-
-
- Two friends meet for 5 minutes in Jerusalem 7
- Video: Soldiers aim guns at fallen boy’s head outside West … 14
- Abulhawa declines to ‘balance out’ several Israelis in ‘Al Jazeera’ … 15
- Exile and the prophetic: The Jewish Identity Network 7
- Trauma begins at home 7
- CNN’s Tapper lends himself to claustrophobic discussion of unicorn– Israel’s … 8
- Church of Scotland’s revised ‘Promised Land’ report has softer edges … 21
- Guatemalan genocide got assist from US, Christian Right, and Israel 18
-
- Israeli airport sorts passengers with ‘Jewish stickers’ and ‘Arab stickers’ 676
- ‘Newseum’ folds under pressure, will not include Gaza cameramen in … 312
- Dershowitz calls Hawking an ‘ignoramus,’ a ‘lemming,’ and likely an … 203
- In photos: Gaza marches and rallies mark 65 years of … 149
- Glenn Greenwald brings facts and reason to ‘Real Time’, ruins … 145
- San Francisco bus ads condemn Israeli apartheid: backlash begins 120
- Washington Post’s racism map omits Israel 101
- Washington state bus-ad campaign dares to state: ‘Equal rights for … 100
-
- Dershowitz calls Hawking an ‘ignoramus,’ a ‘lemming,’ and likely an … 149
- Glenn Greenwald brings facts and reason to ‘Real Time’, ruins … 88
- International Criminal Court opens preliminary investigation into attack on Mavi … 88
- Washington Post’s racism map omits Israel 69
- Israeli airport sorts passengers with ‘Jewish stickers’ and ‘Arab stickers’ 69
- Barbara Boxer’s visa bill for Israel comes under concerted attack 64
- ‘Newseum’ folds under pressure, will not include Gaza cameramen in … 62
- Church of Scotland backs away from boycott call in the … 62
-
- RT @MhamdG: Two friends (@WalaaGh & @MahaIghbaria ) meet for 5 minutes in Jerusalem http://t.co/226bwrY48g via @Mondoweiss, 4 hours ago
- Story behind a photo - Two friends meet for 5 minutes in Jerusalem http://t.co/0UZkQMevP1, 4 hours ago
- Exile and the prophetic: The Jewish Identity Network http://t.co/UPuEQQgkjI, 9 hours ago
- Trauma begins at home http://t.co/on36d4DzxP, 9 hours ago
- CNN’s Tapper lends himself to claustrophobic discussion of unicorn– Israel’s survival as ‘a Jewish democracy’ http://t.co/GAK5ZiP9jt, 9 hours ago
-
Recent Comments
click link to see last 100 comments- Two friends meet for 5 minutes in Jerusalem (7)
- Islamophobia is as widespread and acceptable as anti-Semitism used to be (25)
- Philip Weiss: let’s start with Robert Cohn, Fagin, Twain’s essay against the Jews. There’s a Jew...
- PeaceThroughJustice: “Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Tolstoy, Ernest Hemingway, they all caricatured Jews....
- subconscious: In situations of political or military conflict, demonization of the official enemy is the norm. It...
- Washington Post’s racism map omits Israel (69)
- James Canning: @German Lefty – - I strongly endorse the 2002 Saudi peace plan. The art of diplomacy is the...
- James Canning: One factor may simply be that many Hindus do not want their children to marry Muslims. Or to...
- Guatemalan genocide got assist from US, Christian Right, and Israel (18)
- NoMoreIsrael: Not only was there no accountability for US-Israeli crimes against humanity in Central America, the...
- CNN’s Tapper lends himself to claustrophobic discussion of unicorn– Israel’s survival as ‘a Jewish democracy’ (8)
- Denis: This Tapper guy is no mental slouch. He knows where he is. On the third day of the non-stop Boston bombing...
- Video: Soldiers aim guns at fallen boy’s head outside West Bank settlement (14)
- tree: Cliff, you can access up to 10 Haaretz articles per month with a simple registration, no payment necessary. If...
Our Writers
More WritersBlogroll
The War of Ideas in the Middle East
Interesting interview with Meshaal in Foreign Policy. link to foreignpolicy.com
The article suggests that Hamas is decreasing alliance with Iran and increasing alliance with Turkey and Qatar, amongst our BFFs in the region. Since leaving Syria. Worth a read.
Apparently, the cannibal guy and the guys accused of the war crimes are not the Islamic opposition, but the group that McCain, JINSA and WINEP wants us to support, more secular good guys in the white hats, the Free Syrian Army, who we are already supporting with non lethal support.
Really inconvenient and ackward, whenever the US wants to roll these plucky freedom fighters out on an American charm tour, they do something really, really bad.
In response to all the atrocities they commit, the US is offering Law of War training for them in Turkey. Earrings, hearts and minds stuff.
Of note, in Islam, intermarriage between Muslim, Jew and Christian are considered equally valid. No pagans, though.
The FSA is WINEP's and NeoCon pick for international support and to lead transition after Assad.
They are composed of senior level defectors from the Syrian Army. Think Somoza.
Unfortunately they have little popular support or combat effectiveness. If they prevail, with international assistance, in toppling Assad, a brutal sectarian civil war will follow.
Which they would lose, unless they had massive foreign military support and probably presence.
The coalition is falling apart, but Assad is irreversibly weakened. There will be a transition. Russia will be the key International player in brokering the transition.
Kerry headed to Russia this week.
Nazareth is historically an Arab center of culture, and was intended under the 181 partition to be within the boundaries of the Arab State.
Whoever is running the "Friends of Hamas" PAC really needs a rebranding.
A Huckabee three fer. 1) Pollard, 2) Netanyahu most popular in US (republican congress standing "O"s) , and a slam to dems on SASC for not standing up for Israel.
A circus
A shame, as in shameful act
Let me try. In 1924 a Lithuanian yeshiva of about 200 young male students relocated to Hebron, after being rejected from Jerusalem for being too religious and crazy and not socialist enuf. They leftnLithuania to avoid the draft from the Tsar.
So they parachuted in, setup their " i am better than you" lifetstyle and really pissed off the locals,,Sephardi Jews and arabs alike. Meanwhile back in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv the unionist with communist tendencies and histadrut Arab exclusionist policies got control of the docks t Tel Aviv. A recipe for disaster. In a small sad way' it is a story of euro Ashkenazi elitism overcoming Sephardi accomodationsim. Who is right?
This is madness. young men (and women) should not be singing songs of death.
The whole article is worth a read- How an outpost becomes a settlement, and the delusions folks tell themselves that allow land theft.
That is odious to the extreme. "Except Siegel is not a fellow Jew."
And this shabbos breaker Baumann is?
gut check time.
link to forward.com
The Holocaust metaphor, 2011 is the new 1939
From the Forward on the ZOA annual awards dinner. Not a democrat in sight.
Beck, Bachman, and Ros-Lehtinen
Of course, the Agriprocessors Rubaskin's did label their processed meats as produced in accordance with religious standards. . All the difference in the world. The American way, immigrant child labor and unsanitary and inhumane (for both the workers and the animals) conditions. That's free enterprise and free markets
The Palestinian Trade Union Federation does not support a boycott of Israeli goods or services. Some member Unions support a boycott of Settler products
link to pgftu.org
Jewish boycotts of Arab enterprises (and labor) goes way back, pre state.
Counting Jews? According to DKos that's a sure sign of rampant anti loathing self semitism, no?
Except when it isn't, and only they know the difference
For a self proclaimed ethnic minority/population group that is under constant persecution from systemic, engrained mindless racism, imagine what their metrics would be in a anti-semitism free zone?
delegitimizing the delegitimizers? Brilliant, a sure recipe for success!
Even as the British were leaving the future Israelis invaded the lands intended for the Arab state and depopulated large areas. The objective was ostensibly to come to the aid of jewish villages that were inside the Arab lands, in order to protect them, but they stayed. Most of the land battles actually took place on territory intended for the Arab state. Same as 1967. And 1973.
Getting a settlements on the 1967 lines, with mutual recognition and security agreements ala the Arab league plan, is a huge victory in expanding territory from the original 181 territory. Why doesn't Israel take it?
When this was occurring, the Knesset warned Olmert that due to his indictment on corruption charges, he had no authority to make peace deals. He was fully enabled, however, to make war on Gazans, in Cast Lead.
Israel would be horrified with any US/Iran detente. That was the crux of the Larry Franklin, Rosen, Weissmann espionage debacle. Israel aspires to be the regional big dog.
I think you nailed, it. Israel, via Prosor, was sending a message to Sarkozy, "vote our way" , or we will support your opposition, however batshit crazy.
Stay classy, Ron. What was this guy thinking?
Israel is not a NATO ally. There are no military alliances between the US and Israel.
Why doesn't Turkey belong in NATO, what culture or political barrier is there? What test does it not meet?
Turkey does seek to increase influence in the region, and I think we should support that. Erdogan hates the term neo-Ottoman, btw.
Israel is becoming less democratic, and perhaps meets the criteria for limiting sale of offensive arms by your standards.
The pre '67 lines were drawn after an armistice following when Israel invaded and occupied lands intended for a future Arab state. The Post June 67 lines were drawn following a surprise attack by Israel on Egypt's armed forces.
What exactly has Turkey done that would disqualify them from US Foreign Arms sales? Didn't Israel sell Turkey Billions in arms? What has changed?
An undisclosed nuclear weapons program? Invading and occupying all of their neighboring countries at one time or another? Conducting extra judicial and extraterritorial asassinations? Conducting espionage against the US?
Israel kills 9 Turkish nationals and an American in International waters. Turkey takes diplomatic measures in protest.
And we are supposed to be mad at Turkey for this? This is nuts.
Erdogan made a tour of North Africa in September, arguing eloquently for secular democracy for Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. Very unpopular message to the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic fundamentalists.
Why is it a good idea to alienate a NATO partner? The only NATO nation with credibility in the Arab world?
How does this further our national interests? What change in behaviour do we seek?
This is just nuts. "Turning their face away from modernity" WTF does that mean?
This is madness.
Anonymous is claiming to have taken down several Israeli Gov't websites in protest for the flotilla interception. And threatens further action unless the blockade of Gaza is lifted.
Burn
International waters? Piracy.
Our government already does. Hamas is on the terror list and are under sanctions. What more would you have done that isn't already being done? What would your sign say?
Why are you making a moral equivalence between Israel's blockade of Gazans and Hamas support for terror?
Props to Israel, though. They are instituting a wealth tax, and are openly discussing the "concentration" of wealth and that impact on national character. Way ahead of us
Pubius is a longtime DKos hasbarista.
Sad really. I have read Judge Goldstone on other issues and always found his writing, concise, well reasoned, lucid and pointed. Rarely employs rhetorical devices. This discursive piece doesn't even sound like his prior writings.
Serbian Chetniks were active Nazi collaborators.
But, Israel was among the first to recognize South Sudan. Why? Arms sales? Repatriation of refugees?
Yup, Exactly. Having a Palestine fully integrated into international institutions, Including the IAEA, conventions on weaponry, and international justice, while Israel increasingly becomes estranged and isolated, the contrast is obvious.
link to unicef.org
From the UNICEF Website. IS that the next UN agency the US will defund?
-----------------
In July 2011, residents from the nearby Kfar Adumim settlement petitioned the Israeli High Court to prevent the school from opening for the new school term and to have the demolition order carried out. The Court declined to close the school, but it did request a follow-up from Israeli authorities about its demolition plans.
At risk of displacement
Twenty other Bedouin communities in Area C face the same threat of demolition and displacement; over two-thirds of the residents in these areas are children.
Like Khan Al Ahmar, these communities are not connected to the electric grid and only half have access to water services. Yet demolition poses an even worse fate for these villagers: If their communities are scattered, children may lose not only their homes and schools, but also their culture.
“I do not want my school to be destroyed because it’s beautiful, and I need it,” said Iman. “All I ask is to be able to study and live here in Khan Al Ahmar because this is my only home.”
Interesting that Goldstone makes the important distinction between Israel and the OPT, and concedes that conditions in the OPT are "more complicated", but does not make the asssertion that the OPT is apartheid free.
Heh, Now the PA is applying for membership in a slew of other UN orgs and Agencies, IAEA, WIPO, ILO, International Telecommunications Agency. Will the US defund all these also?
Astonishingly stupid. do they even read what they write?
conflicting reports. Can the US continue to be an active member if we don't pay our dues? Vicky Nuland says yes. UN bylaws say no. which is correct?
FWITW, Mamilla is on Israeli side of green line. But it didn't stop Israel from naming several WB sites as "national heritage" sites.
That's an interesting point. the whole land area Israel claims is about 22,000 sq km.
link to mfa.gov.il
Unilateral? With more than 100 "aye" votes? And how, exactly, does this remove possibility of peace agreement?
And note how Israel chooses International isolation:
link to haaretz.com
"This is a unilateral Palestinian maneuver which will bring no change on the ground but further removes the possibility for a peace agreement," the Foreign Ministry statement read.
Moreover, the statement suggested that Israel may now stop its cooperation with the cultural agency.
"Following the decision to accept Palestine as a regular member of UNESCO, the State of Israel will consider its further steps on ongoing cooperation with the organization," it read.
This is worth a read:
"Moshe Dayan's Widow Ruth: Zionist Dream Has Run Its Course
Oct 30, 2011 10:00 AM EDT
These startling words were uttered last week in Tel Aviv by 95-year-old Ruth Dayan, widow of one of Israel's founding fathers"
link to thedailybeast.com
pithy
An important milestone with far reaching implications. The first of many. Let's see if the congress follows through with defunding threat.
Simple fix. Abstain from UNSC vote on Palestinian membership in UN, and both provisions in law are obviated on recognition of Palestinian admission to UN as a member state.
Abbasids, Bibi. Read a damn book.
Nothing like an International Crisis to divert attention from the Palestinian move in the UN and international pressure to engage in bilateral peace talks.
It is better to bomb a far neighbor than make peace with a near neighbor.
Did Foxman at ADL chime in yet?
"Cast Lead". Was a pun. Invoked the spinning of the dreidel, a child's toy used in the winter, Hanukkah observances. A spinning top. Are these Folks insane? Dreidels made of a heavy metal spin longer.
I just heard the Israeli Ambassador to the UN, debating Palestine at the UNSC The closest and only coherent argument against Palestinian Statehood he made was the result of the vote would be violence. For which the UNSC would be responsible. Also, the settlements are not a barrier to peace, the Arab nations neglect their people, and they blame Israel for all their ills.
There is nothing "pro Israel" about supporting continuation of this insane and destructive occupation.
Now that is one disturbed mind. Read the rest of her blog postings. Yikes.
I suspect that thye reason is Lemkin's other body of work - a study of Axis plans for Poland, and how those plans and their implementation constituted an International crime.
Germany's plan was a total disenfranchisement of the Polish population, further, even elimination by murder or displacement of many of them, to make way for their colonial project. The plan was to establish a network of cluster"island" settlements of industrial and agricultural concentrations, connected by "germans only" roads, and protected by a strong military force. The residual polish population was left to govern themselves, with the German state having no responsibility for them with the exception of brutally suppressing any resistance to the German project. The polish were not to be allowed any form of government or organization or national sentiment. They existed only to provide plentiful labor for the German colonizers.
Lemkin formulated this as a crime, coined as genocide, and linked it to other crimes of type.
"Generally speaking, genocide does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings of all members of a nation. It is intended rather to signify a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves. The objectives of such a plan would be disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity, and even the lives of the individuals belonging to such groups. Genocide is directed against the national group as an entity, and the actions involved are directed against individuals, not in their individual capacity, but as members of the national group."
"Genocide has two phases: one, destruction of the national pattern of the oppressed group; the other, the imposition of the national pattern of the oppressor. This imposition, in turn, may be made upon the oppressed population which is allowed to remain or upon the territory alone, after removal of the population and the colonization by the oppressor's own nationals
There have been several oblique references to the terms of the swap to include easing the Gaza blockade by Israel, does anyone know the specifics?
Iran is citing Interpol that Shakuri is a member of MEK and has travelled to Camp Ashraf. This thing is unraveling.
Wow. That is huge.
"Well, the problem with what you’ve said on the subject is it doesn’t make any sense, and most of the world, almost all of it, disagrees with you."
ouch
That's an interesting concept; "amnesty" for Israel in claims before the ICC for offenses occurring before a specific date. No amnesty for offenses committed after that. If Israel agrees to the following.
“If Israel stops all its settlement activites, ends its siege of Gaza, comes to negotiation seriously committed to the [Quartert’s] terms of reference, we will not complain about Israel anywhere. Not to the International Court of Justice or anywhere."
How "unilateral" of Ileana.
it is a moral choice. Clean water and schools for Africans, or bunker buster GBU-28's for Israel.
We are known by our actions
Larry Franklin, convicted of passing secrets to an Israeli Consular Official, was Feith's deputy for Iran. Charges against AIPAC's Steve Rosen were subsequently dismissed.
This is chilling
link to haaretz.com
A book/ polemic by a national security wonk stating the Arabs can not be fully integrated, it is all their fault, and their only options are to accept a second class, apartheid status, peacefully, or accept transfer. Quite matter of factly stated.
That's a complex question. The Bedu of the Galilee might be a special case, as a tightly knit semi pastoralist society without a tradition of nationalist aspirations, they have adapted to millenia of various conquerors by accomodation and making money off whoever was in charge or passing through at the time. They are also less likely to compete with the invaders for class A farmland. The Bedu of the Galilee did defend the Rothschild settlements from Arab attack during the Arab uprisings in the 30's and again in '48. Because of the great Arab displacements of '48 and '67 the Bedu recognized settlements have seen an influx of Arabs (who have few alternatives), this has caused some tension.
The horror in the Negev is a slightly different matter, it is no less than the erasure of a people and a way of life.
The simplest explanation for your question is racism. It is true, the Bedu do not assimilate much, and typically they do not thrive in sedentary town life, they simply want to be left alone to pursue a tradition and way of life that predates the notion of nation states and borders.
Wow, I never saw that. What a powerful response.
When Jews start attacking Jews, it all goes downhill. hellenists and fundamentalists.
They are taking their anger out against the Arab, instead of against their government.
That is scary
That is depressing, but that is the party line. Peace is impossible, so it don't matter what we do.
Wasn't there a recent poll that said about the same number would be OK with a Palestinian State?
I wouldn't try to do that, I don't believe it is true. There are zionists, however that are appalled at the current state of affairs in Israel, and properly so. Some for principled reasons, other more pragmatic. That doesn't make them "nice", but perhaps they could be thought of as rational. And they see the need for change, or the untenability of the status quo. Further, they may be a key constituency in effecting change.
This is a personal view, not normative in any sense.
Just a subjective assessment. For a decade, the occupation was dealt with by ignoring it. Now the sensible middle ( those who haven't emigrated) are starting to speak more openly about ending the bloody thing. Parents don't want their kids going to the IDF and guarding checkpoints and patting down little old ladies, the kids don't want to, either. The tent protestors don't want the settlers to consume so much GDP, in incentives and security expense, and they don't want Israel to devolve into a pariah, outcast nation. They don't want boycotts and sanctions, and they don't want another war.
I accept mine may be minority view. However, I would argue that those who argue for continuation of the occupation, and for continued oppression of minorities within Israel are functionally anti-zionist, if one takes the definition of a Zionist as one who supports the idea of a secure and prosperous State of Israel.
I disagree that all Zionism is per se racism. I think one can harbor nationalist sentiment for the idea of State of Israel, without buying into the perceived necessity of racist policies for its preservation.
"The main thing is to end the occupation"
This is a growing sentiment, within Israel and in the diaspora. Ignoring the occupation is no longer an option.
Way before 1946. The late 30's saw thousands of deaths of Arabs at the hands of terrorists and their enablers.
"From October 1937 the Irgun instituted a wave of bombings against Arab crowds and buses.[120] For the first time in the conflict massive bombs were placed in crowded Arab public places, killing and maiming dozens.[120] These attacks substantially increased Arab casualties and sowed terror among the population.[120] The first attack was on 11 November 1937, killing two Arabs at the bus depot near Jaffa Street in Jerusalem and then on 14 November, a day later commemorated as the "Day of the Breaking of the Havlagah (restraint)," Arabs were killed in simultaneous attacks around Palestine.[120] More deadly attacks followed: on 6 July 1938 21 Arabs were killed and 52 wounded by a bomb in a Haifa market; on 25 July a second market bomb in Haifa killed at least 39 Arabs and injured 70; a bomb in Jaffa's vegetable market on 26 August killed 24 Arabs and wounded 39.[120] "
.
This is worth a read
link to en.wikipedia.org
That is shocking, considering the location. The bedu of Tuba generally got along with the Rothschild immigrants, even protected them during the Arab uprising in the '30's. A long history of coexistence. Shattered.
Watch the Negev, should the West Bank settlements be annulled, the Negev is the site of relocation. Pressure on the Bedu will increase exponentially.
The essence of war is to force the adversary to do your will.
Killing can be a means to that end, but it is far from the only option, and most often not the best option.
Clausewitz, in contemplating the spectrum of conflict betweeen total war (survival) and limited war (gains of territory, resources, or pre-emptive deterrrence) was careful to note, that once total war is engaged, there are no limits, as regards the unintended consequences, or the limits of human decency. And limited war is terribly difficult to contain from becoming total war.
I think he was mostly right. Once the dogs of war are unleashed, there is no great confidence that matters will return to status quo ante.
Cadmus' teeth. Makin' martyrs Kill one and a thousand spring up. Heckuva job.
What is missing in the narrative are the questions:
1. Were diplomatic judicial initiatives exhausted? Did we ask Yemen to detain and extradite this character? Were those efforts unsuccessful?
2. Was this character in the act of committing a crime that would cause irreversible harm to the US, and his demise was the only way to prevent them?
This is a serious precedent, it makes it "legal", or acceptable, for Cuba to take out Posado-Carilles in Miami (and a few Miamians in the process)
Or Iran to whack with drones activist Iranian ex-pats in DC or LA who agitate or participate in regime change efforts re: Iran.
The dude was a bad actor, and a threat, but at some point we become that which we hate, and then the bad guys win. We become them.
Saudi pledged $200M shortly after the congressional freeze of the USAID funds transfer was announced last month.
link to upi.com
The Talmud speaks in great detail about righting (or adjudicating) wrongs between individuals.
However, this isn't a conflict between individuals, is it?
"The landowner of the plot to which the activists came in order to plant trees was also attacked by the settlers who cracked his head open, as well as attacking his wife."
The landowner's wife is a citizen of Israel.
Perhaps it is time to be honest and have little blue and white donation boxes to support "uprooting trees in Ancient Palestine"
Planting trees. The egregious provocation that elicited the settler attack was PLANTING TREES!
Think on that for a minute. All of us who gave pennies as children for the planting of trees in the Land O' Israel.
well, between the extremists on both sides, the Palestinians seem to be exercising the most restraint in the use of violence to obtain political ends over recent years.
There are extremists willing to emply violence on both sides who seek to prevent a political division of the territory. Netanyahu and Meshaal are on same side of issue in blocking PA's UN statehood bid.
On can hope the extremists would be marginalized by the rational middle. Now it seems the rational middle is being radicalized.
This is alarming. Price tag type settler activism has not been associated with the "close in settlements" or Jerusalem suburbs, particularly the more secular, suburban communities like this one. These are not fanatic religious nationalists. They are often critical of the settlers in the outposts (because they make the rest of them look bad). If the two groups align, and the willingness to use violence against fellow Israelis and Internationals escalates, it would be an ominous development.
More Israelis have been murdered by family members than by Kassam rockets from Gaza.
More IDF members have been killed by other IDF members than have been killed by rockets from Gaza.
I think the Mavis Marmara was flagged in the Comoros Islands, so they have jurisdiction. I seem to recall that the Chief of Staff (Ashkenazi ) and Defense Minister (Barak) both denied giving the order to proceed, this was the day after it happened.
I, personally, am uncomfortable with listing the names of the troops and junior officers, they are as much victims of this misbegotten, poorly conceived and executed operation. The senior guys, yes, absolutely.
A long, and proud military tradition, which they take very seriously. Terrific, ferocious fighters.
Two interesting developments. 1) The Quartet met and issued a statement similar to Sarkozy plan, talks within a month, agreement in 6 months and implementation complete with in a year, and 2) The UN announced the UNSC would take up the Palestinian application on Monday.
Netanyahu up soon. Wonder how many standing ovations his remarks will get? How will he play this? Aggressive? Conciliatory? petulant? I wonder if there wil be any walk outs.
Qusra is deep in west Bank, this is the third instance of settler violence this month, a Mosque was burned, and a major crop and tree destruction. Now this.
For the zionists, of a liberal bent, Obama repudiated us, and certainly failed to win the hearts and minds (And votes) of the Eretz Israel Bloc of American Jewry. who is advising the guy?
The speech was an abdication, a capitulation, "other than the UN veto, which we will use at will, we resign as a broker for achieving a resolution to this intractable matter". Domestic policy trumps foreign policy, and that's all folks".
Negotiations are long gone. No Israeli leader can make the concessions necessary for a deal. Water, demilitarization, troop presence, settlement legitimization, ror. None of it.
This thing needs external arbitration, the parties can never agree to a happy compromise. We just left the table as a honest broker.
This is bad for Israel and bad for the US. heckuva job.
In fairness, many Zionists in the pre-state era were emphatically for a bi-national state. Judah Magnes and Henrietta Szold among them. Darker forces prevailed.
More WB settlers getting all militant. "Amalekites" is a heavily laden term in religious Judaism, with some interpretations that it is a religious duty to kill "Amalekites" (and their children and livestock, if I remember scripture correctly)
In today's papers:
"Our enemies are like Amalek (a biblical villain)," said Marzel, chairman of the rightist movement Our Land of Israel.
"But we must remember that the best defense is offense. We can't stay close to our fences. If the Arabs can come to us, they must learn we can come to them."
link to ynetnews.com
I thought that was a joke, but it seems to be true. Holy crap. FM Lieberman approves? The president must have a plan that isn't obvious to me. Today, I am ashamed.
That speechwriter must not have the irony gene, that para in the context of rest of the shameful performance is just appalling.
"Love" or enable self destructive behavior? Really, that's not love. More like buying fifths of vodka for an alcoholic friend.
If they didn't have nine votes before President Obama's speech, they do now. Really an appalling performance, in delivery and content.
I wonder if Obama's speech will backfire. He didn't put a firm rationale on the table supporting the US position. This could galvanize member states who really don't like it when the US acts unilaterally and without firm basis in principles of the UN organization.
A "unity" government that includes all, including the Arab parties might be the best plan during the transition. Not likely.
This might work. But Abbas needs two things, final status negotiations, with a time limit, and a settlement freeze, perhaps more (dismantling outposts?). Not sure the Israeli PM can do the latter without imploding his coalition.
Interesting. AJC just slammed a full page ad by the "emergency committee for Israel" . At a minimum the divide between thoughtful, pragmatic and reflective Jewish advocacy groups and the reflexive, "with us or against us" engaged in foreign policy debates regarding Israel and Palestine are becoming evident, in a very public way. link to haaretz.com
But AJC is also doing a solicitation blitz in order to support what they are doing to block unilateral Palestinian actions. So, it could be a tussle for donors. Even so, the dialogue is expanding.
Eliot Abrams? Really? Who on earth takes him seriously about anything?
He might just do it.
Astonishing, 10/10 comments critical of Koch. None in support.
The whole report is worth a read. Spot on emerging trends. It recognizes both the domestic political and Foreign policy realities that most folks want Israel to be secure and prosperous, at peace with her neighbors. A "normal" state, not an embarrassing liability.
Not sure it is noteworthy, but last letter from congress was only signed by 58 dems. Another Ileana Ros-Lehtinen missive, critical of palestininian aspirations at the UN.
High water mark? Not so sure. More of the beginning of direct influence of down ticket races by the lobby. Steve Rosen was a brand new Political director at AIPAC, started in 1982 in heady Reagan years. The Percy/Simon race was really an experiment. I really think he was shocked at the success of the strategy, knocking out an incumbent and a sitting committee chair.
In that race two young guns cut their teeth on the Simon Campaign. David Axelrod and Rahm Emmanuel. Axelrod was co campaign manager. Simon was a great legislator.
"I was forced to steal an orange, from my own orchard". That says so much.