A statement from first principles

Ian G

Hussein Obama backs Binyamin Netanyahu! Read the words. What is wrong with this picture?

Put not your trust in princes (or Presidents) nor in any of the sons of man.

Only God will deliver Israel.

Ian G

Something wrong with the link to Bibi's speech. It seems we need to be registered, but there is no means of registration?

Margaret Muller-Johansson

Melanie, you are my hero, let me get some sleep I will hopefully write tomorrow, night night.....

Harold Pomerantz

There will be no Palestinian state as long as Hamas, Fatah, Hezzbolah and the assorted other terrorist organizations exist to deny Israel the right to live in peace. As long as Palestinian teachers and religious leaders portray Jews as deserving of death, glorify suicide killers and send rockets and mortars to kill Israelis there can be no independent Palestinian state. The goal of the Palestinians is and always was the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews.

The creation of a Palestinian state must depend on Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. Without mutual recognition, there is no basis for further peace talks.

Michael B

Israel represents roughly one sixth of one percent of the land in the Middle East:

0.1666%

Of their citizens, approximately 22% are Arab, over half of which, comprising 14% of the population as a whole, are Arab Muslim, all vested with full rights of citizenship.

Bob from Virginia

Bibi's brains against Messiah Obama's, now there is a contest. Anyone want to bet on the outcome?

CFB

Yes, Mel, the ball is in Obama's court. We're going to find out just how interested he is in real hope and change.

Roy

Exactly Melanie... what could be more reasonable than that? But I bet London to a brick that the Palestinians - even the so-called 'moderates' - will refuse to treat with the Israelis and continue to find excuses not to do what Obama has asked of them.

Surely Obama should have remembered what that other great Democratic President Bill Clinton tried and failed to achieve when he got Ehud Barak to offer a two-state solution to Arafat. Reportedly 99% of what the Palestinians were after but Arafat knocked it back (remembereing that was BEFORE the rise of Hamas!)

I think Obama is about to get bitten on the arse big time by Middle Eastern realpolitik.

He cannot just beat the Israelis about the head and shoulders (because he can) AND expect that it will encourage the Palestinians to do the right thing - even by themselves. They are simply incapable of doing so.

As you have eloquently pointed out - the real test will always be getting the Palestininians to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. And it's never going to happen - Hamas will make sure of that.

CrumbleKid

But surely the BNP -racists that they are - would claim that immigrants are living in OUR ancient homeland?

Why doesn't it work both ways?

Ronnie

'Yet as far as Obama is concerned, it is not the Palestinians who are the problem but Israel, which must now be forced to surrender its security to them...'

Show me where Obama has ever said that.

R. Green

Mellanie,
The speech was indeed a direct response to Obama's revisionst history of the creation of Israel and the roots of the conflict. I certainly hope that the self proclaimed "student of history", and his 31 year old speech writer, were listening.

Andre

Well said, Melanie. I believe Obama has much to learn about the middle east. Specifically the inherent racism and antisemitism of radical Islam. This is a war against the west of which Israel is our front line. Democracy, freedom of speech and sexuality, equality for women, the rights of children to a peaceable growing up and objective education - the list of Israel's accomplishments is thrown into stark contrast by the dark litany of her neighbors' moral failings God bless Israel, I say and I speak as Brit and a catholic. My country has to re-embrace its religious imperative which must include a pledge to befriend and support the children of the promise.

Derek BLADES

Ms Phillips writes: "Israel wants peace with the Palestinians. The cause of the conflict remains, as it ever was, the Arabs’ refusal to recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own in their historic homeland of Israel, which (contrary to Obama’s claim) predated the Nazi Holocaust by several thousand years."

But the status and boundaries of Israel, Ms Phillips, are precisely what have to be negotiated. Netanyahu’s other preconditions are blatantly designed to rule out negotiations.

Oh, and by the way, if the Palestinians roll over and play dead Netanyahu will limit his land grab in the West Bank to where it is now.

Trumpeldor

Brilliant speech from our Prime Minister
Very cleverly ,he did expose the real roots of the conflict and explained the historical legitimacy of our sovereignty over ERETZ ISRAEL

Richard

"Far from Israel occupying Palestinian land in Judea and Samaria, it is the Palestinians who are living within the ancient Jewish homeland". Where do you take the starting point Melanie? 100 years ago the area had a small Jewish minority and was majority Arab. 4000 years ago it had a multiplicity of tribes occupying different parts, certainly no Jewish majority or proto-state. Are you saying that the Bible should be the reference point for current geographic disputes? Surely some mistake...

Terry

''So now the situation is clear for even those most blinkered to see'' - Sorry, Melanie, when it comes to the Israel/Palestinian issue, truth goes out the window, objectivity forgotten, rational analysis down the toilet, & historical accuracy turned upside down. Criticism of any Israeli position, even our very legitimacy as a nation, is taken as a given by the looney-left & their Islamic allies.

Raymond Joseph Douglas

The next propaganda war to be fought , will be over the Jewish nature of Israel. Already some commentators , such as Jonathan Langley of the English Baptist times , are referring to Israel as an "apartheid state ". Also , netanyahu will be pilloried in our press for insisting on a demilitarized west bank Palestinian state . Yet , given the experience of Gaza, this would only appear to be common sense!

Polly Gamma

CrumbleKid :-

CrumbleKid – appropriate name for someone who endorses weak boundaries which allow not only too many traitorous ‘immigrants’ but all sorts of agitators to put the entire population of the UK at risk, constantly, and not only by depleting us physically and financially but culturally and spiritually too.

Wake up! There are plenty of us who worry far more about that kind of wholesale betrayal and of course who would be at the forefront fighting off the BNP if it became necessary. The paradox is that there’s a hull full of carping weak minded baggage like yours that has to be carried on the journey but it’s part of the dynamic that fires up progress! So well done bring it on but do consider where your efforts might prove be more rewarding in the long-run!

Stephen

Can a state be demilitarised and still be a state? One the few fundamental criteria for statehood is the right to self-defence.

Nick Kaplan

CrumbleKid;

It doesn't work both ways because the BNP are not offering immigrants the right to their own state!

Michael Medved

Stephen

Googling before you write is considered a good tone nowadays. Looking at "List of countries without armed forces", you will find some of the countries with the best life quality in the world, like Andorra, Liechtenstein and (in Section of "Countries with no standing army") Monaco and Iceland.

Kiwi

Richard: "Are you saying that the Bible should be the reference point for current geographic disputes?"
Forget the Bible, how about a history book? Or check out the archaeology of the area, should be some clues there.

gary ashton

good grief these people will stop at nothing to live in a constant state of war. what does israel have to do to to get the arabs to at least concede that peace can be an option. oh yeah march into the sea...
giving back land doesn't work, they just fight further into israel. i can understand why israel is divided about this, hope is drying out, cynicism is the realistic option.

Roy

De-militarisation for a Palestinian state will be no essential difference from the present - there is no standing army - although it does not preclude a self-defence force.

Palestine can do it - demilitarisation has worked for a number of countries with a violent, belligerent past - Japan and Germany to name two and look what demilitarisation did for them!

Its a common sense solution so the Palestinians will completely reject it and then accuse the Israelis of 'torpedoing' any peace talks.

Oh that's right - they just did.

Augustus

The future of the Jews worldwide
as well as in the state of Israel is threatened by a variety of forces. In increasingly uncertain times, details of ongoing global anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli defamation and hostility should be documented for posterity. As events unfold, this will make it more difficult in future for those promoting hatred, their accomplices and bystanders to deny their role in the process of demonization of Israel and the Jews.

The main expression of anti-
Semitism in countries around the world is through anti-
Israelism. Many media groups and others maintain that there is no link whatsoever between the two. This position often stems from the fact that many people do not mind being labelled anti-Zionists but do not want to be labelled anti-
Semites. While the two types of hatred are not totally identical, there is a great overlap between them. The fallacy that these two manifestations of irrational hatred are not similar is increasingly difficult to sustain given the overwhelming
evidence of the link between anti-Semitism and anti-
Israelism around the world.

Finally, here are the main characteristics of Facism. I leave it to others to determine
whose ideology fits in best with these - Israel, or others:

-Strives for forms of dictatorship.
-Always puts the emphasis on what they are against.
-Inequality of man is a given.
-Places it's own group above all others.
-Shows disdain for oppononents
(demonization).
-Glorifies in violence and uses terror as a means of coercion.
-Treats women as second class citizens.
-Puts the majority always above the individual.
-Wishes total control of culture.

OzRoy

Richard - '100 years ago the area had a small Jewish minority and was majority Arab' - where did you get this garbage from? Census prior to WWI showed a Jewish population of 110,000 - with a local Arab population of 150,000.

As Australian Lighthorseman Ion Idress recorded in his war diaries in the days before the liberation of Jerusalem from the Turks, the Jews were extremely happy to see them as they had probably saved them from complete massacre at the hands of the Arabs - previously the Turks had mostly prevented it (but only because they were worth more in taxes and jizya). In the vacuum left by the Turk's retreat, they were at great risk from their Arab neighbours until the Allied forces arrived.

Census documents 150,000 Arab population at the end of the war. By 1918 after wartime massacres, pogroms and deportations, about 55,000 Jews were left.

With a pre-war population of a quarter of a million; Arab, Jew and other small minorities including the ruling Turks, the idea that the Arabs were always a sizable majority and, conversely the Jews were at best a small minority is a myth and deliberate modern historical revisionism with the sole purpose providing a 'truth' to deny any Jewish claims.

Nannette

Bibi's speech can be read here:

http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/PMSpeaks/speechbarilan140609.htm

Dave M

"But surely the BNP -racists that they are - would claim that immigrants are living in OUR ancient homeland?
Why doesn't it work both ways?"

I once mailed them about that. Technically speaking the BNP (or any other populist, nationalist party) is obliged to support the concept of a Jewish Jerusalem). Nationalism is really all about protecting the rights of the indigenous population which in this case concerns Israelis. What happens is there are a lot of so-called experts around who have this hugely flawed delusion that modern Palestinians are synonymous with the ancient Canaanites which is frankly laughable. There's this huge misunderstanding that modern Palestinians are the indigenous people, bullied by the "occupying" Israelis. The BNP probably doesn't understand the difference. Of course, Melanie was quite right to pick up on Obama's ignorance as well and I did actually hear him use the term "occupation".
At any rate, the BNP position should be to support Israel as a matter of policy.
One big problem Israel is now going to face, however, comes from America. These days America has neither sympathy or understanding of nationalist sentiment. American ideology revolves around multiracial societies and everybody being equal. I don't think America could grasp why Israelis would want a Jewish majority and therein lies the problem.

Suki

Ronnie: "'Yet as far as Obama is concerned, it is not the Palestinians who are the problem but Israel, which must now be forced to surrender its security to them...'"

'Show me where Obama has ever said that.' The One said:

"The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace."

What part of that don't you get, Ronnie? That is why Mel wrote: "Those (like Obama) who think the cause is the Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and Gaza are confusing cause and effect. The fundamental prerequisite for ending the conflict is therefore a public, binding and unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people. Far from Israel occupying Palestinian land in Judea and Samaria, it is the Palestinians who are living within the ancient Jewish homeland. Israel does not wish to rule them and they can have a state of their own, provided they accept Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, and provided a Palestinian state is demilitarised so that it does not possess the means to destroy Israel."

Do you deny Obama spouted that guff in Cairo?

Nannette

The full text of Bibi's speech is here:

http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/PMSpeaks/speechbarilan140609.htm

aramkr

Richard:
How about taking today as a starting point, then?

max

The Palestinians’ aim was unaltered and known before Netanyahu gave his speech, so their answer was known, too.
1. in PA administered territory, it remains a criminal offence to sell land to a Jew.
2. Abbas believes that Obama is committed to expelling Jews from Judea and Samaria, as he said last month in Cairo.
3. the PA’s ambassador to Lebanon said, also a month ago, that the Palestinians’ gaining Jerusalem would be the first step in the destruction of Israel as a whole

Even leaving aside all the terrorism and incitement, it’s not hard to see the parallels between Nazism and the philosophy driving Abbas and his advisors. If Israeli national suicide is all that’s going to appease them, surely everyone is wasting their time trying to manage Palestinians’ expectations, either directly or indirectly via the Saudi “peace plan” which represents the same demands, gift-wrapped in Arab international recognition. Gift-wrap isn’t noted for staying intact.

Mailman

You know, there are a lot of ignorant people out there demanding Barry cut all aid to Israel because of this.

Yet the reality is this. If Barry did that, there would be a bloody bath in the Middle East as arab states are emboldened to attack Israel through their perception that Uncle Sam wont help Israel. By blood bath I mean both Jew and Arab blood.

But I say this...if Barry was as intelligent as the MSM makes him out to be he would cut all aid to Arab states and demand they end all violence and hatred and their continued wars of aggression against Israel.

Only then will America release 1 cent in aid to arab states.

You know, do what the allies did to the axis powers after world war two. Change your ways or you get no support.

I know, for those of you on the left this is probably one of the most radicle things you will ever hear and right now every fibre of your being is most likely being challenged. take a seat, have a drink of water but do us all a favour and engage your brain before you demand America cuts aid to Israel.

Regards

Mailman

Stephen

Michael Medved

My earlier, and much longer, reply to your post appears to have fallen foul of technology.

In short, 'demilitarised' and 'lacking armed forces' are not the same thing. None of the four countries you refer to can function as a model for a demilitarised palestinian state. All either belong to a larger defensive organisation or have come to an arrangement with another government to provide defence. And Iceland has a tiny Coast Guard with three armed ships.

If a palestinian state were to come to an arrangement with some of its Arab neighbours as Andorra, Liechstenstein, Monaco and Iceland have done with theirs, then it is likely that it would not be considered demilitarised. And it would, therefore, fail the Netanyahu statehood qualifying conditions.

So the question remains. Can a state be demilitarised and still be a state?

Original Tony

Something that is often overlooked is that Jews BOUGHT huge chunks of Israel from their Arab owners from the 1800's onwards.

This is completely ignored by people trying to figure out who owns what and who got it last?

To my mind, Israel ends at the Jordan river but Biblically, it is much much bigger.

I am so glad Obama has to make the next move. He will soon learn how hard it is to deal with 'Palestinians.'

Bill M

Right back in Obama's face. Nice smackdown, Bibi. Beautiful move.

ahad ha'amoratsim

Michael Medved, is Japan on the list of countries with no military?

Ronnie

Actually, OT and Bill M, it is the Arabs who must now respond.

Mailman

Stephen,

Absolutely, why do you believe a demilitarised Westbank couldnt function as a state?

Do you believe Israel would invade the West Bank and Gaza if Palestinians disarmed?

Why do Palestinians need long range rockets?

Mailman

Samiha

Rather than resorting to mythical claims, it would be much appropriate if the Arab-Israeli conflict of the past 70 years and more are studied. Do pay close attention to the maps that show the changing borders of Israel and Palestine and its implications (both material and immaterial). Could be a revelation.

just Louise

"His Master's Voice" (aka Gordon Brown) has just announced in Parliament that he'll be phoning Netanyahu later today to press him to freeze settlements (resounding cries of "Hear,hear!" from the green benches).
Much as I sympathise with Israel's wish to hang on to an undivided Jerusalem (as one rabbi observed, "How can a body live without a heart?"), might it not, nevertheless, be in Israel's demographic interests to allow the Palestinians to have east Jerusalem, so heavily Palestinian, as the capital of a Palestinian state?

Reb Shlomo Silverstein

Did anyone listen to the James Obrien show on LBC radio today? He is extremely anti-Israel and a bully. He made a number of points. The first thing he said was that it was very difficult talking to these fanatics (he meant Jews / Zionists) because if they disagreed with what you (ie British enlightened Christians) thought then “they” would accuse you of being anti-Semitic. This, he said forced fair minded people who would have otherwise supported the Palestinian cause to keep quite out of fear.

The second point he made was that the Israelis don’t really want peace because they insist that Israel remain “armed to the teeth” yet demand that the Palestinians have no army and no control of their air space. This to him was a no brainer. He agreed with the Palestinian spokesman who said that, by saying this, Bibi had destroyed any chance of peace. Anyone who phoned up and said that peace could only be achieved if the Palestinians were prevented from launching terrorist attacks against Israel was cut off and insulted. He said something like “How can you even have a rational conversation with people like that?” He abused his position as radio host, badgering, interrupting and bullying anyone who tried to present Israel’s view point.

Carl

@ Reb Shlomo Silverstein - the reverse of what happens here then when people quite rightly criticise Israel.

In the Wilderness in America

Melanie, you have been elegant and morally correct with your last two questions. Obama may obfuscate his answers, but his rhetoric will be hollow and so transparent that we will all be able to see right through his morally bereft campaign flourishes.

The existence of Israel as a Jewish state in peace and security is the part of the two-state "solution" equation that Europe and the Obama administration abhor. We will never have peace unless that crucial right is respected.

blue_&_white_Avenger

Just an addition to the post by Original Tony - "Something that is often overlooked is that Jews BOUGHT huge chunks of Israel from their Arab owners from the 1800's onwards".
The "owners" weren't Arabs; generally, Jews bought land in the 19th Century from absentee Turkish landlords. There were very few Arabs who owned anything & until the "2nd Aliya" of the late 1890's, Jews mostly did their own agriculture. It was once the Land showed semblance of fertility after centuries of neglect, that the Arabs came in numbers from Egypt & Syria.

Stephen

Mailman

It's about what constitutes an independent sovereign state. Any sovereign state requires the ability to defend its borders in the way that it chooses. Whether those borders may be under threat at any particular time is irrelevant. Without sovereignty over its territorial integrity it is questionable whether that state exists in any meaningful sense. It would cease to be providing protection to its citizens. And that, under the vast majority of theories of state is one of the pre-requisites of a sovereign state. It is also something that we who post on this blog would probably demand of our own states.

John Edwards

The Netanyahu speech is a fairly transparent attempt to kick the two state settlement into the long grass while waffling about being ready to negotiate.

A real "statement from first principles" would be along the lines of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the separation wall which unanimously upheld the position in international law that Israel has no right to any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem.

It is on thses internationally recognised borders that all the Arab States have agreed to recognise Israel. This new formulation about recognition of Israel as a "Jewish state" is another delaying tactic.

On the question of Palestinian sovereignty and security. As a member of the United Nations Palestine would be entitled to be protected from external threats and aggression. Sovereignty must include the right to self defence and control of their own air space. It is easy to see why Palestinians would be concerned about this given the recent murderous attack on Gaza.

Peace requires secure and recognised borders for all the states in the region not just Israel.

Feline

To those speaking about "territories". Israel won 6-day. war. Vae victis. As the "CHosen one" told in the Congress: "I won".

Michael B

"We don't want Kassam rockets on Petach Tikva, Grad rockets on Tel Aviv, or missiles on Ben-Gurion airport. We want peace." from Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech

And that, for the P.A., for Hamas, for Palestinian Islamic Jihad, for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, for GIMF (Global Islamic Media Front), for Iran and its theocratic republic, for other entities as well (including the E.U., seemingly) is the problem, that is the crux of the matter. A genuine, realistically conceived and based peace, a peace sought with "courage and candor," is simply not desired in the first place.

Or, put in more reserved and less presumptive terms, there is no substantial evidence to support the idea that any more genuine peace is being sought by Hamas, by the P.A. and by the other entities alluded to. Delusions, whether self-induced or induced via influences orchestrated from the outside, are not an adequte substitute for candor and courage and peace envisioned upon more realistic assessments.

Raymond

Dave M
"Nationalism is really all about protecting the rights of the indigenous population which in this case concerns Israelis. "
"One big problem Israel is now going to face, however, comes from America. These days America has neither sympathy or understanding of nationalist sentiment. American ideology revolves around multiracial societies and everybody being equal."

You do realise that the majority of Americans are not the indigenous peoples there so they could not fall under the definition of nationalists as you define it.

I suppose you'll support fully restoring sovereignty to the native americans as it was in 1491 and allow Mexicans to return to the USA as they share a common ancestry with the indigenous peoples and once had territory occupied by the USA

Derek BLADES

Suki (15 June) quotes President Obama as saying "The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace."

In saying that the settlements undermine efforts to achieve peace is stating the obvious, but Suki categorises this as "guff". What is even more astonishing is that Suki interprets President Obama's remark as evidence that he is trying to undermine Israel's security. Does Suki actually think that the settlements are adding to Israel's security? The mind boggles.

Xavier Kreiss

Absolutely. All the different Palestinian factions should recognize the existence and legitimacy of Israel. This is the first, essential condition.

It would help, however, if Israel were to distance itself from what Ms Philips calls the "wretched settlements" which (unlike Israel itself) are not legitimate.

Ronnie

Suki.

I replied to you but it didn't get published. Maybe Pete can look into it if he gets time.

In essence, the two statements you quote do not say the same thing, thus your point is not proved. Therefore I continue to disagree with you.

blue_&_white_Avenger

"Derek BLADES
June 16th, 2009 5:54am"
"The mind boggles" - this in reference to 'Israel's settlements'. Funny that - Jews have been building settlements for the last 150 years.
That IS Israel's security - your mind is obviously quite boggled.

Ronnie

blue_&_white_Avenger.

I wonder if you would mind keeping up with what is going on at the moment. Interesting as the last 150 years are, we are talking about the posibility of negotiations now and the current circumstances that mitigate for and against their likely success.

THX1138

The purpose of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is to assert a "boots on the ground" Israeli claim to the territory.

Therefore the presence of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is, in and of itself, a rejection of a two-state solution to the conflict.

Derek BLADES

blue_&_white_Avenger, June 16th, 2009 9:57am

You have misunderstood my point. What puts my mind into boggling mode is not that Jews are building settlements. That is rather well-known and leaves me quite un-boggled. What I find astonishing is Suki's belief that building settlements in the West Bank will add to Israel's security. As you obviously have a pretty sharp, non-boggled, mind maybe you could answer that question.

June 16th, 2009 5:54am"
"The mind boggles" - this in reference to 'Israel's settlements'. Funny that - Jews have been building settlements for the last 150 years.
That IS Israel's security - your mind is obviously quite boggled.

Michael Medved

Stephen

Netanyahu specifically spoke about making alliances with "Hizballah", Iran and its likes. The Andorran model consists of France and Spain providing a military assistance to their tiny neighbour in case of emergency. As this state is in fact sandwiched between those two, they are factually prociding guarantees against each other.

The Palestinian state would be sandwiched between Israel, Egypt and Jordan - the states having diplomatic relations and peace agreements with each other. If there is a sufficient will on both sides, the Andorran arrangement will work just fine. Besides, Netanyahu also spoke about "ironclad security guarantees", which I understand as additional treaties with US / EU / NATO etc.

ahad ha'amoratsim

I thought so too before I actually looked at Wiki. I was amazed to find out that in both military personnel and military expenditure Japan stands way ahead of Israel.

Feline

To Derek Blades and other likely minded: "Israeli Government Press Director Daniel Seamen reacted to this Obama administration statement by saying: “I have to admire the residents of Iroquois territory for assuming that they have a right to determine where Jews should live in Jerusalem.”"

Derek BLADES

I am puzzled by Feline's 16 June citation of a remark by an Israeli government spokesman which suggests that President Obama is a resident of Iroquois territory. That territory covered a bit of the North Eastern part of the United States but stopped well short of Washington DC. I assume the message he was trying to convey is that all US residents who are not Native Americans are living on land that was forcefully and illegally seized from the indigenous inhabitants. Consequently they have no right to criticise Jews for doing the same thing in Jerusalem and the West Bank. If that is indeed what he was driving at, the Israeli government should think about getting itself a new spokesperson.

Feline

I think it is for the Israeli government and not for the residents of Iroquois territories to decide who should be its spokesman

Augustus

Obama knows that putting pressure on Netanyahu behind the scenes was a tactic that worked extremely well for Bill Clinton. Netanyahu must now show that he is older and wiser than before. He must not allow himself to be put under pressure to sign more agreements and give away land.
Then he will be moving along a one way path to legalizing the creation of a terrorist state in Israel. A state that Israel will not be able to defend itself against without dismantling it first. And a state that Iran will be able to exploit in order to conduct a proxy war against Israel, and to tie it down until its own nuclear programme is able to deploy nuclear weapons. Netanyahu has the ability and experience to outplay and outwit Obama. Let's hope he succeeds.

Yehuda

John Edwards wants the "Palestinian" Arabs to have an even larger army than they already have so that their aggressive capabilities can be enhanced.

Yehuda

Obama and his underlings are not above repeating the lies that past agreements have prohibited "settlement activity" in Judea and Samaria, and that Jewish communities there are illegal.
In their dictionary "illegal" means "anything which we don't like."
As for the International Court of "Justice," it has become an arm of the organised crime syndicate that is known as the U.N.