When I was much younger I worked briefly in the banana fields at Beit Oren. I don't know if Israel still grows them as they're rather water intensive, but maybe we should now refer to Israel as a banana republic. That's certainly a change from the country's more assertive, more self-confident days. Now, in contrast, Israel is one of the few countries in the world that bends to the US will. Venezuela and Colombia don't. Nor do North Korea or Sudan or Iran. China and Russia show the US the back of their hand. And please, no nonsense about US aid to Israel. Egypt, Jordan, the PA and Lebanon collectively get more than does Israel, and none of them pay much attention to US interests or urgings. Pakistan too takes the money and then does what they want.

In two years from now, the Muslim in chief, Hussein Obumma will be where he belongs: in the trashcan of history...

The US just sold out Bibi by publicizing his "secret" deal. What an idiot!!!

Iran, Syria and Hizbullah are preparing to attack Israel before Israel attacks Iran. In exchange for this building freeze, the US sent Israel smart bombs and attack munitions that are needed to defend the Jewish State. The building freeze can always be lifted. Obama will be gone in a few years. What is important now is the survival of Israel.

beacause the arabs say so. Jerusalem is not going to be divided period, so what else is there to say? The pali want jerusalem as their capital the I new was Israel is the Nation and Jerusalem is n Israel possesion is 9/10's of the Law. The temple mount should be put back in controll of the Israeli government .

It's time the administration stopped threatening Israel and started looking at the real cause for "Peace" keeping it's distance from the Middle East. The real cause is "The Arabs"! So Mr. Obama, get off Israel's back and start treating her the way you should treat your only true Ally in the region.

if your leader is going to act like a little girl then the bully will pick on you ,better get a leader that can act like a man even if he is not because to act weak invites bullies to slap you around ?

Ramat Shlomo.

obumma is a one term "president" and that term is incompetent.

A promise not to build for 2 years pretty much means to Bibi & Obama not on my watch. Its an easy way out say your not going to build for a certain amount of time its political term for no building until further notice. Just reach the deadline and say no building for a little extra time and you keep extending the deadline. It seems that Bibi has agreed off the record to divide the city otherwise when he said building in Jerusalem would continue as usual he wouldn't be agreeing to any deals involving Jerusalem and the tenders for building would be ongoing. He says one thing to Obama and another to his party and coalition partners and its what he promises Obama that becomes his real policy. He might have made a tactical mistake with Gaza but right now its a man like Sharon was when we are dealing with enemies like Obama not Bibi who did alot of tough talking at the begining then didn't deliver.

Elements close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the State Department statement regarding Israel's commitment not to build in Ramat Shlomo and said Netanyahu has made it clear that construction and planning in Jerusalem would carry and that no commitment on the matter was made. "The prime minister announced that Ramat Shlomo planning procedures would carry on for at least a year and that construction would actively commence in several years. The prime minister stressed he would be willing to initiate gestures, none of which is relevant to Jerusalem's construction policy," the statement noted. YNETNEWS http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3887153,00.html BIBI IS STILL STRONG SHALOM

What you require of Israel will become reality in your own lands....

... "progressive" school of thought! To now tell us that Obama's hostility towards Jews, Jewish heritage and Jewish connection to Israel and Jerusalem is non-existent is pathetic!

long forgotten, while the damage they wreak on the United States will take long to undo.Hopefully, Bibi will learn to ignore Obama but when will Americans realize that the Islamists have destroyed their economy, their standing in the West, their Defense and their unity? I pray for America every day. While the US used to be the last great bastion of hope to stop the danger of Islam, they have allowed a dangerous Trojan horse, surrounded by like minded or naive advisers who are slowly but steadily destroying the US from within. Good luck to you all - I mean it!

I must say that I am sure there is more going on behind the scenes than we are aware of. I have no doubt that Netanyahu is dealing with two foes in these so called talks. Obama is an enemy, in my view, but we Israelis have to trust Bibi. Maybe he is playing the game out and trying to buy time or the elections in November in US or get weapons to attack Iran, who the heck knows. I am simply saying that those who call Bibi a traitor have to remember the septet that are sitting with him in making these decisions are a pretty responsible group of men inclding benny begin and yaalon. Let's give our government a little time and trust and pray that they make the right choices for all of us.

is a form of anti-Jewish racism, headed by no other than Rev. J. Wright's follower, Barakah Hussein Obama. It is high time American Jews took a note of it, unless they wish to follow the leadership of the Jewish community in the U.S. in the 1930s and 1940s: be silent in the face of....

What did the PLO promise to do---nothing as usual. Did Bibi bow to Obama?

an excellent piece on the subject of the Israeli expansion into east Jerusalem. I'd recommend the article. Eseentially, he says that we are expanding into an area that was never considered part of the city before but we put a "sacred duty" on it as a means of convincing the Israeli public that the move is legitemate. It is, in fact a capitalist maneuvre in line with the recent Jerusalem building scandals to enhance business interests under the guise of religion. As a result, people's patriotism is misdirected.

You do realize that if you advocate the likes of Avrnery and suggest that the Palestinian People are under Israel occupation you will eventually be branded a 'self-hating Jew'/Anti-Semite/etc?

Very well said Mike.

Very Well Said!! I may not be Bibi's biggest fan, but he does know how to play the game. OF all of those who actually have a chance of being in his play (PM) he is the one that I trust to make the most of the situation (from Israel's stand point). There comes a point when we do have to trust those that we elect. Not blindly but some trust must exist.

Should automatticaly cancel the agreement, which would then show that Arabs aren't keeping the agreement in good faith