Opinion
Winning Israel back
Alon Ben-Meir
Published: 23.08.09, 09:10
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34 Talkbacks for this article
1. Oil and Water Don't Mix
Reuven Brauner ,   Raanana, Israel   (08.23.09)
Neither adding a foreign agent or shaking the flask vigorously will ever get the two together. All external, forced efforts are doomed. Solution? Don't bother trying. Let each peacefully find its own place naturally - and everyone will be happy.
2. Israel must prove ITS friendship to the USA
David ,   Boston, USA   (08.23.09)
The US was the first nation to recognize Israel and, $170 billion later, after much friendship in the UN, countless pro-Israel resolutions in Congress, and clear signs of friendship from every president since Truman -- Obama's call for an end to settlements appears enough to make the spoiled little Israelis want to break into a temper tantrum and cry, "Dad doesn't love me anymore." What is the Hebrew word for cow manure?
3. the auther
hana ,   ...   (08.23.09)
want to apear not with israil or palastinians or america but sure against iran .honestly he is not honest iran is a threat to israil with or without the palastinians .and palastin is a threate to israil with or without iran i think palastinians is the permenent problem but iran is the hang mashin
4. As my grandmother would say, "What a bunch of hooey!"
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, USA   (08.23.09)
It's going to take a lot more than re-declaring his "commitment" to Israel's security or outlining his vision of a peaceful middle east to win over an Israeli populace that no longer trusts him. Obama lost them by disavowing the Bush-Sharon understandings, by confirming in Cairo the Arab narrative that Israel's existence is based on the Jews' historic suffering, and morally equating Palestinian statelessness to the holocaust. Clinton piled it on by insisting that Jews can't build in their own capitol, on their own property, even in their own Jewish quarter, then having her people throw a fit over a few Arab families legally evicted because they failed to pay rent while living in Jewish owned property. They see that the US has set aside Israel's rights under UNSC 242 for secure (defensible) and recognized borders, and they see that the US wants to pay for a deal with Syria by forcing Israel to cede the Golan. And they see no evidence the US has a viable "Plan B" to deal with an Iran that won't abandon its nuclear project. It's going to take more than op-eds, interviews and appearances on Israeli media to regain their trust.
5. Disaster
Yehudi ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (08.23.09)
A two State "solution" would be a disaster for Israel and the Jewish People. Please G-d may it never happen.
6. # 2 David
Frank ,   US   (08.23.09)
How much money in today's dollar value did US provide EU nations under Marshall Plan after WW II ? How much to Egypt ?
7. Only 3 1/2 years left, we Jews have patience:
Moshe   (08.23.09)
We survived Pharohs, the Roman Empire, Babylon Empire, Assyrian Empire, Islam, Christianity etc, All RIP. We can survive OBAMA, but can the USA?
8. Obama can treat Israel with a bit of respect
Ilan ,   Ariel   (08.23.09)
He doesn't own us and we ain't his ho either. No Israeli needs to see him bowing to Netanyahu like he did for His Highness money bags Fahd. Any reasonable request will be considered, but not every request will be complied with. And forget about making demands. The problem with Obama is that he is an amateur and it shows.
9. Obama will sell you out.
Steven Wilson ,   Anchorage, Alaska   (08.23.09)
The only thing he is interested in is disarming his own country...and appeasment to openly hostile nations. The only way to appease these nations is to throw the Jews into the lions den. He will sacrifice you for his own foreign policy goals. The United States is going to go into business just like Russia....and sell nuclear technology to the muslim countries. They will in turn bomb us with the weapons that they create. Israel will be right in the sights of these religious nuts also.
10. Obamas dilema
Haider ,   Gothenburg, Sweden   (08.23.09)
You either are with Israeli policies in every step or you are an enemy to Israel. How stupid does that sound?
11. Obams's efforts to woo Arabs is creating skepticism in USA
rebecca ,   Modiin   (08.23.09)
Obama has blown it big time in Israel, but he does not care. That's his point. to win Arab love by selling us out. And if his peace efforts do not succeed, which like all the others they wont, he can blame Israel. But it seems that his eforts are not going down that well in the US of A. Now that might worrry him a bit - unless he's planning to be African/Muslem and not hold any more elections in the USA.
12. Obama goes in line with anti-Israel rhetoric of the Arabs
(08.23.09)
He's a clown and he has an urge to make everyone like him, this is ridiculous.
13. cheating partner
tiki ,   belgium   (08.23.09)
Obama probably compares Israel to the dutifull wife, who will always forgive her husband after he cheated on her. But......maybe the wife will wise up one day and find another partner.
14. #2
mark ,   ca   (08.23.09)
David,you are wrong. USSR was the first nation that recognized and supported Israel( may 17th 1948). The US was in the end of the list. Do your homework :-)).
15. Haider #10
James ,   Herzeliya   (08.23.09)
If I were you I'd be more concerned about Malmo and its Islamification and keep out of discussions that don't concern you.
16. Skin of a Leopard
ben Ish   (08.23.09)
17. stupid Boston libs
Ben   (08.23.09)
Resolution 181 was signed by THIRTY nations, not just US. Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Byelorussian SSR, Canada, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Iceland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Sweden, South Africa, Ukrainian SSR, United States of America, Soviet Union, Uruguay, and Venezuela ALL RECOGNIZED ISRAEL FIRST Not just -you- so sit down and shut up. How many countries pay their debts to the US? How many of your precious Arab states? Since the money is nothing but diplomatic dialog, it looks like Israel is the only one talking to -you-. Good luck with all that M.E. deployment. Winning any hearts lately? The US opposes every defensive maneuver Israel takes. You didn't do anything in 1948, 1967, 1973, did not help with hostages either, btw, except for talking. You haven't done anything but ignore 10,000 rockets, thousands of dead Israelis, and you complain and condemn when we fight back. Hezbollah has 80,000 rockets and you don't care in the slightest. The bottom line is you could care less what happens to Israel and use your love of sharia to mask your hatred of us.
18. #11
mark ,   ca   (08.23.09)
What elections?? I have a feeling tha ob will be impeached in the next year or two.
19. Too late
Ronald S. ,   Nimuegen — Holland   (08.23.09)
It is too late for Pr. Obama to win the Jewish hearts back. The harm has been done, and his true intentions were revealed in his Cairo speech, which contained serious violations of the truth about Jewish history and the rebirth of the Jewish State. Obama's intentions were confirmed by his disgusting act of rewarding the Israel-hater Mary Robinson and the Jew-hater Desmond Tutut with America's Medal of Freedom. Thus far he has spoiled all the occasions. Now the tone has set and the impression has hardened. Too late.
20. b.o. is going for one term and he will try
jason white ,   afula,israel   (08.23.09)
to destroy Israel and weaken the U.S. b.o. is like the suicide bomber with a belt of explosives, he too knows he has one chance to kill Israelis. No way in the world b.o. can win our friendship, but he has the love of the alleged democratic "jews" with him always.Like f.d.r. We in Israel know who the enemy are,except for some idiots in the knesset and the courts.
21. Israel will be won back once obuslim is out of office,and
living w/his REAL ,   family in Kenya.   (08.23.09)
22. AMEN MOSHE #7
Yaron ,   USA   (08.23.09)
23. 17# I couldn't agree with you more.
Steven Wilson ,   Anchorage, Alaska   (08.23.09)
Great talkback.
24. The arabs have done nothing to make the world a peaceful
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (08.24.09)
place. They gouge everyone on the price of oil, finance terrorists, treat their own people as ignorant chattle and then complain that the Jews have a piece of land that is one tenth of one percent of what they have. Even the first arab president of the US can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
25. No need to win Israel back!
Avi ,   NYC, USA   (08.24.09)
The world should stop the meaningless routine of catering to Israeli and Jewish sensitivities. Nothing good comes out of it, only allowing Israel to ignore the international law. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict should be referred back to the UN security council, and this time without an American veto, the final borders of Israel should be decided. If Israel would not withdraw to these borders automatic sanctions should start. Same treatment as South Africa received.
26. #2, maybe it can start by giving the real figure for aid
Danny   (08.24.09)
or pointing out that the US wasn't the first country to recognize Israel - that was the USSR. Or point out in 1948, the US, along with the UK, imposed an arms ban on Israel and it was the USSR that armed Israel? Or that the first arms sales to Israel were in the 60s and it only became a dominant supplier to Israel AFTER the Six day war. etc etc. You don't need the hebrew word for cow manure, you already write enough of it in english.
27. Obama is a beggar and a coward
Frank ,   Canada   (08.24.09)
Obama is pathethic. The leader of the strongest country in the world is humiliating himself in front of a bunch of Muslim fanatics and is begging them not to be hostile to his country. This loser cannot be trusted, he will throw Israel under the bus in the name of "peace", e.g. international cowardice and anti-Semitism.
28. to 20
.... ,   ...   (08.24.09)
what is b.o is it becouse of or be opliged
29. Americans should elect a real African-American as president
Tahl ,   Ashdod, Israel   (08.24.09)
Alan Keyes is the man. He's a man with great integrity, with good values, with solid position on important matters, and with a good experience. Not the half&half, wishy-washy, flip-flopping, Muslim-Christian, Arab-appeasing Obama.
30. #17 - Extremely Well Said !!!!
Yoel Cohen ,   London, England   (08.24.09)
What exactly has Obama done for Israel either lately or ever, apart from making constant demands, issuing threats, & cancelling IAF deals worth hundreds of millians so Lockheed can win the contract. What demands has he made of the Palestinians ?Name one. His deep bow to Fayad of Saudi Arabia says it all !!! Only a self-hating Jewish Israeli like Ben-Meir who has abandoned his native country would dare call Obama "even-handed".
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