Resenting Israel, Not Netanyahu
By Jonathan Tobin, COMMENTARY
Barack Obama’s dislike of Benjamin Netanyahu was not a state secret prior to the publication of his candid exchange about the Israeli prime minister with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. So the fact the two have a low opinion of Netanyahu and consider dealing with him to be a burden isn’t exactly news. But while much of the commentary about this kerfuffle has centered on the question of who should be most embarrassed by the revelation — Netanyahu or his two highly placed critics — there is a more important point here.
Netanyahu has a well-earned reputation as a prickly and somewhat unpleasant fellow to deal with-in Israeli political circles as well as the world of international diplomacy. But when Sarkozy and Obama grouse about him, the resentment they are giving voice to hasn’t all that much to do with whether or not Netanyahu is a charm school dropout. What really annoys them is his inherent skepticism about the peace process.
Despite his reputation as a hard-liner (a phrase treated in many press accounts as if it were part of his name), Netanyahu has a long record of attempts to conciliate the Palestinians in order to make peace. During his first term as prime minister in the 1990’s he signed two agreements conceding parts of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority. He enacted a settlement-building freeze in the West Bank during his current administration and formally endorsed the idea of a Palestinian state. But despite all of this, Netanyahu has never consented to playing the familiar game in which the onus for peace is placed only on Israel to make concessions and not the Palestinians.
Throughout both of his terms as Israel’s leader, Netanyahu has insisted on pointing out the failures of the Palestinians to abide by their Oslo commitments. Rather than meekly nod along when Obama or Sarkozy speak of the need for Israel to relinquish territory, Netanyahu has had the chutzpah to publicly talk back to them about Israel’s rights and not just its immediate security needs. Though he has sometimes given in to their demands if he thought it was in his country’s interests, he has also made it clear that doing so is a grave concession that could bring deadly consequences. Any Israeli who speaks in this manner, which necessarily complicates the efforts of the peace processors to ignore the Palestinians’ reluctance to make peace, is not going to be liked.
Much like Menachem Begin, the first member of his party to serve as Israel’s prime minister, Netanyahu cannot play the unctuous diplomat. Though he has made concessions and sought to reach out to other countries as well as ably making his country’s case before the American people, he does so as a proud, stiff-necked Jew, not a supplicant or a starry-eyed dreamer who is beguiled by an unrealistic vision about the intentions of his Palestinian negotiating partners.
Netanyahu has more than his share of personal flaws. But what Sarkozy and Obama are telling us is that the Israeli won’t play by their rules and knuckle under when his country’s rights are imperiled. Though he values Israel’s alliance with the United States, Netanyahu’s idea of his responsibilities is one in which he prioritizes defending his country’s interests over making nice with heads of state.
It should be conceded that his tactics don’t always work well, and he won’t win any foreign popularity contests. But the issue here isn’t Netanyahu. An Israeli leader who won’t acquiesce to the lies other leaders tell about the Palestinians’ peaceful intentions will never be loved. Sarkozy and Obama don’t resent Netanyahu as much as they do Israel.
Well put, Ted — as every peace agreement and ceasefire has demonstrated. Arabs understand hudna and dhimmitude; they do not understand “peace” in any context familiar to us — except, perhaps, the “peace” of the grave.
I notice that when Gush Katif, in Gaza, was evacuated in 2005 after receiving nearly daily bombardment, the Arabs simply re-directed their missles at Sderot, Beersheba, Ashdod and Ashkelon — all of them in “1967 Borders Israel”, not in “occupied territory”. Israel is expected to be as gullible as Charlie Brown.
Maryland is a good prospect for a “two state solution” — with a contiguous African state including DC and Baltimore, with Washington as its capital. I can’t imagine why this hasn’t been presented to the UN yet.
Yea, sure, we should count on God’s protection.
It worked so well with Hitler.
The classic Ephraim Kishon story on how Israel forfeited world sympathy still resonates. http://wordfromjerusalem.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/the-case-for-israel-appendix6.pdf. Cheers
Alex
Gog and Magog is Ezechiel…but standing alone is according to Zechariah.
Bibi is the best PM Israel could have at this point. He is smart, not stupid, and knows that he is dealing with wolves in sheep’s clothing. He is smart to be cynical about the peace process. War will come to Israel, just as it has many times before, after ANY peace agreement, because the Palestinians are not to be trusted…nor Iran, or any other Arab nation.
The books of Daniel, Zechariah, and Ezechiel predict wars that have not occurred yet. They are in Israel’s near future. Fortunately, Israel will win, although any war is frightening.
This is because Israels’ enemies will always be that way: violent, deceitful and hateful.
At some point, there will be another “agreement” and the arabs will get more land to call their own. Israelis will feel that maybe this is the best deal so far, or that it will work, but the Gog and Magog war is still ahead of them, and Israel will stand alone, according to Zachariah’s prophecy. The USA under Obama is a scary thought. Fortunately, the US military does not think like him. But one way or the other, Israel will find itself with out human allies at some point. But, also at this point, the God of Israel will step in.
Do not believe ANY godless, national leader that they will be a constant ally of Israel. They will only act on their own interests. That is flawed human nature. Expect another “abomination” to occur in Jerusalem, as predicted by Daniel.
My prayers are with Israel. Israel will be the last country standing when the inevitable world war 3 starts. That is because of divine protection, and the promises of God.
God bless Israel. She will be there at the end of all things!
The whole “leaked gaffe” thing is a farce. I find it very hard to believe, that the leaders of two of the most powerful countries on earth would speak before live microphones, telling the potential listeners beforehand not to put on their headphones (and then looking the other way when they did put them on), and say things “by accident”.
For whatever reason, Obama and Sarkozy wanted the press to hear exactly what they heard.
I like a stiff necked right wing nationalist Jew. Michael Ben Ari comes to mind; making the point to self hating, left wing Tel Avivan university students that they have to vacate Tel Aviv because it could be considered “occupied” territory just as much as Judea and Samaria.
The World likes puppets in Israeli leadership. Internationalist puppets who know their place and do the power elites bidding, silently selling Israel out from beneath the people. Heil, to the New World Order.
When a prominent cleric once slagged off Margaret Thatcher, she famously quipped that his remarks said more about him than it did about her. Obama’s and Sarkozy’s remarks likewise say more about them than Bibi.
OK, but why not just stand up and say the truth as it is.
“Palestinians” are not interested, never have been, and never will be interested in peace with Israel. Peace process is a farce. Pals will never agree to cede Jerusalem, Jews will never agree to divide. Pals will never give up their “right to return”, Jews will never agree.
Most importantly, he needs to stand up straight and say “JUDEA AND SAMARIA ARE AS JEWISH AS MARYLAND IS AMERICAN” or that “JERUSALEM IS AS JEWISH AS MECCA IS ARAB”.
Once this is said and understood, then foreign leaders will stop pressuring Israel. But first Jews need to wake up and make that claim.
Unlike Pals, they have been raised in anti-Israeli, unpatriotic schools.
Pals are learning that Haifa, Acco, Jaffa, Ashkelon, and all other cities are part of “THEIR” Arab Palestine. Jews are learning that Bethlehem and Hebron are not Jewish but Arab.
“Netanyahu has more than his share of personal flaws. But what Sarkozy and Obama are telling us is that the Israeli won’t play by their rules and knuckle under when his country’s rights are imperiled…….
It should be conceded that his tactics don’t always work well, and he won’t win any foreign popularity contests. But the issue here isn’t Netanyahu. An Israeli leader who won’t acquiesce to the lies other leaders tell about the Palestinians’ peaceful intentions will never be loved. Sarkozy and Obama don’t resent Netanyahu as much as they do Israel.”
Personally I don’t see that Netanyahu has “more than his share” of personal flaws. In fact, he has more than his share of personal and public virtues, tremendous courage being just one among many. Obama, Sarkozy and the rest of the anti-semites will denigrate any Jewish leader who refuses to endorse national suicide for the state of Israel. The Jew haters, including the cringing, left wing Jews among them, don’t want a “reasonable” Israel. They want a destroyed Israel.
I’m an ardent supporter of Israel! I’m also a Christian Zionist. Although, I’m disturbed at Bibi for his, less-than-stellar, attitude as it relates to the Yesha issue i.e., the settler question, I’m really pissed-off at Barak (he needs to be removed; he’s a traitor)! All Israel belongs to Israel! I hope Bibi changes course and protects the God-given land of Israel! As we know, the times are extreme, lines are being drawn; soon, real, hard choices will need to be made. I believe, Bibi, is the right man for the job! One need only to look back and see what serious leftists’ have done; and, that’s the problem: traitorous leftists’ within the government and military structures. These insidious forces need to be purged from the political arena if Israel is to survive the great onslaught that is coming to test the very fabric of its nationalistic being. In regards to Ob(m)ama, who can deny his, apparent, Muslim leanings and overt dislike of Israel? I’m an American; he is the worst thing (along with Jimmy Carter) that has ever happened to my country. May the God of Israel and we Christians help us at this dark hour of need. He is pure evil! Mark my words: if he is re-elected, Israel will, finally, see his true, dark Muslim heart. I beg Israel’s leaders’ to NOT trust this two-faced liar, monster! I wouldn’t worry about the Frenchman, he tries to compensate for his small size (intellectually speaking); however, it is a pretty, funny thought! Again, Bibi is trying to do the right thing. He has the hardest job of protecting the most hated country in the world, so give the man some slack…some supporting love–God knows he needs it! Well, enough of my long diatribe…so God bless Israel and His Jerusalem (Muslim free)!