Emanuel tells GA: Only dialogue can bring peace
By Natasha Mozgovaya and Sara Miller Tags: Israel news Jewish GA
WASHINGTON - Negotiations without preconditions are the way to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said at the United Jewish Communities annual conference on Tuesday.
"It is only through dialogue that we can achieve the lasting peace that Israel seeks," Emanuel told the UJC's General Assembly in Washington, D.C.
He called for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians to begin as soon as possible and without preconditions, and said negotiations must address permanent-status issues including borders, refugees and Jerusalem.
Emanuel also reiterated the U.S. position that Israel must halt construction in West Bank settlements. "No one should allow the issue of settlements to distract from the goal of a lasting peace between Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab world," he said.
Emanuel was speaking in place of U.S. President Barack Obama, who canceled his scheduled appearance so he could address the memorial service for 13 men and women who died during a shooting rampage on a U.S. Army post at Fort Hood, Texas, last week.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently said Israel was making "unprecedented" concessions on West Bank settlement construction, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered concessions - that Israel will build no new settlements, expropriate no land for existing ones and limit the number of permits for new housing construction - indicated he was willing to enter into peace talks without preconditions while the Palestinians were not.
The Obama administration has demanded that Israel halt all settlement construction before negotiations could resume.
Emanuel told the GA participants he strongly believed Netanyahu understood the importance of reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians. He also said Israel should not be the only side headed toward peace, and called the U.S.-Israel bond "unbreakable."
"Make no mistake, the path toward peace is not one that Israel should be asked to walk alone. That is why the U.S. will remain actively engaged, and Israel's one true friend. The Palestinians must come to the table, recognize Israel's right to exist and reject violence," he said. "As the president has said many times, as the president said in Cairo, the bond between the Israel and the U.S. is unbreakable. It's a bond rooted in shared interests and shared values."
'One of us'
For the first time since taking office, Emanuel, who was introduced to the predominantly Jewish audience as "one of us," also spoke about his personal connection with Israel. "My father is a Jewish Israeli," he said, adding that his parents taught him about the spirit of community.
The chief of staff also sought to assure the audience that the administration's efforts to engage the Muslim world do not come at the expense of U.S.-Israel ties. "There are some who suggest this implies a diminished level of support for Israel," said Emanuel. "That is not the intent and that is not the case, and never will be."
Obama's chief of staff also said the world was increasingly opposed to seeing Iran emerge as a nuclear power. "Today, thanks to the work of the president, there is strong and growing international consensus against a nuclear armed Iran," said Emanuel, adding that Israel has been "a beacon of democracy in a region too often defined by strife."
Iran, along with the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, was also on the agenda of Obama's Monday night meeting with Netanyahu, which Emanuel described as "very positive." Netanyahu addressed the GA on Monday
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1.THe PALS must ADMIT that they are "OCCUPYING" land given to the Jews by GOD --the Koran criticizes Jews for not following God's instructions,but to do that JEWS must possess their God-Given homeland...The only way out of this logic loop is for the Pals to ADMIT the Jews are right-Its really THEIR LAND. Otherwise the Pals are not following ALLAh's logic in the Koran. 2.Israel/Jews must ADMIT the PALS have a PLIGHT--they are "suffering" without governing their place of residence free of miltary interference by Israel ... 3. Solution: ISRAEL retains legal "possession" of the land the Pals live on (Israel is LANDLORD) and rents the Pals the territory for 1 shekel a year in perpetuity UNTIL GOD says otherwise...The PALS get to govern their territory as Hong Kong did for so many years until the lease expired. So: PEACE...Jewish history+"RIGHTS" are restored...PALS "PLIGHT" is FIXED ....both should be happy. Temple Mount+exact borders can be resolved after both admissions...
"My father is a Jewish Israeli," Rahm Emanuel. "Obviously, he will influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn't he? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to clean the floors of the White House." A verbatim quote from Benjamin Emanuel, Rahm Emanuel's father. How can there be objective dialogue, and negoation on the settlement issue, when they keep expanding, and the Obama administration is obviously biased towards one party, and is Israels one true friend?
Getting ready for additional confiscation of territory? PS. It seems to me that the adviser to the President cannot have a family living in Israel?
There is absolutely no reason/excuse for Israel not to stop all settlement expansion during the time of serious peace negotiations. If you are claiming that there should be no preconditions for peace talks, would it be okay for you, if the Palestinians would start again with attacks against Israeli civilians...??? Would you then insist in the same way that there should be no preconditions from Israel..??? Please, notice, Mr. Emanuel, the world is not only sick of Israel's games, the world is also sick of the White House/U.S. Congress games.... Basta, game over.
Shall we anyway, in despite of Shiv, do dialogue with the Palestinians? Obviously yes! If so, what did Shiv mean? That he's an idiot.
"Unbreakable " is a term often used in a marriage cermony also but what person today would stay in an abusive relation-ship? It's self destructive -like the US-Israeli relationship and many people want out. Israeli aggression against Palestinians and their homeland is no longer acceptable and that's across the board today too! So get along and comply with the law or get out!
hamas needs to develop such capabilities first.
Netanyahu has nothing but contempt for Emanuel and his boss. His boss showed in a tiny way his ability to respond. And then his boss prostituted himself again. If you have a nice guy skipper you get an attack doge XO. Obama is a nice guy, Emanuel is an attack dog. But Obama did not use his attack dog to attack. He made him the punctuation mark to Obamas obedience to Israel. Netanyahu loves it when a capon castrates his attack dog. But will EITHER America or Israel benefit from Netanyahu demanding America castrate itself? Only Netanyahu will, but that is his only allegiance. To himself, his cronies, and their enrichment. Obama has again failed to stand up for himself, or America. Netanyahu has stood up for himself, and to hell with Israel. Sic transit gloria mundi.
are not the only ones who murder. Bible thumping Christian young men and women are killing Muslims in the Middle East and Afghanistan. They are as much if not more capable of murder. Murder does not belong to one religion. Ft. Hood murders likely due to PTSD this young Doctor/Psychologist had inherited, due to his years of helping those who had been in trauma overseas. Due to our imperial war. The man flipped. He is human. He has emotions. It was wrong and very sad. I am very sorry for all the families and also for him and his family. Why identify him as "Muslim". Would we say "Catholic" or "Protestant" killer? This is what is happening overseas every single day. But we are buffered over here. We don't feel it. But now we are starting to see the awful results of WAR. God only knows why we went over there.
We live in a politically correct time. We live in a time where we feel for those who lost family in the holocaust. However, I must ask how does it help America become an honest broker vis-a-vis Palestinians if Rahm Emanuel's father was a right wing Israeli? How fair would he be to the Palestinians and just focused on the interestes of the Palestinians and Israelis? Of course, it's not about his religious background, but the political one. Imagine if instead of him there was Noam Chomsky who didn't think there should be an Israel. That wouldn't be good, either. Martin Indyk used to be in AIPAC and got place in government. It reinforces negative stereotypes about manipulation of power. And it makes it hard for the values of the American people to be represented when it comes to Israel. Americans in polls including most Jewish Americans want a different kind of policy that's fairer to the Pals. If Jonathon Ben Ami was there in power with Obama that might be okay.
Just because you state a statement that does not make it true. The Arabs want the Israel free of Jews because their religion dictates that once Muslim control a land that they own that land forever. Dilogue does not chance that. And that is only one example. Rahm Emanuel, you know nothing and speak often. You should shut up and stop pretending that you are intelligent.
If Israel wants to disrespect the US president and tax payer and continue breaking international laws and committing war crimes, let he sink or swim on her own. She talks like a big girl, let her take care of herself.
The problem is - we don't beleiev a word you are saying Rahm. We believe our eyes and our ears and what we see is an administraion totaly infatuated with itself and its love of Arabs and Muslims.And yes, it is at Israel's expence. Israel will be wise not to follow your empty words and to do what she thinks is right and safe for her ,not what you think is righr and safe for your beloved Arabs.
60 years of experience cannot be ignored. The Arabs don't want peace. They want war and death and destruction. Look at what their political and religious leaders say. Look at the vicious propaganda they spread all over the internet, including this very talkback. Rahm Emmanuel is merely parroting what his boss believes in, and what Jimmy Carter believed in: that through weakness and cheap talk the U.S. can achieve great foreign policy victories. Israel must ignore its false friends in the White House; it must remain strong and be prepared to defend itself in the only way that counts.
How can you expect to have a fair and honest atmosphere for negotiations while the Israelis are out building new settlements and confiscating more lands in the Palestinian territories? That is ridiculous and honestly Abbas should have demanded this long ago.
It is what Israel has been working towards for 60 years---it is about time they were awarded their just reward. Regards
The difference between settler-haredim & regular Israelis is not simply a matter of democratic opinion differences. Though they have the same religion ~in name~, the differences in depth of beliefs and priorities are such that they cannot move forward as one country. Common needs enabled them to create a state together, but that was 60 years ago - things have changed dramatically since then. Today the settler/haredim are in complete charge of power in Israel. And Obama's only choice will be to accept Salaam Fayad's final solution of unilateral declaration of Palestine.
Muslim
Emanuel says "The Palestinians must come to the table, recognize Israel's right to exist and reject violence," so is Israel held to the equivalent conditions? Does Israel recognize the right of Palestine to exist and does Israel reject violence? I don't see how it can satisfy either condition when its using its military occupation to gobble up more land.
bush beat obama to texas in the middle of the night to pay his respects..and all with no cameras! unlike barackio with his photo op at he returning soldiers caskets .. why was bush there ahead of your president? because he is a real man, of real morals, not some double talkin jive turkey. hussein obama can't even bring himself to admit the man was a MUSLIM terrorist!! and not some "man made disatster" that the white house marketing team has rebranded muslim terrorists...god you guys are pathetic following this weak useless president. wake up!
and it certainly was not Obama who is responsible for North Korea---unless you think someone who was at the time unborn is. "Is this the policy the USA is following in Afganistan,Iraq,and North Korea ,where there are over 450 thousand USA troops and a request for forty thousand more in Afganistan." joshua Do your parents know you are on the computer???.
He is sexy and full of charm and wit( Rahm ).
God help the USA. We need it.
What about Rahm Emanuel stipulating Israel must allow Palestinian proposed state to have full autonomy with air and sea sovereignty - equal rights with Israel? What about the Barack Obama/Rahm Emanuel administration start having dialogue with Hamas, or is the present American administration playing the same games as the previous Bush/Olmert governments?
His father was a member of Irgun, terorist group that bombed the King David hotel killing 91 people and they even attempted to blow up a bus carrying Arab civilians but the device failed to detonate.His father has also made degrading remarks about Arabs in the past, his hate for then is no secret. I hope that his fathers violent and hateful background doesnt have any influence on his role as Obama's chief of staff.
... you did him proud...
We all know that the United States, the first military power on the planet, and Israel, the fourth, are acting in concert to get Palestinians to negotiate with a PM who is still actively clawing, day by day, more of their land. Today Havat Ma'on fanatics started ploughing more of their Palestinian neighbours land as preparation for extending their illegal expropriations. In the meantime, hey, Rahm, great speech. Gee, Tony, impressive work. Nice rhetoric Obama. Tough love, Bibi.
Obama's last minute cancelation was due to his trip to Fort Hood, Texas, to attend services there, and lend support to families of murdered soldiers. Harry
Peace on Israeli terms - acceptance of colonialism, settlements and oppression - take it or leave it!
In Obama and Rohm's views, East Jerusalem is also a settlement. Israel should freeze construction not before US freezes construction in Manhattan and starts negotiating with American Indians the creation of Indian state with capital in Manhattan.
"True friends" don't encourage you to continue what amounts to suicidal behavior - which is precisely what the United States has been doing for Israel for the last 40 years. A "true friend" would take real action to prevent Israel from continuing with its destructive, criminal, and ultimately suicidal policies. When Israel ceases to exist as a "Jewish state" years from now, Israelis will have no one to blame but themselves and their "true friend" America, which pays for the settlement project that is killing any chance of a two state solution. "True friend"? Please.
In the long run the stronger party wins. So either it s Israel with foreign support or Palestine with endurance. Politicans havent been able to create peace in the ME for years now even though many dialogues have been held. I bet i ll be reading the same headline in 10 years again.
Is this the policy the USA is following in Afganistan,Iraq,and North Korea ,where there are over 450 thousand USA troops and a request for forty thousand more in Afganistan.Seems to me the USA is fighting wars thousands of miles away from the USA ,because of a beleif of an implied threat to the USA,cant see much evidence of talking .
I like him, going all the way back to Clinton White House Days. I didn't like it when Bibi called him a "Self-Hating Jew." What does that mean? It was the same week that Congress approved $2.7 billion in military Aid. How bad taste. Rahm is a top government official and have an ally call him that is digusting.