This is beginning to look like one of the worst periods in Israel's history. (Read this great piece from the Israeli blog 972).
The Turkish government has essentially broken relations with Israel over the Netanyahu government's refusal to apologize for storming the Mavi Marmara relief ship and killing nine Turkish nationals in the process. Ordinary Egyptians (not the government) attacked the Israeli embassy in Cairo, forcing all its personnel to return home to Israel. And the Palestinians, having despaired of achieving anything in negotiations with Israel under current conditions, are taking their case to the United Nations where an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly will endorse Palestinian statehood, even though Israel will still control the territory of the new state.
Each of these events, standing alone, would be catastrophic for Israel. In combination, however, they create a perfect storm, one whose force can only be kept at bay by the U.S. government which is, however, unwilling to help Israel in an election year.
That sounds counter-intuitive. Politicians always want to give Israel whatever it wants in an election year. After all, both the Israeli government and its lobby here make it clear to them that refusal to "stand with Israel" will cost them mightily in terms of campaign contributions. (Democrats, who get most of the "pro-Israel" money worry more about this threat than Republicans who tend not to support Israeli policies because they are forced to but because they, like the Israeli right, are instinctively anti-Muslim).
But standing with Netanyahu does not mean supporting Israel simply because it is Netanyahu who, more than anyone else, is responsible for the tsunami heading Israel's way.
He is the one who ended negotiations with the Palestinians by refusing to accede to President Obama's request for a settlement freeze. (Palestinians rightly refuse to negotiate while the land they are negotiating over is being gobbled up by settlers). He is the one who refused to apologize to Turkey for killing its nationals, even after the United States devised a formula that both sides seemed happy with. (Netanyahu backed down out of fear of his thuggish foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman). As for the Egyptians, they identify Netanyahu with the Mubarak regime which barely raised a word of protest against the occupation of the West Bank or the strangulation of Gaza. Egypt's peace treaty with Egypt gave it the leverage it needed to assist the Palestinians but it was bamboozled into submission by Israel prime ministers and US Presidents. Now the peace treaty itself, the most critical component in Israel's security, is about to be tossed out the window.
None of this happened overnight and all of it can be traced to the continuation of the 44-year-old occupation. President Obama understands that but when he tried to push the Israelis to start negotiations to end it once and for all, Israel's monied supporters in America went crazy. These are not sophisticated people although they are rich. So, when Netanyahu told them to get Obama to back down "to save Israel," they did. AIPAC made sure that every member of Congress knew that they were being "scored" on the level of their support for Netanyahu. A low score meant closed checkbooks. Obama, no less immune to financial threats than a Congressman from Queens, surrendered. Over and over again.
In that spirit we are opposing Palestinian statehood and pressuring both Turkey and Egypt on Netanyahu's behalf.
But not Israel's. Israel is in big trouble and it needs allies who will help it prevail over this sea of misfortunes. It doesn't have those allies. The lobby cares not about Israel but about intimidating Congress to do its will and paying the mortgage on its eight-story building overlooking the Capitol. Members of Congress just want the money to keep rolling in. And Obama shrinks at the very thought of offending some key donors.
Accordingly, there is no one who is telling Israel, from a position of strength, that it needs to end the occupation. Think of Israel as a smoker with a terrible cough and a precancerous condition whose wealthy friends warn his doctors: don't you dare tell him to stop smoking. He doesn't want to hear it and neither do we. Eventually, of course, the smoker dies. And his "friends" weep over what a great guy he was.
And no one says: we could have saved him. That is what happens when your "best friends" are, in fact, your worst enemies.
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"This is reflected in the fact that the Palestinians have rejected every single viable proposal which would have afforded them a state - from the 1947 partition plan to the 2000 Barak proposals"
The assumption you make is that these proposals were worthy of being accepted.
Allow me to deal with the 1947 U.N. Partition plan.
Palestine in 1947 Had a population of around 1.88 Million, 680,0000 were Jewish and comprised one third of the total population. The remaining two thirds were Arabs and other non Jews.
http://www.100megsfree4.com/lastone/politics/settlemendandpartition.jpg
One look at the above maps will indicate how unfair the UN partition plan was. Under the plan 33% of the population was to be given control of over 50% of the land. in circumstances where Arabs and non Jews owned 85% of private property. Jewish land ownership was around 7%.
http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/www.thejerusalemfund.org/carryover/maps/images/hist_owners.jpg
As you can see from this map most of the coastal property was Arab owned. Since water is a precious commodity and rivers run to the see then the coastal planes would be the most fertile, once more look at the map of the partition plan.
Under the U.N. Partition plan not only did 33% of the population get over 50% of the land, they also got the fertile coastal plains.
Member states fear Arab and Muslim blocs will not support them in important council and committee bids if they fail to vote for Palestinian independence.
Diplomats in the UN said their support for the Palestinian statehood bid stems from fear of revenge from Muslim and Arab nations loyal to the Palestinian cause.
Sources said some countries will support the Palestinians not because they believe in their cause, but because Muslim and Arab countries may take punitive measures against them when they will need support in the Security Council or in bids to be appointed to important UN bodies.
So Austria, which is looking to have a seat on the UN Security Council next year is not about to annoy the Muslim/Arab nations nor their allies in the Nonaligned Bloc.
As an example of what happens when you don't tow the line, Canada has failed to promote its nomination for a seat on the UN Security Council--in part due to its support for Israel.
When all is said and done, it really should not be a shock to hear about these claims of intimidation. After all, the fact of the matter is that the Palestinian Arabs got to where they are today through terrorism and murder.
Canada has adopted a policy that is not to the liking of other countries in the UN, and those countries then decide not to vote for Canada.
In what way is that "intimitation" of Canada?
Australia is mulling
(a) voting on the Palestinian resolution and
(b) putting its hand up for a UNSC seat,
and in all its contemplation decides that (b) is more important to it than (a).
In what way has Australia just been "intimidated"?
So very sorry, but all that is happening is that they are saying:
a) If they aren't a team player then
b) You can't be in our team.
Because you'll see that this "intimidation" is this ENTIRELY restricted to activities within the UN itself i.e.
"support in the Security Council "
"bids to be appointed to important UN bodies"
They aren't threatening to cut off anyone's oil.
They aren't threatening to invade anyone.
They aren't threatening to recall their ambassador
They aren't threatening to withhold aid money.
It's simply this: if you won't vote for us then we won't vote for you.
That's "politics", not "intimidation"
This is really unacceptable behavior, and really ugly. They simply cannot stand the fact that there is one US President who is not giving in to ALL their demands.
If this is not the intimidation of an US President, to bow down to Israel's demands, then I don't know what is. Shame on these people. Time for the US to let Israel stand on it's own.
http://www .haaretz.c om/blogs/f ocus-u-s-a /obama-is- not-pro-is rael-enoug h-for-u-s- advocacy-g roup-1.384 239
http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/focus-u-s-a/obama-is-not-pro-israel-enough-for-u-s-advocacy-group-1.384239
America is broke, both financially and morally. Obama has followed the same failed pro-Israel policy of Bush and the NEOCONS. We can no longer project power with our National Debt which will cause cut backs in our military and foreign aid. America cannot block a Palestinian State without consequences. If not now when? Israel needs to make peace and relinquish its hold on Palestine and the West Bank occupation.
How true. Israel is the worst ally ever and they are now seeing the consequences of their oppression and their terrible foreign policy. Time to get tough with Israel or just cut them off from our aid.
Are you intimating that Egypt, Pakistan and other of our "best friends" in the world who receive billions of dollars of US aid are more dependable allies? Give us a break!
In the meantime, yet another U.S. Israel spy is exposed ;
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/chevy-chase-scientist-stewart-nozette-pleads-guilty-to-attempted-espionage/2011/09/07/gIQA91XeAK_story.html
Great timing!
My thinking is, that if AIPAC turns up the heat on Obama, he'll give them the authorization to finally take some steps to curtail this long term cancer upon our society.
No. I am sure you will keep trying though.
I had seen this coming a long time ago. I had been saying that Israel was painting itself into a corner, it is now muh smaller. The risk here is that, like a cornered animal, it will panic and strike with nefarious consequences for innocent Israelis and Palestininans. I now fear this.
Whether Netanyahu offers the Palestinians,Turks and Egyptians every concession and apology demanded, there will ALWAYS be another rationale to find a cause to attack and persecute Israel and its people. This is not a novel trend, but historical, going back thousands of years and perpetuated through the pogroms and mass murder of Jews in Europe and throughout the Middle East, culminating in the mass genocide of Jews during World War Two.
The overriding cause of this enmity is based on the very existence of Israel and the fact that it and its people not merely survived and merely treaded water but have evolved into a powerful, viable and thriving democracy that their adversaries have not been able to replicate, resulting in their furious displacement of envy, frustration and unceasing bellicosity towards Israel. This factor, which can not be remedied by any means, other than Israel's annihilation or usurpation by its envious "neighbors", implies that Netanyahu or his successor need to do exactly what they are doing; hold strong to their convictions, not accede to threats or unreasonable demands and to make it clear that any attack against Israel and its people will result in dire consequences.
Vinny please find some new stuff. I agree with your first paragraph. Using the Holocaust to justify killing the Palesinians is dishonourable to the survivors and the Palestinians.
Furthermore, it is not such a straightforward matter of merely "...recogn(izing the Palestinian state, and then negotiate the borders", because the Palestinians are unwilling at this point, to make ANY concessions, such as promises to cease their murderous terror attacks against Israel or to even recognize Israel!.
A straightforward hypothetical scenario will clarify this dilemma. In a hypothetical situation, would YOU make unilateral concessions to a neighbor who has been throwing rocks at your house, endangering you and your family on a daily basis, when this neighbor makes it clear that no matter what you offer they will continue to act out their aggression against you and your family? When you can honestly answer that question then we will be able to engage in a relevant and meaningful dialogue regarding possible means for the Israelis and Palestinians to bring closure to their enduring conflict.
Haters have been announcing "Israel is in big trouble" for 63 years. They have predicted its impending demise some 70,000 times. Meanwhile, the country has beat the cr@p out of the Arabs in several wars. And, despite those wars, it has developed economically: It currently stands at the same levels as several Western European countries, but continues to grow much faster than them. Its contribution in terms of scientific and artistic achievements is disproportionately large, considering its share of the world population. It has diplomatic and commercial relationships with more countries than it ever did in its modern history -- all except the "Muslim countries". Its citizens are still the only ones in the Middle East who enjoy political and civil rights.
Yeah, Israel is in big trouble all right. Yawwwwwn...
Were the 6 women marrying the same man?
Encourage others to stand and be accountable. The internet is a great tool.
The internet is responsible for exposing Hasbara machinations, which is why the huge number of dedicated Hasbara Bloggers spreading their message ; "don't believe your lying eyes.'
We can't afford this anymore...
That we should give Billions to Israel just so they should promise to stop building Jewish only housing on Palestinian land.
This type of response has AIPAC's handwriting all over it.
No one, especially not the Palestinians, gain anything from temporary building freezes. The administration must adopt Israel's hard line approach if it wants results. A freeze on any and all military assistance would be a beginning