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a roadmap to where

Reader comment on item: Assessing Binyamin Netanyahu's Speech at Bar-Ilan University

Submitted by pete murray (Ireland), Jun 14, 2009 at 18:21

This speech and Pipes commentary are both written on the basis of wishful thinking rather than facing reality.

The reality is that being formulated by the new President of the United States. The Israel-compliant G W Bush is no longer in office.

The first reality of any process is that no one negotiates other than under pressure. Israelis should note that the IRA (A much more effective and deady force than Hamas) only came to the negotiating table after the US finally stood up to the "Irish" lobby in the US and started cutting off the US money that financed the IRA.

US public opinion follows the elected President. There is already a sea change in the opinions being voiced in the mainstream media on the Middle East. Views critical of Israeli policy that were beaten down with accusations of "anti-semitism" buring the Bush presidency are no longer being silenced.

Obama isn't demanding any immediate or instant division of territory into two-separate states. His only move to date is to demand the end of settlement-intensification. He is calling Netanyahu's bluff. He is saying that if security is truely what is motivating Israel and not a colonization-project, intensifying the settlements have no logic.

Netanyahu is on record as saying that a Palestinian state can only come after a period of stability and economic development on the part of the Palestinians. Obama has (in effect) told Netanyahu that no peoples have ever been peaceful and stable while their land and water were being stolen from underneath them. He has also pointed out that so long as Palestinian property, assets, and education and civil infrastructure remain insecure, talk of Palestinian economic development is mere cant.

Obama's vision (insofar as it can be discerned at this stage is as follows:

An end to intensification of the settlements.

Negotiations dividing the territory and the water assets of the West Bank in a just and proportionate manner.

Negotiating a resettlement and compensation package for the settlers and Palestinian refugees (The Palestinian refugees would not return to Israel proper, the settlers would leave the West bank).

Transitional and long term security issues. Obama realizes that final peace wouldn't break out upon the division of the territory and that fanatical minorities on both sides will try to destabilize the peace for many years. An international peace-keeping force will be needed for the duration to build confidence and deal with the irredentists.

Of course, this scenario is not a forgone conclusion. It's realization will take great resolve on the part of the US administration. If this two-state solution fails the alternatives are unpredictable. Israel will not allow a single state solution with equal rights to all those within the power of the state. The grim possibility is that the present small and extreme minority in Israel will prevail simply by pursuing a policy of obstruction. This faction seeks to block all progress towards peace while Jewish settlement of the West Bank continues to undermine any possibility of a viable Palestinian state. At the same the Israelis will continue the present policy of ensuring that life in Gaza remains intolerable - particularly for those with education or ambition who might provide leadership to their people (The policy of confining a dog in a small cage while abusing it in the expectation that it will bite). The plan is that some opportunity (Like a war involving Iran) will turn up which will give cover while the remnants of the Palestinian population are removed on the pretext that they constitute a "fifth-column).

Submitting....

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Reader comments (45) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Comments on PM Netanyahu's speech - from Israel [617 words]Chana GivonJun 28, 2009 19:26158147
A reaction to Chana Givon comments. [263 words]batya daganJun 29, 2009 20:11158147
A Note to Israel Advocacy Organizations [327 words]Ron SingerJun 21, 2009 14:15157728
A Cup of Reeling for the Nations [184 words]WB KellyJun 20, 2009 23:00157698
1NETANYAHU'S SPEECH [181 words]JACQUES HADIDAJun 18, 2009 21:06157611
Natanyahou speech is a call for WAR! [60 words]Karam H AL-HashmiJun 18, 2009 17:48157598
Netanyahu is trying to navigate in a mine-field. [276 words]Isaac HaskiyaJun 17, 2009 08:32157524
The root of the problem [63 words]JoeJun 16, 2009 06:29157465
Those who are merciful to the cruel will end up being cruel to the merciful [262 words]David OleskerJun 16, 2009 03:52157459
Ommision of various statements by Netanyahu [94 words]Gerald KreadenJun 16, 2009 00:39157451
Bibi's Blunder [165 words]Rebecca MouldsJun 16, 2009 00:18157449
PM Netanyahu's speech was just political. [89 words]M.D'SouzaJun 15, 2009 20:07157435
Behind the duelling speeches of Obama and Netanyahu [446 words]Ron ThompsonJun 15, 2009 19:36157429
Shakedown [96 words]Dr.BobbyJun 15, 2009 18:16157427
The lobotomy option [342 words]Richard K.Jun 15, 2009 17:27157424
"Palestinians" cannot have wealth [141 words]Sabba HillelJun 15, 2009 16:26157421
Netanyahu's Speech [166 words]Christopher VenturaJun 15, 2009 12:59157408
Israel a Jewish State [76 words]dannykidJun 15, 2009 12:49157407
All that Bibi stated is both theoretical and moot. [159 words]Don SaarJun 15, 2009 10:20157401
The Palestinians won't even yield to the extent sought in the speech [72 words]PeterJun 15, 2009 07:15157395
Why Did He Do It? [40 words]Bill NarveyJun 15, 2009 06:19157391
Points of high importance in Netanyahu speech which were omitted from your article [953 words]Refael LaufertJun 15, 2009 03:02157387
Two important responses to Bibi's speech [13 words]Joe SettlerJun 15, 2009 03:01157386
Why Did He Do It? [180 words]Sofa SogoodJun 15, 2009 01:56157384
1A Jewish Response to Netanyahu's Speech [1415 words]Prof. Paul EidelbergJun 15, 2009 01:07157382
The Differences Between a Politician & A Statesman [396 words]Adina Kutnicki, IsraelJun 15, 2009 08:32157382
Response to Netanyahu's Speech [408 words]Kim SegarJun 15, 2009 10:39157382
Still Small Voice in all this... [211 words]WB KellyJun 16, 2009 23:25157382
Cunning vs. Wisdom [101 words]Prof. EidelbergJun 17, 2009 21:24157382
Netanyahu's Priorities [1144 words]Prof. Paul EidelbergJun 18, 2009 01:05157382
Whack job [117 words]EricRomanoffJun 14, 2009 23:37157381
Palestinian unreasonableness makes me cry [208 words]GunjanJun 14, 2009 23:35157380
Bibi is not weak. [398 words]batya daganJun 14, 2009 22:41157376
Netanyahu is darned if he does, and darned if he doesn't [70 words]AnneJun 14, 2009 20:54157374
The end of Israel [150 words]Alan NitikmanJun 14, 2009 20:33157373
Alan Nitikman [171 words]orange yonasonJun 15, 2009 03:44157373
Addendum... [139 words]orange yonasonJun 14, 2009 20:12157372
Overall, It's About The Best We Can Expect... [90 words]orange yonasonJun 14, 2009 19:56157371
West Bank Arabs face only 2 real options: (a) Hamas rule, (b) Jordanian rule [267 words]G MarcusJun 14, 2009 19:33157369
Conditions [250 words]NiraJun 14, 2009 19:31157368
If ... Then ... [198 words]CanaanJun 15, 2009 04:56157368
A Fine Speech On Many Points [197 words]AmerisraelJun 14, 2009 18:55157367
Road Map [73 words]asherJun 15, 2009 17:00157367
a roadmap to where [590 words]pete murrayJun 14, 2009 18:21157363
Political Posturing and Rhetoric [65 words]KafiristJun 14, 2009 17:39157356

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