From a 'policy review meeting' that included Netanyahu, Barak and Lieberman. "I am prepared to negotiate with any side that desires to advance peace between Israel and the Palestinians," said Netanyahu. "Contrary to reports, I don't condition dialogue with the Palestinians on recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. Nevertheless, progress in the peace process does depend on the willingness to recognize Israel as a Jewish state."Et tu Bibi?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:48 PM
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5 Comments:
Such progress will never happen. So even if Bibi begins talks anyway and raises the demand, the Palestinians will reject it. Does he really think talking to them will get them to alter their extremism?
Nuance doesn't work with the other side. Unlike for the Israelis, for them its all or nothing. That is something Bibi ought to appreciate by now.
On so many issues -- from opening the borders, to removing checkpoints, to supplying power to Gaza, to the transfer of money to the PA (and indirectly, Hamas), to guaranteeing immunity and free movement for terrorists and their sympathizers -- successive Israeli governments have publicly declared a position only to promptly fold upon modest pressure from the international community.
In addition to the obvious security implications, this pattern of posturing and climb-down can only serve to weaken Israel's negotiating credibility and embolden her enemies to push for more concessions secure in the knowledge that Europe and the US will always come to their rescue and Israel will always succumb.
The GOI would do better to show less bravado, launch fewer trial balloons, carefully craft a set of policy directives and stick to them like glue.
Agreed. Israel should declare that recognition of Israel as a Jewish State is a non-negotiable principle - Israel is willing to talk but will not sign any agreement that does not include it and if the Palestinians don't like it, they can go drink the salt water. They don't have to budge and its time Israel showed them two can play that game.
Darn! And I had been cheering for Bibi after I read that in the news. Darn, darn, darn. Why can't he stick to his guns?
(By the way, I've been re-reading _The Lord of the Rings_ lately. It is surprising how applicable some of its lessons are to the contemporary world. For example, Saruman makes war on Rohan, and when he's defeated and the King of Rohan comes to him where he's holed up in his tower, he tries to sweet-talk the king into "making peace." But the men of Rohan are having none of it, because they have seen his actions in the past and know that he has no intention of making peace. I wish Israel's leaders would learn the same lesson. I'm beginning to feel that the whole world is run by Saruman and his like and to the useful idiots who listen to him and "dialogue" with him.)
Lydia, its a good point - I've wondered why Israel's governments make a fetish of talking to those who don't want peace and who wish to see Israel destroyed. I don't recall reading anywhere in the Torah Judaism is about pacifism. Because Islam is the exact opposite - it is about jihad but Israel's leaders have brainwashed Israelis into thinking the other side wants peace as much as Israel does.
The Big Lie lives on.
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