First it was Special Envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and now none other than Vice-President Joe Biden is challenging Israel that they should back a two-state-solution. Not only must Israel support this particular formulation for Middle East peace but the new Netanyahu government should demonstrate in some fashion it’s sincerity to the Palestinians by making further goodwill gestures and concessions.
Gettin’ in Israel’s Face
He made these remarks at the annual policy conference of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). This is a major and influential Jewish organization.
He says and I quote, “you are not going to like my saying this, but (do) not build more settlements, dismantle exisiting outposts and allow Palestinian freedom of movement.”
On the other hand…
… he urges the Palestinians to “meet their obligations” to the so-called “road map” for peace. Does he specifiy what the Palestinians need to do? Of course not. All he requires is that the Palestinians and Arab states around Israel make “meaningful gestures” whatever that means.
Is that evenhanded…NO!
Is that fair…NO!
Is he showing conscious or unconscious bias against Israel and her security interests…In my view absolutely!
Mitchell, Clinton and Biden are all exhibiting a certain arrogance not just towards Israel and concerning the Middleast conflict but in everything that they are doing. Obama believes that he knows best and is riding a wave of popularity not only in the US but also worldwide. With the support of both houses of Congress I believe he is intoxicated with a false sense of greatness and rightness.
Is this good for Israel?
No! It is no coincidence that all three are firing shots over the bough of the new Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, who will be in Washington soon for high level consultations with the President Obama. They are all publically trying to soften, what they believe to be, Netanyahu’s harder line on forming a Palestinian state.
They hope that Netanyahu will be compliant to the Obama administrations sense of what the right thing to do is and go along with their agenda for world peace.
So how is Netanyahu reacting to all of this combative public posturing?
He also spoke at this same AIPAC conference and asserted his “triple track” approach to the Midde East conflict. At no time did he mention the creation of a new Palestinain state.
It appears to me that Obama’s agenda and Netanyahu’s clear lack of enthusiasm for any peace formulation that put’s Israel’s security at risk, ie the two state solution is headed for something of a showdown in Washington this month.
The question is how bad will it get. We will see.
Joel Chernoff
~The views contained in The Joel Chernoff Report are not necessarily views held by the MJAA~
joelchernoff.wordpress.com 