Obama's got Israel's back - again
Remember President Hussein Obama promising Israel additional military aid to ensure that we can cope with a nuclear Iran? In Haaretz on Sunday, Barak Ravid reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu told his cabinet on Sunday that if the Obama administration doesn't properly help Israel, he'll
wait for the next administration.
"It's not yet clear that we will come to an agreement," Netanyahu told the cabinet members in the course of a diplomatic-security briefing by acting national security adviser Jacob Nagel, who also heads the Israeli team negotiating memorandum with the Americans. "[We] need to see if [we] can achieve a result that will address Israel's security needs or perhaps we will not manage to come to an agreement with this administration and will need to come to an agreement with the next administration."
Last Thursday, an American delegation led by Yael Lempert, the Special Assistant to the president and Senior Director for the Levant, Israel and Egypt at the National Security Council in the White House, who arrived in Israel to hold a third round of negotiations on the matter. Over the past three days, the American team held discussions with a team of counterparts from the national security staff in the Prime Minister's Office and from the Defense Ministry, the Israel Defense Forces and the Foreign Ministry. The main topic of discussion in the talks was the size of the aid that the United States would provide Israel and the conditions on its use.
Netanyahu's remarks at the cabinet meeting raise the possibility that the round of talks in Jerusalem will not achieve substantial progress. Just two weeks ago, in the course of his visit to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the prime minister met with American Vice President Joe Biden, and where the two discussed the matter, the prime minister sounded much more optimistic. In an interview on stage with American journalist Fareed Zakaria, Netanyahu noted that he believed Israel and the United States would manage to wrap up negotiations in a positive manner on a new security memorandum of understanding in the coming months that would outline the size of American assistance to the IDF for the coming decade.
...
The current security memorandum of understanding signed ten years ago between the two countries is due to expire at the end of 2018. As a result of the understanding, the United States has provided $30 billion over a decade in security assistance to Israel. In the course of meetings between Netanyahu and Obama at the White House in November, the two announced the opening of new negotiations on the memorandum for the coming decade.
At the beginning of the negotiations a few months ago, senior figures in the defense establishment expressed the position that Israel is in need of a $5 billion annual increase to the amount of American assistance. Netanyahu himself has told the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset that he is interested in coming to agreement with Obama on the sum of "$4 billion plus."
In the course of his last visit to the United States and in interviews with the American media since then, Netanyahu has stressed that Israel needs a substantial increase in American security assistance in light of the nuclear agreement that Iran reached with the major world powers. Iran will be receiving $100 billion as a result of the lifting of sanctions and can use these funds to acquire quantities of weapons and provide advanced weaponry to Israel's enemies – Hezbollah, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Netanyahu noted.
At the same time, Netanyahu has made it clear in recent months both in public and in private conversations with the Americans that the Sunni Arab countries are acquiring large quantities of advanced weaponry from the United States and France to protect themselves from Iran, but the weapons could in the future be turned against Israel. In such a reality, he has argued, an increase in American assistance is necessary to maintain the IDF's qualitative advantage in the region.
Senior officials in the defense establishment are expressing serious concern over the prospect that it will not be possible to reach an agreement with the Obama administration on the size of security assistance, resulting in a deferral of the subject until a new president takes office in January 2017. Under such circumstances, there would be less than a year remaining to come to a new security agreement before the current one expires. That would present a very complicated situation since any new president would need half a year at least to study the subject.
DEBKA, which I don't like to sole source, but will because of the Haaretz background, reports on some of the
specifics of what's missing.
US President Barack Obama has retracted on his pledge of an extra
defense package to compensate Israel for the damage caused its security
by the nuclear deal concluded with Iran last year. This flat refusal,
reported here by debkafile’s
Washington sources, confronted Israeli officials when they met last
week with heads of the National Security Council at the White House.
Asked to define its new requirements, Israel asked the administration
for an additional $1.9 billion, which would have upped the total to $5
billion per annum for the next five years. The officials explained that
Israel’s defense bill had been inflated substantially by the new perils
looming from the current Middle East wars, and the windfall Iran had
gained from the lifting of sanctions for its advanced ballistic missiles
programs and for enhancing its allies' aggressive capacity, especially
that of Hizballah.
Israel is now beset additionally by adverse Russian military
operations in southern Syria and looming ISIS threats on multiple
fronts, at a time that the Arab states are stuffing their armories with
advanced weapons from Russia and China.
The US officials explained that, because of cutbacks in US defense
spending, it would not be possible to add a single dollar to Israel’s
regular $3.1 billion appropriation. After notifying Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon of this refusal,
the Israeli delegation was advised to reduce its application to $900
million. This too was refused.
The standing $3.1 billion annual US assistance program for Israel
expires at the end of 2016. The negotiations taking place currently were
to have covered its extension for ten years. That too is in doubt.
The Obama administration reacted angrily to Prime Minister Netanyahu's statement, and said that Israel will not get a better deal from the next President. Of course, that depends who the next President is.
#ThanksObama.
Labels: Ashton Carter, Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Hamas, Hezbullah, Iran, Iranian nuclear threat, Israel's security, Moshe Yaalon
Kerry: More mistrust than ever between Israel and 'Palestinians' but there WILL be peace
Has anyone certified John Kerry yet? He's definitely nuts....
Kerry told a hearing on the State Department's 2015 budget on Wednesday that there is
more mistrust than ever between Israel and the 'Palestinians,' but rather than admit his obvious failure, Kerry continues to claim that there will be a 'peace agreement'... someday.
The secretary of state admitted that while there are still major
issues in the progress of the negotiations, such issues are part of the
bigger picture.
"You have to see those gaps in the context of the
negotiations," he said. "I do believe both parties are serious and want
to find a way forward."
Kerry said that despite this, neither
side believes the other is serious and that the level of mistrust
between the two sides is higher than ever.
On whether or not
reaching an agreement was still an option, Kerry told the US lawmakers
"I still believe its possible... but difficult."
It's not just the 'Palestinians' whom the Israelis mistrust. A poll released earlier this week shows that
two thirds of Israeli Jews don't trust Kerry either. What a surprise....
Sixty-six percent of Israeli Jews and 53% of Israeli Arabs do not trust
US Secretary of State John Kerry to take the country’s security into
account in the American negotiating framework agreement he intends to
reveal next month.
This according to the monthly Peace Index poll sponsored by the Israel
Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University, which was published on
Tuesday.
But wait for it - that's not even the most devastating item in the poll.
Sixty-one percent of Jews and 56% of Arabs believe that Kerry’s main
motivation for reaching a framework agreement is a personal interest in
making history as a statesman where others have failed. Only 22% of
Jewis and 16% of Arabs believe he is motivated by honest concern for
the future of the two parties. Eight percent of Jewish Israelis and 14%
of Arab Israelis believe he is equally motivated by the chance to make
history and concern for the parties.
Ouch.
Labels: Israel's security, John Kerry, Middle East peace process, polls
Clueless Kerry can't even read a map
Israeli officials are calling US Secretary of State John FN Kerry's 'security plan' 'unsophisticated' and 'unusable' and are complaining that the man
does not even know how to read a map.
The officials, quoted in Yisrael Hayom, said that Kerry had
been rushing hither and fro in and attempt to hammer out details of what
is expected to be the framework of what he would like to see
implemented in order to pave the way for a final-status agreement. The
framework is expected to lay out the final goals and eventual shape of a
final-status deal, with Israel committing to give up land in Judea and
Samaria, and the PA expected by Kerry to recognize Israel as a Jewish
state and to back off on some of its demands.
But based on Kerry's public statements and conversations with them,
the officials quoted said they don't expect anything useful to emerge
from the process. “Kerry is here in the region a lot, but he has almost
no understanding of how things work in the Middle East.
“As a result, the American plan is unsophisticated, and does not
answer the needs of both sides,” the officials said. “There is no
connection between the positive statements Kerry is making in public and
the details of the deal. He is, to put it mildly, very unfamiliar with
the roots of the conflict, and as a result is incapable of bringing true
solutions to the table. He can't even read maps of the region
properly,” the officials added.
Smart diplomacy!
Labels: Israel's critical security needs, Israel's security, John Kerry, maps
Kerry comes up with another whopper
US Secretary of State John FN Kerry is well on his way to out-gaffing the gaffetastic Joe Biden. Here's another whopper from
Sunday's solo press availability in Jerusalem.
The security of Israel is always paramount – in my mind, in our mind.
For 29 years I had the privilege of serving in the United States
Senate, and I am proud to say I had a 100 percent voting record with
respect to those issues of concern to Israel, and I don’t intend to
change that now. Israel’s security is critical, and the United States
relationship is ironclad.
But so is our concern for the people of Palestine and for the
Palestinians and their future. And I can guarantee all parties that
President Obama and I are committed to putting forward ideas that are
fair, that are balanced, and that improve the security of all of the
people of this region.
Aaron Lerner
comments:
This may sound politically correct to American ears. But it is downright
baffling to us here in Israel.
Let's put the cards on the table: our security is our survival and John
Kerry is equating that to some amorphous "concern for the people of Palestine and for the Palestinians and their future."
What is as important as our survival?
Let's be clear here: Aaron Lerner isn't claiming that there is some
conflict between "concern for the people of Palestine and for the Palestinians and their future" and "the security of Israel." It was John
Kerry who used the word "but" instead of "and" to connect between the two
phrases.
A reminder:
"Likewise, the United States remains committed to the belief that the
Palestinian people have a right to live with security and dignity in their
own sovereign state. "
President Obama in Address to the United Nations General Assembly September
24, 2013
Let me spell this out: security arrangements to make sure that Palestinians
don't murder Israelis impinge on Palestinian "dignity".
And so while these folks can say for the umpty umpth time that they "have our backs" and are "committed to Israel's security" they also think that Palestinian "dignity" is as important as Israel's survival.
Read the whole thing.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Israel's security, John Kerry, Palestinian dignity
Obama to IDF Generals: Stop being so concerned about Israel's security and sign the damned deal already
The Obama administration is pressuring the IDF's generals to stop being so concerned about Israel's security and
sign the damned deal already.
The administration is seeking a complete or partial IDF withdrawal
from the Jordan Valley, where the border between Israel and Jordan lies
at the eastern edge of Judea and Samaria, also called the West Bank. The
Palestinian Authority has long sought control of the valley. However,
Israel and Jordan are opposed to an IDF withdrawal, which they fear
would enable the transit of terrorists and arms through Jordan into the
West Bank.
After a prominent retired Israeli general spoke out against
IDF withdrawal from the Jordan Valley, Israeli media reported that the
Obama administration’s head envoy to the Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations, Martin Indyk,
convened a meeting of Israeli security officials. He pressured them to
drop their objections to the plan and make media appearances in support
of it to help sell a skeptical Israeli public on the benefits of a
reduction in security.
Let's go to the videotape.
Did you all catch that "not ten years, but 50 years"? If you didn't, go back and watch again.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Israel's security, John Kerry, Jordan Valley, secure borders
Binyamin (Samaria) town abandoned during snowstorm aftermath
An unnamed Jewish town in the Binyamin region in Samaria was
abandoned on Saturday night after residents felt like they were in a war zone with no cover.
Residents of a town in the Binyamin region told Arutz Sheva
in an interview that they had felt as if they were “living in a war
zone” during the height of the storm that hit Israel late last week.
Pummeled by wind, cold, and snow, residents of the town said that they
abandoned their homes en masse after it became clear that authorities
were unable or unwilling to help them.
Because of security concerns, the name of the town was not
announced, out of concern that Arabs in the area would invade the town
in the near total absence of the residents.
“People were without power, water, or phone service since
Thursday,” one resident of the town said. “People were reduced to
digging holes in the snow to preserve their food, since refrigerators
weren't working. From 4:00 on, when the sun started setting, residents
would take out a few candles and light them in order not to be
completely in the dark. It was like being in a war zone,” the resident
said.
After passing what was probably the most difficult Shabbat of
their lives, the vast majority of residents packed up and left Saturday
night, to stay with friends or relatives in more “civilized” parts of
the country. Speaking to Arutz Sheva, one resident said that he and his family were the only ones left.
“Most of us live in caravans,” the resident said. “The leaders
of this community did almost nothing to prepare us for the storm, or to
help us after it hit. The local authority doesn't care about us – it has
not sent anyone here to even check if we are alive. It was like being
in a war zone,” he added.
On Monday, the IAF started parachuting down electric generators to towns in Samaria that still do not have electricity.
Labels: Israel's security, Judea and Samaria, snow
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me
I'll bet you all didn't realize this but John FN Kerry is here to '
regain Israel's trust.'
Thursday’s
Kerry, at least the one on display alongside Netanyahu, was completely
different. Nary a word about the settlements, not a word about a third intifada,
not a hint of his “I’ve got news for you” hectoring.
On Thursday it was
smiles, “my friend, Bibi,” and a deep understanding of Israel’s security
concerns.
If the television interview left the impression of a secretary
of state a bit cavalier and dismissive about Israel’s security concerns,
Thursday’s statement provided the antidote.
“I understand the challenge
of security that Israel faces,” he said, after recalling a visit he took to
Kiryat Shmona in 1986 where he saw Israeli children hiding from rockets from
Lebanon, and another visit he took years later to Sderot where he saw people
“taking cover from Gaza.”
What happened? What happened was a bad month in
USIsraeli relations – a month where everybody, including Iran, saw fundamental
tactical differences between the US and Israel.
What happened was, at
Washington’s urging, the signing of an interim accord on Iran that the Israeli
government considers a danger to Israel’s security.
A senior US
administration official who briefed reporters Thursday said that in the US view,
the Iranian deal has not impacted on the Israeli-Palestinian diplomatic process.
Iran, he said, was a separate discussion.
This, however, seems to be
wishful thinking. The two issues – the Iran deal and the Palestinian
negotiations – may not be linked in Washington’s view, but they are linked in
Jerusalem’s.
Not linked in the sense that if you get something on the
Iranian front, you can give something more to the Palestinians, but rather that
Israel watched carefully, and with grave concern, what happened in Geneva, and
drew the conclusions.
Despite the efforts of Kerry and Netanyahu to paper
over difference at their joint appearance on Thursday, there was deep, deep
disappointment in Israel over how the Obama administration, and Kerry, handled
the Iranian dossier.
...
And here is where there is linkage with the Palestinian
issue, and it also explains Kerry’s underlining the security issue in his
statement Thursday.
First of all, the agreement Kerry is pushing with the
Palestinians will necessitate Israel taking calculated security
risks.
But with Iran suddenly “off the ropes,” emboldened and enjoying
newfound international legitimacy as a result of the recent accord in Geneva,
Israel is likely to be less willing – not more willing – to take those security
risks.
Secondly, any possible future agreement with the Palestinians
would undoubtedly necessitate ironclad security guarantees from the US. An
Israeli willingness to place its security in the hands of American guarantees
has decreased – not increased – as a result of Washington’s handling of the
Iranian file.
As a result, Kerry comes to Jerusalem and – unlike the
impression he left after his television interview last month – places a huge
emphasis on Israel’s security.
What could go wrong?
Labels: Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, Israel's security, John Kerry, P 5+1, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome
Wars are bad for business
We can handle the BDS'ers, and the overseas clients aren't too concerned when rockets hit Sderot, but scenes like this one - a 'Color Red' alert on the Ayalon expressway in Tel Aviv during Operation Pillar of Defense -
may be causing Israel to lose some business.
A US company has ended negotiations with an Israeli firm for a large
contract because of concern over area tension, setting off fears of a
“security boycott.”
The unnamed American subsidiary of the L-3 space communications firm
has cited “concern over the situation in the Middle East,” reported Israel Defense, which added, “The message that reached the company in Israel stated that ‘we do not want to approve suppliers from Israel.’”
Last month’s massive Hamas missile bombardment, which reached Tel
Aviv, set off the alarm bells. At the time, several companies, including
Teva Pharmaceuticals, received worried phone calls from customers.
On the last day of the Pillar of Defense counterterrorist operation,
the American firm's officials sent a message to Israeli firms, according
to Israel Defense, that although “It is true that we chose
your product to answer a certain need, yet additional products were also
examined, and they had to pass an internal tender.
“Our greatest concern at this time is with the turmoil in the Middle
East, and the senior management does not want to approve more suppliers
from Israel. This is a bad timing, but we will keep you informed if
anything changes. We have the data of the products that were discussed,
should things improve and an opportunity arises."
The message could have been expected from a country in Europe, which
has an anti-Israel bias. but having come from the United States, it
triggered concerns the same conclusion could spread to other companies.
No war in human history has ever truly ended without one side soundly defeating the other. If we do not soundly and finally defeat the 'Palestinian' terror organizations - Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad, the 'Palestinian Authority' - these periodic 'flare ups' will continue to disturb the peace. We keep saying that 'next time' we'll defeat them. It's time for 'next time' to come already. Otherwise, the wars will never end.
Labels: Israel's security, Israeli high tech, Operation Pillar of Defense
