Comments on: Abbas Reported to have Withdrawn from Israeli-Palestinian talks; Obama Mideast Policy Sabotaged by Netanyahu

By: Pablo Cecil

Pablo Cecil — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:53:37 +0000

Agree with Ecks

By: Ecks

Ecks — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:52:08 +0000

What's to stop the US retaliating not so much by cutting aid to Israel (which congress just won't do), but by building a far more open relationship with the Palestinians, sending THEM aid too, building up infrastructure, American schools, etc (dare the Israeli's to let video footage be created of them destroying buildings built by America, with big American seals on the outside).

The Israeli hawks will be furious, but what can they do to stop it? Two can play at this game.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:41:48 +0000

tdraicer:

Actually our soldiers have never fought in the region because of Israel, though Israel refrained from defending itself in the first Gulf War necause of our soldiers. 9/11 didn't happen because of Israel, nor did our folly in Iraq.

And there ARE two sides here-those that see Evil Israel and Good Arabs are as blinkered as those who see only the reverse.

There is the Israel of Bibi and Likud. But there is also this Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1155902.html

And in that Israel lies whatever hope there is for the future.

By: Trisha

Trisha — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:20:32 +0000

That the Israelis intend an attack on Iran is more than likely. Iran's support of Hezbollah in Lebanon prevents Israel's access to the Litanni River. Their support of Hamas keeps Palestinian resistance alive. Doubtless, the Israeli's believe – and are almost certainly right – that the U.S. and the U.K. will ride to their assistance when they launch such an attack, at a time of their choosing. Sadly, rapidly escalating oil prices will destroy what's left of the struggling U.S. and world economies, and might well cause a backlash against the Jewish people as a whole, the majority of whom appear to favor peace and dialogue over aggression. I council them to use their influence to stop the Israeli government's lunacy. As for the American political class, like Lieberman, who are salivating at the prospect of slaughtering Iranian civilians, vote them out.

By: Liberal observor

Liberal observor — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:39:48 +0000

We will never allow the Arabs to expel the Jews from Palestine. The Israelis know this. So our leverage over Israel is non-existent. We will not have leverage over Israel until we are willing to cut off all aid and leave Israel to the not so tender mercies of its enemies. Don't wait around waiting for this to happen.

By: ryan

ryan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:36:05 +0000

Lennart: I'd say Obama's premire FP initiatives are in Iraq and Afghanistan at the moment...

But aside from that, does Obama have the power to cut off any subsidies? I don't see how he could. That all comes from Congress, and there is no way Congress will cut off those funds. No Republican (aside from maybe Ron Paul) would vote to stop sending funds to Israel. Nor would a majority of Democrats.

Bibi knows this, which is why he can spurn the executive in this fashion. I don't know what the Obama administration could practically do in response.

By: Eliasbwick

Eliasbwick — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:11:31 +0000

The fact of the matter is that these so called indirect peace talks were a sham. Israel is not an honest partner. There can never be any peace until the aggressors change their attitude and Israel has, if anything, gotten more aggressive in its tactics of late.

I think Eli Yisha did an awesome thing (with or without the Yahu's approval) for lifting the curtain from this sham peace process... A point well made in this
Gideon Levy article.

By: MonsieurGonzo

MonsieurGonzo — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:39:27 +0000

"when Obama asks [Europeans] for help in the fight against al-Qaeda, they [overwhelmingly believe] that Washington's coddling of Israeli colonialism produces much of the radicalism that they are now asked to spend blood and treasure combating." bingo. imho The only Europeans who do support western military occupation of IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN are either ideological racists, or an odd assortment of politicians, militarists and industrialists who do so for some self-interest. Everyone, I do mean everyone else sees the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as THE issue that defines all other Middle East angst and animus towards the West.