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Last update - 12:25 24/07/2008 An agenda for a friend of Israel By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Israel, Barack Obama Barack Obama came to Jerusalem to deliver an old message on the need to "reaffirm the historic and special relationship between the United States and Israel, one that cannot be broken." Even if Israel's security is hinged on its close relationship with the U.S., this is not enough. The significance of these ties is in their ability to serve as leverage for the goal of reaffirming Israel's security. Regional threats require more aggressive diplomatic activity, which the Bush administration has failed to propose or implement. Obama offers the American voter "something new." Therein lies his charm. Israel and the rest of the region's countries need diplomatic innovation as well. But it seems that Obama - like his opponent John McCain and like U.S. President George W. Bush before him - is attempting to assure potential Jewish voters at the expense of promoting the peace processes in the region. Advertisement It seems Obama is putting extra effort into allaying the suspicions of the Jewish community, which is distrustful of him because of his "Muslim past," and because of the relatively balanced viewpoints that he demonstrates vis-a-vis the dispute in the Middle East. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Obama spoke of the "profound" joint security related challenges. He assured listeners that even though he viewed the peace process with Syria as very important, "I would never tell you to do something which would compromise your security." In addressing the terrorist attack in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Obama was content to make a general observation that it was proof of the need to "to work together in all urgency to prevent the recurrence of such incidents." The history of Israel's relationship with the U.S., primarily since 1967, attests to the flimsy connection between public statements by presidential hopefuls - and even their explicit pledges right before the ballots are counted - and the Middle East policy they adopt upon taking office. One of the prime examples was the commitment to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by 1999. Although this initiative was passed into law 13 years ago, Bill Clinton and George Bush used their authority to put its implementation on hold. The hope is that Obama left Jerusalem and Ramallah with a deeper understanding of the need to shelve the flowery statements that his Jewish affairs advisors had devised for him, if he is to truly be "a friend of Israel." One should keep in mind that the interests of the Israel lobby in America do not always jibe with the interests of the State of Israel. Instead of talking about a "united Jerusalem," he needs to become involved in finding a realistic solution for Israel's torn and bleeding capital. To survive as a Jewish and democratic state, Israel needs an American leader who does not fear the reaction of American Jews and non-Jews who do not believe in dividing the land to reconcile its two peoples. A friend of Israel, for example, would be a president who brings Syria and Israel to the negotiating room, and pours some real substance into Bush's statement about wanting to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A green light Lebanese gov't passes statement backing Hezbollah's right to attack Israel. Life sentence Jewish oligarch convicted in Russia of murder in what he calls a 'show trial.'   1.   An agenday for a friend of Israel 04:41  |  Clyde Nugget 24/07/08   2.   Israel lobby cornerstone: Dispensionalist Chrsistian Zionists 11:15  |  Ivar 24/07/08   3.   Israels enemies would just love to lobby unopposed. 12:10  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   4.   a real friend to israel would obey usa law 12:10  |  victor hardman 24/07/08   5.   Obama will give Israel what they need 12:18  |  Natallie Durson 24/07/08   6.   HERE is the C.A.I.R agenda Is thiswhat Haaretz wants unnoppsed? 12:29  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   7.   Nugget: And so what? 12:53  |  Guy From NYC 24/07/08   8.   Nugget: And so what? 12:53  |  Guy From NYC 24/07/08   9.   Does Haaretz work to help the boycott of Israel 12:59  |  LA 24/07/08   10.   DURSON.Has Hamas said they will live in PEACE with Israel? 13:25  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   11.   Haaretz Editorial, following ... 13:28  |  Vladimir 24/07/08   12.   Excellent article 13:34  |  K 24/07/08   13.   Wanted: leaders unfettered by the Haaretz Editorial Dhimmitude 13:35  |  Joseph.E 24/07/08   14.   WOULDN"T Israels enemies just love to lobby unopposed 13:38  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   15.   to Clyde #1 I agree 14:01  |  Hilda 24/07/08   16.   What Natlie wants 14:05  |  Hilda 24/07/08   17.   Yes, we need a Leader who is only subjected to Arab Oil Pressure 14:19  |  Israeli Leftist 24/07/08   18.   The kow tow-er 14:22  |  American Voter 24/07/08   19.   Shocking that he went so far as to say that East J will not be 14:23  |  lakshmi 24/07/08   20.   peter sm 7 14:26  |  potobac 24/07/08   21.   K you get much worse on NPR taxpayer funded media in the USA 14:28  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   22.   Wishful Thinking 14:41  |  Afikoman 24/07/08   23.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   24.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   25.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   26.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   27.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   28.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   29.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   30.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   31.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   32.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   33.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   34.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   35.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   36.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   37.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   38.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   39.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   40.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   41.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   42.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   43.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   44.   Come On Haaretz 14:53  |  Yosemite 24/07/08   45.   POTOBAC So you DO want a free run.US allows lobbies 14:58  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   46.   There is no solution because Arabs will never agree Israel existe 15:17  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08   47.   15-35 Copperman, good luck with that. 15:20  |  The Equalizer 24/07/08   48.   End Arik Copperman now! 15:22  |  End 24/07/08   49.   Wishful Thinking part 2 15:37  |  Afikoman 24/07/08   50.   End Zionism Now 15:45  |  Allen Rosen 24/07/08   51.   #1 Clyde. About Obahma... 15:47  |  John Allen 24/07/08   52.   #3 Victor, Bravo! 15:49  |  John Allen 24/07/08   53.   Israel should have a real friend 16:45  |  Marilyn 24/07/08   54.   We need a leader unfettered by Haaretz et al 17:23  |  tit 4 tat 24/07/08   55.   MARYLINN Israels real friends do not lie here regularly 17:25  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   56.   Haaretz rpresent 3% of the people in Israel 17:27  |  oren 24/07/08   57.   #6 Interesting..and what`s the Zionist agenda? 17:34  |  Edithann 24/07/08   58.   The U.S. will always have a special... 17:35  |  Pastor Joseph 24/07/08   59.   peter sm 45 18:17  |  potobac 24/07/08   60.   genuine tosefta 46 18:22  |  potobac 24/07/08   61.   peter sm re imperialism 18:26  |  potobac 24/07/08   62.   editorial: we need a responsible newspaper without loonly left 18:38  |  ralph 24/07/08   63.   50 Allen Rosen & Arik Cooperman,AR he may be right in one sense, 19:05  |  lakshmi 24/07/08   64.   Anything truly wrong with this statement? 19:22  |  Morris Valentine 24/07/08   65.   56 19:36  |  right on 24/07/08   66.   The vast majority of American Jews favor two states 19:41  |  Lee 24/07/08   67.   `Haaretz`s total failure to understand the situation 19:49  |  Shalom Freedman 24/07/08   68.   With friends like Haaretz wants, who needs enemies?? 20:08  |  Voice of Reason 24/07/08   69.   potobec 20:11  |  Danite 24/07/08   70.   Lasksmi, did anyone ask your opinion? 20:25  |  Herbert Kaine 24/07/08   71.   Victor Hardman 20:27  |  Janice 24/07/08   72.   danite 69 20:34  |  potobac 24/07/08   73.   Cooperman is in a stupor, man! 20:57  |  sptz 24/07/08   74.   We Need A Haaretz , Al Jazeera , Reuters Unfettered 21:16  |  Joseph.E 24/07/08   75.   Pastor Joseph - Silly Pastor 21:24  |  Pastor Bob Here 24/07/08   76.   Allen Rosen - Western Europe? 21:27  |  HUH? 24/07/08   77.   70 herbert Kaine,actually there has been some discussion between 21:29  |  lakshmi 24/07/08   78.   Lakshmi, I will hold my nose 21:53  |  Irish patriot 24/07/08   79.   "An agenda for a friend of Israel" 22:13  |  frank b mayer 24/07/08   80.   #56 Oren, Popularity has little to do with getting it right ... 22:21  |  Dutch 24/07/08   81.   78 Irish patriot, a wee reminder 22:29  |  Dutch 24/07/08   82.   Arrogance and AIPAC 22:32  |  Scharker Yid 24/07/08   83.   Haaretz, Brezhnev would be proud of you 22:32  |  Bob 24/07/08   84.   #75 pastor bob 22:40  |  Pastor Joseph 24/07/08   85.   Irrelevant response by Lakshmi 22:45  |  Herbert Kaine 24/07/08   86.   Irrelevant response by Lakshmi 22:45  |  Herbert Kaine 24/07/08   87.   Irrelevant response by Lakshmi 22:45  |  Herbert Kaine 24/07/08   88.   More Than A "relatively balanced viewpoint" Needed 22:47  |  Gray 24/07/08   89.   Arik Copperman 22:49  |  Zack 24/07/08   90.   "therein lies his charm" 23:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/07/08   91.   Joseph E., the only "dhimmitude"... 23:11  |  BBSNews 24/07/08   92.   #71 janice and the sickness of media crapola 23:31  |  victor hardman 24/07/08   93.   Please Post My Response to This Editorial 23:44  |  Tod Zuckerman 24/07/08   94.   78 Irish you are most likely a zionist masquerading as an irish 23:45  |  lakshmi 24/07/08   95.   ralph, Voice o`R., Shalom; Re: haaretz 23:49  |  Gray 24/07/08   96.   A wolf in sheeps clothing 00:10  |  salty 25/07/08   97.   ISRAEL NEEDS A LEADER UNFETTERED BY AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 01:42  |  judith 25/07/08   98.   HERBERT LAINE 02:15  |  Llyn 25/07/08   99.   herbert Kaine 02:18  |  Mona, North York, 25/07/08   100.   Peter and inverted history 02:26  |  truth 25/07/08   101.   Irish Patriot and emigration 02:28  |  truth 25/07/08   102.   Irish Patriot #78 02:30  |  Llyn 25/07/08   103.   #22, Arik 03:01  |  Hannah 25/07/08   104.   POTOBAC Why not work harder instead of complaining? 03:03  |  PETER SM 25/07/08   105.   "TRUTH" nothing inverted about recorded Arab pogroms like 1830 03:26  |  PETER SM 25/07/08   106.   Barack Obama: Opportunistic Messiah? 03:33  |  Serr8d 25/07/08   107.   racism 04:13  |  al 25/07/08   108.   "TRUTH"emigration,what do Aussies want to do with Lebanese gangs 04:30  |  PETER SM 25/07/08   109.   #75 04:46  |  Wally Shu 25/07/08   110.   Strengthening our resolve 04:46  |  Jordan 25/07/08   111.   Zionist lobbies and the American people 05:05  |  Hannah 25/07/08   112.   HAARETZ KNOWS IT CAN`T WIN THE POPULAR VOTE 06:29  |  Steve 25/07/08   113.   "...some real substance." 06:44  |  Webster 25/07/08   114.   I`m sending Cipora to charm school (#90) 07:10  |  Morris Valentine 25/07/08   115.   To Lakshmi (#94) 07:21  |  Morris Valentine 25/07/08   116.   FYI, I heard Serr8d is a known Republican operative from the US.. 07:37  |  BBSNews 25/07/08   117.   self delusional dream 07:59  |  Mark 25/07/08   118.   "HANNAH" why because most Americans do not agree with you. 08:13  |  PETER SM 25/07/08   119.   an EXCELLENT editorial by haaretz! 10:10  |  eric 25/07/08   120.   an EXCELLENT editorial by haaretz! 10:10  |  eric 25/07/08   121.   #113 its time for eric to take the pledge 11:27  |  victor hardman 25/07/08   122.   BBSNews, Once again,,,, 17:04  |  Dutch 25/07/08   123.   peter sm 104 17:22  |  potobac 25/07/08   124.   Eric, I agree, excellent editorial! 17:55  |  Dutch 25/07/08   125.   Shalom Freedman Re: your agenda 19:15  |  Dutch 25/07/08   126.   Thanks Dutch 20:06  |  BBSNews 25/07/08   127.   vast majority ofAmericans fvr 2 states one american 2nd israel 21:54  |  American in NY 25/07/08   128.   # 121 to good old victor re: several questions? 07:55  |  eric 26/07/08   129.   # 124 to dutch re: divorce? 08:31  |  eric 26/07/08   130.   `We need a US leader unfettered by the Israel lobby` 10:22  |  Colin Wright 26/07/08   131.   re #56 `Haaretz rpresent 3% of the people in Israel` 10:25  |  Colin Wright 26/07/08   132.   An agenda for a friend of Israel 22:57  |  Ben America 26/07/08   133.   Colin Wright . re: 131 excellen point and at the same time 02:36  |  American in NY 27/07/08   134.   #133 Keep in mind...Israel is in very bad hands... 03:08  |  Dutch 27/07/08   135.   Eric, Read this letter to the Daily Telegraph (part1 ) 03:59  |  Dutch 27/07/08   136.   Eric, The response (part 2) Questions in Part 3 04:22  |  dutch 27/07/08   137.   Eric, The Questions are reflective of my position (part 3) 04:28  |  Dutch 27/07/08   138.   Eric, it isn`t necessarily that I want a divorce but I want ... 05:33  |  Dutch 27/07/08   139.   # 138 to dutch re: second thoughts about divorce 08:33  |  eric 27/07/08   140.   Eric, All your points are well made 21:43  |  Dutch 27/07/08   141.   now Ha`aretz is using "Israel lobby" 23:48  |  Adam 27/07/08   142.   # 140 to dutch re: general jones` report 05:44  |  eric 28/07/08   143.   Hello Eric, Israel has no alternative 01:14  |  Dutch 29/07/08   144.   Being a friend to Israel 03:57  |  MJB 30/07/08   145.   # 143 to dutch re: public discontent (2nd try) 07:14  |  eric 31/07/08   146.   Hello Eric, Re Public discontent 19:35  |  Dutch 02/08/08

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