Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., May 24, 2009 Sivan 1, 5769 | | Israel Time: 14:00 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File

Please, with might By Gideon Levy Tags: Israel News, Barack Obama  The headline of this piece may be taken from a Kabbalistic prayer, but it's not aimed at God; this is rather an earthly plea to the American president. The statesman he will be hosting tomorrow has already shown during his brief tenure that might is the only language he understands. We should hope that Barack Obama will succeed just like the defense minister and the Histadrut labor federation chairman, who twisted Benjamin Netanyahu's arm in the budget deliberations. A political U-turn by the prime minister is much more vital to Israel than his impressively sharp economic U-turn. Obama is the final hope: Only if he throws his entire weight into the process will anything in the Middle East start moving. Any American president could have long ago brought about substantial progress, first and foremost ending the intolerable Israeli occupation. But Obama's predecessors shrank from the task, preferring to yield to the Jewish and Christian lobbies and to engage in masquerades of negotiations leading nowhere. A whole lot more is expected from Obama: "Change" in the Middle East; "Yes We Can" is also about Israel. This change must encompass two components: Genuinely pressuring Israel - and no, there isn't any other way - and demanding actions rather than words. We've had plenty of the latter, and it doesn't really matter if Netanyahu utters the words "two states" or if he does not. Advertisement The real test is Moshe and Mohammed. Only if both of them feel a change can we say a truly different president is now in Washington. Mohammed, any Mohammed living in the occupied territories, should feel his life has become more free and prosperous; Moshe, any Moshe living in Israel, must feel he is withdrawing from being an occupier, after two successive generations. At the end of the day, both Moshe and Mohammed will be grateful to Barack Obama. It'll take more than sticky smiles. Netanyahu will be clinging to his usual excuse, the Iranian threat; Obama will have to explain that there is nothing like neutralizing the Arab-Israeli conflict to secure the future of the State of Israel. And this should be the order of the day, too: resolving the Palestinian issue as leverage for negotiating with Iran, even if Netanyahu tries to change the agenda and buy some time. Deep inside, we yearn for an Israeli prime minister who realizes that opportunities are running out and that the alternatives are dangerous, but this hope has long since been abandoned. Israel talks two states while expanding Ma'aleh Adumim; Israel talks peace and sets out on two unneccesary wars. Which is why, sadly, nothing will happen without pressure, and true pressure can come only from Washington. An American president who is a friend to Israel not only can, but must, apply this pressure; Israel is a protectorate addicted to occupation - and the only way to ditch a habit is the hard way. A bogus friend sponsors the addiction, a true friend gets us into rehab. Nor is this the time to present the Palestinians with endless demands or preconditions - to acknowledge, to give up, to compromise. They've done it plenty over the last two decades: Now is the time for the occupier to end the occupation, immediately, unconditionally, moments before the two-state solution draws its final breath and passes beyond the realm of possibility, if it hasn't already. Which is why Obama should be standing with a stopwatch, too: Time is running out. There's one message that should emerge from Washington: Israel is beginning to act, not to talk but to act, to end the occupation. Freeze the settlements without any lies, dismantle the outposts without tricks, give Palestinians freedoms without feints, and establish a rigid agenda to dismantle the entire settler enterprise. Anything less will be seen as failure, any move less daring will ensure a deadlock that will bring more bloodshed and the eventual establishment of a permanent binational apartheid state. Does it sound big and pretentious? Well, there's a big, pretentious president now sitting in Washington. The Arabs have already learned that Israel understands force and force alone; all its limited concessions were carried out after bloodshed, never before. It's time Washington learns the same lesson: Please, with might, Barack Obama, because there is no other way. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Iran presidential vote Ahmadinejad slams rivals for wanting 'detente' with the West. Demographic threat Study finds one in four Israelis would consider leaving country if Iran gets nukes.   1.   Settlements Are Not Blocking Peace, Terrorist Are 05:57  |  Baruch Gold 17/05/09   2.   A sincere offer of peace worked for Sadat 06:49  |  Publius 17/05/09   3.   Baruch 11:01  |  John E. Smoke 17/05/09   4.   baruch gold 11:26  |  A.M. 17/05/09   5.   re Baruch Gold 12:19  |  Neil 17/05/09   6.   Dear Baruch 12:48  |  Hector Bonifacius 17/05/09   7.   Change - yes we can! 13:55  |  Anita 17/05/09   8.   Obama will fail - More Suffering for the Palestinians May Follow 14:59  |  NoToStupid Leaders 17/05/09   9.   The Baruch Golds of the settlements 15:20  |  Michael N 17/05/09   10.   Anita 15:51  |  A.M. 17/05/09   11.   Baruch Gold you have finally out done yourself 17:11  |  jim the mechanic 17/05/09   12.   It is Palestine 19:44  |  Marilyn 17/05/09   13.   Publius - not so. 23:10  |  John E. Smoke 17/05/09   14.   Gideon levy is addicted to mouthing left-wing slogans 23:51  |  pandora 17/05/09   15.   President Obama, this article is for YOU, cause` YES YOU CAN! 23:55  |  Ivar 17/05/09   16.   Excellent opintion piece. 00:38  |  Paul 18/05/09   17.   a PLEA for Obama? 02:15  |  stella 18/05/09   18.   Marylin The Poster Girl for Lieberman 07:57  |  Avshalom Beni 18/05/09   19.   What was before Michael N.? PT Barnum 11:01  |  Joe Sittizen 18/05/09

Read & React Report: Hezbollah sources deny group killed Hariri Responses: 16 'Israel won't yield to U.S. demands, won't halt settlement construction' Responses: 32 Hamas claiming IDF troops were 'cowards' during Gaza war Responses: 14 Gideon Levy: Only settlers are taking Obama seriously in Israel Responses: 19 More Headlines 13:45 Barak: Israel to remove 22 illegal settlement outposts 12:49 Israel: Arrest Hezbollah chief over Hariri assassination 07:22 ANALYSIS / How will 'revelation' on Hariri impact Lebanon vote? 10:55 Court: No crime to shout 'Heil Sharon' while giving Nazi salute 12:25 WHO: Life expectancy in Israel among highest in the world 09:48 Hamas claiming IDF troops were 'cowards' during Gaza war 11:40 Arabs like Obama but are still suspicious of U.S. 20:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 10:28 U.S. arms firms jockey to sell advanced fighter jets to Israel 13:28 18 U.S. soldiers in Kuwait contract swine flu 13:22 Iran blocks Facebook due to presidential campaigning 09:38 Russia FM favors maintaining contacts with Hamas Previous Editions Select Day 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 17 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may 10 may

Special Offers Advertisement hotel Jerusalem David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels. ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Camp Kimama Israel 2009 The best place for your children this summer Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |

| Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel

| Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved