Tom Friedman: "It Is Time For A Radically New Approach" Toward Israeli-Palestinian Peace

nytimes.com:

The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has become a bad play. It is obvious that all the parties are just acting out the same old scenes, with the same old tired clich�s -- and that no one believes any of it anymore. There is no romance, no sex, no excitement, no urgency -- not even a sense of importance anymore. The only thing driving the peace process today is inertia and diplomatic habit. Yes, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process has left the realm of diplomacy. It is now more of a calisthenic, like weight-lifting or sit-ups, something diplomats do to stay in shape, but not because they believe anything is going to happen. And yet, as much as we, the audience, know this to be true, we can never quite abandon hope for peace in the Holy Land. It is our habit.

It is time for a radically new approach. And I mean radical. I mean something no U.S. administration has ever dared to do: Take down our "Peace-Processing-Is-Us" sign and just go home.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[Justtellthetruth]

Tom Friedman neglects to ask that we stop funding Israel to the tune of 3 to 6 billion in direct aid and much more in military aid, which all goes to make up for the massive shortfall caused by the settlements and the occupation that they necessitate. It seems like a bizarre omission; lets "walk away" from the whole thing, but continue to fund the very behavior that is now the only thing that drives the entire conflict.

I am not sure I trust Tom's impartiality on this matter. His feelings towards Arabs were laid bare in his "suck on this" interview with Charlie Rose. Google it. Remember, this guy sold the Iraq war as hard as anyone, and still thinks he was justified in doing so.

[skialethia]

Here's the latest news: Obama left Netanyahu twisting in the wind....:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1257455203783&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

They're ranting: "Obama not making any friends by leaving Netanyahu in the lurch"

....Lol! with friends like this....?

By the way, this is big news, and no story yet anywhere on hp regarding Netanyahu's "hard-to-get" meeting with Obama, which was confirmed this morning on CNN to take place today, yes today.

Perhaps the title of this article once it finally gets posted could be: "Why the President of the United States of America should drop everything to be at Netanyahu's beck and call everytime he comes to rally his lobbies here to pressure...the President of the U.S.A."

[bill456]

A radical thing would be to get real, objective people to write for NYT....
instead of "always wrong" Friedman....

[Goefel]

Tom has an uncanny ability to speak out of both sides of his mouth. Iraq was the best example to date that most can recall.

[joefoss]

=Didn't the Bush administration try the "benign neglect" approach to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute that Friedman advocates? And, weren't the results disastrous, as the conflict not only continued but became more violent?
==The real motivation behind Freidman's "hands-off" recommendation is, I think, his concern that the Obama administration is trying to pursue a genuinely even-handed approach in the Middle East,
as opposed to the "nudge-nud­ge/wink-wi­nk" policy of the Bush years that tolerated expansion of Israeli settlements on the West Bank even as it publicly criticized them.
===Our Israeli friends deserve better than "four more years" of the same, old hypocrisy. Let's not give up the quest for peace; we are the free world's leader, whether we like it or not. At least, let's put the same effort into making peace between Israel and its neighbors that we have into making wars in their backyard.

[who38]

Good points.

I was particularly amazed by this comment---"Hamas leadership would rather let Palestinians live forever in the hellish squalor that is Gaza than give up its crazy fantasy of an Islamic Republic in Palestine." What is the difference between an Islamic Republic and a Jewish State? Aren't both "crazy fantasies"?

[Doris]

No. For one thing, there is already a Jewish state and it is majority secular.

[WBMD]

No! There will be an Islamic government if Palestine, as ther is in most of the 23 other Arab countries, and Iran, etc.

The "crazy fantasy" is that it will replace the Jewish state that already exists.

[StillAmused]

If ever there were a crackerjack analyst with a superlative record of good calls on foreign policy, it would be...

someone else.

[Sentientbeing09]

Lol

[KickerBoard]

Here's a radical idea - even-handedness!

[lastpost]

“it all reminded him of an old story”

The one about the Arab Prince? Who on hearing from an Israeli VIP that it was his son’s birthday, asked what the boy desired.
The dignitary replied that the youngster wanted a cowboy outfit.
Whereupon, the Prince bought for him the pair of peace negotiating teams.

[StillAmused]

Any special reason why anyone would listen to a discredited warcrimesapologist?

[BigBagel]

Make the Middle East safe for it's European colony.

[who38]

Bingo.

[white mende man]

The problem is that America cannot seem to be able to get their fingers out of other countries' business, take a look at Lebanon they are going on over 6 months after their elections and they have still not formed a government because America does not approve of the opposition's gains in the parliament but they would instead blame Syria and Iran for the impass. Friedman is right American should put her house in order before meddling into other peoples affaires.

[WBMD]

Do you really believe that Lebanon, created by the French and inserted into the Middle East in 1920, that has fought extremely bloody civil wars repeatedly (on religious grounds), is stymied in forming a government simply because Barack Obama has not given his approval???

[white mende man]

Lebanon has always been in the same place, it has never been inserted anywhere by anyone, in fact Lebanon is cited in the bible several times it wasn't the french that created Lebanon, as far as wars go the United States has been in a state of war since it was discovered and so were the Europeans and every other country on earth so there is no reason for simplifying the situation in Lebanon and I did not accuse of Obama of anything but I will accuse the United States congress for standing in the way of Lebanese politics pushed on by the Israeli lobby.

[gal416]

It reminds me of the Lord of the Rings when king Thingol tells Saruman;"Peace? We will have peace when you hang from a gibot for the sport of your own crows!"

[Oldtimer]

Tom Friedman is an interesting study in talent that is misused.
He can tell us the planet is not flat and cheer globalization and now it's
time for us to go home from the Plestianain-Iraeli war that has gone on since
Isreal was inserted into the Middle East in 1948.
Which Tome do you think Tom will fight for to the death?

[lainey]

I don't believe that the blame goes to either side, or that the people of the region are not ready for peace. I believe this because having just returned from the region, I know that the people on both sides want stability more than ever; they are weary of incessant fighting. When they stand up to their power structure/­leadership­--as American's did during the last Presidential election and the Iranian people are doing continually--maybe, hopefully, their leadership will listen. In the meantime, Americans don't do anything productive in taking sides and slamming the other; it is best to let the people take their concerns to their leadership and let the leadership act on their behalf. As a proponent of peace everywhere, I believe in separating the people from the leadership accountable. Let the people know that peace is possible when it is within their hands and they will make it happen. Let the people know that Americans stand on the side of peace only; we don't take such ill-informed sides to condemn the ones we hate. Because the truth is, the majority of Israeli's and Palestinian's only long for peace, a life of family and jobs, and they actually can live together very well. We must give them a chance and we must invite the Europeans into leadership. We must only support peace, even if that means stepping to the sidelines until the coach calls us in...

[mummblemouth]

Pull funding from Israel until they cease building and withdraw from the settlements so that the original borders are reestablished.

[WBMD]

There were no borders.

And how would that stop yet another Arab attack?

[OroLee]

The continued building of settlements guarantees another attack

[LadyLiberty1789]

Radical? Hmmm... I have an idea!

How about we stop subsidizing Israel without asking for something in return? Maybe if we say stop building settlements and violating all the agreements you signed or you won't get $50 billion a year from us anymore, maybe then they'll get serious about negotiating.

Unfortunately, I don't believe AIPAC will permit our President and Congress to take such a radical stance. Why, they will probably accuse HuffPo of being antisemitic if they don't censor this post...

Wake up America and realize that it is in our interest to stop choosing sides in somebody else's war.

[ten pounds]

You are correct. AIPAC, the organization that buys our corrupt politicians, destroys our institutions, funds Israeli spies, sponsors trips to Israel for prominent Americans, is more powerful than any state in this country. It is now an institution in DC and that is a guarantee that Israel must be heard and will be heard, no matter what an American president does....

[BigBagel]

Your right but it's not a radical stance. It's common sense which I guess is pretty radical.

[KickerBoard]

Spot on. Bravo!