A better example of America is of a sinking ship. The 2 state solution is dead in the water after 16 + failed years of US effort. That is the real insult ,America's failure. This they have to blame Israel for this and the economy is sunk as Obama has to go begging to China and Saudi Arabia to keep the dead dollar floating for a few more weeks. Ans as it has always been Obama needs a scapegoat for the injured bull. That would be Jews building homes in their Capitol to live in. Will Israel continue to play the role of patsy or will Israel end the bully vs vassal relationship ? It takes real faith in God to walk away from your last phony friend.

His column is the most childish, brainless display of stupidity in the NY Times, with the exception of Roger Cohen.

He's a court Jew from the days of the Lebanon. America has as much right to dictate Israel where to build as Israel can dictate the US on where to build in Washington D.C.

for another two years. Otherwise Obama will pluck off half of Jerusalem.

It was clear before his election that Obama was no freind of Israel and only bluffed to get the Jewish vote and campaign donations. Since his inaugauration Obama has gone out of his way to reduce the close ties between the two states. Netanyahu apologised publicly for the undiplomatic incident, anything after this is an intentional escalation by the Obama White House. As an Israeli and a Jew I resent the double standards being applied to Israel by Obama and Clinton, its time to put the relationship on a backburner until a new administration is elected. If Netanyahu folds on this one, Obama will take Israel apart piece by piece.

This is not the first crizis. No need to magnify it. Actually nothing irreversible has happened. Israel haven't bombed yet Iran, nor destroyed american ship, or derived planes. What a big deal in all this. Americans are behaving like arabs with emphasis on honour. I am sure Bibi and Biden could make peaces in 5 minits, and that is what they have done.

If you forgot it, you leaders of the USA - Israel is a sovereign state plus its special to the almighty God ! If you seek your own destruction, USA - then continue your present politics ! Its in the scriptures, that '' He who curses Israel will be cursed ! '' The only thing which is for sure in this world, is that the bible is never wrong ! Make the right choice for your own sake, USA !

the Obama government is dreaming. bibi knows he can't trust anybody. stopping a little bit of building is a sign of weakness which will stoke the greed of the americans, arabs, and their liberal jewish backers. Iran is a seperate issue, and must be dealt with as such.

this joke of american administaration, has had netanyaho in its sites from the get-go. both emanual, and clinton needed to settle scores from pres. clinton's days. the power struggle between biden, emanuel, jarret ,h.clinton, are well known. biden was way out of line dictating to israel what it can and cannot do when it comes to its own security. we all recall lbj warning to levi eshkol- if you do alone ,you'll be alone , just few days before the 67 war. history proved us right , and lbj was duted off to the trash bin. this crisis was orchastrated ,designed and brought forward on purpose to exact pressure for more concession with the palis. and to releive in- fighting for power hungry biden and h.clinton. is it 2012 yet? the worst presidency in u.s history is unfolding before us!

Now the United States has a radical left wing newspaper reporter making foreign policy and policy decisions. Hear O Israel, Obama is not a friend and not a friend of Jews.

US should also fight and invade any country that Israel perceives as a threat to its occupation of Palestine. That is how the Jewish lobby had in the past and will keep it in the future.

True Jews of the world...the hour has arrived. You must look very carefully at events going on around you, and decide if this is genuinely Israel at fault, or part of an orchestrated movement determined to rid Israel of Jews, and then guess what comes next? The simple truth is that our small tiny nation was unacceptable to our enemies way before the 1967 'green (for envy) line, and would not satisfy those spoiling for our blood should we unilaterally decide to weaken ourselves at this crucial time. Have a backbone, Jews have survived beating the odds for a much higher prurpose than the pagans amongst us would suggest. Be strong and of good courage...now is the time to serious join your family here, rather than cowarding behind the perceived safety of foreign powers that will not offer protection at the crucial moment. I write this with love and concern for my Jewish family living outside Israel. We need each other, and there is only one true Jewish homeland...you decide where that is and the greatness you feel it should ascribe to? Shalom, Israel lives!

1) Friedman isn't saying anything new. He has been opposed to Jewish housing in most of Israel for many years. Good morning. 2) If the State Dept refers to the Israeli PM as "Bibi Netanyahu", then Israel should refer to the US President as "Mr. Hussein-Obama". Fair's fair. 3) The current crisis is all Obama's doing. Biden wasn't that upset last week. Obama (or Hussein-Obama, really) is seeking to divert attention from his other failures... by creating yet another foreign policy failure. Not smart, really. 4) America is going down the drain. How sad for such a great country. It makes one wonder who really is driving drunk.

" Hamas has halted its attacks on Israel from Gaza" - that is because of the IDF putting the fear of G-d in Hamas. Not because of negotiating.

The New York Times is losing its readership and advertising revenue fast and will be out of business or a shade of its former self in a year or two. Democrats will lose big in November. Obama's popularity is sinking (-16 Rasmussen) and he will not be elected again. Let's just hope the stupid Jews who voted for him the first time have learned something. One didn't have to be a prophet to anticipate this situation.

Unfortunately, Israel is in complete denial of the world that surrounds it. It has managed to piss off 1.4 billion Muslims for absolutely no reason while it could've isolated the Palestinian/Israeli crisis and managed it internally. It is now on its way to piss off its strongest ally, the US! If only you still had leaders like Ben Gurion and Golda Meir, with slightly better long term vision, you and the rest of the world would be way better off! Way to go guys! Keep it up because YOUR ship is about to go under!

That reality gives us the right to live in our country, which at present includes every part of Jerusalem. That reality also repeatedly warns us, that having to agree to some unreasonable pre-conditions by some Fakestinians who wish to see us destryed, will actually be the real act of drunk driving. That reality also reminds us that Obama did not yet visit Israel after his election and that it his administration that seems to be out of touch with the reality in Israel. That relality forces us to rely on no one but ourselves and continue to exercise our right for self-defence.

more pliable leadership can come to Government. STAY STRONG ISRAEL

So goes Israel, so goes the world. If only the apostate American leaders now in power could understand the meaning of the scripture in Daniel and Revelation. Obama the Anti-Christ? It could well be. Hold fast Israel, and give Bibi some credit for his gutsy stance. I am not a Jew but I wish them well.

When will Bibi be an Israeli like his brother was and be proub for being Israeli Why grovel to the weak americans?? Be like Avigdor Lieberman or Minister Yishie and broadcast the truth in the loudest forms.No fillty twisted diplomatic lies. START BEING A PROUD ISRAELI. TeLl hussien islamic owama to go get stuffed and use clinton as his punching bag. SHOW ISRAEL AS A PROUD COURAGES PEOPLE.

Everything he does or is doing is failing, and he seems to blame everyone else all the time. These are the characteristics of an incompetent sheltered ego/megalomaniac. Obama will come & go, the US Israel relationship will stay. I have a hunch "Mr fabolous" is going to hear from some displeased American elected representatives starting Monday. He's in for a reality check I believe. Israel polls better in America than Obama does these days. We have our friends to thank, the American people are very special.

refusal to commit to not attacking Iranian nuclear installations. Now OB1cannotB is trying to force BB to aggree with him to accept a nuclear Iran and suck it up. Well Benjamin just won't, also King Faisal is not aggreeing with the Big O, so he's taking it all out on who he can - Israel. He won't dare attack SA like he attacks the Jews... Well, it seems as though we'll just have to wait it out until 2013 when Americans show this useless moron the door, hopefully hitting him on the way out. As the news item is not confirmed, I will not say where I read it. Alan no. 19 seems to have nailed it.

I love (pity) how the Propaganda is controlling some of the commenters' mind, it is absolutely pathetic. Can't you see how ignorant Israel's leaders are?, They are geniuses how they wrapped the whole world in their finger. Murderers, but geniuses.

He has been an advocate of appeasement by Israel for over a decade. As far as Friedman is concerned the Israelis are always wrong, never the Palestinians or Arabs. He would call it tough love, I would call it something else.

Heloves himself. He needs to understand that he is not the PM of Israel. Jerusalem is ours and there is nothing new. What have arabs done to build confidence? Obama will create more problems now. He is the guiding force behind the Palestinians and just like pharaoh causes their hearts to harden against talks. Every time Obama gives them a new reason.

Can someone tell me one consesion the PLO gave?????

Yeah real independent voice he is nothing but a mouthpiece for the left.

we get nonsense hacks like Thomas Friedman who hasn't been correct on anything since he crossed from Lebanon to Israel with his golf bags years ago. This guy probably still thinks Oslo was a great deal.

Well Musa. You mention Ben Gurion and Golda Meir in your letter but the Pals hated them as much as any Israeli leader. It's very simple really. Put down your guns and there will be peace. Accept responsibility for your situation and there will be peace. Stop demanding Israel give up anymore. Losers of war(s) are in no position to demand anything.