Secretary of State John Kerry says that he made progress in creating conditions to restart peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but it is hard to gauge. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still insists on no preconditions for the talks, and he has assured his cabinet that any final agreement will be subject to a national referendum. The lack of preconditions displeases the Palestinian side, but it cuts both ways. The larger problem might be the insistence on a referendum, since it is hard to negotiate with a partner whose ultimate position is subject to a popular vote. It’s also hard to take Israel seriously when they greet discussions of new negotiations with more efforts to build in East Jerusalem. Nonetheless, it is good to see this:
Following Sunday morning’s meeting in Ramallah, the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, reported progress but said that gaps remained.
‘‘I cannot say we have a breakthrough,’’ he said. ‘‘All I can say once again is no one benefits more from the success of Secretary Kerry than the Palestinians, and no one stands to lose more from its failure than Palestinians.’’
I interpret that as a vote of confidence that the administration is working in good faith, and that’s nothing to sneeze at.
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Boston Globe journalists writing what they are told with little or no fact-checking. The Israeli pull-out of occupied Gaza territory was led by Sharon, Netanyahu had pulled out as cabinet minister because he disagreed and belongs to the Eretz Israel crowd of expansion based on biblical arguments. Bibi is a son of his father and will refuse a two-state option in his lifetime. The Jewish settlers from Gaza were relocated in the occupied territory of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) with guarantees and continue their harassment of the Palestinians living there.
I believe the Western powers under leadership of the US must attempt a comprehensive I-P peace settlement and a clear path on a solution for the sectarian war in Syria and Lebanon. Otherwise the only regional powers who will profit will be the authoritarian regimes of Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Knesset blocks any movement to initiate peace talks with Palestinians
Americans for Peace Now
From what I can tell, “Dream On” is probably the best response to Booman’s optimism, but those who have been around aren’t even willing any longer to repost Peanuts cartoon, Lucy pulling away the football once again.
At best, Kerry is just the next dupe to engage Israel in peace talks, and he will undoubtedly go along with the usual ploy of blaming the Palestinians for missing another opportunity, this one closing the door forever.
That’s important to give the next POTUS a pass on doing anything during his/her first term. “Peace talks,” “roadmap,” etc. are regularly scheduled to begin every five to six years.
You could be offering Netanyahu a little too much respect in suggesting he has his father’s principles or any at all. I thought he left the cabinet because he saw an opportunity of dislodging Sharon–he did dislodge Sharon from the Eretz Israel crowd (remember how they chanted “Arik King of Israel?”). He’d sign 2-state if he saw it as giving him an advantage but is too bull-headed to see how,
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Interesting video of press conference John Kerry with PM Netanyahu last April. It’s clear Syria and Iran are major topics in the discussions to find a peaceful settlement with the Palestinian people. Jordan appears to be a broker and there must be a role for the Arab League. BTW Palestinians fleeing from Syria to Jordan are refuse entry because they are considered a separate refugee issue handles by UNWRA.
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I forgot to add the link to the UN organisation UNRWA …
It was Kissinger who a few years ago had a solution to the Palestinian refugee problem: once a two state solution was achieved, the refugees would settle in Palestine, Jews would go to Israel. Very simple. The problem of course is that the colonization of the Palestinian territories, which would leave little room for five million refugees, continued agressively.
Interestingly, Kissinger, a few years before that, also agreed that Israeli Palestinians should be hurded into cantons (bantustans, of course) inside of Israel proper.
In the last of it, the Palestinians will not, cannot, hang out the refugees of the Nakba to fend for themselves.
And for anyone’s information, Netanyahu has never been for two states, beginning with his anti-Oslo stance way back in 1996 when he was first elected PM.
Let’s say that two men claim the same woman as their wife and enter into negotiations – how does that end with both sides satisfied (neglecting the wife’s say in the matter for this analogy)?
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Sorry, I’m no specialist on “property” issues. 🙂
About A Rib Taken From Adam
Well, it is an old school argument… 🙂
We could substitute son for wife and come to the same place for an analogy.