Comments on: Report: Obama will impose two-state solution

By: rykart

rykart — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Obama may need to turn Tel Aviv into Jenin to accomplish this.

Not that that would be a bad thing.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Yes, it has looked likely the past few weeks that there would be a US quid pro quo on Iran-Palestine. Not sure of the parameters of the Iran side of the deal, though I would suspect the worst–Israel gets the green light to bomb Iran and subsequently fudges and hedges on its part of the deal, the Palestine side–the usual hemming and hawing.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

"Obama will be sympathetic to Israel re Iran"

This is disturbing. I'd almost rather let the status quo alone in the Occupied Territories than worsen the situation with Iran. Of course, this depends on exactly what "sympathetic" means. Israel bombing Iran is just flat-out unacceptable, especially given the 2007 NIE that indicated that Iran is not working on nuclear weapons. Despite Ahmedinejad's rhetoric, there's really no sign that Iran intends to actually do anything against Israel, so why should we be "sympathetic" to them on this issue regardless of what we get in exchange? Just because we want something from someone is no reason to support their paranoid delusions.

The US and Iran have not had proper diplomatic relations in thirty years. This needs to change. Being "sympathetic" to Israel about Iran does not seem productive in this regard.

By: Me

Me — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Consider this:

If Obamas sympathy "to Israel re Iran" indeed means support for covert or overt military action, the two state solution Obama seems to support can not be realized, Because most of the Muslim world (and many others) would not acceot Israeli/US aggression against Iran.

So if Obama is sincere about his two states no matter what, he absolutely needs to rein in the militaristic Israeli approach to Iran.

By: rykart

rykart — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Obama needs to take the rhetoric inappropriately applied to Iran and apply it (appropriately) to Israel: "All options are on the table."

Personally, I see the chance of the IDF removing the settlers as zero. If Obama is serious about a Palestinian state, he will have to use the US military to remove or kill the settlers and provide a defensive force to protect Palestinians from renewed aggression. Barring this, there will be no progress whatsoever.

By: Citizen

Citizen — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

I see at this moment apropos Phil's article and the thread of comments pursuant it, that Obama
is wrong if he thinks the I-P issue can be separated from Iran. Can he really be this shallow? If not, his alleged gradual positioning is nothing but what he thinks is best to support his hoped for second term.

By: seethelight

seethelight — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Obama and US cannot directly impose a two-state solution on Natenyahu. Indirect pressure, however, has a much greater chance of success, and a good place to start is by publicly discussing the illegality of the settlements and the inhumanity of the Occupation. That will not only get Netanyahu's attention, but the Israeli public's as well. When the Israelis realize that Obama is no George W. Bush, or Bill Clinton, for that matter, then real movement toward a two-state solution will begin.

By: asiswhen

asiswhen — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Obama knows that "two states for two people" is just segregation, or "Pragmatic Zionism". But since fanaticism and orientalism is the name of the game, since the Balfour Declaration or before, to reign in the disease without removing the tumor won't work..
So, Obama is carrying water for the Rahm Emmanuel camp of pragmatists who know it's now or never for the "jewish state". Unfortunately, without refugee return, East-Jerusalem, Palestinian rights in Israel, or settlement withdrawal, the conflict would remain unresolved,.. and those "concessions" aren't really on any zionist's table.
Check out the new EI article re: "Economic Peace"

By: Laurie

Laurie — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

And once Israel has Tehran taken out (and that's assuming it can be done which is a very big IF) what is to prevent Israel from just rolling over a Palestinian state? – Nothing. Sounds like a set up to me.

By: David F.

David F. — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Very troubling. Iran is very capable of striking back against an Israeli attack. A general regional war might erupt. If rockets are hitting Tel-Aviv, does anyone imagine that Israel will be up to withdrawing from the OT?