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Obama: Israelis must show seriousness on peace
Yitzhak Benhorin
Published: 03.03.11, 09:10
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1. When will Mr. B.H.Obama suggest to the Arabs to be serious..
Jehudah Ben-Israel ,   Qatzrin, Israel   (03.03.11)
...and finally, after 62 years of Israel's existence, accept Israel's RIGHT to be - not only the FACT that it is - to exist as the nation-state of the Jewish people? Wouldn't this non-tangible act be a simple but so necessary to break the ice and try to usher the proper context for reconciliation and good will? Why, I ask, why not simply state, in Arabic, Hebrew and English, that Israel is here by legal, historic and ethical RIGHT and as such we, the Arabs, local and regional alike, accept it? And, why can't the US President bring himself to demand of the Arabs to take such a simple step? The longer he waits, and the longer the Arabs refuse to accept Israel's right to exist as the nation-state of the Jewish people, the clearer it becomes that neither is serious about reaching a true accommodation of peaceful coexistence between Arab and Jew, between the Muslim-Arab world and the nation-state of the Jewish people!!!
2. Hidden agenda.
Jules   (03.03.11)
Anyone who implies that a country 15-kilometers wide can be defended against foreign invasion is either completely illiterate in military matters or has a hidden agenda. The Arab world has 500 times more land (with vast uninhabited spaces) - so much that several dozens of "palestinian nations" can be offered free accommodation and an opportunity to build heaven in the middle of the desert, as the Jewish people did. It's all about oil price, nothing else. Some political top brass around the world naively believe that if a "Palestinian state" was established, the jihadists would become white and furry towards the West, and the oil prices would stream downwards. It would be much better for the developed world to speed up the electrification of their economies: the automotive transport and the railways first and foremost. THAT would ultimately drive the oil prices down - NOT appeasement of the hostile culture, which is totally alien to the Judeo-Christian civilization.
3. Obama
Daniel Macher ,   Karnei Shomron IL   (03.03.11)
Mr. Obama is an enemy of Israel, whoever doesn't see it or tries to be politically correct is just playing his game against us. Bibi, unluckily is gutless, we will need to vote Lieberman whom I don't agree even 80% but has at least the style he learned in Russia to love his country more than what he loves politicians.
4. YES I CAN
zionist forever   (03.03.11)
FOOL THOSE IDIOT JEWS AGAIN INTO VOTING FOR ME AGAIN IN 2012. He spent the first year of his presiceny working with Abbas to try and topple Bibi because he wanted the glove puppet Livni running the country. He eventually decided better to try work with Bibi than try topple him so he started pushing him on the peace process. Abbas refuses to do anything so Obama condemns Bibi over it. Bibi takes on his cabinet to get a 10 month freeze to entice Abbas into talks which he was refusing to enter into. Abbas instead of saying you gave me my freeze lets talk he said the freeze is not enough give me more or I won't talk so we didn't talk. In the final month Abbas starts talking knowing full well it ends in a month and then he can pull out looking like the good guy because he was ready to talk but Bibi wanted settlements instead. Bibi makes Abbas offers like he will get another freeze if Abbas recognizes Israel as a jewish state. PJ Crowley never been a friend of Israel encouraged Abbas to take it but he didn't and so we had no freeze. Obama has been unwilling to say a word to Abbas or criticize him for anything. All the time what Abbas wants Bibi must deliver or face punishment. For a short time with the election season approaching and the Republicans running Congress it looked like he was ready to start ease up on Israel. He also seems to have decided the outcome of negotiations without anybody saying a word with his statement about how Jewish sections of Jerusalem would remain in Israel's hands, but that arab sections would not He was elected to sort out America's domestic problems not the psalestinian ones and other than healthcare that seems to be the issue he has dedicated most his presidency to. There are massacres going on in Libya and Obama just calls on Gaddafi to go in press conferences and sends ships to the area to do nothing other than try put on a show of srengh. The only thing he really wants to do is reach out to arabs and muslims.
5. Obama forgets that the Temple Mount is in Jewish part
Eric ,   Tel Aviv & NY   (03.03.11)
Obama can make all the contradictory claims he wants but he and the Palestinians must understand that the Temple Mount it the heart of Israel and is the most holy place in Judaism. Until he realizes this there is no need to talk. Otherwise it is like saying that he will give the holy sites in Mecca to the Navajo or the Black neighborhoods of DC to Kenya. It just does not makes sense.
6. These 'leaders' represent no one...
Al   (03.03.11)
When theirs kids ass will be on the line such as mine then they can talk...till then they are nothing. As to Obama there is nothing to be said...he is not a friend of the Jews, only a fool will deny that.
7. obama's scapegoat
meyer ,   israel   (03.03.11)
with the arab world in turmoil and american foreign policy a disaster obama blames the jews! haven't we heard that before?
8. Hussein Obama is clueless
Ricardo Macher ,   Karnei Shomron IL   (03.03.11)
Jerusalem is already ours. Next opportunity opened by Egptians we'll take back Sinai...
9. Mr. Obama, the land of Israel does NOT belong to Netanyahu
Chaim   (03.03.11)
The Biblical Land of Israel belongs to the Jews worldwide. Netanyahu may NOT give away ANY part of OUR land to non-Jews. Do you understand? Open up your Bible that has been gathering dust since you became President and see for yourself. Instead of forcing something onto Israel they may not do, go to YOUR ARAB BROTHERS and offer to share YOUR non-Jewish country with them. California or even Texas might be perfect for them.
10. How can the Palestinians not "feel confident" they won't sit
Eric ,   Tel Aviv & NY   (03.03.11)
How can Obama claim that the Palestinians do not "feel confident that the Netanyahu government is serious about territorial concessions" if they will not sit down to discuss them? The Palestinians have preempted any negotiations by walking away and then claim that they do not "feel confident that the Netanyahu government " - what a joke. Israel knows that Abbas has no authority and yet we are willing to talk with him.
11. Obama - the very definition of "obtuse"
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, USA   (03.03.11)
My online dictionary defines obtuse as "annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand". That sounds like our President. Heaven help us. Clearly, he has his narrative and he's sticking with it.
12. Obama is extremely naive indeed.
Salma ,   Palestine   (03.03.11)
"Israelis" already show seriousness on peace! didn't the President of the United States hear about the Jewish day of rage against the Palestinians ?! does he want more seriousness on peace? for us we don't want more.
13. clearly, Obama's built-in hostility towards Israel is
JBI ,   Israel   (03.03.11)
the main reason why the Palestinians have rejected Olmert's peace offer of 2008 and have rejected all good will gestures by Netanyahu. They have been hoping, and it appears that based on good reasons, that Obama will deliver Israel to them without them having to make any efforts and make any compromise. It is time for a change!!
14. No. 1 How true. Thanks.
Lynn   (03.03.11)
15. #1 makes the best point
Golan ,   Modiin   (03.03.11)
diplomatically this should be repeated over and over and over. In fact it should be our diplomatic offensive.
16. so he's either great, terrible or neither- very informative.
billybob ,   swamp   (03.03.11)
NOT! What a pointless article.
17. 'don't feel confident’ is JUST the palis' EXCUSE
CK Tan ,   Singapore, Singapore   (03.03.11)
The palis's entrenched REFUSAL to engage the Bibi govt in peace talks is EXPOSED by their RESPONSE - or lack of - to the 10-month freeze. Pity that the POTUS also buys into such an AMATEURISH excuse. Guess he has FORGOTTEN that the palis REJECT outright his plea to them for a COMPROMISE statement on settlements by the UN so as not to complicate peace talks. Looks like Israel will again PAY the price for the palis' INTRANSIGENCE.
18. #12 Salma
Madeleine ,   Rehovot Israel   (03.03.11)
Salma, the proposed Day of Rage is something that's proposed by a small group of settlers and much of the country doesn't necessarily identify with this. Even the many who believe - as I do - that Judea and shomron belong legally to Israel, don't agree with open violence against civilians or against our army. And before you continue trying to promote your delusions, please udnerstand that the San Remo Agreement of 1920, signed willingly by both King Faisel - your then Arab leader - and Israel's Chaim Weizmann. Follow this link to get the truth: http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/33721 But before you decide these are Jewis lies, just Google and you will see the truth - that your leaders have lied, and lied and lied again to you poor deluded Pali, over the decades.
19. #11 Raymond
Madeleine ,   Rehovot Israel   (03.03.11)
I would go even further than that. I don't believe Obama is at all slow to understand. I think he understands only too well what the issues are here and has come down firmly in support of the palis. Why do these people insist on ignoring history? Oh yes, because they're politicians and they like to rewrite it.
20. Israelis, speak to *your* colleagues in the US
Sue ,   Los Angeles   (03.03.11)
Obama wants American Jews to convince Israelis to support his "peace" plan - a Pal state with E J'lem as its capital? Let's turn the tables on him: Tell every American you know, Jewish or gentile, how bad Obama has been for Israel, and persuade them not to vote for him in 2012.
21. Obama is not pro-Israel, period.
Nora Tel Aviv   (03.03.11)
He seems to act like an impartial judge but in fact he is not pro-Israel, he is pro-oil. Israel should do nothing and wait for the next US-President to replace Obama.
22. Where was Louis Farrakhan?
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (03.03.11)
How about the Rev. Wright? They weren't invited? I guess they were there in spirit. Jewish so-called ''leaders'' should be ashamed to sit in the same room as Obama.
23. Better men than Obama have failed in these endeavors.
Noodles ,   Coney Island   (03.03.11)
So let him talk until he's blue in the face, Two years from now, he'll be history.
24. obama with his feet on the table talks
ghostq   (03.03.11)
on the phone hahahahaha, I think his jokes starting to become funny, anyhow this means nothing since his gov will do absolutely nothing, speaking on Absolute, he does act like a guy who just drank Wodka. hahahaha
25. # 1 not true at all
Jack   (03.03.11)
Is that like an American right winger saying "keep America white"? In both cases, it is too late. Twenty percent of Israelis are non-Jewish. This is a larger percentage than that of black Americans. The numbers are significant.
26. #15 I totally agree with you. This point must be mentioned
Benjamin ,   Ottawa, Canada   (03.03.11)
time and again, by both the Israel's foreign ministry and by Jewish posters worldwide. This after all is the essence of the Arab Israeli conflict.
27. Maybe Obama is a Muslim after all!
David ,   Karmiel, Israel   (03.03.11)
Now his Secretary of State wants to arm Hezbollah and he seems to have taken Gadaffi's side in the Libyan thing and he will do the same when the other potentates in the Gulf. He has betrayed the democratic aspirations of Libyans just as he did with Tunisia and Egypt by sitting on the fence. Now we must ask when the President of the United States is going to ally himself with Iran? Remember, if it talks like Muslim, acts like a Muslim and loves the Muslims it is a Muslim!
28. Obama should make Dearborn, Michigan an Arab country
Jay3 ,   Israel   (03.03.11)
That seems to be his logic
29. Show me who your friends are
Rachel ,   US   (03.03.11)
Did they really think a man who went to Rev. Wright's church would be a friend to Israel.
30. #1 - I didn't realize that that the US government
seadog1946 ,   Caven Point, NJ   (03.03.11)
recognized Israel as "The Nation-State of The Jewish People"... thanks for the enlightenment.
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