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Last update - 13:11 25/02/2008
Jews who are a danger to Zionism
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: U.S. elections, Barack Obama 

To the eternal question as to which U.S. presidential candidate is better for the Jews, there is a Jewish answer. In other words, a question. Two questions actually. The first: "What's good for the Jews?" and the second: "For which Jews?"

For example, this weekend the New York Times reported that at next month's Arab League conference in Damascus, the offer of Arab normalization with Israel in exchange for an end to the occupation will be reevaluated. Is this a good or a bad thing? It depends which Jews you ask.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says that the most important and urgent issue for Jews is the establishment of a Palestinian state over most of the territories. He argues that if we do not find a way to divide the land into two states, as soon as possible, it will become a binational state. In other words, according to Olmert, an American president who is opposed to a final settlement agreement with the Palestinians is a threat to Zionism.
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On the other hand, Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu claims that a president who pushes for a Palestinian state is supporting the creation of a "terrorist entity" that would threaten the existence of the Jewish state. Netanyahu feels at home with American politicians from the camp of evangelist Pat Robertson, who said on a television program a few hours after Ariel Sharon collapsed, that this was Sharon's punishment for "dividing the holy land which belongs to God."

Olmert has come to be the senior representative of the viewpoint that the settlements are an obstacle to the future success of Zionism. As such, President Bush Sr. was better for the Jews than his son, the incumbent. The father withheld U.S. loan guarantees for immigrant absorption as punishment for prime minister Yitzhak Shamir's refusal to freeze settlement activity during peace negotiations. On the other hand, Bush Jr. is making do with recycled Olmert promises to respect the commitments of his predecessor, Sharon, and to remove the illegal outposts.

Notwithstanding Bush's vision of two states from June 2002 and his April 2004 letter to Sharon, which never got off the paper, these documents have great significance. They sealed the debate among the mainstream in the U.S. as to the preferable solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The principles guiding Bush are not substantively different from the formula his predecessor, Bill Clinton, laid out toward the end of his term.

Between the carefully crafted statements of the three presidential candidates it is possible to discern that Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain also lack a more successful solution than the establishment of two states along the 1967 borders, with agreed changes to their precise location, and a fair and realistic solution to the refugee problem.

Commitment to Israel's security has remained the litmus test for the title "friend of Israel." The Arabists in the American establishment, those who doubted Israel's right to exist securely, threw in the towel a long time ago. The three candidates surrounded themselves with advisers who consider peace with the Arabs to be the key to safeguarding Israel's security. They believe that resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict will bolster the pragmatists among the Arabs in their struggle with extremist Islam.

According to the current Israeli government, the title "friend of Israel" is reserved for an American president who will not make do with paying lip service to a "political horizon" and who will place the Zionist challenge of two states at the top of his daily agenda.

However, according to the Jewish establishment, the element that liaises between Israel and the decision makers in the U.S., a "friend of Israel" is an American who allows Israelis and Arabs to spill their blood on the way to a solution of one state or apartheid rule. People, for example, like the evangelist Gary Bauer, who ran eight years ago in the Republican primaries.

The powerful pro-Israeli lobby, AIPAC, does not really bother to rally in favor of a two-state solution. AIPAC invited Bauer to speak during one of its annual conferences. The guest of honor reminded the applauding audience, "God granted the Land of Israel to the Jewish people and there is an absolute ban on giving it away to another people."

Bauer is considered by Jewish politicos (who, according to polls, are far from representative of the majority in the Jewish community) to be a "friend of Israel." On the other hand, Obama lost his title in their eyes because Robert Malley, who was one of President Clinton's advisers on the Middle East and dedicated to promoting peace - was seen at his campaign headquarters.

The prime minister has said that without a two-state solution, "Israel is finished." Jewish organizations say that they support the government of Israel, whatever its policy may be. So, who is a good Jew? The person who supports the candidate who calls for a Palestinian state, or the one who voted for the one who is opposed to it?
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  1.   ZIONISM`S DEAD,JEWS ARE FOREVER!RETAKE GAZA BEFORE OBAMA`S PRESI 10:47  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 25/02/08
  2.   the saolution alreday exists its called jordan the arab palestine 10:51  |  v hardman 25/02/08
  3.   binational state will never happen 11:00  |  Dror 25/02/08
  4.   SAY "NO" TO PALESTATE,RETAKE GAZA, W.BANK,RESETTLE ALL ARABS)))) 11:02  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 25/02/08
  5.   Are all JEWS Zoinists? 11:19  |  pal 25/02/08
  6.   Racist Zionists ARE the prime enemies to Jews 12:16  |  Haim 25/02/08
  7.   #5 Pal: G-D fearing anti-zionist Jews 12:30  |  AliciaYasmeen 25/02/08
  8.   AIPAC REpresents The Worst Of American Jewry 12:39  |  Moshe 25/02/08
  9.   Olmert is a sign of decay of the country 12:40  |  Ilan 25/02/08
  10.   really doesn`t matter cause The Arabs will never offer true peace 12:50  |  Malley Watch 25/02/08
  11.   Akiva only cares whats good for the arabs!!! 13:10  |  Lisa 25/02/08
  12.   More self delusional tales from Eldar the Uberleftist 13:16  |  naomi 25/02/08
  13.   Aipac does all it can to help Israel!! 13:16  |  Simon 25/02/08
  14.   The Arabs have never accepted the right of any non-Muslim and/or 13:20  |  Avihu 25/02/08
  15.   And guess which candidate got the endorsement of Gary Bauer...??? 13:45  |  Swiss (Dino) 25/02/08
  16.   leftist is a point of view 14:17  |  A.M. 25/02/08
  17.   The powerful ant-Israeli lobby, AkivaEldar 14:44  |  Herbert Kaine 25/02/08
  18.   The powerful ant-Israeli lobby, AkivaEldar 14:44  |  Herbert Kaine 25/02/08
  19.   Israel is missing some Jewish sechel (brains) 15:15  |  Sam 25/02/08
  20.   And What Basis Are We To Believe Olmert Is Any Different from Net 15:28  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/02/08
  21.   one state 15:29  |  David 25/02/08
  22.   No, Herbie Kaqine, you got that wrong 15:36  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/02/08
  23.   Alicia Yasmeen 15:47  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/02/08
  24.   Indeed, Avihu # 14, the essence of the Arab Israel conflict is 15:50  |  Nahum 25/02/08
  25.   #19 Sam; it is intimidation tactics, nothing else! 15:51  |  AliciaYasmeen 25/02/08
  26.   Most Jews know the "two state" solution is the Final Solution. 15:51  |  Chaim 25/02/08
  27.   Malley Watch Is Runnig Scared 15:54  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/02/08
  28.   "simplistic people on the right" 15:56  |  Larry Levine 25/02/08
  29.   "simplistic people on the right" 15:58  |  Larry Levine 25/02/08
  30.   Lets be Honest Here 16:20  |  Yosemite 25/02/08
  31.   VOICE of MOSHIACH)) STOP BLUBBERING 16:22  |  VOICE of MATZOBALL)) 25/02/08
  32.   zionism and judaism r ideologies. 16:28  |  triska 25/02/08
  33.   to Sam #19 16:52  |  zeev 25/02/08
  34.   Don`t Worry Naomi, no one is listening 16:55  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/02/08
  35.   What is Slowman doing in the supermarket? 17:05  |  Akiva Eldar 25/02/08
  36.   A. Eldar, A Jew who is a disgrace to everybody 17:27  |  Bob 25/02/08
  37.   Would Anyone Hand Over A Tishoo to Akiva Eldar . 17:35  |  Joseph . E 25/02/08
  38.   #16 & #17 Herbie from Hebron 17:55  |  Smadar 25/02/08
  39.   Jews Who Are a Danger to Zionism 17:57  |  Jose` 25/02/08
  40.   A Simple Question or Catch-22? 18:06  |  Knott 25/02/08
  41.   Wisdom for Slowman the lazy bum 18:09  |  Akiva Eldar 25/02/08
  42.   2 states exist, Israel and Jordan Palestine 18:14  |  David 25/02/08
  43.   4 Peace help Palestinians return home 2 Egypt 18:16  |  sam 25/02/08
  44.   AIPAC is for a one state solution 18:23  |  Mark Lincoln 25/02/08
  45.   AIPACK is not stupid . 18:53  |  TOMY 25/02/08
  46.   Jews -Danger to Zionism 18:53  |  iletzter 25/02/08
  47.   Eldar/Hass/Olmert/Livni are Jews who are a danger to Zionism 19:39  |  smarter then olmert 25/02/08
  48.   Israel is finished either way: Zionism is untenable in long run 20:23  |  peacelover 25/02/08
  49.   Peace with the Arabs. 20:28  |  Jean Van Daem 25/02/08
  50.   What AIPAC is really about 21:09  |  Danite 25/02/08
  51.   Friends of MONEY 21:16  |  Reisz 25/02/08
  52.   Eldar - Not An Intellectually Honest Bone In His Body 21:29  |  Tod Zuckerman 25/02/08
  53.   The Arabs big Goebbelesqe lie about a separate Palestinian state 21:50  |  Anthony Fallon 25/02/08
  54.   Hello Akiva , AIPAC is a disgrace ... 21:53  |  Dutch 25/02/08
  55.   Akiva, Pay litttle attention to the trashy responses today 22:05  |  Dutch 25/02/08
  56.   Peace is fatal for American Zionists 22:12  |  El-Birawi 25/02/08
  57.   Eldar`s ignorance of AIPAC 22:17  |  Slibovitz 25/02/08
  58.   re #2 `the saolution alreday exists its called jordan the arab pa 22:37  |  Colin Wright 25/02/08
  59.   #2 "The solution is called" 22:37  |  Maureen Ann 25/02/08
  60.   to Sam #19 23:20  |  zeev 25/02/08
  61.   to Anthony Fallon #24 - Israel is doomed 23:33  |  zeev 25/02/08
  62.   Settlements negate Zionism... 00:02  |  Esther 26/02/08
  63.   Zeev 00:08  |  Sam 26/02/08
  64.   #29 mr wright gets it wrong as usual 00:15  |  v hardman 26/02/08
  65.   #32 esther negates common sense with her posts 00:44  |  v hardman 26/02/08
  66.   Old shmatta Eldar hardly gets a response 01:08  |  Maya 26/02/08
  67.   Jews who are a danger to Zionism 01:09  |  Sarah Lascar 26/02/08
  68.   LOST SUPPORters 01:28  |  TOBIA 26/02/08
  69.   I`m voting Obama. 01:28  |  akiva (zionist) 26/02/08
  70.   THANK ZIONISM 02:12  |  TOBIA 26/02/08
  71.   #31 You dont want us to solve it, yet u ask us that all the time 02:17  |  smarter then olmert 26/02/08
  72.   EL-Braun 02:17  |  Tobia 26/02/08
  73.   #32 Esther. How Orwellian! Jews settling in Israel negates Zionis 02:56  |  Chaim 26/02/08
  74.   If there were peace, what would happen to AIPAC 03:13  |  Mark Lincoln 26/02/08
  75.   to Sam #33 03:36  |  zeev 26/02/08
  76.   to Anthony Fallon #24 03:40  |  zeev 26/02/08
  77.   zeev-The territories will continue to be the territories 04:07  |  Sam 26/02/08
  78.   to smarter then olmert #42 04:27  |  zeev 26/02/08
  79.   Arabs Accept Two States as long as Neither has Jews in it 04:36  |  Efox 26/02/08
  80.   re: Maureen Ann 04:42  |  Efox 26/02/08
  81.   to Sam #48 04:48  |  zeev 26/02/08
  82.   TO ZEV - Demographics is on Israel`s side!! 06:31  |  Dr Eric 26/02/08
  83.   Palestinian state 06:33  |  Bruce 26/02/08
  84.   Gaza is Egypts problem 06:34  |  Dr Eric 26/02/08
  85.   WE MUST CALCULATE DEMOGRAPHICS with the GAZA out of the Equation! 06:38  |  Dr Eric 26/02/08
  86.   3-State Solution 06:46  |  US CITIZEN 26/02/08
  87.   The Land of Israel is ours by Historical and Moral right. 10:10  |  Jean Van Daem 26/02/08
  88.   I agree wholeheartedly... 12:26  |  Michal 26/02/08
  89.   to US CITIZEN #86 13:35  |  zeev 26/02/08
  90.   to Jean Van Daem #87 18:04  |  zeev 26/02/08
  91.   #20, 22, 23 The Sullivan Watch Continues... 22:42  |  smarter then sully 26/02/08
  92.   #59 Maureen Ann 00:04  |  Jane 27/02/08
  93.   The best solution: One State, 2 Autonomus Regions 01:17  |  Yonah Barbosa 27/02/08
  94.   Guess what: Obama is a better Jew than Netanyahu!! 05:46  |  Jozef 27/02/08
  95.   Zionism is a danger to Jews 07:34  |  L A 27/02/08
  96.   to L A #95 - I beg to differ 16:40  |  zeev 27/02/08
  97.   jews and good jews 05:27  |  home 28/02/08
  98.   Painful irony is palpable 06:56  |  James 28/02/08
  99.   After all is said and done: Only a One State Solution is Viable 11:23  |  Dave Newman 28/02/08
  100.   Native Americans 01:30  |  sitting bull 29/02/08
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