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More on the “Peace Talks”
©2010 by David Talbot

This is my response to an article published in Ynet News on October 4, 2010. You can find a link to the English language version of the article on David Talbot’s Blog: http://talbotnotes.blogspot.com.

I don't know enough about the players, and the politics, in Israel. What Ido believe, however, is that a peace accord with Palestinians can never be achieved until some agency or government assumes, either by free elections or some other mechanism approved by all the parties, control of all Palestinians,and has the authority to impose civil order over the territory granted to this agency or government.

The degree to which Obama, and his agents,does not understand the Arabs is astounding. Peace is not the end game for them,it is simply a part of the process of total destruction of all Jews and the State of Israel.

Statements, many coming from individuals claiming leadership of the Palestinian people,are spoken with one meaning in English and a totally diametrically opposed meaning in Arabic,on the same day,and from the same people.

Obama seizes on the inane ramblings of terrorist governments when it seems they support his agenda, but he is totally unaware of the Arabic translation or, more accurately, the Arabic version, which is 180 degrees out of sync with the English version broadcast worldwide.

In some cases, these quasi leaders like Abbas flip opinions faster than a weather vane in a tornado, even to their own people. Leaving them totally baffled as to what their leaders think.

I believe the Foreign Minister is correct in his assumptions. So,no more freeze on settlements, no carving up Jerusalem, and if we have to go it alone, we will!

Anyway, that’s my opinion, what’s yours?

Shalom,

David Talbot

Contact David Talbot at: talbotnotes@gmail.com.

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Is Obama Good For Israel?
©2010 By David Talbot

I’m having a running debate, a friendly discussion, with a friend about the dust up over the Israeli Government’s decision to build 1,500 homes in East Jerusalem. And, whether the treatment Prime Minister Netanyahu received was, in fact, a snub? And, if it was, was it intentional? Here’s my opinion.

After the war in 1967, Israel took control of Jerusalem from Jordan. As the Jordanians left, they destroyed the city, taking particular care to demolish all Jewish holy sites, desecrate Jewish cemeteries, and obliterate all Jewish historical monuments. Fast forward to 2009 and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government agrees to evict all Jewish settlers and turns the strip over to the Palestinians. And what do the Palestinians do? They repeat what the Jordanians did, leaving Jerusalem.

When did East Jerusalem, and new settlements become an issue for the Palestinians? It was President Obama, during the Middle Eastern Apology Tour, who unilaterally declared, “no new settlements in Jerusalem,” as a precondition to peace talks, not the Palestinians. Palestinian PM Abbas jumped on this as yet another reason to delay peace negotiations. This is not the first time the Palestinians wrestled defeat from the jaws of success. Time after time, Israel has offered concessions, including a 2-state solution, going all the way back to the Carter Administration. And, time after time, from Arafat to Abbas, the puppet masters pulling the strings from oppressive regimes in the Middle East, yanked defeat out of the arms of success.

Now, after so many years, Israelis weary of the build up of arms along it Northern frontier with Lebanon and inside Gaza, elected a conservative government which has stated loud and clear: Jerusalem is not a settlement, it is our capitol!

Did Obama snub Netanyahu? Of course he did. Was it intentional? Of course it was. The “meeting” was scheduled past “prime time” in Israel, and Mr. Netanyahu was denied all of the usual protocol normally given to a heads of state, friend and foe alike. Mr. Obama can bow to a Saudi Prince, cuddle up to Hugo Chavez, but the only ally the United States has, and can count on, in the Middle East, is treated to the most humiliating display of a school yard bully I can remember in my lifetime, by a sitting president.

In covering the worsening relations with Israel, the world press is ignoring the 2,000 lb gorilla in the room: Iran. The United States has all but given up on Iran and Israel can’t afford to wait much longer. I believe that Israel’s stance on so-called settlements is a warning to Iran that Israel needs support from the United States, but will, when push comes to shove, take care of itself even if it has to go it alone. As late as March 30th, Obama and French President Sarkozy, meeting in Washington, continue calling for “tough sanctions” against Iran. But it’s all talk, and Iran knows it.

Other questions that American can ignore, but Israel can’t. Who speaks for Palestinians? The PA has authority only in the West Bank. It’s Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip. Hamas has no intention of making peace with Israel. What about Lebanon? Hezbollah, financed by Iran through its Syrian surrogate, has amassed over 40,000 rockets on the border with Israel. Has the Administration taken any action to diffuse the situation in Southern Lebanon?

When many Palestinians were displaced in 1948, after Palestine was partitioned by the UN, where did they go? Most went to Jordan and Egypt. The Arab world wants Israel to pay compensation to the displaced families, and repatriation to Israel. Why? Weren’t they fully integrated into the Muslim societies where they waited for the full destruction of the new State of Israel? No. The were kept as second class citizens in refugee camps with no facilities, no opportunities for work or study, and treated like prisoners.

What about the Jewish residents of Arab countries in 1948? Many were killed, and almost 100% were evicted from there homes and exiled to other countries, mostly Israel. Anybody notice any country, anywhere, calling for compensation and repatriation of these refugees?

There is still time for Israel and the Obama administration to repair the damage, but I doubt it will happen. And, as prophesized, Israel will go it alone, and that’s not in anyone’s best interest. No, Obama is not good for Israel.

Anyway, that’s my opinion.

Shalom,

David Talbot

More Thoughts on the Middle East

More Thoughts on the Middle East
©2009 David Talbot

There is an old expression, “No good deed goes unpunished!” I can’t remember the last time I heard it, but I thought about it this week as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Israeli PM Netanyahu’s concession on settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Her praise was not for what it lacked (a complete freeze) but for the easing of the Israeli position. In other words, it was a start.

Of course, any praise of Israel, no matter how feint, is cause for an immediate knee jerk reaction by the Arab world. The outcry was so great that Secretary Clinton had to “explain” her comments at her next stop in Morocco.

Unfortunately, any progress in the Arab world by President Obama’s apology tour and pronunciation that America is not a Christian nation has been squandered. The current perception in the Arab world, as seen on all the news channels last week, is that the USA has done a flip and is now back to it’s unilateral support of Israel.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, has signaled that he is not going to run for office because of the impasse in peace negotiations. Peace negotiations for the Palestinian leadership means: either the Israeli’s give in to all it’s demands, or we won’t come to the table.

The situation for the United states in the Middle East is not unique. We do not have a clearly formulated policy, that reflects our position on the goal of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In fact, we do not have a clearly formulated policy on North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Russia, or any other situation on earth. This lack of a cohesive foreign policy emboldens our enemies and confuses our friends.

We jump on Israel for defending themselves. Yet, we have not figured out how to deal with the unstable governments in Pyongyang and Tehran who are not only actively building nuclear armament facilities, but are also the main suppliers of terrorists around the world. Just this week Israel intercepted an Iranian vessel carrying tons of munitions to those “peaceful” Hezbollah terrorists.

If the Obama administration in Washington does not get it’s foreign policy act together, and soon, the next 3 years will be very dangerous for us, at home and abroad. At some point, the powder keg will be ignited by our only ally in the Middle East, Israel, for it’s own survival. Even Israel has come to understand: with friends like us, who needs enemies?

Anyway, that’s my opinion.

Next Week: Why do Jewish Holidays fall on different days every year?

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Home Sweet Home, Part 2
©2009 David Talbot


Last week I finished Part 1 with the following: Can somebody explain why 20% of Israel’s citizens (Arabs) can live in peace in Israel, and less than 10% of the West Bank and East Jerusalem citizens can’t do the same under Palestinian rule?

Part 2
In a recent Wall Street Journal Opinion piece[1], R. James Woolsey, a former director of Central Intelligence under President Clinton, posed this very question to Salam Fayyad, acting Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. His answer was surprising and provides the framework for a complete change in focus of the Arab-Israeli conflict over Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

For the first time in the history of the conflict, an acting Palestinian Prime Minister indicated , "I'm not someone who will say that they would or should be treated differently than Israeli Arabs are treated in Israel….[2]” This idea of Jews and Arabs living together only exists today in Israel and a few countries where a very small population of Jews live in tenuous peace with their neighbors.

The shift, if it matures into law in the West Bank, would establish a new paradigm in the “settlement” negotiations. Under a Palestinian State, the West Bank would transfer from Israeli to Palestinian authority. And, Jewish Settlements would now make up about 10% of the total population in Palestine.

The fighting between Israel and the P.A. about settlements would disappear. U.S. pressure on Israel would cease, and the only question would be the security of both Palestinians and Jews living together, just as they do now in Israel.

This solution would take a lot of soul searching on both sides. Israel would give up disputed territory, but not dismantle settlements. Palestinians would amend sections of their charter providing civil rights to all citizens, including property rights, and recognize Israel’s right to exist.

This solution could also ease tensions with other neighbors in the region, namely Jordan and Egypt. These are countries have benefited from a political relationship with Israel, but face internal pressures from communities and religious groups to support the Palestinians.

My opinion…..it could work. But given the atmosphere all over the Middle East, it would take a miracle. But, it is the Holy Land……

[1] Opinion, Wall Street Journal Online, October 11, 2009
[2] Ibid

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Home Sweet Home (Part 1)
© 2009 David Talbot

Here’s something to think about: Jews hate Muslims and Muslims hate Jews, and therefore they live together in peace in the Bellevelle neighborhood, northwest of Paris, France.

Say whaaaat? They live in peace? Together? In Paris?

Actually, the Belleville section of Paris has been home to North African Muslims, Jews, and Berbers for around 50 years, more or less. In a recent article in JTA, Ilan Moss describes the neighbors of this community as, “…being fiercely proud of the climate of tolerance in their neighborhood¹” And, they complain that the press is only interested in the sensationalism of anti-Semitism.

How do they do it? Real simple, they all came from similar cultures in Tunisia, where they lived, worked, and raised families, in peace for centuries. But more than similar cultures, in North Africa and in France; these families were then, and are now, fully integrated in the community. They work together, play together, and break bread together: no separate schools, no separate governing bodies, and no separate social activities.

And in Israel, all citizens have equal rights, including the right to pray as they choose: Jews, Muslims, and Christians. But are all citizens fully integrated in mainstream Israeli society. Well, no. It is true there are isolated communities where Jews and Muslims live together in peace. But it is the exception, not the rule. Most communities in Israel are segregated with Arabs and Jews living close to each other, but not together.

However, there is hope things are changing. “In 1997, Hand in Hand Center for Jewish-Arab Education is Israel was founded to build peace between Jews and Arabs in Israel through development of bilingual and multi-cultural schools2.” Since 1997 schools have been built in Jerusalem, Galilee, Wadi Ara, and Beersheva. For a complete report and update of how this organization is building communities check out their web site at: http://www.handinhandk12.org/.

There is a second part to this story. The West Bank and East Jerusalem, where Israeli’s have built settlements following the 1967 war, is the focal point of The Palestinian Authority, Hamas, and the Obama Administration. They want no Jewish settlements, indeed, they want no Jews at all in these territories.

Can somebody explain why 20% of Israel’s citizens (Arabs) can live in peace in Israel, and less than 10% of the West Bank and East Jerusalem citizens can’t do the same under Palestinian rule? See Part 2, next week.


¹ JTA, September 22, 2009
2 http://www.handinhandk12.org

Failed 2-State Solution

Israel: Yaalon: Israel Must Free Itself from Failed '2-State' Paradigm by Maayana Miskin

Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe (Boogie) Yaalon believes that the time has come for Israel to “free itself from the failed paradigm” of the “two-state solution.”

Yaalon spoke Tuesday at a meeting of MKs dedicated to finding an alternative to the creation of a Palestinian Authority-led Arab state.

While the creation of a PA-led state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is perceived as a necessity both in Israel and worldwide, such a state would not solve the Israel-PA conflict, said Yaalon. In fact, he said, it is doubtful that the possibility of creating such a state exists, due to Arab and Muslim reluctance to take any step that would imply recognition of Israel or compromise on Arab claims to the entire Land of Israel.

Israel's Mistakes Israel's mistake lies in accepting a-symmetrical talks with the PA, Yaalon said. From the beginning of talks, he explained, Israel has accepted the idea of a Palestinian national movement with the PA as its representative, while the PA has resolutely refused to accept the Jewish national movement of Zionism or the idea of a Jewish homeland in the land of Israel.

Furthermore, while the PA demands that Arabs and Muslims be allowed to live in Israel, Israel accepts that a PA state would not have Jewish citizens, he said. And while Israel gives in on crucial issues such as the status of Jerusalem or the borders of a PA state, the PA refuses to bend in the slightest.

Israel has also been mistaken in assuming that the Israeli presence in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is the cause of Israel-Arab tension, he said. Arab attacks on Israel began well before the 1967 Six Day War in which Israel gained control of those areas, he said, and the Arab world's real goal is not a state in those areas, but rather, on the ruins of the State of Israel.

For this reason, he said, the PA is actually uninterested in a “two-state solution.” Former PA Chairman Yasser Arafat waged war on Israel in order to avoid the creation of a PA state, he argued.

"There are those who will argue that the PA wanted to establish a state in the 1967 borders but was unable to do so,” he said. “I say the problem was not one of ability, but of desire.”

If the PA does not desire an independent state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and will not accept such a state as the fulfillment of its national goals, the “two-state solution” has no chance to bring peace, he concluded.

The Solution Israel must give up on seeking to fully solve its conflict with the PA and the Arab world as a whole, Yaalon said. “I believe we should not approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the phrase 'solution' in the foreseeable future,” he told his audience. “Instead, we should seek 'crisis management' or long-term coping strategies.”

Israel should still seek a solution in the long term, he added. However, the process of seeking a solution should be “bottom-up,” and not “top-down.” Instead of hoping that a diplomatic agreement with the PA will lead to peace and security, the PA should prove that it is capable of self-rule prior to the signing of a diplomatic agreement, he argued.

Yaalon presented five crucial elements of the “bottom-up” process:

Educational Reform: The PA currently teaches Arab children that the entirety of Israel is an illegal colonialist entity, Yaalon said, and denies any historic Jewish connection to the Land of Israel. In addition, the PA teaches Jihad (holy war) against Israel and honors suicide bombers.

Changing the PA school system to teach the value of life, not of death, and to accurately portray Jewish history is crucial, he said.

Economic Reform: In order to create a viable economy, the PA must strengthen small businesses and create a stable middle class, Yaalon said. Attempts to create a PA economy through international aid have failed due to a corrupt PA leadership that misappropriates funds, and terrorist groups that attempt to keep PA Arabs living in poverty, he said. To avoid the problems posed by corrupt leadership, the world should focus on PA businessmen and support their initiatives.

Political Reform: Beyond creating a political entity, the PA must allow for freedom of expression, freedom of the press and protect human rights. Yaalon referred to “the American mistake” of supporting strong dictators over true democratic activists. Activists who seek true democracy and freedom should win encouragement from the West, he said.

Legal Reform: The goal should be “One authority, one law, one weapon,” Yaalon said, referring to the disarming of rogue terrorist groups and the enforcement of law throughout the PA territories.

Security Reform: The PA must begin to truly fight terrorism, Yaalon said. Among other things, the PA must rid itself of the “revolving door” by which terrorists serve only light sentences, and the sentencing of terrorists who murdered Israelis for “harming the public interest” instead of “murder.” These things encourage terrorism, he said.

The PA must be able to fight terrorism properly on multiple levels, he said, from gathering intelligence information to putting terrorists on trial.

No Guarantees: There is no guarantee that the “bottom-up” proposal can be put into effect, Yaalon said, because it relies on the Palestinian Authority to take the necessary action. In order to increase the chances that the PA will do what is necessary, Israel must make it clear that the PA has no chance of defeating Israel, he said, or of forcing further Israeli concessions and withdrawals without making concessions of its own.

"The Palestinians' extreme violence does not stem from despair over their situation, as the West tends to assume, but rather from hope – hope that the State of Israel will disappear,” he said. “Destroying the hope of defeating Israel will encourage new ideas.”