What Netanyahu should have done
He should have cancelled his trip to Washington. He should have issued a statement saying that as long as the U.S. president is acting as an enemy of Israel, he, Netanyahu, has nothing to say to him.
However, Netanyahu did say this (reported by Israel National News):
Israel Expects Obama to Take Back ‘1967 Lines’ Demand
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was quick on the draw Thursday in voicing clear displeasure with President Barack Obama’s mideast policy speech.
“Israel appreciates President Obama’s commitment to peace,” the response began, curtly. “Israel believes that for peace to endure between Israelis and Palestinians, the viability of a Palestinian state cannot come at the expense of the viability of the one and only Jewish state.”
“That is why Prime Minister Netanyahu expects to hear a reaffirmation from President Obama of U.S. commitments made to Israel in 2004, which were overwhelmingly supported by both Houses of Congress.”
That’s telling him!
The article continues:
“Among other things,” Netanyahu reminded Obama, “those commitments relate to Israel not having to withdraw to the 1967 lines which are both indefensible and which would leave major Israeli population centers in Judea and Samaria beyond those lines.”
“Those commitments also ensure Israel’s well-being as a Jewish state by making clear that Palestinian refugees will settle in a future Palestinian state rather than in Israel.”
“Without a solution to the Palestinian refugee problem outside the borders of Israel, no territorial concession will bring peace.”
“Equally, the Palestinians, and not just the United States, must recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people, and any peace agreement with them must end all claims against Israel.”
“Prime Minister Netanyahu will make clear that the defense of Israel requires an Israeli military presence along the Jordan River.”
“Prime Minister Netanyahu will also express his disappointment over the Palestinian Authority’s decision to embrace Hamas, a terror organization committed to Israel’s destruction, as well as over Mahmoud Abbas’s recently expressed views which grossly distort history and make clear that Abbas seeks a Palestinian state in order to continue the conflict with Israel rather than end it.”
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Jeremy G. writes:
You write, “He should have cancelled his trip to Washington. He should have issued a statement saying that as long as the U.S. president is acting as an enemy of Israel, he, Netanyahu, has nothing to say to him”
Unfortunately, America is Israel’s only ally. The relationship is sort of like a child that is abused by its parents. The abused child must still turn to the parent for support.
LA replies:
Let us remember what happened in 2009. Obama dissed Netanyahu at the White House and took other anti-Israel stands, and then the pro-Israel faction of U.S. opinion forced Obama to retreat and make up with Netanyahu. Something like that could happen again now.
LA writes:
By the way, while I haven’t read the the right-wing anti-Israelites and anti-Semites in almost a year, I’m wondering how they will come down on this. Will they suddenly start siding with Obama, because of his anti-Israel stand? Will they suddenly find themselves saying that Obama—whom they normally despise as an enemy to everything American—stands for U.S. interests in trying to push Israel to the wall?
Paul T. writes:
Jeremy G writes: “Unfortunately, America is Israel’s only ally”.
Only powerful ally, yes; but in fact Israel’s strongest ally is Canada under Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, a fact well recognized by Israelis. The news feed in my elevator a few minutes ago announced that Canada has already expressed disagreement with President Obama’s call for returning Israel to its pre-1967 borders.
LA replies:
Wow. Canada to the right of the U.S. on such a major issue. That is something.
Maybe it’s time for conservatives to threaten to move to Canada if Obama wins re-election. (Joke.)
May 23
Jeremy G. writes:
That’s good news. It suggests that it may be difficult for the Palestinians to isolate Israel completely or for the UN at some point to enforce economic sanctions against Israel.
Posted by Lawrence Auster at May 20, 2011 11:28 AM | Send