By Ted Belman
With the announcement of Obama’s visited to Israel in March, some suggested he is bringing a new peace proposal in order to break the log jam. But the latest report is that he is not.
I don’t think that there is any possibility that he would. In matters of substance he is not about to abandon his formulae of ’67 lines plus swaps” for surely he would be making it even more difficult for Abbas to return to negotiations.So Obama has no goodies to offer Israel. Nor has he anything else to offer Abbas.
Perhaps what was meant by a new peace proposal is nothing more than a formulae for enabling the parties to return to the negotiating table if they were so inclined. Israel has always stated its willingness to do so. Therefore an incentive is not necessary. What he could do is suggest to Abbas that he could return on his terms while Israel would return without acknowledging such terms. But where would such negotiations go but no where.
Similarly, if Israel were to make concessions or gestures to encourage him to return, Abbas would pocket the same and then return as intransigent as ever. So nothing is to be gained.
Either Abbas wants to negotiate a deal or he doesn’t. He obviously doesn’t.
From America’s point of view, fruitless negotiations are better than no negotiations and strenuous efforts to kick start negotiations are better than no efforts to do so.
On an aside, I was recently informed by someone very close to the settler communities
- “.. after four years of Netanyahu, Judea and Samaria are flourishing. There is virtually no community in which we are not building. New permits are being granted. Outposts are being legalized. And in my view, a Palestinian state was never more distant.”
Can anyone verify this.
@ Susan H Somerville:
“Anything that our government does to increase “good will” can only benefit us, especially if Obama will be inclined to see
his role in the matter as very important, which would surely suit his self image.”
“A flattering mouth worketh ruin.” I read that the Hebrew word for flattery means smooth, as were the smooth stones used to cast lots for apportion and separation. I think Obama will use this opportunity to loudly proclaim the “need for a two state solution.” He does not come bearing gifts. He comes to give away Jewish land to Muslim animals. I hope the Jews of Israel protest on the streets in huge numbers against this asshole’s stately visit.
I think that we should look at President Obama’s visit to Israel as a positive occasion, no matter what we might truly feel. Why?
Given what we think and know about any possibility for true negotiations, let Obama think that he’s got a cooperative “partner” in
Israel. Anything that our government does to increase “good will” can only benefit us, especially if Obama will be inclined to see
his role in the matter as very important, which would surely suit his self image. Then again, Obama may not attempt to bring Netanyahu and Abbas together – this time.
Obama may only be trying to soften Netanyahu up for later talks. His visit may focus entirely on the Iranian problem. We just have to listen to his speech and watch his conduct here and in the other countries in the M.E. that he will visit. We must stay on the tiptoes of reality.
There is only one reason why Obama is visiting Israel. He needs another holiday — somewhere different.
@ Canadian Otter:
No question it was a colossal mistake.
The leadership in the Israeli government has a lot to be desired.
The government should be supporting the building of communities and not giving land G-d provided for them away.
Then again when you don’t permit your own people to pray in their Temple, says a lot.
(they need to remove the rock throwing muskrats that hang around the Temple – its a reflection of their mentality)
@ jew:
It’s not enough to be good. Jews built and worked hard in Sinai and Gaza. All that effort and their beautiful communities were destroyed in one fell swoop by the government because Jews had failed to organize and demand Israeli sovereignty. They lived on hope that they could keep the land, without availing themselves of their legal rights to defend their land. ~~~~~ Being a good Jew is not enough. Too many good Jews have already been expelled. ~~~~~ So, yes, build and procreate but – very importantly – make sure that your children will have their right to the land recognized by their own government, and that the rest of Yesha will be under full Israeli sovereignty, instead of one day having to face the Nazi murderers across the border with the State of Palestine. ~~~~~ But all that requires organizing to pressure your authorities to abide by international law. – http://www.justicenow4israel.com/
@ Canadian Otter:
“your task is not to finish but to go on” (Mishna)
We have to build and work and study and to give birth to Jewish children and educate them to love the Tora and Israel and Eretz Israel. The rest is G-d’s task. And He promissed!
i think it is a mistake to let this impure Hussein Obama defile our holy soil. his visit is anything but a honor. and he will certainly ask a prize for his defilement. stupid BB.
Settlements are only 1.7% of Judea and Samaria. – Ten Unknown West Bank Facts – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp4f3wXwyZg
Even if Yesha Jews had unlimited right to contruction, they could never keep up with Arab construction. And they could not stop the march towards partition, led by the Israeli government itself.
If settlement construction is really taking place, it’s only allowed to placate Jews and keep them busy and quiet insstead of organizing against the government, while authorities plot disengagement from that other 98.3% behind their back.
I certainly hope this is all true.
Its better to show that Israel wants peace even if the Arabs don’t. That will suck up plenty of attention and will ease the pressure off Israel. Every one knows real negotiations are never going to happen. With Ahmedinejad being Abu Bluff’s BFF, such prospects are about as likely as rain falling in the Sahara Desert. In the meantime, Jewish demography in Judea and Samaria will make the so-called two state solution as obsolete as the extinct dodo.
In Tekoa, the only thing to be slowing down building is the casual building ethic of the cablanim themselves. Otherwise, there are a lot of new homes going up. I certainly got a wink and a nudge from the moetza in building my own.