The 3 Ways Obama Can Pressure Israel. Each Is Incredibly Difficult: Slate

Slate:

Since the first stirrings of the Arab-Israeli peace process after the Yom Kippur war, America's relations with Israel have been characterized by a paradox. Those presidents regarded as the least friendly to the Jewish state have done it the most good. Its strong allies have proven much less helpful.

Read the whole story: Slate

Comments

[MrPilkington]

There are more than three ways to pressure Israel, unfortunately none are mentioned in this article
First would obviously to threaten to cut off aid, then to actually do so
Next would be actual sanctions

Obviously Obama seems unwilling to do anything substantial.

[Samlas]

Nuclear inspection of Israel - Step One.

[TJCole]

It's not difficult just make them an offer they can't refuse...

Either cut back on the settlements of forfeit 1/3rd of the $30 billion we are sending them and the next year another third and so on..!

Then he might not have to steal the whole $313 billion from the elderly and disabled..­.!

Remember all monies are fungible..­.so he's stealing from the elderly to give to the Pentagon as far as I am concerned, or stealing it from the elderly and disabled to keep troops in Iraq their Health Care money no less, what a son of a...

[rsprags]

Israel and Palestine will have two separate state; Israeli will not go to war with Iran. All the gleam and doom post by many of you will not happen because even a terrorist dictator must listen to the will of the people in Iran. The Iran people (especially the youth and the progressive) are tried of isolation, they want to work with the US, and limited services in their country; the young people want more and even the religious leader is going to be able to bend the people to his will as He has done in the past.

[rabiddog6708]

Step one: stop giving billions of dollar$ to them Step two: stop giving them weap0ns Step three: Tell them that we won't come to their defense when the c0unter att.ack happens.

[LemonGrass2]

Ha ha you fools, AS IF the U.S. isn't already giving billions to the (so-called) Palestinians; not to mention all the other Arab states we send $ to.

And btw, why aren't said Arab states stepping up to the plate to aid their "fellow" Arabs, the Pali's???? B/C they hate them, that's why! The Pali's are a thorn in the side to other Arabs countries. Ask them what they REALLY think of the Palestinians! I have....an­d they say things like "sneaky". Now, ask them how these country's immigration policy is toward the Pali's: they only let them in to work, not to live. And they only let in the men; not the women--which as we all know, precludes "natural growth".

That tells you something RIGHT THERE about how much the Arab States trust and embrace the Pali's!!!

[Sentientbeing09]

weird

[betz55]

Isarel is the biggest recipient of US aid. It`s time we give Israel a choice. It can conduct itself in accord with human rights and cease its crimes against the Palestinians - or the US will stop foreign aid, military sales and will only veto UN Security Council resolutions that are very extreme.

The sanctions and boycotts sure to follow will make those against South Africa look mild.
It will be interesting to see how long Israel can last without US support - before it yields and begins to act like a civilized nation.

[LemonGrass2]

Israel has the strongest human rights record of any middle eastern country! Free speech, homosexual freedom, gay marriage, state supported fertility clinics, voter rights for Arab Israelis, trials for all criminal offenders, et al. What arabic country (or Islamic one, for that matter) can say the same for it's human rights record? Certainly not Egypt. Not Iran either. Not Yemen, not Oman, not UAE, not Saudi Arabia, not Indonesia, Syria--maybe Lebanon, but they're having a tough time with the strongarm of Hezbollah. As for the Pali territories, well, that's a place where you get executed if you're even SUSPECTED of colluding with the enemy....N­o trial system over there!

So don't tell me Israel denies human rights, when it's surrounded by nation-states living in medieval times.

[starboymikey]

The general tone of most of the comments in this thread shows just how tough a job lies before the POTUS. It's either "Israel is totally wrong" or "Israel is totally right."

The fact is that reality (history) has left such simplistic formulations in the dust. A great many Jewish, Muslim and Christian toes will need to be stepped on, a whole lot of Liberal and Conservative sensibilities ruffled.

Any "solution" that is not fully balanced to favor neither side over the other will not fly. Any "peace plan" that does fully guarantee Israeli security with full Palestinian buy-in will lead to further wars. And any final agreement that does not end the settlements and provide a self-governed homeland for the Palestinians will certainly be doomed.

Obama is probably the first POTUS since Jimmy Carter who is willing to chew some butts off in the recognition of these simple facts. Unfotrunately, with attitudes like those we're seeing in this thread, his chances of "winning what's never been won" seem slim.

[TJCole]

Just cut back on the $30 billion we are sending them this year alone if they won't play ball as to the settlement­s...

Instead of taking $313 billion from our elderly and disabled like my sister with M.S. and mother blind in one eye, to finance all these wars and the huge senseless numbers we are leaving in Iraq...!

Simple as that Barack...!

[Wodooyino]

Newyorkid said : "The problem is the facts on the ground. Palestinians have an inalienable right to return to their homes"

That may be a moral imperative for many, but it certainly doesn't reflect 'the facts on the ground'. And, like the issue of Jerusalem, is just one of many irresistible forces meeting immovable objects that's making this conflict so utterly intractable. While both sides continue to think uncompromisingly in terms of their 'inalienable rights' rather than how to share the finite pie in a way that's both practical and equitable to both sides, they'll remain deadlocked. And unfortunately there are far too many on both sides who benefit from they're remaining so, and will do everything in their power to sabotage any possible solution.

[arle]

Actually it's simple. Israel is in violation of the Geneva Conventions. The UN General Assembly says so, the Security Council says so (when the US abstains instead of vetoes, anyway) and the ICJ says so as well.

[Wodooyino]

I don't know about 'simple', but it would certainly be simpler if all parties were playing by the same ground rules and abided by International Law, a whole series of UN resolutions and their own treaty commitment­s..... but unfortunately they don't, and never have.

[ThomasMc]

It's actually quite simple. Stop ALL aid to Israel, financial and military, until they rejoin the human race. Shouldn't take very long, as Israel's economy is entirely defendant on that support.

[JerryLevy]

The author says Netanyahu comes from the tenant that the Palestinians will settle for nothing less than the total destruction of Israel. Guess why? That is exactly what the Palestinians have been saying all through the Oslo peace process and for the last ten years. It is what all their clerics preach, it is what is on their media on a daily basis, it is what they teach their kids in school, it is what their government officials say. Netanyahu did not just make this up, he is reading and listening to the Palestinians and they are very clear about their long term intentions.

[Freenation]

how many times can you repeat the same pro.pagand­a again and again...ge­t new script from mega.phone­...

[betz55]

Are you kidding us with this. And who over the last 60 years has wanted to systematically destroy Palestine? The Israeli's, where have you been?

The Palestinains have repeatedly said they would accept peace when Israel goes back to the '67 borders. What has Israel done? Slowly and systematically driving the Palestinians out of the West Bank and East Jeruselem.

The truth and time are not on your side and the long term intentions of the Israels, so carefully hidden all these decades by pointing the finger and whining their victim rhetoric at the Palestinains is over. The biggest rejectionist and obstructionist to peace has been Israel.

[POLITICAL SHAMPOO]

Obstinacy of Israel over and above the audacious statements of the Jews to the effect that solution would be only agreeable to Israel if Palestine accepts ISRAEL’S existence as an independent state,
recognizes it and agrees to all Israel’s terms and condition.

Now, what it means is “shove the peace proposal in the cold storage. Israel is least interested in any instruction from US President and or of theirs.”
We members of the public have nothing to be surprised at their stand. This time the Israel has step in the open in a new grab to play the old game with its best ally under a New President unknown of his method of playing the game.

Israel may try to outsmart USA administration on the strength of having 100% support of congressional representatives, of AIPAC and 1000% support of the total Republicans Party. Surprisingly Republican Party inspiring Israel to defy President OBAMA’s proposition, in regard to the total freeze of the settlement and expansion is shocking. Shame! Look my Republican friends refrain and desist from implementing vulgar means to subdue your opponent, we have seen all you activities so far silently. Now enough is enough don’t cross the limits.

[bill456]

Nuclear inspectors to Isra-el

[Wodooyino]

The article states : "To convince American Jews that he is leaning on Israel for Israel's sake will take all of Obama's rhetorical powers."

Or how about 'American Jews', who overwhelmingly voted for Obama, honoring both our commitment and our President by backing him up 100% until he either succeeds or fails! Because maybe the piece's rather defeatist conclusion is correct, that it's just not do-able -- not with the current players, at least -- but it DEFINITELY won't be if he's being hobbled by his 'friends' as well the legion of foes that seem determined, on principle, to scuttle anything and everything he attempts -- though when that 'principle' is nothing more than blind party loyalty or personal animus at the expense of both their country's prestige and the Palestinian and Israelis people, it's hard not to feel despairing about our own homeland, let alone anyone else's.

[melponeme k]

Stop financing their war dreams with our money.