enriched uranium in a short while to build a Uranium bomb. Question have they figured out how build a war head small enough so that could put this on a missile. Otherwise to use this we have create a large bomb and drop from a plane as was by the USA during WWII.
Both dangerous but if they have figured out how to put this on a missile it far more dangerous.
Israel has the capability to blow the nuclear site where the uranium is being enriched. This I would imagine start a war which would include the Hezbollah and it missile arsenal, which is the largest current danger to Israel.
Bennett was summoned to the court of his colonial master to be told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.
Why would Gantz commit all of a sudden to helping the PA with their economy unless he’s been told by someone to do it?
Watch their actions, and you will know the real results of the “talks”.
Since we do not know what went on behind the scenes and do not know what occured with advisors and other top officials I for one will wait to see if anything happens before being judgmental on this meeting (either positively or negatively).
Trying to establish good relations with a US President is a good objective for an Israeli PM. If that is what happen, that certainly will not hurt.
Carolines’ question as to why Bennet would insist on that metting at the White House when the greatst crisis in modern US history is ongoing can be answered thus….;
Byt eh time a proper opportunity has arrived he very simply may be out of office. either he or/and Biden.
In a 2 hour “meeting” (of souls) …. directed by cue cards, Bennet says he developed a warm and personal relationship with Biden. They fell in love with one another on sight. !! At lest that’s the Bennett implication. Biden didn’t say. No cue card. Bennett must have been sitting on one of those battery warmed cushions, After all, he was “communing” with a battery operated suit..
Well …..Bennett can have a picture to hang on his living room wall after he loses the next election…. and have that proof to tell his grandchildren.
I’ve heard that Biden’s new “trick” is to hold a sharp pencil in his clasped hands so that when he bows his head to “think” the point keeps him awake. One thing I ask you guys. If anyone hears an intelligent comment coming from Biden…..Let me know….That’s a BIG story.
Well covered indeed, Ted. Sleepy Joe and his handlers have nothing but contempt for Bennett and for all Israelis who love and protect the Land of Israel. Period.
As far as I am concerned the military will call the shots from here.
They absolutely can’t go out on the limb with this Iranian threat
depending upon assurances from unreliable sources like Joe Biden.
Biden who just buried Afghanistan.
I believe that Bennett is just talking funny talk in order not to say anything important.
The tip off is these phony negotiations going on with the Iranians.They make no sense to any thinking person.
Why would one side negotiate with the other side for something the first side can get unilaterally without negotiating?
The Iranians can’t offer the other side at the table anything but
a promise to be good in the future in return for tangible benefits right now!
It has to be phony,the other side can’t be that stupid if it was real negotiations.
Very well covered Ted.
I see nothing here to celebrate and something that is being reported should be viewed as very concerning.
Jpost has an article titled “Bennett checked off all his boxes in Washington – analysis”, but if this is accurate, then Bennett must have been carrying a very limited list of objectives. The Pal consulate is still coming, Iran is still granted diplomacy time, building by Arab squatters is still linked to Israeli J/S building, and the Israeli captives are to be held without US support to free them. But the Visa program is being supported and the US may give Israel funding to help rebuild from the recent terrorist attacks from Gaza. This is a very unbalanced view of success.
At the very end of this Jpost fluff piece celebrating Bennett’s great checklist that causes serious concerns to me in the is this comment:
If this is truely reported and not aother Fake News Moment, it is concerning. Israel should not pursue this matter as a Cold War, or the war is already lost. The Cold War was about playing for time between two nuclear peers. I can see how Iran and their American proxy would find an advantage in this mindset, but how is this a proper perspective for Israel. It does answer many things, such as Bennett’s above statement and the heralding the US position to continue “diplomacy” as anything more than an unwavering commitment to Iran.
During the photo op, Bennett made the following statement:
Gantz claims Iran will have their bomb in 7 weeks now. There does seem to be a disconnect here between this statement and Gantz’. I hope it is just public theatrics.
Jpost also states that the Pals were barely brought up and Sheik Jarrah was not discussed. Are we to suppose that this is to mean they were not discussed because of a common view on such significant topics? No, I don’t think so. By ignoring these topics, Bennett accepted the US position, as his govt was likely always of a mind to do with its America First perspective. It can hardly be surprising, this govt in Jerusalem is no nationalist govt, and this I think reinforces that fact as significantly supported.
The Jpost article doesn’t even mention the linkage that has been tied between Arab squatters and Israelis in J/S, nor does it discuss the lack of support for freeing Israeli hostages. In truth, what did Bennett achieve? Promises of visas, aid and Iranian diplomacy… In exchange for this nothingburger Bennett gave the US administration a very nicely timed distraction from their successful coup in Afghanistan where they have admittedly unknown scores of Americans who are soon to be abandoned to a similar fate as the Israeli hostages. Bennett’s refusal to contest the US on this point places them in the shadow of this US govt where nothing granted has a tangible base, nothing. So, he allowed himself to be twisted to support this coup-born govt in Washington while he gained nothing of significance for his role playing in this summit while still checking off all of the US boxes on the US checklist.
I do hope this is all kabuki theater to a greater objective, because there was no gain here.
There is a Torah principle which declares: “Essau hates Jacob”. If there are exceptions Biden is NOT one. (Trump might be).
Excellent comments by Belman.
I agree with each single point.
Joe Biden disrespected Bennett by ‘sleeping’ . Watch the video and watch Biden twitching his fingers