I confess I love Israel. Moments like this, reading Gideon Levy in Haaretz, remind me that the things I love about my Jewish culture–intellectual honesty and sensitivity–are alive in Israel, in the likes of writers like him. Why hasn't any American writer–why haven't I for that matter–said what was obvious about the Obama-Netanyahu meeting? Netanyahu looked like a thuggish oaf next to our brilliant presdent. Levy says it, in a column calling on Obama to push forward on a peace plan to save Israel:
Suddenly all of Israel's "friends" in Washington have
shed their skin. They, too, sense a rare opportunity in the Middle
East. They, too, are tired of what Netanyahu has tried to peddle. They,
too, understand that the Yitzhar settlement in the West Bank must
precede Iran's nuclear reactor in Bushehr. How pathetic and
heartrending was the sight of the Israeli prime minister, sitting tense
and sweaty, next to the new American president, confident, stylish, and
impressive, without all the jokes and back-patting of Ehud Olmert and
George W. Bush. The latter was in fact the least friendly president to
Israel – one who allowed it to carry out all its violent madness.
How pathetic was the sight, yet how encouraging; perhaps Netanyahu
learned something during his short and dramatic visit. The visit has
already made one contribution: Obama tore off the mask of so-called
peace-loving Israel. If Netanyahu really feared for the fate of the
country he would have immediately agreed, in the Oval Office, to all
the ideas put forth by this fantastic president. If Israel does not
respond, we, the Israelis, will know, the U.S. president will know and
the entire world will know that Israel does not want peace.
An Israeli refusal of Obama's efforts will reveal that there is no
peace partner in the Middle East. The absent partner is Israel.
An Israeli refusal of Obama's efforts will reveal that there is no peace partner in the Middle East. The absent partner is Israel. This has been obvious to anyone with eyes to see.
I confess I love Israel…the things I love about my Jewish culture–intellectual honesty and sensitivity–are alive in Israel… Don't romanticise, Phil. Personally, the only things, or rather people, I love in Israel, are emphatically anti-'Israel'.
Last week Assad in Syria said there is no partner for peace in the Israeli camp. It seemed that the Turkish brokered negotiations were going quite well until Netahyahu and Lieberman took the helm. BTW Rowan. seem that if your opinion was truly humble you would put IMHO in lower case.
I also thought that Levy was eloquent in his description. I hope that Obama can turn Netanyahu (unlikely). Perhaps with confidence that the Arab League proposal is sincere, his hand will be forced. Netanyahu is adept at looking like he is complying while continually undermining. For example, when he was last prime minister, he complied with the Oslo Accords in word, while increasing settlement construction assertively (not passively), and breaking symbolic long-standing agreements about excavation under the Al Aqsa Mosque by Israelis. At that time, noone could yet say that the Oslo process was in vain. It was still proceeding, and appeared to have genuinely changed hearts, minds, and institutions. But, with Netanyahu, the goodwill was dashed. Firefights started for the first time since 1948 in the Kotel and Al Aqsa Mosques. Individuals that had been collaborating on electrical infrastructure in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, returned to actually shooting at each other. It was personal. He's a dangerous man, and surrounded by equally or more dangerous men. Eye on the prize is the point for Obama. Mutual decency, mutual security.
Richard, you have been hailing me as an anti-semite for criticizing Israel, but here you are….. I stand amazed.
Witty, despite his views, seems like a good person. I can understand the emotional attachment many Jews have twoards Israel. It's how I feel about Pakistan. I am critical of its founding and where it's headed. If it breaks up into states, then I would be very sad, despite my belief that much of what Pakistan is doing in terms of governing the country and its relationship with other countries, is it's own fault. I guess that's how many Jews feel about Israel, well, the reasonable ones anyway.
Netanyahu Adviser Steps Out of the Shadows http://www.counterpunch.org/cook05202009.html
The 2007 Pew Global Attitudes Project found that by 77% to 16%, Palestinians don't believe they can live side-by-side with Israel, while by 61% to 31%, Israelis do believe they can live side-by-side with a Palestinian state. So long as fewer than 2 in 10 Arabs, both Palestinian and all others, believe in Israel's right to exist as a nation with a Jewish majority, there can be no successful peace based on a two-state solution. That is the reality that no diplomacy can change.
Rown Berkley, another anti-Israel gum flapper.
Levy is correct that only the US can save Israel, not Israel. But what if after the ole college try and a hard fought fight Obama fails in his I/P initiative? What then for Israel?
hey, that's by far the most eloquent and informative comment you have ever written.
Few dead Israelis and lots of dead Palestinians = your statistics