Thursday, May 19, 2011

No surprise, but sad and disgusting: Obama takes Abbas' side

Obama has called for Israel to withdraw to 1967 lines:
US President Barack Obama dramatically changed US foreign policy - sandbagging Israel and aligning himself with PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas' preconditions for talks - when he called Thursday for a "full and phased withdraw of Israeli forces" from "occupied Palestinian lands" to the 1949 armistice borders that Israel's former Foreign Minister and UN ambassador in 1967, Abba Eban, referred to as the "Auschwitz borders."

Obama's comments came during his much anticipated policy address at the State Department in which he outlined the United State's new foreign policy for the Middle East and North Africa in light of the "spring revolutions" that have rocked the region.

Saying the world was tired of "nothing but stalemate" in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and complaining that "settlement activity continues" while the "Palestinians have walked away from talks," Obama said Israelis cannot obtain the dream of a democratic and Jewish state through "occupation."

Obama called for "two states for two peoples" with permanent borders based on the "1967 lines with agreed upon swaps." The borders referred to as "1967 lines" are in fact the lines agreed upon in the 1949 armistice, following which Jordan occupied Judea and Samaria for 19 years. The armistice lines, considered indefensible by defense experts, are often called "Auschwitz borders" in Israel.
Oh, thanks a lot for perpetuating the lie of "occupation".

Netanyahu has reacted with the following:
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Thursday Israel would object to any withdrawal to "indefensible" borders, adding he expected Washington to allow it to keep major settlement blocs in any peace deal.
Here's some advice: don't expect anything from Obama. Because he won't recognize Israel's rights at all.

In this article, it's said:
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was quick on the draw Thursday in voicing clear displeasure with President Barack Obama’s mideast policy speech.
“Israel appreciates President Obama’s commitment to peace,” the response began, curtly. “Israel believes that for peace to endure between Israelis and Palestinians, the viability of a Palestinian state cannot come at the expense of the viability of the one and only Jewish state.”

“That is why Prime Minister Netanyahu expects to hear a reaffirmation from President Obama of U.S. commitments made to Israel in 2004, which were overwhelmingly supported by both Houses of Congress.”

“Among other things,” Netanyahu reminded Obama, “those commitments relate to Israel not having to withdraw to the 1967 lines which are both indefensible and which would leave major Israeli population centers in Judea and Samaria beyond those lines.”
But don't expect Obama to respect the Congress' wishes either.

Over here, it's told that some right wing MKs have called Obama the new Arafat:
Knesset members on the Right expressed outrage on Thursday night at US President Barack Obama's call for the creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps in an exchange of territory for security.

They called upon Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to reject Obama's plan when he meets with him on Friday in Washington.

"Barack Hussein Obama adopted the staged plan for Israel's destruction of Yasser Arafat, and he is trying to force it on our prime minister," said Likud MK Danny Danon. "All that was new in the speech was that he called for Israel to return to 1967 borders without solving the crisis. Netanyahu has only one option: To tell Obama forget about it."

National Union MK Michael Ben-Ari also slammed Obama's speech, calling it "a landmine with pretty wrapping."

Environment Minister Gilad Erdan, who as a minister close to Netanyahu must be more diplomatic, complained on Channel 2 that according to Obama's approach, the Palestinians would receive their demands on borders before negotiations begin.

"Once they have everything from the start, they have no reason to make any concessions," Erdan said.
And they never will. Netanyahu shouldn't even go to Washington at all.

Update: extra item from Rep. Allen West.

Update 2: at least 3 Republican politicians have responded:
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Obama "threw Israel under the bus" and handed the Palestinians a victory even before negotiations between the parties could resume. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said it "is a disaster waiting to happen." Former Sen. Rick Santorum called the president's approach "dangerous."
Quite right.

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