Helping Obama down from the tree
The Washington Post attempts to help President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton down from the tree up which they scampered. A good compromise is achievable. Mr. Netanyahu should publicly acknowledge that the peace process will lead to Palestinian statehood, and should adopt a series of measures curtailing settlements. He should quickly dismantle those deemed illegal, end all government subsidies, prohibit the territorial expansion of all settlements, stop new construction in those outside Israel's West Bank fence and agree to a monitoring mechanism that will prevent cheating. Mr. Obama can reasonably accept that as a freeze, while not requiring that not a single brick be laid in any of the more than 120 West Bank communities. Then he can turn to the equally important task of pressing Palestinian leaders and Arab states for measures that match Israel's actions.Some 'compromise.'
Of course, it's not certain yet what will be within the 'security fence' (for example, there is still a dispute with respect to the city of Ariel), and the 'road map' specifically provided that the 'security fence' would not constitute Israel's final border. It's also doubtful whether the 'security fence' would constitute a 'secure border' without IDF troops in Judea and Samaria. But why let little niceties like that get in the way of the Obama administration's overture to the Muslim world?
By the way, the poster at the top of this post was shown on Israel National News last week. It ought to give you some idea just how much hostility President Obama has generated on Israel's right.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:29 PM
5 Comments:
If Israel is foolish enough to give up away the store, what are the Arabs going to give in exchange? Exactly nothing. Some nice Jews in Israel can probably live with the arrangement the Washington Post offers but I doubt the Israeli Right will. Selling out the revanants is not going to bring the day of peace closer.
NormanF, assuming that peace will ever exist is a fundamental fatal flaw.
One side has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to make hard decisions and concessions.
The other has always held out for more, refused to budge.
It is past time to stop rewarding their obstinacy, and start penalizing it.
Every day they are obstinate and refusing to negotiate, Israel should move the lines they are willing to work with 1km further out.
There has to be a high, and very painful price to their intransigence. Its high time they paid it, in full, in advance.
Kranky, I'm on record as advocating Israel annex Yesha by a date certain. There is no reason in the world Israel has to refrain forever from claiming lawful sovereignty in the face of Palestinian intransigence. The only thing that would happen is the so called two state solution gets taken off the table and since the Palestinians aren't interested in statehood, there is nothing for Israel to regret by bringing the entire Land Of Israel within its borders. After forty two years, its time to break the logjam.
"...pressing Palestinian leaders and Arab states for measures that match Israel's actions."
Of course there is no precedent for that, since in the entire existence of the modern state of Israel, the Arabs have never once lived up to any of their agreements, or made a single "sacrifice" for peace.
I am sorry that there is that much vindictiveness on the Israeli right.
I am no supporter of Barack Obama. But to call him an anti-Semitic Jew-hater is over the top.
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