Abdullah is in a precarious position. If he doesn't change the status quo he risks being toppled. But if he transforms Jordan into a true constitutional monarchy, the parliament and government will most likely be dominated by palestinian arabs. Jordan then becomes what it really is in all but name: "Palestine". This will inexorably lead to a split of the West Bank between Israel and Jordan rather than creation of a new tiny landlocked state.
The truth is that in the month between the trip's announcement and the trip itself, Kadima replaced the Labor Party as the opposition in the Knesset. So Romney met with Shaul Mofaz instead.
When exactly did Romney "attack President Obama" on this trip? Mr. Cole says he "clearly intends" to do so. Well, so far no luck.
He hasn't mentioned Obama once and in any interview he goes to great pains to stress to the interviewer that he will not highlight differences with the President while overseas.
If as you say, "The West Bank and Gaza were never awarded to Israel by the United Nations and simply don’t belong to it", then who does it belong to? Jordan's occupation for a shorter period of time (1948-1967) was no different than Israel's.
The "West Bank" and "Gaza" were unallocated portions of the British mandate which were, in fact, "stateless" when Britain evacuated in 1947-1948. Jordan (itself part of the original Palestine Mandate awarded to Britain after WWI) never made a move to create an independent Palestine or even a confederation when it occupied the territory. Israel won the territory in a defensive war.
Yes, we need a peaceful partition and equitable solution to the West Bank. But let's stop pretending that a nation of "Palestine" ever existed or that there is a defined "Palestinian" ethno-political grouping of people anytime prior to the 1960's. The disposition of the West Bank should have been decided as part of the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.
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Abdullah is in a precarious position. If he doesn't change the status quo he risks being toppled. But if he transforms Jordan into a true constitutional monarchy, the parliament and government will most likely be dominated by palestinian arabs. Jordan then becomes what it really is in all but name: "Palestine". This will inexorably lead to a split of the West Bank between Israel and Jordan rather than creation of a new tiny landlocked state.
The truth is that in the month between the trip's announcement and the trip itself, Kadima replaced the Labor Party as the opposition in the Knesset. So Romney met with Shaul Mofaz instead.
How does one "out" MI6? Everyone who has seen a James Bond movie know that MI6 is Britain's equivalent of the CIA.
When exactly did Romney "attack President Obama" on this trip? Mr. Cole says he "clearly intends" to do so. Well, so far no luck.
He hasn't mentioned Obama once and in any interview he goes to great pains to stress to the interviewer that he will not highlight differences with the President while overseas.
In my opinion he has been a class act.
If as you say, "The West Bank and Gaza were never awarded to Israel by the United Nations and simply don’t belong to it", then who does it belong to? Jordan's occupation for a shorter period of time (1948-1967) was no different than Israel's.
The "West Bank" and "Gaza" were unallocated portions of the British mandate which were, in fact, "stateless" when Britain evacuated in 1947-1948. Jordan (itself part of the original Palestine Mandate awarded to Britain after WWI) never made a move to create an independent Palestine or even a confederation when it occupied the territory. Israel won the territory in a defensive war.
Yes, we need a peaceful partition and equitable solution to the West Bank. But let's stop pretending that a nation of "Palestine" ever existed or that there is a defined "Palestinian" ethno-political grouping of people anytime prior to the 1960's. The disposition of the West Bank should have been decided as part of the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.