Bravo

The american administration still regretting their may decision my friend .. and no they don't need you ..you are a burden ....General petraus said that 3 days ago .( the arab israeli conflict is increasing the anti-american sentiments in the the world ..) Hertzel screwed up (the Brazilian president was smart to ignor the guy ) and Ben gorion simply did not listen to his advisers ..scewed up too . is there a way out ????? 2002 arab summit in beirut offer ....june 4th 1967 line .

As a Psychologist I can assure you that dependency is the road to failure. Isreal must find some way to break its dependency on the USA .

US is an important ally without a doubt. The EU trade well but are utterly gutless and fearful along with ban ki-moon. Russia is not fearful,but is myopic and stupid selliing nuclear to iran which will bite them back but they don't see it. So naturally Israel is lonely and is at the whim of countries like turkey which could in 1 second block trade. However, there are times that israel to preserve itself has to say no, no to the US where every concession demanded by rice or clinton kills another israeli. And clinton's husband was lucky that the serbs decided not to fight the international force as they would have decimated the americans on the ground. So bill is no great president in foreign policy.And as we know, he stopped short of killing bin laden. In truth bibi is a press office, Olmert is an inside party man for shmear and grease, livni is a contract lawyer in the state department, Peres is a philosopher, barak is a commando who has no leadership ability whatsoever. Israel has no natural leaders like begin or ben gurion anymore or even shamir. The gene of submission lingers long and jews cannot suppress it. Bibi's first instinct is I am in trouble with the US. lucky that he has begin, yaalon, lieberman and peled to give him some backbone;otherwise he would get down on his knees. israel in 2010 has some strength and will have to say no directly to obama when the time comes. Relations may brake. Don't cry about it. Stockpile and develop alternative supplies now.

Mr. Segal Hagai: You rightly praise Ben Gurion for his courage to declare independence on the 14th of May 1948. Whether the US, UK or the USSR would recognize it was unsure. But independence doesn't rest on affirmation alone. It also rests on conviction of the people who declare themselves independent. People who want to build beyond the Green Line are Zionists, religious or not. But I'm pretty sure Ben Gurion differs from Bibi, Yvette & Yishai on building in East Jerusalem at this point. First get a deal from the PA, then build. Making VP Biden look like a fool was a mistake or a provocation. 40 years of mistakes in the WB & east Jerusalem don't mean you have to continu. You should rethink your strategy & tactics. US & quartet support for Israël would be very nice. We've got enough unfriendly neighbours to keep us busy as it is.

The sheer arrogance and rudeness of the likes of Clinton ,Biden and others.?Tell them all to bugger off and burn in hell.

Consider strongly both the benefits, as well as the negatives, of rolling along solo in the cold world. No big brother leaning on you, and setting your agenda, but also no powerful patron to run to for help when times get heavy & threatening. Think on this matter with great care.

A very well stated argument. Israel must also begin to develop its own weapon systems--a great mistake was made in the early 1980's when the the Lavi (which beat the F-16 in every metric of a fly-off in the early 1980's) was killed. The Lavi deal --which most Americans either don't know about or forget-- was that the would EXCHANGE with Israel F-16's if the Lavi was discontinued-- and the collateral was to save, at the the time, G.Dynamics from having to compete and to lose market share (the Europeans made it clear they were going to buy the Lavi). More important the IAF would have its own aircraft today, aged yes, but the *physical plant* to really have a robust boutique defense industry that would be small, expensive no doubt, but geared to Israeli needs and strategic interests WHICH ARE NOT THE SAME AS US interests would currently be established. Israelis need to say no when it is appropriate. Obama is both inexperienced and advised by an odd bunch ---the result will be continued flux in US foreign policy (to say nothing of our convuluted domestic policy ---I voted for the guy too :-( . The Israeli's cannot depend on the any country for it's security. That maxim, if you will, goes for any country.

We do not need a big brother telling us what to do.

Since every US government since 1967 were/are publicly against Settlements and Occupation, as well as every country in the World except of course, Israel, follow your hardened heart and mind. Or perhaps, consider that you are standing alone wrong and behave accordingly which benefits all. Go it alone? In reality, not likely you will or even can.

And remember that the USA needs israel !!!

Then renounce all US aid, ask for the US to revoke any tax -exempt status for donations to Israel, and no longer depend on the US for any diplomatic support in any international arena. Show you're real independence. Tell the Diaspora to go to hell, that you no longer want or need their support. Please take these steps, otherwise you are just whining and cowardly, willing to 'stand up' to the US like a small yapping dog, while hiding behind it.

BRAVO to Ynet and Mr Segal for the wonderful article "Time For Independence"...Little weak states in Europe ,Asia South America and Africa have stood up under diplomatic pressure in the name of their independence and self respect much better than Israel. Hagai Segal has it right and it is most important.The American Jewish community is not very brave. As I recall, it was very weak during the 1930s and 1940s. Sad and sickening.

We must tell Obama in no uncertain terms that nobody tells us what to do in any part of Jerusalem which is our eternal capital for over 3000 years. He is a coward who bows down to all the Moslems and tries to blackmail Israel. If he dares to get tough with us we have many ways to put him in his place. We must also publicly condemn his Israel hating senior advisors Rahm and Axelrod both Jews unworthy of being Jewish. Roy Chweidan, Netanya

Kol Hakavod I agree 100%

At the rate we are going, we will never be able to declare our independence. Our major problem is that we are addicted to a modern day " Golden Calf " -- America.. All we currently have, are lots of empty talks by equally empty leaders, resulting in empty matching results .

The US is currently being defined by an experimental president. His deceptiveness vis-a-vis citizenship, religion and phony peace talk has the world on edge. But its over folks, and the next administration will be better for it. Israel is the only democracy in the region. Going it alone is commendable but irrational in todays world of G1's, 2's , 8's ad infinitum. If we were part of the EU things might be better, then the white eyes would be obliged to join our fight against terror and medieval regimes.

Correct, Israel is not a banana republic. Israel is THE "Schnorrer" Republic. Thus wholly dependent on "Fraiers" like the United States and like us, Jews (and Israelis) in the diaspora. Sorry, guys, whether you like it or not, we have something to say as long we pay most of your bills, and for most of your political and military acts.

Three cheers for Segal!!! It is about time that Israelis stop acting like shetl Jews and stand up for themselves.

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT...don't believe a word the administation here says! They arrogantly dictate thier will on the American people ...don't let them dictate thier will to you...Israel is a sovereign nation!

I don't think things are going to radically change, until the American galut is put to an end. And one way or another it will end, it's just a matter of time. I just hope it does not end the way European exile has ended. Meanwhile Israel has to maintain ties to the United States.

As a US citizen and believer, I think that it's time that Israel stop waiting for the US's approval to do what's right. That land is Israel's and they can do as they please with it.

Finally great words of truth. Do not be afraid. Believe in Israel and we shell overcome. Build and build and build everywhere.

#22 Your comment about America paying "most of" Israel's bills is almost laughable. With Obama saddling the US with trillions of dollars in new deficits, America is going to have trouble paying her own bills. American financial aid to Israel amounts to a tiny proportion of Israel's GNP. Israel can easily do without it. In fact, it would be well worth forgoing it for the increased independence.

I couldn't agree more with this article. The time is long overdue to end the current scourge of Israeli appeasement and submissiveness. A product of the Oslo Disaster, it has brought Israel nothing but misery on an enormous scale. Before Oslo, Israel was respected, by friends and foes alike, as a gutsy little nation. The Six Days War and Entebbe were our watchwords. Let Israel become again the gutsy little nation we were meant to be!