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Last update - 14:43 11/10/2009
Obama has betrayed mission to forge Mideast peace
By Gideon Levy, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Goldstone Gaza Report 

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    Oslo decided to change its ways and begin giving out deferred Nobel Prizes: Win now, pay tomorrow. There's no other way to explain the bewildering, not to say bizarre, decision to grant the Nobel Prize for Peace to Barack Obama. Just like the reserved, esteemed Norwegians on the prize committee, we here, sweating and bleeding, were overjoyed with Barack Obama's election as U.S. president - black, eloquent, enchanting, striking and promising. Many an eye welled with tears, from Jerusalem to Rafah, at his unforgettable inauguration address, and even as late as his Cairo speech we still clung to his beautiful words.
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    We here in the Middle East could not help but be impressed by the new spirit he ushered in. Negotiations with Iran, a handshake with Hugo Chavez, openness toward Cuba, tolerance toward North Korea and the cancellation of the missile shield in Eastern Europe. A new dawn broke after years of darkness under his predecessor, for whom the Apaches did the talking and who primitively divided the world into good guys and bad guys with his imbecilic invasion of Iraq and hopeless occupation of Afghanistan. America became less hated in the world.

    If the Norwegians wanted to reward a promise, Obama has earned his Nobel. If they wanted to reward a change in the language America speaks to the world, he is the honorary laureate. If they wanted to reward his intentions, that would be fine, too. He might even deserve a prize for promoting peace, but only pending the fine print on his diploma, which will run: Anywhere but the Middle East. For the information of the esteemed committee members: Obama is not a complete package. So far he has betrayed his mission in the one region most threatening to world peace.


    There has been no "change" and no "yes we can." There has only been profoundly depressing treading in his predecessor's footsteps. The same methods, the same foot-dragging, the same trudging through the same mire. Can you believe, when you see George Mitchell doing the rounds between President Shimon Peres' empty words and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' vacuous statements, that Mitchell is the envoy of a Nobel Prize laureate? Obama might deserve the Nobel Prize for Literature, like Winston Churchill for his books, but as far as actions are concerned, at least in this part of the world, he deserves at most a conditional award, an IOU. At this point in his term, Obama resembles only one other Nobel Peace Prize winner - the Dalai Lama, zooming around the world and smiling beatifically.

    Let these reservations not be seen as evidence of provincialism, because it's as simple as this: A president of the world who has not done enough to achieve peace here is not worthy of the Oslo crown. What has the new Nobel laureate done so far in our region? Mitchell Shmitchell, a bitter and lost struggle over settlement expansion, a bizarre struggle against the Goldstone report, a disgraceful silence about the Gaza siege, and the ultimate proof that there's nothing new under the Middle Eastern sun. It's not Obama who "can," it's Israel. Israel can twist the arms of any president. You don't want to freeze the settlements? Okay, never mind. You don't want to take responsibility for the crimes in Gaza? Okay, never mind. You don't want to end the occupation? Okay, never mind. This is not the conduct of a Nobel laureate and president.

    A consolation prize: Perhaps the Nobel will serve as a catalyst, a kind of alarm clock ringing to wake the laureate in the final minute. Unlike in Afghanistan and Iraq, in this region he will not need to shed American blood to secure peace. It's enough to show political determination, apply pressure and use Israel's isolation and dependency for the cause of peace. Israel needs a friend to save it from itself.

    Obama now needs to choose whether to join the laureates-in-vain - from Henry Kissinger to Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat - or join the great ones, like Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Aung San Suu Kyi and Mother Teresa. It's true, no one has ever won the prize twice (except the International Committee of the Red Cross), but no one has won it on a down payment, either. If Obama brings peace to the Middle East, perhaps Oslo will change its ways once more and grant him the Nobel again - once as a down payment, once by right. Congratulations, Mr. President, now it's time to settle your debt.


    Related articles:
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  • Obama Nobel win still can't light Mideast peace spark
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      1.   Patience, Mr. Levy 04:48  |  Tug 11/10/09
      2.   But Israel spits on everyone 04:55  |  Marilyn 11/10/09
      3.   Excellent Article - The Definitive Guide on Hyprocrisy! 05:38  |  Siegfried Sassoon 11/10/09
      4.   Excellent Article - The Definitive Guide on Hypocrisy! 05:42  |  Siegfried Sassoon 11/10/09
      5.   A little more patience please Gideon... 05:47  |  BBSNews 11/10/09
      6.   Mr. Levy, please help ! 05:57  |  Peleg 11/10/09
      7.   Again, GL lost a great opportunity to shut his big mouth up. 06:36  |  yid 11/10/09
      8.   Since good intentions qualify - 07:02  |  English Resident 11/10/09
      9.   vision precedes action, Gideon sees only himself 07:04  |  peter rouget 11/10/09
      10.   real question is why was Israel so determined to keep building 07:06  |  Bloodyscot 11/10/09
      11.   vision precedes action, Gideon sees only himself 07:08  |  peter rouget 11/10/09
      12.   like the fat kid who got an A for Effort in PE 07:25  |  Tariq 11/10/09
      13.   I told you, damn it 07:44  |  As`ad - Angry Arab 11/10/09
      14.   Why can`t you wait? 07:46  |  Habib Siddiqui 11/10/09
      15.   Mr. Levy`s one sided analysis, as usual 07:58  |  avrum 11/10/09
      16.   Don`t count Obama out 08:09  |  Colin Wright 11/10/09
      17.   Good guys and the bad guys? 08:15  |  Nanushka 11/10/09
      18.   Gideon Levy has betrayed the principle of human rights 08:39  |  Joe Sittizen 11/10/09
      19.   FINALLY, I AGREE WITH GIDEON!!! 09:09  |  Jay A Friedman 11/10/09
      20.   Every single Gideon Levy article demonizes Israel. ALL OF THEM 09:11  |  Hung Well 11/10/09
      21.   mr. levy, the committee stated it was NOT for any deed; per se 09:21  |  eric 11/10/09
      22.   It`s irrelevant, the palestinians don`t want peace 09:31  |  steve 11/10/09
      23.   to mr.Levy 10:06  |  Cesare 11/10/09
      24.   Is this a Purim Spiel? 10:12  |  howiej 11/10/09
      25.   Obama should fight the good fight and throw some punches around.. 10:20  |  Dutch 11/10/09
      26.   Gideon Levy and Obama--Perfect Together 10:35  |  Ross Johnston 11/10/09
      27.   Igmore Nobel American Interests First 11:07  |  American in NY 11/10/09
      28.   I wouldn`t hope too much, #22 11:07  |  Linichka 11/10/09
      29.   Mr. Levy and Obama 11:41  |  Rafi Miller 11/10/09
      30.   Great words from a great writer. 11:50  |  Razi 11/10/09
      31.   "it`s time to settle your debt." 11:51  |  Justine Effort 11/10/09
      32.   Make that peace prize work 11:56  |  sh 11/10/09
      33.   No prize can stop Israel. 11:58  |  Petra 11/10/09
      34.   No Gideon, Obama needs more help from his friends abroad 11:59  |  Dutch 11/10/09
      35.   Hung Well, ( lol) 12:04  |  Petra 11/10/09
      36.   Funny enough, Mark Knopfler said it best. 12:05  |  Singer 11/10/09
      37.   Steve london HEAR HEAR!!! 12:09  |  Petra 11/10/09
      38.   Change takes time, but it occurs 12:09  |  roberto 11/10/09
      39.   If this proves anything... 12:20  |  Deep pessimist 11/10/09
      40.   but Mr Levy, it has just begun. 12:27  |  Roger Bannister 11/10/09
      41.   Gideon, don`t blame Obama, blame the "reactionary forces"..... 12:30  |  Swiss (Dino) 11/10/09
      42.   Re to #12 Angry Arab! 12:37  |  Michael Dar 11/10/09
      43.   They will read this in Washington 12:51  |  Lars Hansen 11/10/09
      44.   The Nobel prize for chronic Negativity goes to Gideon Levy 13:19  |  observant Jew 11/10/09
      45.   Excellent article Mr Levy 14:27  |  SRSabbah 11/10/09
      46.   Michael Dar 14:42  |  proud american 11/10/09
      47.   Cuts to the heart 14:55  |  VOICE OF AMERICA)) 11/10/09
      48.   Poor Petra-#35 15:19  |  Stephen 11/10/09
      49.   Israelis Don`t Get It: Obama Deserves It 15:41  |  Stephen 11/10/09
      50.   Caving in to Israel? 15:47  |  Anonymous 11/10/09
      51.   Blaming Obama not true & 2-state is not peace. 15:57  |  Akram Zekaria 11/10/09
      52.   ...and Levy whines and whines 16:25  |  Lynn 11/10/09
      53.   President of the world? 16:29  |  Lynn 11/10/09
      54.   Arranged Marriage 16:32  |  Bazmann 11/10/09
      55.   Obama needs to cut off all aid to Israel 16:33  |  Ray Gordon 11/10/09
      56.   salvation ... 16:33  |  Bob 11/10/09
      57.   levy 16:39  |  oz 11/10/09
      58.   Gideon Levy`s usual lucid analysis 16:43  |  Pierre Guerlain 11/10/09
      59.   obama 16:46  |  oz 11/10/09
      60.   obama 17:01  |  oz 11/10/09
      61.   dutch 17:07  |  the mirror 11/10/09
      62.   levy 17:14  |  doubter 11/10/09
      63.   Obama achieved peace between black and white people 17:59  |  Sarah Kingston 11/10/09
      64.   Bombing instead of negotiations 18:01  |  igco 11/10/09
      65.   Re to # 46 Proud American 18:11  |  Michael Dar 11/10/09
      66.   Jews are the only ones getting nothing out of Obama 18:23  |  Jehangir - Nebraska 11/10/09
      67.   a reason to give Obama the prize 18:41  |  Severino Melo 11/10/09
      68.   Joe Sittizen and human rights 18:54  |  Janice 11/10/09
      69.   President Obama and the Nobel Prize 19:15  |  lynn fux 11/10/09
      70.   Considering the record of some others . . . 19:36  |  Zev Davis 11/10/09
      71.   Hey Joe 20:06  |  jake 1948 11/10/09
      72.   gideon levy, are you for real? 20:39  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/10/09
      73.   Very disappointed at Obama`s soft spine ! 20:41  |  Obama voter 11/10/09
      74.   Time to go public on final status structure. 21:28  |  Stephen L 11/10/09
      75.   Stay your view, Levy 23:39  |  WHG 11/10/09
      76.   Peace delay will allow for completion of barrier 00:09  |  David 12/10/09
      77.   Obama 01:26  |  robinrichfield 12/10/09
      78.   Peace? Prize 05:34  |  eva 12/10/09
      79.   GL calls this an achievement 07:05  |  Lola 12/10/09
      80.   42, Michael Dar Re: Facts on the ground... 16:27  |  Dutch 12/10/09
      81.   Why is Mr Levy so bitter?? 03:09  |  Daniel 13/10/09
      82.   vicious slander against Israel 18:57  |  Justin White 13/10/09
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