From Israel: Sharing As Possible

Arlene Kushner
Arlene from Israel
19 May '11




Once this goes out, there will not be another posting from me for several days, as I shift my focus from the wider world to my private world, and the advent (please G-d may all go well in the next couple of days) of a new grandchild. The greatest of blessings, and the reason for everything I do: those dearly, deeply loved of the next generation.

And yet, as I write, we are in the midst of several things happening. It is only very briefly that I will be able to address them.

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What can I say? Obama is from another planet, delusional. Dangerous.

And let us not forget devious. Today Prime Minister Netanyahu is meeting with him in the White House. But BEFORE they had a chance to talk, BEFORE Netanyahu had a chance to give his talk, the president of the United States, a man never to be trusted, had his say. And undercut Israel's position.

In his speech from the State Department last night, he said peace between the Palestinian Arabs and Israel is "more urgent than ever." And, while saying he cannot impose a settlement, proposed what it should look like:

The core, the key, is that he went on record saying that Israel should return to the '67 armistice lines. This in spite of multiple understandings with American administrations that Israel would not be asked to do this.

He suggested that there should be a “full and phased withdrawal” of the IDF to be coordinated with the Palestinians during a transition period with a clear duration and demonstrated security effectiveness.
He would put us on the block, and yet he then has the unmitigated gall to talk about devotion to Israel's security. A transition period? The '67 lines will never be acceptable, can never be secure, but he would have us move in that direction even before other matters are clear. He sees us making that move to entice the Arabs back to the table. He would have us do this BEFORE Jerusalem and refugees are even discussed. Gone is the principle of "everything is decided or nothing is decided."

What particularly galled me is that he admitted that the unity government raises "profound and legitimate questions for Israel” and said, in an other-worldly approach, that the Arabs will have to "provide answers." Right. But in face of these "profound questions" he acknowledges Israel has, he is calling for her to take bold steps towards peace.

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He did warn the PA that their projected gambit at the UN won't work. But I wonder if he's going to hold something over Netanyahu's head today -- saying that if he is to veto action in the Security Council, he wants to see concessions from Israel that will bring the PA back to the table to negotiate.

He lamented that talks have stalemated: “Israeli settlement activity continues. Palestinians have walked away from talks.” Notice the order here, the implication being that Israel ought stop building in communities in Judea and Samaria so the PA can return to the table.

And he chastised the PA in other ways, speaking of the need to stop terrorism and weapons smuggling. But NO WHERE does he suggest that Israel cannot move with safety until these safeguards are in place. And NO WHERE does he specifically call on Hamas to demonstrate its peaceful intentions via the Quartet criteria.

At bottom, the Arabs won't be happy with this either, however. Because he will not have been sufficiently one-sided for them. And there lies a saving grace. Because they're not coming back to the table.

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Were that I had time for more. What's most important is the response of our prime minister. On coming into the US, Netanyahu responded that:

“Israel believes that for peace to endure between Israelis and Palestinians, the viability of a Palestinian state cannot come at the expense of the viability of the one and only Jewish state.

Israel, he added, received commitments in 2004 from Congress that it would not have to return to the 1967 lines. The pre-1967 lines, Netanyahu said, “are both indefensible and…would leave major Israeli population centers in [Judea and Samaria] beyond those lines. Those commitments also ensure Israel’s well-being as a Jewish state by making clear that Palestinian refugees will settle in a future Palestinian state rather than in Israel.”

Obviously, he'll have a great deal more to say soon.

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JINSA points out, by the way, that we should not ignore the fact that Obama, in his speech, pledged assistance to Egypt even before knowing what will transpire there. For JINSA this is the most dangerous element of Obama's talk.

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When next I write, may it be for good things.

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© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner, functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.


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