JERUSALEM – Hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu...
I have mixed feelings about this statement. On the one hand, Netanyahu is in no way Hawkish. On the other, I consider Hawkish to be a compliment.
But I digress. Let us continue.
JERUSALEM – Hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has the security credentials and the political strength to pull off a peace deal with Palestinians now that the U.S. has brokered a new start to direct talks.
Can somebody please tell me when the issue of security credentials and political strength ever came into the "Peace Process?" What does this have to do with anything?
The big question is: Does he have the will?
That my dear sir, is not a question. I guarantee you, if Hamas (the actual ruling party of the Arabs in Israel) or the PA (the secondary party ruling Arabs in Israel) were to come up to Netanyahu, or any of Israel's Prime Ministers and said, "You know, we have been at war for so long. Why don't we call a truce, make peace? No preconditions, just friendly neighbors." The Israeli Prime Minister at that time would grab those Arabs' hands and shake them before they could finish getting the words out of their mouths.
Netanyahu heads to Washington on Sept. 1 for the launch of the first direct negotiations in nearly two years with the Palestinians. The White House hopes to forge a deal that has eluded its predecessors within a year — a formidable challenge.
I like the way the author of this article is making the White House the pusher behind the "Peace Talks." I admit it, it's the truth. But I think Israel would be better off without such nonsense. Two people cannot make a deal when only one of them wants it. Face the facts. The Arabs do not want peace.
You know what. I shouldn't say that. I can't lump all those people together. Those organizations currently ruling the Arabs of Israel (elected by the Arabs in Israel), do not want peace.
(skip a few lines to get to the real article...)
Netanyahu has made a series of concessions under heavy U.S. pressure — an indication that he is both pragmatic and susceptible to arm-twisting from Israel's closest and most important ally.
I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. Arm twisting in the same sentence as ally? Any real ally does not twist arms. Not to mention that this process has increasingly been to Israel's detriment. The Obama administration is not a friend of Israel's and Israel knows it. But it is the closest thing to a friend that Israel seems to have
Shortly after his re-election a year ago, the prime minister removed dozens of military checkpoints in the West Bank. The lifting of the travel restrictions, which Israel said were a security measure during a previous decade of violence, helped breathe life into what has become a miniature economic boom in the Palestinian territory.
Last year, Netanyahu endorsed the concept of a Palestinian state, and later imposed a 10-month slowdown on construction of new homes in West Bank Jewish settlements. Earlier this year, he informally imposed a similar, albeit undeclared, freeze on new Jewish housing developments in east Jerusalem. Such moves would have been unthinkable for him a few years ago.
Why did Netanyahu endorse such an idea? Maybe it had to do with the fact that Netanyahu does want peace, but not at the death of Israel and it's inhabitants. Ever think about that Josef?
Let's move on...
Still there are enormous obstacles to overcome before any deal can be reached.
(Sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to hear the next words. Really what? Don't keep me waiting!)
Netanyahu says he will not give up east Jerusalem and has not talked about the possibility of a broad withdrawal from the West Bank, where more than 200,000 Jewish settlers live among about 2.4 million Palestinians and Israel maintains military control. Palestinians claim all the West Bank and east Jerusalem as well as Gaza — areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war — for their future state. The international community backs the Palestinian demand.
Wow! (Exhale breath) Israel is not willing to give up it's most precious land, (It's capital!) to those murdering, conniving, (insert curse here) Arabs. Or withdraw from the West Bank after what happened to Gaza? What a Peace hating bigot that Netanyahu devil is.
And I love the way he throws in that little tidbit about the internation community. As if it gives credence to the Palistinians. Well, I got news for you bud, that international community wouldn't give a care in the world if Israel actually were wiped off the map, and I mean every single Israeli. (That's why I love Rabbi Meir Kahane's letter to the world.)
This has made the Palestinians extremely leery about speaking to the Israeli leader.
Really, you mean to tell me that all the incitement done by Arabs, is because Israel refuses to give them everything that would help them kill more innocent men, women, and children? How inconsiderate of Israel!
But what about the fact that Palestinian media portrays all of Israel as "Palestine?" Does that not show us the true intentions of the Arabs?
Another problem is the roughly 4 million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are deeply divided. They have different governments. And Netanyahu's partner for talks, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, is weak and only represents about half the Palestinians in the territories.
(Here is my point about the ruling Arab parties in Israel)
Nevertheless, there is some reason for hope that President Barack Obama's initiative will fare better than the doomed attempts of past American leaders.
In dealing with the Israeli public, Netanyahu's credibility as a security hawk and secure political standing could enable him to follow in the footsteps of former Prime Ministers Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon, two other right-wing icons who ultimately made sweeping gestures for peace.
Any hope you have that an enemy of Israel will fare better in Peace forcing is more than fantasy.
I find it funny that the author brings in Ariel Sharon, a name cursed by sensible people for his idiocy in giving more land to terrorists so they can strike deeper into the heartland of Israel. The only good thing that happened was that Israel saw how stupid it was and elected a right wing government because of it. It would be more than foolish for Netanyahu to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor. (As for Begin, well I like his philosophy, so I don't wish to bash him. However, do not think for a second that Israel is not watching those on their borders.)
This analysis is really long, so I'll let you read it here. But I'll finish with the last words of this piece.
Abbas, already weakened by the Hamas militant group's takeover of Gaza three years ago, fears a failed peace process could further damage his standing in his West Bank headquarters. The rival Hamas, which immediately condemned the new peace talks, is a major impediment to any future peace deal.
"These negotiations will not succeed and have no chance of succeeding," warned Hani Masri, a prominent Palestinian political analyst. "What they will do is weaken the Palestinian leadership and its popularity and deepen the inner Palestinian conflict."
Abbas does not fear a failed peace process, he fears a successful one, as is apparent from his speeches to the Arab public.
What gets me the most about these paragraphs is how contradictory they are. On the one hand, the author talks about how Abbas wants peace. On the other, the first statement in the next statement, (made by "a Palistinian political analyst") begins with a declaration, "these negotiations will not succeed and have no chance of succeeding." It's sounds to me that this man does not want peace, but maybe I'm wrong. Of course, then there is the kicker, "What they will do is weaken the Palestinian leadership and its popularity and deepen the inner Palestinianl conflict." The only possible reason it would weaken the leadership, which has not lost anything for the Palestinians to be upset about, is because the Arab community does not will the Peace Process, or even talk of the peace process. Killing is more their style, as became obvious after the attacks that began right after the peace process did.
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