Obama's apology tour continues - this time in Israel

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

  On 3/21/2013 at 4:19 PM, Evylin said:

I should copyright my VJ posts. I can be Evylin™!

You would if what happened to the MENA forum had happened to you.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

  On 3/21/2013 at 4:25 PM, wife_of_mahmoud said:

Who pays me and what's my product ?

Oh well... questions to which there are no answers... must have been another drive-by poo-slinging...

So anyway, it seems Jeffrey Goldberg was right on the mark - this is what he predicted in the Haaretz article yesterday:

  Quote

But nevertheless Obama will want to say to young Israelis that they must ask themselves where they are headed. Does what is taking place in the West Bank serve the State of Israel or jeopardize its Jewish and democratic character? It is still unclear just how direct the president's statement is going to be. But the rare opportunity of a speech in Jerusalem and the context of deep sympathy for Israel will enable the president to raise the settlements question. I think there is a good chance that his statement will be fairly blunt. It may be a lot blunter than what Netanyahu would like it to be."

He must've gotten a preview of the speech - here are excerpts from Obama's remarks to students at the Jerusalem International Convention Center today:

  Quote

First, peace is necessary. Indeed, it is the only path to true security. You can be the generation that permanently secures the Zionist dream, or you can face a growing challenge to its future. Given the demographics west of the Jordan River, the only way for Israel to endure and thrive as a Jewish and democratic state is through the realization of an independent and viable Palestine. Given the frustration in the international community, Israel must reverse an undertow of isolation. And given the march of technology, the only way to truly protect the Israeli people is through the absence of war – because no wall is high enough, and no Iron Dome is strong enough, to stop every enemy from inflicting harm.

...

“But the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and justice must also be recognized. Put yourself in their shoes – look at the world through their eyes. It is not fair that a Palestinian child cannot grow up in a state of her own, and lives with the presence of a foreign army that controls the movements of her parents every single day. It is not just when settler violence against Palestinians goes unpunished. It is not right to prevent Palestinians from farming their lands; to restrict a student’s ability to move around the West Bank; or to displace Palestinian families from their home. Neither occupation nor expulsion is the answer. Just as Israelis built a state in their homeland, Palestinians have a right to be a free people in their own land”

...

As Ariel Sharon said, “It is impossible to have a Jewish, democratic state and at the same time to control all of Eretz Israel. If we insist on fulfilling the dream in its entirety, we are liable to lose it all.”

Passive-aggression toward Netanyahu.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

*** personal attack along with post quoting removed. Stay civil *****

[Penny Lane 8,159]

  On 3/21/2013 at 6:37 PM, Penguin_ie said:

*** personal attack along with post quoting removed. Stay civil *****

Of all the sexist nonsense that's gone on here in the last week, it amazes me the things moderators CHOOSE to act on.

[Ban Hammer 13,780]

  On 3/21/2013 at 6:45 PM, Evylin said:

Of all the sexist nonsense that's gone on here in the last week, it amazes me the things moderators CHOOSE to act on.

it certainly helps if members report things rather than expect someone else to do the reporting or for moderation to run across it.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

  On 3/21/2013 at 10:13 PM, charles! said:

it certainly helps if members report things rather than expect someone else to do the reporting or for moderation to run across it.

I wish there were cliff notes so that I don't have to cache everything to see what I missed.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Interesting response to the speech to the college students - both the Israeli right and the left seem generally pleased with it. And apparently the students in the audience were cheering and applauding, even during the parts about ending the occupation and making a final greement on a Palestinian state. A lot of commentators mentioned how much they liked the way he spent a bunch of time sucking up first - complementing Israel, punching all the emotional buttons with historical and religious references, and even sprinkling in some key phrases in Hebrew - before getting to the criticism part. Israel <3 hugs.

So anyway Kerry is on the ground in Israel right now and - according to Goldberg who seems to be in on the plan - is already starting work on trying to restart some kind of negotiations. And then I see that Hagel is scheduled to make a visit next month. Wonder what they're cooking up....

Edited March 22, 2013 by wife_of_mahmoud

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

  On 3/22/2013 at 12:19 AM, wife_of_mahmoud said:

Wonder what they're cooking up....

Giving even more weapons to the Israeli's hoping it will appease the Jewish lobby in time for the mid-term elections next year, and scare the ####### out of Iran and Syria long enough to make it some other President's problem. The last thing Obama wants is another failed attempt at reconciliation with the Palestinians to mare his legacy, or get involved directly in a shooting war with Iran, or Syria. I suspect that the CIA folks are telling him the whole area is about to get ugly, whether it is Syria, or Iran, or one or more of a half dozen other countries where things are ready to unravel, and there are not enough drones in the arsenal to stop it.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

  On 3/21/2013 at 10:23 AM, OriZ said:

A very warm welcome for Obama by Hamas:

  Quote

Hamas arrests two in connection with Gaza rockets

Israel Radio: Hamas arrest members of Salafi organization after they claimed responsibility for rocket attacks during Obama visit.

Hamas on Friday arrested two members of an Islamic jihadist organization in connection with in firing rockets from Gaza into southern Israel on Thursday, Israel Radio reported.

The report cites Gazan sources as saying Hamas arrested two members of the Salafi Magles Shoura al-Mujahddin organization, who yesterday claimed responsibility for firing rockets into Israel. In an Internet statement the group said it had fired the rockets to show that Israeli air defenses could not stop attacks on the Jewish state during Obama’s visit.

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Hamas-arrests-two-in-connection-with-Gaza-rockets-307458

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Arrested and taken in for steak dinners and hearty congratulations!

[Karee 4,191]

  On 3/23/2013 at 12:17 AM, wife_of_mahmoud said:

Hamas should hand them over to Israel.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

  On 3/23/2013 at 1:21 AM, ready4ONE said:

Arrested and taken in for steak dinners and hearty congratulations!

I thought you were the one who was outraged over how Hamas treated prisoners. Make up your mind.

  On 3/23/2013 at 1:21 AM, Karee said:

Hamas should hand them over to Israel.

In return for Israel handing over all the settlers it arrests !

[Karee 4,191]

  On 3/23/2013 at 1:53 AM, wife_of_mahmoud said:

In return for Israel handing over all the settlers it arrests !

Good point. Ok then, this mess can go on for eternity.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

  Quote

One projectile hit and damaged a home in Sderot. A second fell in an open area of the neighboring Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council. Initial reports spoke of four rockets, two of which are believed to have landed within the Gaza Strip.

There were no injuries.

Wow! Somebody could have broken a fingernail!

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

  On 3/23/2013 at 1:55 AM, Karee said:

Good point. Ok then, this mess can go on for eternity.

Well, this mess wasn't caused by the two Salafi guys that Hamas arrested, nor the rockets that injured no one. And handing them over to Israel wouldn't do anything to change the mess, either.

  On 3/23/2013 at 1:58 AM, The Patriot said:

Wow! Somebody could have broken a fingernail!

Or had to be treated for "shock" !