The European Union's Hypocritical, Patronizing Attitude Towards Israel - by Amb. Alan Baker

The fact that the Palestinian leadership proudly pays salaries to terrorists (and their families) who have killed Israelis – in clear violation of Palestinian obligations in the Oslo Accords, as well as in other international counter-terrorism conventions and resolutions – does not appear to concern the EU representative to the peace process.

Amb. Alan Baker..
JPost/Opinion..
03 October '19..
Link: https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/The-EUs-hypocritical-patronizing-attitude-toward-Israel-603650

The curious article in The Jerusalem Post (“Peace needs international law and political will,” September 21), by European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Susanna Terstal, is indicative of a serious and worrying lack of awareness as well as considerable possible ignorance by the EU as to the legal and political realities inherent in the peace process.

The EU representative evidently believes that incessant repetition of the phrase “two-state solution” adds some element of legitimacy and feasibility to the idea. But the two-state solution has never been agreed-upon between Israel and the Palestinians, and does not figure in any of the agreements between them. It is nothing more than an expression of wishful thinking within the UN and the EU.

To the contrary, the Oslo Accords, to which the EU itself is a signatory, clearly leaves the issue of the permanent status of the territories to be decided in negotiations. The accords do not predetermine the outcome of the negotiations. Thus, whether the outcome will be one, two or three states, or a federation or confederation, remains on the negotiating table. This cannot be dictated by the EU, however much they might be enamored with the idea of a two-state solution.

By incessantly plying a two-state solution, the EU is in fact prejudging an agreed negotiating issue and going against its own responsibilities as a signatory to the Oslo Accords.

In referring to electioneering suggestions by Israeli leaders to “apply sovereignty,” the EU representatives complain that unilateral modification of the Oslo Accords “undermines the entire agreement” and “dismantles Oslo.”

One wonders why the EU did not view the recent declarations by the Palestinian leadership canceling the territorial division between areas A, B and C in a similar light. Did this not undermine the accords?

Similarly, where was the EU when the Palestinian foreign minister formally declared in Japan that the Palestinians had no intention of returning to negotiations with Israel?

BTW, whatever happened to the Palestinian ‘diplomatic tsunami’? - by Jonathan S. Tobin

Anti-Zionists may still be able to intimidate some people, like pop stars who visit Israel, but in the real world and even at the United Nations, their cause is an afterthought.

Jonathan S. Tobin..
JNS.org..
04 October '19..

It was only eight years ago that supporters of Israel were trembling at the possibility that support for the Jewish state would soon be washed away by a “diplomatic tsunami” that would be unleashed by the Palestinians at the United Nations.

In the spring of 2011, President Barack Obama demanded that Israel negotiate the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 armistice lines. The Palestinian Authority chose not to embrace Obama’s initiative, but instead embarked on a campaign to get the United Nations to recognize their statehood without first requiring them to make peace with Israel. Figures such as then Defense Minister Ehud Barak predicted that such a “tsunami” meant “Israel’s delegitimization was in sight.” For Barak and others who still believed in the Oslo peace process even after its collapse a decade earlier in the violence of the Second Intifada, the prospect of such total international isolation meant that Israel had no choice but to withdraw from the West Bank and part of Jerusalem, regardless of the consequences.

Eight years later, no one speaks of a Palestinian tsunami at the United Nations—or anywhere else, for that matter. Instead, the only places where efforts to delegitimize Israel seem to be succeeding is on the social-media pages of pop stars. While Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas’s annual sojourn to the United Nations last month was greeted with yawns, the only recent success that haters of Israel can claim was the bullying this week of singer Demi Lovato.

(Continue to Full Column)

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. 

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(Excellent) PM Netanyahu’s fate and the future of Israeli democracy - by Jonathan S. Tobin

The flimsy corruption charges he’s facing are creating a precedent that is a greater threat to the rule of law and the future of Israel than anything he’s charged with doing.

Jonathan S. Tobin..
JNS.org..
03 October '19..

This week a legal proceeding is taking place that may have as much if not more to do with the future of Israel’s government as the stalemated negotiations to form a new governing coalition. Lawyers representing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are presenting evidence to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in four days of hearings that are his last chance to stop indictments on corruption charges. The prime minister’s attorneys say they are presenting new evidence. Yet the expectation is that Mandelblit, who has already signaled his willingness to formally charge Netanyahu on three separate cases of alleged wrongdoing, is just going through the motions and will, in due course, decide that the prime minister will be put on trial and face jail time if convicted.

The unseemly spectacle of a prime minister called on the carpet in this fashion has been widely depicted as being more about preventing Israeli democracy from being subverted by a criminal would-be tyrant as it is about Netanyahu’s fight for his freedom. However, even those who disagree strongly with the prime minister’s policies should be opposed to the manner in which he may be taken down. Far from being a defense of Israeli democracy, the effort to destroy him via the legal system is actually a greater threat to the future of the Jewish state than anything the prime minister has allegedly done.

(Continue to Full Column)

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. 

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The toxicity of Palestinian solidarity – the obsessive stepping stone to antisemitism - by David Collier

Palestinian solidarity has created a travesty. Not only does picking up a Palestinian flag require you to support a fictitious narrative. It means you adopt toxic beliefs and it holds everyone hostage – even the Palestinians.

David Collier..
Beyond the Great Divide..
02 October '19..

What is Palestinian solidarity? Last week, I sat and witnessed a mainstream political party in the UK deliberately spit in the face of the Jewish community. The problem of growing antisemitism extends far beyond the shores of the UK and recently inside the US Democratic Party, we have seen a similar struggle *begin* to surface. So is Palestinian solidarity related to rising antisemitism, where does this animosity come from – and how is it being allowed to successfully propagate?

If this were simply swastika wearing Jew hatred resurfacing, you would hope it would be easily identified. Which tends to suggest that it isn’t – or if it is – then at the very least much of it is well disguised.

Layers and institutions


There are several layers to the problem of rising antisemitism and the ‘obsession’ that was frequently referenced during the Labour Party conference is only one of those layers. Half a million people die in conflict each year – another half a million through interpersonal violence. There is climate and conflict induced famine, and whole regions that experience horrific abuse of women and minority groups. The world is home to rampant sex, child and people trafficking. Nobody can even tell you the level of modern slavery because there isn’t enough money or political will to deal with the problem. Yet the democratic state of Israel is always the first item on the agenda.

That obsession is institutionally racist against Jews. It does not matter what the excuses are, just as it did not matter what the Met Police used as an excuse for the disproportionate attention towards ‘non-whites’. Nor its dismissal of the relevant community concerns. The Palestine obsession, partially driven by circumstance and partially by people who hate Jews, combines to create an institutionally racist environment.

If you or your organisation are not willing to address the Apartheid system in Mecca, Christian persecution in Pakistan or the abuse of women throughout Asia and Africa – because you cannot raise a consensus or do not want to alienate those sitting around your table – then opting to pick on Israel becomes the institutionally racist choice. It explains the Labour Party obsession and the growing problem in the United States – as well as the fixation on Israel by the UN, Amnesty International and far beyond. Continually picking on just one tiny group of people and ignoring all the real human rights abusers in the world is not just hypocrisy – it is racism.

(Continue to Full Post)

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. 

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