We all know that its the very existence of Israel that rankles. Too many of those that Israel has to give sway to, even refuse to accept its existence. Until Israel is accepted fundamentally as a sovereign state - everything is just a waste of time. Obama's demands only serve to weaken Israel - There is nothing in it for Israel. No security - all the promises , suggestions of an improved situation for Israel are all BS. ultimately there will be a high price that everyone will pay - not just Israel.

bb sweats not for nothing, if he delivers, what obama wants, you, stuipid, will sweat too.

Jewish State was before the Babylonians and after them. Jewish State was before the Greeks and after them. Jewish State was before the Romans and after them. Jewish State was before the Islamic Empires and after them. Jewish State was before the United States and it will be so after United States. That said, don't worry Obama is here for maximum of 8 years but the Jewish State is for Eternity. For more please visit: http://israelactnow.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately, you are giving the Obama administration too much credit. While I would like to think that the settlements aren't a major issue for them, the Obama administration is like every other Israel basher around - and the settlements are everyone's "hot topic" as to why Israel is an "imperialist" state craving expansion into further arab territories. The truth is that Netanyahu is smart - he won't give up the settlements so easily. They (and the continued expansion into "arab" land) are Israel's best barganing chip for negotiations with the palestinians. Personally, I feel Israel is best served by turning a blind eye to continued temporary expansions - they can be forfeited if the right peace/price comes along - otherwise, we continue to get back land that was given to us in the original Balfour declaration. Obama and his administration want to better their ties with the arab world in fact - but they also want to use Israel as the sacrificial lamb and peace offering. Israel might have to very well stand apart from the USA in the near future - it's a sad truth, but it's reality, and it must be dealt with.

Thank you Ynet. We in the USA who don't or can't read the Hebrew media can now get the feel of the hack leftism and perverse frame of mind of "leading commentators" like Barnea. Although the US has its share of media liberals there's certainly nothing like him, or the usual gang of idiots in Haaretz, here.

For once, why Arbs cannot give something to appease the Americans that has done so much for them? Egypt receives $2 billion from America, F. Arbia and the Gulf States Theocracies are protected by the US, first from Saddam and now from Iran. America went to 2 wars that Arbs benefited greatly from in the form of enhanced security and a huge jump in oil prices. They are the beneficiaries that need to give something to America. Every dime and much more that Israel receives from America is spent on security. Israel is too burdened to give anything for Arbs', benefit and Arbs do not deserve anything from Israel after all the hostile behavior they continuously display and act on against Israel.

This outrageous chutzpah has reached its end. Netanyahu better realize that Israel cannot continue getting something for nothing. America has interests too, and Israel would be foolish to arrogantly ignore this obvious fact. Israel's greatest interest, and greatest asset, is its relationship with the USA. To sacrifice this for the settlers would be insanity. American Jews have had enough of the settlements, of Lieberman etc. 80% of us voted for Obama and welieve that he and the Jews who surround him are doing the right thing. For America, Israel and the world. The Israeli Far Right had better get out of the way!!

Take care of iran yourselves which will delay for a while their nuclear ambitions. As for the West Bank this is essentially a couple thousand year old territorial dispute. As an American taxpayer I would LIKE YOU TO DO SOME serious negotiating with Abbas. QUIT entertaining congressmen and please do not encourage any more Jonathan Pollards. Be a true friend and keep AIPAC out of our domestic politics. Be a true friend of America. Lotsa love, Tom

American global empire?

DEAR SIR... YOU FORGOT OR LEFT OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART...HOW SHOULD NETANYAHU HAVE DEALT WITH OBAMA THE FECKLESS FLAKE... THOMAS LOS ANGELES USA

Does Barnea think Lieberman, Shas, etc will topple this new government in favor of Livni-Kadima and removal to 'pre 67' frontiers? Israelis undoubtedly want peace, but realize that is achieved only with security. Iran nuclear has no linkage to Israel; Obama creates a false premise. If US topples Likud the people will vote a more determined government.

Israeli's may have forgotten about the settlements but many American Jews have not. They continue to be a thorn in our side, stuck in our craw, etc. To some of us, the settlement project is antithetical to the zionist project and represent a threat to the existence of the state. If Israeli's have truly forgotten about the settlements, that is a measure of just how out of touch with reality they are. The behavior of the settlers to even Netanyahu's tiny moves against their wishes should be enough to snap Israeli's back to reality.

I constantly amuses me when people are dumbfounded when they realise that their politicians are less-than-honest, self-serving power-hungry individuals. What were you expecting: an honest politician? And I'm talking about politicians in general, including the ones from the pulpit!

Indeed. The diaspora doesnt criticize Obama stance because this is impossible for decent, responsible people. The settlements are bad. Period. They cannot be defensed by normal, intelligent, rational people. They are destroying Israel. Only the Israelis havent seem this yet.

"We hate the Americans more than you!" A former Palestinian Authority (PA) Minister from Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party has wished Al Qaeda success in its attacks against the US, and in its targeting of President George W. Bush. The Fatah leader, Abu Ali Shahin, said in an interview on official PA TV: "Do to the USA whatever you want, and we wish you success... We are fighting the Americans and hate the Americans more than you!" To know more about Islam : http://xrl.us/bkmne

Mr. Obama is a determined man and if he doesn't get his way through persuasion, will attempt to topple the government. This can only be done with collusion of Kadima. Of course, noble motives to its actions will be declared by its leaders. Let us all patiently wait until we hear what Obama has in store for us. There is time yet for us to surrender our sovereignty.

government then Likud and that will be the end!

Please Barnea, the question is not about settlements, for israelis the question is about Israel´s security. That it is which cobtradicts BO´s interests, which is the muslimworld. Israel is for him a mere nuisance, Blessings

The only american jews who are upset with the settlements are those who are either scared off what the non-Jew would say, votes blindly for any Democrat, is 100% ignorant of Jewish history and world history and think they would be able to assimilate if Israel no longer exist. Got new for you - Israel is here to stay including in Judea & Samaria despite what USA and the world think. You can't stop G-d's promise. Wise up before its too late!

I didn't vote for Obama and I am in support of getting as much land as possible from the Arabs after all of the years of distress they have caused, and the wars they have initiated and lost. I want Israel to succeed, to be less dependent on the US, but Barnea is right. Obama wants to turn a new page, and to do so he has to pander to the Arabs, and those are just the cards that Bibi is dealt and he has to play his hand wisely, either he offers to play ball with the man a little, even if he's going to hold on to the racket. On the other hand, maybe Obama is just preparing the ground works to see which plate will shift first, and Bibi is playing his cards well, and pushing the ball back onto Obama's court and the Arabs. Time will tell. But I think the basic analysis of the article is solid, although we may disagree about what should be done next. At the moment, NOTHING is the best answer. Let Obama first figure out his plan. Then I say, do NOTHING. Let the Arabs Sweat; if they want peace they will come back to the table, if they do not then we know they will also do NOTHING.

Hello, fool. We live in Israel. And thus, Israel's interests trump American interests, or shall I say fantasies. Just because Obama wants to be chummy with an Arab world that still is technically at war with Israel, does not mean that Israel should sacrifice strategic and/or historic areas. Unfortunately, Barnea and his ilk, in their unending drive for fantasyland (otherwise referred to as "peace"), do not wish to consider the real threats to Israel. Of course Barnea won't even discuss why rocket fire comes from an area Israel vacated or how the Palestinians keep swearing by the the greatly exaggerated right of return or a division of Jerusalem, where underground tunnels which serve as Jewish historical reference can be used to smuggle weapons. Barnea, forget how we can appease the USA and think about what is important for us!

I cannot understand this kind of view. Really. If you are so against settlement, why are you for israel ? Half of the country developped this way before and after the british mandate. Except of a few towns and citys, all the localities were at first small building with a watchtower. The spirit is nowadays the same : building and building, to live in the land of jews, with or without the right to. Maybe the only difference is the spirit of the movement. Before, it was from labor ideology, now, it has taken a more "rightist" view, and a religiouser one. But, I repeat, it's the same. Read about the Goush Etsion.

of American Jews voted for Obama as I am sure they would for any other Democrat. But do not fool yourself into believing that too many of those 80% voted for destruction of Israel. BTW, Israelis, just hold on for a bit longer. We will recruit some help in November of 2010 and hopefully will completely remedy the situation in November of 2012.

Israel wake up! Obama is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Mark my words he is going to be a snake in the grass when Israel needs the US. He will...WILL sell you out.

withdrawals and the peace process causes war and terrorism which is not in the interest of first the Israel;people state and government Obama has the same politics as the extreme left wing therefore it is not Israel's policies which are at fault but its existence therefore no policy change is good enough for Obama .Anyway Obama is a paper tiger

Wake up! Obama obviously has no intention of stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons. Demanding Israelis stop having children is unreasonable on its face, so it must be that Obama is manufacturing an excuse to blame Israel for the US not doing anything to stop Iran. In actuality, Obama is desperate to appease Iran: Iran has borders with Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Obama has ruled out using US force to prevent the Mullahs from producing nuclear weapons (and is applying massive pressure to restrain Israel from preventing them), so he expects Iran to soon become the regional nuclear superpower in the Middle East. Obama knows his domestic economic policies gambled America's future against the odds, and he won't be reelected in 2012 to complete his agenda unless he somehow manages to cut the deficit. Obama needs to severely cut US defense spending, or there won't be money for his major campaign promise of socialized healthcare. Therefore, Obama is desperate to withdraw US military presence not just from Iraq, but from the Middle East (for a start). To withdraw US troops in "victory" rather than "defeat", Obama needs to appease Iran to "agree" to stop destabilizing Iraq (and other volatile areas in the region such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, & Lebanon). Obama expects Iran to do what democratic nations such as Israel or the US could never get away with (in terms of human rights abuses) to impose "stability" over its terrorist-supporting Sunni neighbors, even at the cost of expanding Iran's power and influence. So long as the oil keeps flowing and Iran crushes rebellion in its Middle East empire, there won't be any complaints from the US, the EU, China, Russia, or the UN. Iran probably won't attack Israel (directly) before they've finished swallowing the neighboring oil-rich Arab states, because Israel has the ability to defend itself. When Iran has finished swallowing its rich neighbors, they'll use their petroleum influence to diplomatically isolate and weaken Israel before daring a military attack. When Arab countries beg the US for help to repel Iran's aggression against them, Obama will offer sympathy and suggest blaming Israel. After all, Arabs insisted with the US that nothing could be done to prevent Iran's nuclear ambitions while Jewish people living in Jerusalem, Judea, & Samaria were having children (natural population growth). The Arab countries in the Middle East will reap what they've sown by a demented refusal to accept the existence of Jewish people living in their native land of Israel (which is a fact even the Qu'ran admits in Sura 10:93-94 and Sura 17:104).

Israel; be warned. Look at what the Obama administration is doing to the U.S. The government is taking over huge portions of the economy. The gov't. is borrowing three times what the Bush admin. did, in 1/48th the time. The gutting of the military has begun, and his civilian defense corp.(Brown shirts) is on the way. DO YOU REALLY THINK HE HAS ANYTHING GOOD WAITING IN THE WINGS FOR YOU? MUSLIM COUNTRIES DIDN'T FUND HIS CAMPAIGN FOR NOTHING?

It should come as no surprise to American Jews who Obama really is when they see him genuflect in front of the King of Arabia. This president hates Israel plain and simple. The tragedy is that the leftist American Jews fell for him. It's so sad to see my fellow American Jews continue to defend and support Obama when everything he does is with the goal of destroying both America and Israel.