Opinion
Mitchell got it all wrong
Asaf Romirowsky
Published: 17.05.11, 23:58
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25 Talkbacks for this article
1. “you have to be willing to go back, prodding, cajoling,
Matt   (05.18.11)
The policing powers were only handed over after the security forces were subject to targeted killings since 2007. Brown hand them over because he believed that would stop the killings, as it was a key demand. It was either that or put the British boots back on the street. Once again the English failed to understand that resistance will not stop until all British troops and MI5 leave NI. The Irish suffered their own Holocaust under the British and that is something the occupier does not understand cannot be forgiven. The English are also prodding the IRA, visit to NI, the uniform at the wedding, now the Queen, for a response to justify the occupation. But the IRA will not take the bait and stick with the doctrine under OP Limerick.
2. Messiah? PLEASE! Just leave us be!
Israeli 2   (05.18.11)
3. We're All Irish, After All
Michael Storch ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (05.18.11)
I do not see a local equivalent to "We're All Irish, After All". Somehow, "we're all monotheists" or "we're all Semitic" do not inspire. I've met Europeans (businessmen, yet) who put great faith in a profoundly Marxist-Maoist construct: if only the jobs & apartments & cars were as nice in Gaza as they are in Tel Aviv, all of our problems would disappear. I think they underestimate our cousin-neighbors.
4. really ?
bill ,   canada   (05.18.11)
you have arabs ( called jews) fighting arabs believe or not jews look like arabs just ask any airport security arabs are peaceful jews love war it makes them who they are a pitiful apartheid military state jews jokingly call democracy
5. Nah...the reason he succeded in Irland and failed in Israel
Dave   (05.18.11)
is because the Irish didn't have AIPAC type body influencing US policy.. That is the whole difference..
6. actually the whole world cannt understand israel
Jalal ,   Gaza   (05.18.11)
jews r victums ?? they have weapons killing people every day !!!!!!!! jews need peace?? they have nukes !!!!!!!! jews need a state ?? it doesnt matter weather this state will destroy neighbors or not !!!!!!!!! so if they explain this puzzle it's easy to got them right
7. Unfortunately, Mitchell's replacement understands even less
Marco ,   Spain   (05.18.11)
8. Why George Mitchell failed
Mladen Andrijasevic ,   Be'er Sheva, Israel   (05.18.11)
I find it fascinating that the most realistic, unvarnished truth about the prospects for Middle East peace came from Tawfik Hamid who used to be a member of a terrorist organization and ex friend of Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the second-in-command of al Qaeda: Why George Mitchell failed http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=220694
9. Northern Ireland
Marilyn ,   USA   (05.18.11)
Fom a point of view here in America, I think that part of reason why things settled down in Ireland was that it probably seemed to them that things had gotten too crazy. Maybe they couldn't tell anymore who was the bad guys, or who was the good guys. (So they had to change so that they could once again be the good guys). It's like if something isn't working for you, you can change it. Now with the Palestinians it's never seemed to be about who's innocent versus who's guilty. They probably really are being true to themselves, where the Irish were not entirely being who they are. The most I can tell is it's about the land and Jerusalem. Overall the people make a decision first and then it's then a matter of bringing in a finisher, like Mitchell. A finisher just helps get things that extra bit further. This is a very important job, however it's still that the people who decide first.
10. The Problem Is
Reuven Brauner ,   Raanana, Israel   (05.18.11)
with the fundamental personality of the Arab people which is not comparable to that of any other people. They have their own way of looking at things, their own emotions and their own unique frame of reference. Their system of morals is also very different then that of other people in the world. To attempt to apply solutions which are not consistent with the Arab mentality will always fail. Westerners do not understand that point.
11. Was not mitchell that made peace in Ireland
John ,   Belfast   (05.18.11)
Firstly the capitulation of the IRA had nothing to do with mitchell more so that after 9/11 they knew that it meant the end of funding from USA. Once this bigger and more evil terrorist came onto the world stage , the IRA knew that it was the end of the road, however evil the IRA where they could not compete with Islamic suicide terrorism
12. Obviously ,...
split ,   US   (05.18.11)
The whole world got it wrong, since the begining of time ,...
13. Peace and Mitchell
Ian ,   Israel   (05.18.11)
Its ludicrous to blame Mitchell - Israel needs to take responsibility for its own problems and stop blaming the world and the Palestinians that there is no peace.. September is around the corner and no Israeli politician has been able to come up with a viable peace plan - to blame Mitchell is ok , to blame Abu Mzzen is ok, where is Israel ? Over the past few days we have seen that its possible to influence world opinion without weapons, but Israel remains blind to the fact and was horribly ill prepared for what happenned on the borders.Where is Netanyahu's responsibility in all this ? Whining and complaining about everyone is not not going to cut it. Israel does not even have permanent borders, a capital recognised by the world community. And nobody has been able to resolve this demise.Its not Mitchell's problem nor Obama's its Israel's probelm and Israel's problem to resolve.Is'nt it time for Netanyahu to step up to the plate and show his mettle and the rest of the world that he can do it.
14. Key differences
Danny   (05.18.11)
1) The IRA was militarily defeated. It lost the ability to carry out significant attacks. 2) The IRA destroyed all their arms and this was a requirement of the agreement and the IRA were held to their agreements. 3) Mitchell was merely there at the signing. It was nearly a decade after that actual peace arrived.
15. #5, yeah Irish Americans have no influence in the US
Danny   (05.18.11)
16. Ireland's not so peaceful right now.
Rebecca ,   Modi'in   (05.18.11)
17. Jalal #6 we are very easy to understand
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (05.18.11)
'jews r victums ?? they have weapons killing people every day !!!!!!!! ' Yup we kill people attempting genocide. Just end all yours attacks and see what happens. We won't be forced to defend ourselves. 'jews need peace?? they have nukes !!!!!!!! ' Prove it. Go ahead show us any sort of proof. Besides which many nations have nukes and they are peaceful. 'jews need a state ?? it doesnt matter weather this state will destroy neighbors or not !!!!!!!!!' How are we going to destroy any of our neighbors? By introducing democracy into a region that hates the very idea? Most likely - well too fucking bad. What the world doesn't understand is that Arabs have only one purpose in life - to subjugate all others. Anybody that stands in your fascist way must be exterminated. Well we are here and will continue
18. Mission Impossible!
Jamal ,   Jordan   (05.18.11)
No one will ever be able to mediate between two nations, when one of them believe in the so called 'Chosen nation by God'. With this, Israelis dont view their land confiscation, muders and baraberic acts as crime, because everyone else in their point of view is not worth respect and living a decent life.
19. #6 Jalal ...understand the pals
moshe ,   Tivon, Israel   (05.18.11)
pals as victims ?? tens or hundreds killed in Gaza by ham pals need peace ?? Mahmoud al-Zahar does NOT think so ! pals need a state (or 2 states)?? the pal would-be-state sends UNguided rockets in the hope of hurting Israeli civilians the above is an explanation of another puzzle. moshe
20. to jamal #18
rima ,   lebanon   (05.18.11)
Have you ever met an Israeli? or have you ever dealt with one on a personal level? where do you get those ideas that" no one is worth respect or a decent life" ? You have been so brainwashed by your leaders that you do not try to seek the truth for yourself. Maybe this is exactly what you should do and maybe just maybe you might be surprised.
21. #5,WRONG,DAVE
Ian ,   Newcastle upon Tyne   (05.18.11)
Mitchell appeared to be successful in Northern Ireland because the Irish Republicans there were desperate for an end to the conflict.The reason for that is that they'd been beaten to a pulp by the British armed forces in a filthy campaign that makes the IDF look like Girl Guides. It took a crushing military defeat to bring the Irish Republicans to a negotiated political settlement;there's a lesson there for Israel. The military aspects of the settlement were grossly underplayed because Tony Blair wanted to present it as HIS triumph;this is Blair's so-called legacy but it's based on a falsehood. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!
22. Just another Crusade
Jon ,   Baltimore US   (05.19.11)
The last attempt by Judeo-Christians to colonize and control the Holy Land, the Kingdom of Jerusalem, lasted almost 200 years, 1099 to 1291. This is just a modern attempt at something tried before and they have all failed.
23. Problem is even simpler
Larry ,   Or Yehuda   (05.19.11)
The so-called Palestinians want a land that is not theirs and has never been. How can you claim something as yours when you have no ownership of it and have never had. Did you buy any land? Very few did buy, from the Ottomans when they came here to follow Jews. Get out of my land
24. #22 Whose crusade?
Phil ,   Ireland   (05.19.11)
Seen as both Christianity and Judaism originated in the Middle East long before Islam, which religion is attempting colonisation?
25. Who destroys the 'Palestinians'?
Vivian Clayborn ,   Copenhagen, Denmark   (05.19.11)
The 'Palestinians' are being destroyed as humans since tender childhood. They are being destroyed by their leaders, who brainwash them and plant hatered in their hearts through school books and TV programs. What they havn't already learned about hating and killing the Jews and other 'infidels', the imamas will tell them at Friday prayer at the mosque.
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