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Cabinet meeting ends with no decision on US demands
Roni Sofer
Published: 26.03.10, 21:38
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44 Talkbacks for this article
1. :: Now that Obama can focus on the ME...
Matty Groves ,   Fairport   (03.26.10)
As the US has: 1) Part financed the Israeli army with American taxpayers money 2) A fervent interest in the long term security of Israel 3) Strong ties with the American (Jewish) civilians living on Israel 4) Invested heavily in maintaining this client state The Obama Admin has decreed the following: 1) No more building in E Jerusalem 2) Court the Palestinians with ‘confidence building gestures’ - Release 2,000 prisoners - Full military withdrawal from all Palestinian towns/roads/etc - More areas of the WB handed over to the Palestinians 3) Increase in all Palestinian institutions in E Jerusalem 4) Easing of the siege on Gaza 5) No attacking Iran 6) A regime change in Israel if the line isn’t towed Some posters here have argued that Israel is a sovereign nation state, this belief will be tested in the coming weeks and months and I think they will be proven wrong as Israel sold its sovereignty/independence a long time ago for US protection and aid. The above few points are only the short term diktats in the long term the following can be added to the list: 7) Withdraw of illegal settlers from the ‘lesser’ settlements. 8) Greater policing of those remaining settlers/settlements 9) Part removal/relocation of the Apartheid Wall 10) Further demilitarization of the WB and freedom of movement between Gaza and the WB Needless to say greater Palestinian autonomy and freedom can only be a good thing for Israel.
2. Barak the responsible adult ?
Marcel ,   Florida   (03.26.10)
Barak is a loyal lap dog to the evil empire as is Livni.America is their God whom they religiously obey and serve above all else. This is why the US is interfering with Israel's sovereignty and trying to get lap dog Livni into Netanyahus coalition. The threat against Israel grows because of weak and spineless Israeli politicians who look to the US as if it were God.
3. Meet to arrange what! Our answer should be..
vicky ,   Ashkelon Israel   (03.26.10)
1.We can build where we like. 2. Enough already of the negotiations with the Pals. until 5 years of 100% peace on their side. 3. Should we give the US the finger and pull out our Embassy from US and UN. 4. Align ourselves with the likes of India, China ( who do not interfer in our world.)and Tiawan who also have problems with the US,UK & UN. 5. Blow Iran to pieces! 6. If our Barak is so fond of their Barak, let him get a green card and live in the US. He would give the whole of the f"ing country away for the price of gold. IF I FORGET THEE OH JERUSALEM! Now that my idea of a perfect world
4. Verbal agreements are dangerous
Rivkah ,   Israel   (03.26.10)
Verbally agreements can be distorted, misconstrued and turned inside outside. ONLY WRITTEN ALLOWED www.yeshabulletin.com
5. :: Vicky - #3
Matty Groves ,   Fairport   (03.26.10)
Don't you mean: "IF I FORGET THEE OH WEST JERUSALEM! "?
6. Responsible Parent LOL
Ralph Levy ,   USA   (03.26.10)
He is probably working for Obama and the US but that is just my opinion. http://israelprotect.blogspot.com
7. The USA
Ricardo Macher ,   Karnei Shomron IL   (03.26.10)
Why is it so hard for our politicians that the USA respect whoever sends them to hell and abuse "friends"? See examples for the first case like Iran, China , Venezuela, etc., etc. See examples for the second case like Israel, Latin America, Mexico, and so on. Obama's arrogance can only be confronted with full belief in our country and it's independence!
8. Face the obvious
Sidney ,   USA   (03.26.10)
Obama intends to force Israel back to 1967 borders. Nothing less will satisfy him. There is no point in concessions or good will gestures. JUST SAY NO.
9. Good answer
Wise Saba ,   Eretz Yisrael   (03.26.10)
Keep on build everywhere & tell Obummer to go to hell.
10. :: Rivkah - #4
Matty Groves ,   Fairport   (03.26.10)
Quite right I couldn’t agree more - any agreements should be in writing so Bibi or Livni cannot weasel their way out of them later.
11. They Don't Need the Aid
Yonatan ,   USA   (03.26.10)
Israel would greatly improve its current situation by stopping to accept us aid. Then it wouldn't have to feel so much pressure when it came to fulfilling US demands. It also wouldn't hurt to restart some of its old weapons programs like the Lavi fighter. It then would not have to worry as much about the US one day deciding to stop selling it military hardware. Israel has become to reliant on the US and its arms sales anyway. And prime ministers in the past have seriously toyed with the idea of rejecting US financial assistance. Of course the US would be horribly frightened by such a proposal. They would fear losing their perceived control over Israel and likely panic. Also, such a situation would confuse and worry many Americans who would be scratching their heads and wondering why our traditionally closest ally has decided to distance itself from the country. They would likely blame the Obama administration and its flawed foreign policies and see it as a sign of things to come. People need to see that Israel is just the start. Obama has no problems angering his long time allies in order to push through his unjust and unrealistic views for a new world order.
12. nasty little toady
Debbie ,   Jerusalem   (03.26.10)
US opinion of Ehud Barak just confirms my long time suspicions about him. He'd sell out his country and his people for a pat on the head from the likes of Obama or Clinton. Like many of my fellow Israelis I absolutely despise Ehud Barak.
13. barak and livni would stay in egypt and avoid Passover.
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (03.26.10)
14. #12 BUT BARAK IS SO NICE
LAWRENCE ,   SAFED ISRAEL   (03.26.10)
Ehud Barak is the nice jew, so willing to please,so compliant,always avoiding conflict ,unlike that nasty jew Netanyahu who is a bit of a rebel.Seriously,Barak is a snivelling piece of shit who sells interests down the river for 30 pieces of silver.
15. If the cabinet allow Obama to have his way
zionist forever   (03.26.10)
It will be the begining of the end for Israel. If we can't even stand up to Obama on Jerusalem then is there anything left we can stand up to him over? Israel will have become the play thing of the arabs and this Israel hating regime in the US led by a man who has yet to prove he is an American national. If Israel wants a future it must stand up to its American enemy and say NO to every single one of Obamas demands. As for Barak being a responsible adult, please don't make me laugh. The man is incompitent and directly responsible for the Jerusalem problems we have today. Before Barak went to Camp David and without consulting either his advisors, his cabinet or the Knesset offered to divide Jerusalem it was a no go area in the US and Israel alike. After that it became perfectly acceptable to talk about dividing the city both in the US & Israel Its also because Barak ran out of Lebanon tail between his legs without doing anything about Hizbollah first that 2 soldiers were kidnapped and murdered in 2002 leading to the war. The man should resign from politics write his memoirs or something all about his failed political career.
16. #1 Matty Grove....taken hook, line and sinker...
Mark ,   Lodz, Poland   (03.26.10)
17. #1 Matty Groves...taken hook, line and sinker..
(03.26.10)
...by the Palestinian Propaganda Machine. Keep on dreaming, Matty. Here, read Eric Hoffer's article from 1968, you obviously missed it on another thread:- ISRAEL'S PECULIAR POSITION...by Eric Hoffer – Los Angeles Times 26/5/1968. The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted to other nations are forbidden to the Jews. Other nations drive out thousands, even millions of people and there is no refugee problem. Russia did it, Poland and Czechoslovakia did it. Turkey threw out a million Greeks, and Algeria a million Frenchman. Indonesia threw out heaven knows how many Chinese and no one says a word about refugees. But in the case of Israel , the displaced Arabs have become eternal refugees. Everyone insists that Israel must take back every single one. Arnold Toynbee calls the displacement of the Arabs an atrocity greater than any committed by the Nazis. Other nations when victorious on the battlefield dictate peace terms. But when Israel is victorious, it must sue for peace. Everyone expects the Jews to be the only real Christians in this world. Other nations, when they are defeated, survive and recover but should Israel be defeated it would be destroyed. Had Nasser triumphed last June [1967], he would have wiped Israel off the map, and no one would have lifted a finger to save the Jews. No commitment to the Jews by any government, including our own, is worth the paper it is written on. There is a cry of outrage all over the world when people die in Vietnam or when two Blacks are executed in Rhodesia . But, when Hitler slaughtered Jews no one demonstrated against him. The Swedes, who were ready to break off diplomatic relations with America because of what we did in Vietnam , did not let out a peep when Hitler was slaughtering Jews. They sent Hitler choice iron ore, and ball bearings, and serviced his troops in Norway . The Jews are alone in the world. If Israel survives, it will be solely because of Jewish efforts. and Jewish resources. Yet at this moment, Israel is our only reliable and unconditional ally. We can rely more on Israel than Israel can rely on us. And one has only to imagine what would have happened last summer [1967] had the Arabs and their Russian backers won the war, to realize how vital the survival of Israel is to America and the West in general. I have a premonition that will not leave me; as it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us. Should Israel perish, the Holocaust will be upon us all.
18. Israel is becoming a country of religious fanatics
michael ,   sao paulo   (03.26.10)
so sad...
19. Weaning off of US Aid
Ben ,   Chutz L'aretz   (03.26.10)
Natanyahoo should send BHO a note thanking the US for all the prior support and advising him that Israel will not need to use the Aid this year to purchase American goods. (US Aid comes with strings you see.. must buy American with it.) The resulting loss US of mitlary industry jobs might just sink in to Commander in Cheat. Natanyahoo needs to stand firm. Americans in general are with him and not with BHO.
20. 1
zionist forever   (03.26.10)
I agree Israel would be better off without the military aid. There are strict conditions attached to US military aid The weapons must be built in the US not Israel. Around 80% of the military budget ( not paid for by aid ) must be spent on US systems so Israel does no have the luxury of shopping around its either American, domestic or nothing. The US has a veto on the export of all Israeli domestically made weapons even if there was no US funding or technology involved in its development. Drop the aid we would build more of our own stuff and because there are no more restrictions we can sell on a level playing field. It also means more competition for the US to deal with and their gear is usually much more expensive than Israeli equivilents which work just as well in some cases superior to the US version and at a better price. Israel could spend its money in America if it chose but it could also spend it at home, or with a third country. The US would have less political influence over Israel and nothing to hold over us. Its easier to form new allies as we can trade with whoever we want and trade builds good relations. So financially long term Israel would do better by ditching military aid it would just hurt the military short term because their budgets would drop. It needs a change in thinking which is the hardest part because the status quo works if we play by US rules. We don't have to make an enemy of America but be a friend not a whipping boy.
21. What gestures have the Arabs/PA offered?
David ,   Boston, USA   (03.26.10)
NOTHING. Israel has acted in peace. PA/Arab league has acted against peace. Look at the actual deeds. Israel has been acting towards peace. Enough is enough. Dont do anything until the Arabs start acting in peace.
22. Israel should immediately reject ALL Obama's demands.
Chaim ,   Israel   (03.26.10)
Would Obama have the nerve to make demands of any other nation? Why does Israel tolerate this disgusting behavior from Obama? Israel should immediately reject ALL Obama's demands. Israel should be talking to Obama's ever growing opposition in America. The WORST thing Israel could do is continue appeasing the loathesome bully Obama.
23. Cabinet meets for final retouch on striking Iran on Passover
Tayfun_Turkey ,   Istanbul   (03.26.10)
24. US Gens R taking beating from barefoot Tallys-so blame IL
Alan ,   SA   (03.26.10)
US Generals have been taking beatings from barefoot Iraqi Terros and now Talibans since 2004. So now they must blame Israel. There is a Russians saying that bad dancers blame their orchestra
25. Netanyahu
Jim Kendall ,   San Rafael, CA, USA   (03.26.10)
To seek "steps toward peace" from gangster Netanyahu is a waste of rhetoric. Netanyahu DOES NOT WANT PEACE, HE WANTS LAND. The more Palestinians who are killed, to him, the easier it is for Israel to achieve its god-LESS objectives, and occupy the Palestinians' Land. Their "settlement" posturing intends to encircle the areas dear to the Palestinians, so as to efface their presence and influence. NO TO NETANYAHU!
26. do you think its about US aid ?? think again guys
asi   (03.27.10)
it's not the US aid its about the US position which could lead the world against israel if it's about money israel could survive today the only thing prevent the world to take harsh steps against israel is the US
27. Obama's requests are bizarre.
Harry Wright ,   UK   (03.27.10)
The premise that Israel must strengthen Abbas or give him presents or concessions to BRIBE him to "rebuild trust" in Obama enough to go to the negotiating table is seriously flawed and quite ridiculous. I am not surprised that the US is promoting this because that seems to be the common practice - pass a little something to smooth the way. If Abbas grabs the presents and shows his face at the table does that really mean his trust was rebuilt? And if he wants yet more concessions, all he has to do is pick a fight, stomp off and say - no more negotiations. Will more concessions be required of Israel again? Obama should offer him MONEY. That will get him to the table and there will be no need for all this confusion. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line which passes through cash in this case. With this flawed thinking, I would not trust Obama, not one bit. His foreign policy STINKS. Bribery always stinks and worse yet, when you behave like a thug and try to force your friend to pay the bribe for you.
28. @18 : israel is becoming a state of REALISTIC people
doron ,   united jerusalem, IL   (03.26.10)
in the past we had dreams and hopes. now, in the present, we became sober. we now see the reality. we may not like it but it's the reality. we have learnt who are our enemies and what we can expect from them. we have learnt that we have only ourselves to stand for us and no one else. yes, we become a realistic nation.
29. Forget Obama ( he's out in 2012 )
Dan ,   USA   (03.27.10)
No matter what Israel does for the Muslim Obama it will never be enough. His background does not allow him to view Israel as a friend and he will always support the interest of the Arab countries. Israel's only friends in the U.S. are Christian conservatives and certainly not America's elitist liberal Jews who view their fellow Jews in Israel as the major problem to peace in the world.
30. ::matty
Psalms 83 ,   SELAH   (03.27.10)
the real solution will be taken care of after Ezekiel chapters 35 thru 40 takes place when the messiah is in control... any current division of jerusalem will be temporary and the sons of esau will have no inheiritance there...
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