Obviously many - regarding this novel of an article and most of the talkbacks. Friedman must have hit a nerve.

You all refuse to understand one basic fact. The adage,"live and let live" does not exist in the Arab or Muslim lexicon. They want to live their way and they want all others to live their way. They have been telling the world this ever since the inception of Islam. Why do we not get the message. They state it loud and clear. Are we deaf ? Are we dumb ?

Several yeaqrs ago he treveled to Saudi Arabia, received $250000 from the king, and endorsed the Saudi Peace Plan. He serves those who pay him, like many othe colomsts. Since very few people read or know why is Friedman, and in US only Soros, Obama and a few other people know him, he is doing very well.

Brilliant treatise by Martin Sherman and a Must Read.

Idiocy as long as it is directed against Israel falls right in line with your natural Antisemitic inclinations. Get off of the high horse and do soul searching.

Judea and samaria belong only to the jewish people. Deniers of the Jewish people's right to Judea and Samaria are only hiding their hatred of jews.

Horrible, delusional piece. Friedman is the one who makes the correct reading about the situation in Israel. Little by little we are becoming very similar to Iran: religious-driven, conservative, backwarded. We are also losing the support of America. Friedman is a good friend that is advising us for the good.

Friedman's airy-fairy view of the realities of the middle east clearly channel Barak Obama's White House. Not only does Obama have no defined policy towards the middle east, what policy he does have is clearly influenced by the Palestinian centric thinking of his close friend Rashid Khalidi. Obama will lose Egypt through ignorance, and Israel best ready itself for further deterioration in U.S. support. I thought it would only be a matter of time before Obama himself channeled Reverend Wright's view of the world. And here we have it - the Muslim Brotherhood is a secular organization. Keep moving, nothing to be seen here.

Hate to tell you ricardo, but without the national religious Israel could not survive. Why don't you wake up and go back to where you came from.

No one with any brains in the US gives any credence to Friedman's thoughts and writings. A favorite saying of a US national hero, Hyman Rickover, applies so well to Friedman: "Some people (or organizations, etc) do best by doing nothing at all". Who cares what he thinks?

Follow the money trail. It may lead to surprising places.

I see Ynet is afraid to post my comment...I guess I must be right too! TATA

Mr. Friedman is reverting to his old Lebanon persona when he trod the "Road to Beirut" demonizing Israel at nauseum. His huge ego is greater than his intellect so he peddles the ideas he collects from others as his own from the soapbox offered him by the NY Times as they do for others of his sttripe (see N. Kristof and R.Cohen )

Friedman is a celebrity journalist, so the know-nothings still fawn over him. But any serious person long ago realized that he was just a narcissist. Look at how often in his articles he talks about himself, count the number of times he uses I and me.

it is because you are one too

I have read or have some knowledge of Toms several books. Occasionally I read his NYTimes articles..and see him interviewed on the Charlie Rose TV show. He always has strong opinions about Israel...most often criticial, He says that no country with a McDonalds, will war against another country with a McDonalds. Are you positive? But what about Burger King, or Wendys? Yes, he is pre-occupied with the settlements..as if they are the cause of the 100yr old conflict., most of the time there were no "settlements". Was the 67 War due to the settlements? His perch at the liberal NYTimes, gives him exposure and clout. Freedom of speech, well, dont yell fire, when there is none, Tom. If every Jew were out of the W. Bk, Jerusalem and the Golan, there would still be Hama, Hizbullah, Islamic JIhad, the Brotherhood,, Rev Guards, Ahmad, Assad, Abbas, Fatah militants, and others bent on Israel's demise. To Tom Friedman, go home..You are fueling this conflict with nonsense. Oh, he wants us to sell our Israeli bonds to send a message.

Tom Friedman is one of many anti-Israel pundits..who are given a forum whenever it is most advantageous to the I hate Israel crowd.. Others are J. Carter, G. Soros, and Zbig. They harp on the same themes..its the settlements baby. The occupation of the W. Bk and East Jerusalem are anathma to the Arabs. US support is demanded by the "Israeli/Jewish" lobbies, mainly AIPAC (not j Street however or Peace Now groups. Congressmen are bribed with Jewish money for their proIsrael vote, its never about morality. Friedman, like Buchanan, have clout and exposure. Soros has money. Together, they add to Israel's enemies. Its that simple.

Most of these talkbacks are living in a self-imposed, self-justifying, bunker mentality - unable to countenance or digest any views alternative to their own. They are also supporting a policy that, in addition to alienating much of the Diaspora, will lead Israel to disaster.

This Tom Friedman and his irritating unsolicited advice is not wanted nor needed.This guy is full of BS,Tom Friedman Israeli's are disgusted with you.Go away and don't come back.

This is a sanctimonious strutting peacock that keeps sticking his nose into Israel's affairs,and .keeps smearing Israel,TF go away we don't need your advice,get lost.

Settlements have never been and never will be the cause or the solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which is only a telephoto lens view of the wider Arab Israel conflict (cross ref to Al Jazeera's and other Arab countries' interference in the "peace process"). Settlements are a side issue and are seen as an obstacle to peace as they apparently make it more difficult for Israel to withdraw from these areas. In fact, although I do not support these settlements both morally and for Zionist reasons - they cause a disproportionate and unjustifiable drain on our security resources for little gain - Israel has proven at least twice, both in 1979 and again in 2005 that if required, it will weather the storm of tearing its social fabric apart to do what it sees as necessary. So, all this hoopla about the settlements is really BS. The Palestinians are artists at distorting the big picture by concentrating on microscopic single issues and selling it to the world ( such as the settlement issue), who laps it up like a cat to cream. Time to see the big picture, the wide angle view of the conflict: Israel against a host of hostile neighboring countries who hate it for just being here and obsess about its destruction: Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Libya etc and now maybe even Turkey and maybe Egypt (again). How many hundreds of millions, calling for the destruction of this small state of 6 million, exploiting the suffering of the Palestinians - for which they are complicit in their plight, by refusing to absorb them and leaving them to wallow in destitution? So, who is the real David and who the real Goliath?

He is pathetic. Writes about nothing he knows about.Fabricatesbecause he.Is pushed to just write columns so he won't get left out of the NYTimes.

Thanks Martin Sherman for exposing this pretentious git.The Israeli politicians should be telling this interfering twit,that they don't need his advice,instead of the posters here.He works for a paper that is owned by a Mexican of Lebanese origin. That should explain a lot.

where else but the nyt would be a home away for home for such as friedman.as there slogan says.all the news that fits we print.

Ehud Barak says that Obama has been the best friend Israel ever had. And Ed Koch says he will vote for Obama. Ed Koch says that Tom Friedman said antisemitic remarks on his famous article about Congress being paid by the Jews to be loyal to Israel. And myself about Roger Cohen , he is the most ignorant and brainless columnist the New York Times ever had. The three stooges are Tom Friedman, Roger Cohen and Bill ....., All columnists for the virulent anti Israel NYT. Shame on them. The Ochs Schulbergs owners of NYT, used to be Jewish, but always anti Israel. Finally they converted. Good riddance.