Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., January 28, 2009 Shvat 3, 5769 | | Israel Time: 14:25 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Bush should stay home
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: Palestinians, Akiva Eldar 

Click here for more articles by Akiva Eldar

If George Bush were a true friend of Israel, he would seize the investigation against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as an excuse to stay home tomorrow. Unless he has a rabbit in his hat, this will be the third time in the past half year that the U.S. president shows the Palestinians and the entire Arab world that they are wasting their time by trying to end the occupation by peaceful means. Not only have matters not improved since he troubled dozens of leaders from around the world to come to Annapolis in late November, 2007; since then, the occupation has been progressing, while the vision of two states has been receding. The number of new buildings erected in the settlements in the last few months rivals only the number of roadblocks that have been added since Bush last visited Jerusalem, in January.

Bush is an accomplice to an offense far worse than all of the criminal offenses of which Olmert is suspected combined. Every speech made by the president is one more bit of exposure of the nakedness of the Palestinian circles who tied their collective fate to the Annapolis declaration, which pledged to "make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008." In light of the stasis in the negotiations, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) seems likely to resign even before Olmert does.
Advertisement
The failed gamble of the United States also undermines the standing of leaders in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Every fruitless visit by Bush to Israeli Jerusalem pushes the Arab League further and further away from its own peace initiative of March 2002, and provides more ammunition to Iran and Syria in their struggle for hegemony in the Middle East, over and above the moderate Sunni axis. Gaza and Lebanon are just the beginning.

If Bush cared about Israel remaining a Jewish country, he would not have let Abbas leave the White House last month bruised and battered. The Palestinian president told him that when the Palestinian delegates to the talks saw the Israeli positions, they thought Olmert and Tzipi Livni were playing a joke on them. In addition to all of the "settlement clusters," including, of course, the territorial "fingers" of Ariel, Ma'aleh Adumin and Givat Ze'ev, the Israelis demanded to remain in control of the entire Jordan Valley, almost to the outskirts of Nablus, while leaving intact all of the Jewish settlements in that area - all in all, some 600 square kilometers, amounting to about 10 percent of the territories. Israel also demanded that all of Jerusalem, including the Holy Basin surrounding the Old City and the Old City itself, would remain under Israeli sovereignty; Palestine would be given control only over the Temple Mount, which is held by the Muslim Waqf authorities in any case; not a single refugee would be allowed back under a Palestinian right of return, and Israel would not acknowledge any responsibility for the fate of the 1948 refugees.

Either Bush does not understand or he does not care what will happen here in the coming months if someone does not succeed in bringing the negotiations back to the Clinton-Taba outline. Abu Mazen's close circle is pushing him to end the talks and abandon the two-state solution. Moreover, he is being urged to dissolve the Palestinian Authority immediately, which would wipe what remains of the Oslo makeup off Israel's face. At the last convention of the PLO's executive committee and in a meeting with reporters, Abu Mazen handed out copies of an article by Adnan Abu Ouda, born in Nablus and formerly a minister in the Jordanian government, calling for the unilateral dismantling of the Palestinian Authority.

A paper recently released by the Reut Institute, in Tel Aviv, presents a compilation of evidence that the foundations are being laid for a Palestinian demand for a single state and for a return to the armed struggle against Israel. The paper also suggests that even among the leaders of Israel's Arab population, there is dwindling support for the two-state solution and a turn instead toward embracing the idea of a bi-national state.

"I am willing to make decisions that will entail painful compromises," Olmert declared at a state dinner for Bush in January, adding, "We have no interest in delaying matters. We don't want to procrastinate with the negotiations, lest changes for the worse take place on the Palestinian front. And we certainly don't want to delay the negotiation process when we have such political assistance [from the U.S.]."

What kind of assistance did he mean? Speaking of the Jewish outposts at the time, Bush announced decisively: "they ought to go .... we've been talking about it for four years. The agreement was, get rid of outposts, illegal outposts, and they ought to go."

What will the president say tomorrow?
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Holocaust remembrance
Host of UN Holocaust memorial skips event after U.S. Jews threaten walk-out.
Obama on Arab TV
WATCH: In interview with Al-Arabiya Obama urges Palestinians, Israel to talk.
  1.   How has Pal position on refugees,Jerusalem and borders changed? 04:08  |  Sam 12/05/08
  2.   ADVICE FOR ABU QUISLING ABBAS 06:22  |  Arik Silverman 12/05/08
  3.   #1, Sam 09:33  |  Fritz 12/05/08
  4.   Fritz, how about reality? 09:52  |  Jordan 12/05/08
  5.   #1 Gosh, Sam, what a question! 09:54  |  Johnboy 12/05/08
  6.   sam PLO accepted robbery 09:57  |  Truth 12/05/08
  7.   Bush should face the music 09:58  |  Natallie Durson 12/05/08
  8.   Bush & McCain projecting image of continuity 10:01  |  Rowan 12/05/08
  9.   Agreed, The US Should Abandon Israel Completely 10:03  |  Mr. Know-It-All 12/05/08
  10.   So it goes... 10:42  |  Esther 12/05/08
  11.   Palestinians should abadon talk and sue for one state 10:48  |  El-Birawi 12/05/08
  12.   #9 Mr Know-it-All 10:56  |  Rozz 12/05/08
  13.   #4, Jordan - On Realities 11:10  |  Fritz 12/05/08
  14.   israel in stuff spot 11:11  |  jake 12/05/08
  15.   finally 11:15  |  paul 12/05/08
  16.   Why Blame Bush? 11:31  |  Tzfonit 12/05/08
  17.   akiva - where were u when arafat said no? 11:56  |  Dr Eric 12/05/08
  18.   Fritz 11:58  |  Sam 12/05/08
  19.   Dear Esther - Yosh is Israeli territory!!! 12:02  |  Dr Eric 12/05/08
  20.   Dear natalie - Israel wants peace!! 12:08  |  Dr eric 12/05/08
  21.   to truth #6 = zero truth 12:18  |  Dr Eric 12/05/08
  22.   Akiva Eldar Believes in Canoeing over Lava ! Leftist What Else? 12:23  |  Joseph . E 12/05/08
  23.   to#6 Truth, I hope you will soon return all.... 12:38  |  maurice 12/05/08
  24.   Arafat and PLO accepted Israel with open borders 12:48  |  El-Birawi 12/05/08
  25.   # 5 Johnboy 12:51  |  17 12/05/08
  26.   NOBODY WANT TO TALK TO BUSH NO MORE AT HOME, AKIVA 12:51  |  indrajaya 12/05/08
  27.   #5 in Sydney 13:12  |  Hilda 12/05/08
  28.   Where is Israel? 13:28  |  Marilyn 12/05/08
  29.   Sorry this is the Hopeless Room,Concilliation is down the hall 13:48  |  Ronnie Wolman 12/05/08
  30.   Iran holds the (atomic) keys to the future 13:49  |  Chanalau, Tova 12/05/08
  31.   My name is (Jewish) Israel, and I still haven`t understood...... 14:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/05/08
  32.   to Tzfonit #16 14:10  |  zeev 12/05/08
  33.   great idea - mr palestine should stay home 14:32  |  augustine e johnson 12/05/08
  34.   Finger licking good. 14:37  |  Baz Mann 12/05/08
  35.   Zeev Re Tzfonit 15:02  |  ...G1 12/05/08
  36.   #9 Mr Know It All in"frost-bite-falls" 15:29  |  John Allen 12/05/08
  37.   Bush? oh my.... 15:31  |  Marzia 12/05/08
  38.   Too all the anitsemites responding to Haaretz 15:43  |  John Allen 12/05/08
  39.   Bush should stay home 15:52  |  Brod 12/05/08
  40.   #9 Multiculturalism...... 15:57  |  John Allen 12/05/08
  41.   to John Allen 16:02  |  Marzia 12/05/08
  42.   A bi-national state? 17:05  |  sandra chitayat 12/05/08
  43.   To Marilyn from Australia, #28. 17:13  |  sandra chitayat 12/05/08
  44.   to Fritz -- again, how about reality? 17:20  |  Jordan 12/05/08
  45.   SOLUTION: GAZA AS A NEW DUBAI; PARTS OF W/B LINKED TO JORDAN 17:28  |  G. Marcus 12/05/08
  46.   to G1 #35 17:51  |  zeev 12/05/08
  47.   #27 Hilda 17:52  |  Janice 12/05/08
  48.   Bush has pre-senile dementia, like most of Israel`s allies 18:18  |  Palestinian in UK 12/05/08
  49.   to Jordan #44 - let us talk reality 18:28  |  zeev 12/05/08
  50.   Neville "Eldar" Chamberlain 18:30  |  Ed Sacks 12/05/08
  51.   they can want whatever they think is do to them 18:32  |  vladimir 12/05/08
  52.   bush should stay home 18:39  |  David Beneli 12/05/08
  53.   Palestinian in UK 18:39  |  17 12/05/08
  54.   Ed Sacks #50 18:42  |  Brod 12/05/08
  55.   truth, why pals do not accept that they wanted 18:46  |  vladimir 12/05/08
  56.   Dear Zev - Is there a price to starting a war and losing it?? 19:04  |  dr eric 12/05/08
  57.   The Problem With Anapolis, Camp David, Oslo, etc. 19:13  |  MIKE 12/05/08
  58.   To David Beneli #52 - Thank you for Oslo!!! 19:14  |  Dr Eric 12/05/08
  59.   AKIVA ELDAR SHOULD STAY HOME, IN GAZA 19:18  |  Jorge 12/05/08
  60.   to sandra chitayat #43 19:20  |  zeev 12/05/08
  61.   to david beneli #52 continued 19:24  |  Dr eric 12/05/08
  62.   @ 52: `Dr` Eric: LOL 19:50  |  Palestinian in UK 12/05/08
  63.   @24, el biravi, agree with you. 20:03  |  vladimir 12/05/08
  64.   Peace Plan (Bush won`t get there) 20:20  |  Ibrahim 12/05/08
  65.   to Dr. Eric #56 20:24  |  zeev 12/05/08
  66.   You are wrong Arik Silerman #2 20:24  |  bbl 12/05/08
  67.   Think of the advantages of a binational state 20:26  |  Aphemia 12/05/08
  68.   DR Eric have reason "Akiva all is false from u" 20:32  |  darmon 12/05/08
  69.   myth of "occupation" 20:35  |  Avram 12/05/08
  70.   to Dr Eric #58 20:39  |  zeev 12/05/08
  71.   Aphemia "Think of the advantages of a binational state" 20:45  |  17 12/05/08
  72.   GWB and "I have a dream".! 20:47  |  Stephen. 12/05/08
  73.   #39 Brod, are you American or Israeli ? 20:55  |  American 12/05/08
  74.   #68 Avram, you are talking like Uebermensch 20:59  |  American 12/05/08
  75.   Bush - The" Mark" 21:00  |  Outraged Goy 12/05/08
  76.   Bi-nationalism back on the agenda? 21:02  |  Judah P. Magnes 12/05/08
  77.   to Dr Eric #58 - and something else 21:09  |  zeev 12/05/08
  78.   nothing will happen... 21:14  |  ravi 12/05/08
  79.   Avram, grow up and stop the incitement. 21:15  |  Ibrahim 12/05/08
  80.   20... dr eric... 21:20  |  ravi 12/05/08
  81.   Outrageous "Outraged Goy" - indeed 21:28  |  outraged shiksa 12/05/08
  82.   Israel was a true friend of America 22:34  |  W 12/05/08
  83.   zeev @46 22:42  |  ...G1 12/05/08
  84.   Ibrahim 23:10  |  Avram 12/05/08
  85.   A cruel and meaningless fraud 00:00  |  Gray 13/05/08
  86.   Dr. Eric, I agree... 00:02  |  Gray 13/05/08
  87.   Akiva, add to this diabolic situation 00:17  |  Dutch 13/05/08
  88.   Please, Dr. Eric, I agree... w/ #61 00:24  |  Gray 13/05/08
  89.   to 17 Disadvantages, hmm yes 00:35  |  Aphemia 13/05/08
  90.   It will just be more of the same Durson 01:05  |  Max 13/05/08
  91.   It;s the same article with the same arguments recycled for every 01:36  |  Sima 13/05/08
  92.   Frankly I wish we had half the advantages of our Arab neighbours. 01:54  |  Chaim 13/05/08
  93.   Lookout Crawford - here he comes! 02:48  |  tadchase 13/05/08
  94.   true friends tell the truth 03:10  |  ruiz 13/05/08
  95.   John Allen #40 05:26  |  Veritas 13/05/08
  96.   Avram and Ibrahim... 05:30  |  mikeber 13/05/08
  97.   Whatever happened to the Geneva Accord? Majority of Israelis and 06:08  |  Smadar 13/05/08
  98.   When exactly did Palestinians try to solve things peacefully? 07:30  |  McQueen 13/05/08
  99.   When exactly did Palestinians try to solve things peacefully? 07:30  |  McQueen 13/05/08
  100.   Who wrote this crap for you, Akiva? Bogus Egyptian cab driver? 07:32  |  McQueen 13/05/08
  101.   #5 johnboy - the Aboriginals WANT their OCCUPIED LAND back 07:43  |  CK Tan 13/05/08
  102.   #5 johnboy - the Aboriginals WANT their OCCUPIED LAND back 07:45  |  CK Tan 13/05/08
  103.   #28 marilyn`s MORONIC LIES and CONTRADICTION re UN res 08:20  |  CK Tan 13/05/08
  104.   #28 marilyn`s MORONIC LIES and CONTRADICTION re UN res 08:21  |  CK Tan 13/05/08
  105.   #87 demented dutch`s STUPIDTY EXPOSED by arafat, hamas and abbas 08:28  |  CK Tan 13/05/08
  106.   Dear Chaim, Thieves & murderers don`t deserve to live in peace 08:49  |  Dutch 13/05/08
  107.   more propaganda from eldar 10:13  |  sean 13/05/08
  108.   Three Cheers for the One-State Solution! 10:43  |  Dude 13/05/08
  109.   to Chaim #92 12:39  |  zeev 13/05/08
  110.   #102 CK Tan comes back for more...... 15:19  |  Johnboy 13/05/08
  111.   To John Allen Antipodes, #49 17:44  |  Amoz 13/05/08
  112.   #110 johnboy STRIKES his HEAD - ECHOES galore! 06:09  |  CK Tan 16/05/08
  113.   #110 johnboy STRIKES his HEAD - ECHOES galore! 06:13  |  CK Tan 16/05/08
  114.   this is by far the dumbest thing ever written by a jew 14:42  |  Ben S. 16/05/08
 Read & React
IAF strikes Hamas tunnels in response to Gaza border blast
Responses: 45
Editorial: Obama must let Israeli voters know he won't allow settlement building
Responses: 18
Iran arms ship released by U.S. Navy now 'sailing to Syria'
Responses: 49
Eyal Benvenisti: Independent probe of alleged Gaza war crimes needed now
Responses: 10
Hamas captives tell Shin Bet: We used Gaza mosques to hide arms, for training
Responses: 25


More Headlines
14:06 Israel expels Venezuela embassy staff, cuts ties with Caracas
14:07 Obama envoy tells Mubarak: Extending Gaza truce is 'critical'
14:23 Rightists in Israel predict dismal fate for Obama envoy's efforts
10:48 Gaza rocket hits Negev; IAF strikes Hamas tunnels after soldier killed
10:05 Top UN official blasts Hamas for 'cynical' use of civilian facilities
09:43 ANALYSIS / Border blast demands strong - but not excessive - Israeli response
13:19 Pope reaffirms 'solidarity' with Jews amid row over bishop who denied Holocaust
13:55 Report: IDF probing racist graffiti left by soldiers in Gaza
12:15 Hamas captives tell Shin Bet: We used Gaza mosques to hide arms, for training
12:15 Who puts up a mezuzah in space? A Jewish astronaut
10:46 Iran arms ship released by U.S. Navy now 'sailing to Syria'
13:41 Palestinians back to work on tunnels after IAF bombing
11:30 Ahmadinejad: Obama must apologize to Iran if he really wants change
13:04 IDF censures officer for distributing incendiary religious pamphlets to troops
10:57 Peace Now: Israel settlement building accelerated in 2008
10:20 Top IDF reserve officer: Israel passed up 'historic opportunity' in Gaza
07:29 For some young visitors, Holocaust exhibit on righteous Muslims calls up thoughts of Gaza
01:44 Family keeps name private of IDF tracker slain on Gaza border
00:38 Europe suggests joint PA and Israel transport office
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Summer in Israel
Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
Blue And White Forever Israel Army T-shirts
Wear with Proud Donate the Soldiers Kit
You can make a direct IMPACT!
on the life of an Israeli soldier
State of Israel Bonds
During this time of market volatility, Israel bonds can help.
SURF RAMBAM
Keep current about new-wave medical care, education and research.
Camp Kimama Israel 2009
The best place for your children this summer
Fattal Hotel Chain
Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
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 |
| 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