Bill Clinton: Netanyahu isn't interested in Mideast peace deal

All he has to do is make a credible and public proposal that is in line with what he knows Abbas can accept.

Nations that are on the fence may side with Abbas. The Americans may as well be enlightened as to who is the real culprit behind the impasse in peace negotiations. His remark is something big for the Palestinian cause.

Why should Bibi give up one inch of Jerusalem? The Muslims pray facing AWAY from Jerusalem towards mecca. Jerusalem is not mentioned in the qu'ran once. Who does any world "leader' and I use the term loosely in connection with Clinton, to demand or even propose that Israel relinquish ANY holy Jewish site to the arabs?? Bethlehem is suddenly arab but Jesus - a JEW was born there etc etc etc.

What can I say, Israel are idiots. They didn't pick Binyamin Netanyahu up for stalking in 1999, why would these idiots not let him continue his crimes elsewhere? A depressed Shin Bet!

Certainly Netanyahu's main task is to stop or hinder the peace process. But all key players in the region including the USA, PNA, Arab countries, and Hamas are all NOT interested in peace, for a simple reason: The absence of peace is more profitable.

That is his reference to the 2002 Arab League proposal. Which Israel, not just Netanyahu, has yet to give a substantive response.

Unfortunately, Bill Clinton has turned on Israel. He backed the Saudi plan. Before that, his library received $10 million from the Saudis, the largest foreign donation. He has lost credibility on Israel-Palestine issues.

The western left is no friend of israel.

The former US president Bill Clinton can revert to a 25 years middle east knowledge whereas the Jewish people look back to over 5770 years experience. This experience make people extremly carefully before they take decision.

Where is Shalit. Bill should put a word in get him released.

what's next? GWB meddling peace in the region? lol

Why do ex Prime Ministers, Ex Heads of State and Ex Presidents come out and be critical of Israeli policies? Why do these intelligent people wait until they leave power to say the things that are obvious to us all?

Bill Clinton is such a paragon of honesty and purity that what he says must be true!!! Bibi should be worried...NOT

He wants to explain what "the israelis want", and how things have changed. But he doesn´t say a word about the second intifada. Better then, to listen to what Aluf Benn has to say about the situation. Clinton is history.

To say that Netanyahu is the blame that there is no peace is nonsence. Rabin couldnt pull it off, Peres didn't, Barak didn't, Sharon didn't, and Olmert didnt. All were willing to give more than Netanyahu. The reason that the west bank is so flourighing today (in compaisant) is that we do want peacful life, and they decided that they would achieve their goals with no violence. But let us not forget Hamas and Gazza. Hamas would rule the Palestinal new state for sure. Israel would be glad that there would be a real state, indipendent, that is not getting our money, electric, water and security, and will bear the consequences of every citizen lives in it that would decide to throw a rocket over us. We will be glad. We do not want to rule Palestinians. We are hoping that they would be different and advanced and democratic, and peaceful and indipenent. But that is not the case. Netanyahu is not to be blamed. Clinton is right about the Isrealis that came from former USSR, but it is not the real barrier. The real barrier for peace is the Arab nations and Arab people. You can see what is going on in Egypt and Syria, and Iran. This is the state of the Arabs. We hold in greate respect Arab people. We do not hate them. Arab history brought us algebra, and music and more. But they are in a poor state today. Yes, the palestian current government is the best there was, and yes, maybe Netanyahu could do more, but the fact is that the Palestian needs to do much more in order to be trustworthy and to be indipendant. In all history they've always chosen war and povery over peace and flurishing. Israel always seaks for peace and security and always wants things to become more calm. Our goal is never to suppress and conquer. Netanyahu is not to blamed of all the inadequates that were there to begin with. I didn't vote for him, I wish Olmert was in his place, but I'm sure Netanyahu is doing the most he can for the well being of Israel. And anyone who blames Israel for not seeking peace is really seeks for war that we never wants. We have much to lose than any other neighbour leaders that has the misconcept that they would gain from war.

Mr. Clinton can't run for president anymore, therefore he doesn't need to please AIPAC. He is finally spitting the truth just like carter did or any other future American president.

He might have the courage to state that in public now that he he is absent from the political arena but try saying that when he was president..no chance...

>> even Obama will issue the same statement, after he leaves the white house!!! . No one but our resistance can achieve our aspiration for independence and our human dignity.

Of course Clinton has to insert that it is his plan that would work for peace in the Middle East. All this statement shows me is that Clinton's ego is unrelenting. When he has no power he pines for the days when he did. Clinton simply failed on all fronts and likes nothing better to use hind-site as his reinterpretation of the history of Bill.

Even God - blessed be He - is not interested in getting peace for the Middle East. Why? Because even He prefers a piece from the West Bank.

Yes, Bill, we've known it for years!

Mr clinton is wantonly hiding the facts and accuses israel in the palestinian issue. Actually the middle east problem is continuing from the days of crusades. Only after establishing israel in 1948 and after the six day war the international christian tourists could visit jerusalem freely. Even today christians could not visit bethlehem so easily. But the bedouin muslims of israel loves the tourists and help them. So why cannot the arabs remain like the bedouins and enjoy israel. The arabs call themselves as goliaths philistines and ask the country in his name. But that giant community is nomore now. Also turky wants to take back the land in the name of helping the arabs. It is threaning cyprus and greece. So there is no need of giving back the west bank. Those who do not like israel let them get out of west bank and settle in the palestinian mandate called jordan.

... but old Bill is finally showing his rue colors. Perhaps it's time to make hem a contributing editor to Haaretz.

What helpful comments at this time!

Abbas will not be stoped. US veto will only expose them as defenders of a colonial power, that's what Israel has become for the international comunity. The Israeli people, should punish Bibi for blocking peace. Give them independence, help them build a strong and independent state, don't let the bloody past decide your future. Many African and South American nations deal well with their former colonial power. Say sorry to Turkey, it will cause more good than harm, even for your own mind.

under Bibi, the construction in the west bank were almost halted for x month with no result from the palestinians! Jerusalem eastern area have almost been offered to the Palestinians and yet no peace! Why? well will the USA offer a state to alquayda in the county next to wachington? And finally the refugee problem? The Palestinians plan to ban jews from the west bank and will not give up in reconquering Israel! So stop mocking us we Jews own the land of Israel and stop trying to take it away from us. And stop offering fake hope to the palestinians the land of the west bank is a disputed land and Israel is the conquerer at present and considering the intertwine life between Israel and the west bank Israel will never give up the security of this land to people like Hamas Fatah and company!

Isn't it strange that between 1948 and 1967, when Jordan occupied the West Bank, the Palestinians did NOT go to the UN to ask for its state? Oh, that's right, Jordanians are Arab. When Jordan had control of the West Bank and Jerusalem, they destroyed many Jewish and Christian historical sites. Also, if the holiest city in Judaism is "Jerusalem" is to be turned over to the Arabs, are the Arabs going to turn over to Israel the holiest city in Islam, "Mecca"?

Dear Mr Clinton, you have so much guts now that you are no longer in office... Same for Obama, who promissed to solve this crisis, as all previous US presidents. But in fact I have seen NO ACTING US PRESIDENT ever having the guts to say that Israel should stop the bullshit and start real negociations. Make me wonder about the power of the J Lobby in US. US cannot be a honnest peace broker in ME. Also, there is one fact nobosy cares about... Israel is taking land from West Bank, not from Gaza, while Fatah is much more pro peace than Hammas. So Israel is in fact punishing Fatah, the moderate rulers of Pals, and taking their land. Hamas comes in discution only when it comes to terrorism against Israel. It just shows that Israel is all about grabbing land.

but will it make a difference? Or is this preperation by the Obama administration tovote for the French idea in the UN to create a Palestinian State in one year from now. With Netanyahu been threatened with Palestinian recognition if there is no agreed Palestinian State? The coming days and hours are going to be interesting

The American Presidents bend backwards for Israel and when they are out of power, they state the truth. What purpose does that serve?

Truer words were never spoken.

I like you Bill, but we need to be honest about why that deal would have never produced a VIABLE Palestinian state.

Seems retired presidents cannot realise they are retired. Whilst Hamas is throwing rockets and missiles into Israel and not on the same page with Fatah there is nothing to talk about. When the Palestinians speak with one voice and sit with Israel they will be surprised what will be on the table. After all Israel got out of Gaza and got rockets in return.

and the only stumbling problem.

Now he blames Bibi. Well O.K. Then there was the Saudi plan. But, that was little more than an Israeli surrender document. Anyhow, except for his timing, little to do but let him talk.

Clinton's charade will not hide the fact that the US is directly responsible for the ongoing occupation of Palestine. The Arab world should make the US pay the consequences. First step, withdraw all your cash from US banks. Second step, increase the price of oil. I can think of more, these will do for starters.

Mr Clinton! You have the chutzpa making such dangerous statements. Netanyahu's first and formost duty is to protect Israel. What do you expect him to do? Abbas does not want to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. He also declared that the future Palestinian state will be "judenreihn" this means Apartheit. No Jews. The peace deal with Egypt is in taters. How can Netanyahu trust Abbas and make a deal with him? Also, Mr Clinton! Maybe you will come a live in Israel and then perhaps you will be able to give us advise.

The sages tell us "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.Ecclesiastes+1:8-10

Israel apologizes, gives up land, and gets promises in return? I hope those promises are carved in stone and carried by Moses because it hardly seems worth it.

No content to sink Netanyahu's Prime Ministership once, he is going to do it again. Bill has in a masterstroke detailed the US State Department's assessment in a way which the Secretary of State (which if my memory serves me well happens to be his wife) could not possibly diplomatically say. We satute you Bill, an American with lead in his pencil.

Mr President.

If this was the right deal, why did the Pals reject it?! The Pals are the fools, and they will reject the next deal, and the next. Get real, they NEED this conflict...it helps fill their bank accounts and keeps people in power.

While fussing and dithering, arguing over every crumb and slice of the pie, they have their eye on the entire pie, and will settle for nothing less. Keep this in mind. Earlaiman

to anyone on the outside that the zionist intention was not to live in peace with the arab inhabitants but to remove them and reclaim what they believed was promised to them by God. They went there with their little blue and white boxes filled with western coins, buying land from ignorant farmers, sheepherders , fisherman and not explaining to the sellers that they would never again be able to repurchase or work on that land as a non-jew. They also told the Palestinian leaders at the time that they did not have the intentions of making a state but that they were there to work alongside their longtime neighbors the Palestinians. These westerners with knowledge of diplomacy and friends in high places were behind the scenes doing exactly what they claimed they were not doing. Even today they work behind the scenes to keep these people from getting their land. They spend millions and millions buying friends in high places, spend millions in PR to make sure that it is their story that is told and the Palestinian side squashed. This has all been calculated and planned. They waited 2000 yrs, they figure they will wait another 50 to 100 to dispossess all Palestinians and with the help of the USA illegally annex land that doesnt belong to them and have the USA stamp the deed as being legal.

It was always a shame that Bill Clinton was not able to stay on for a third term. America and much of the world will be in better shape. (It would also have been better if his wife had secured the last Democratic nomination) So there we have it, from the Oracle himself, a man with great knowledge of the ME , the internal workings of US government ,and its lobbying organistion. ( PS .Bill remains the Australian population's most revered Americian President

Anyone who says otherwise is either blind and nuts.

He said the right thing. Of course, it would have been nice if he said this a bit earlier and made a big fus about it in the media. The only thing he is not right about is that it was clear why Arafat rejected the deal he proposed. That deal meant a scattered Palestinian state if anyone saw the maps proposed.

Jews are native, indigenous, to Judea and Samaria, the tiny, hilly and holy provinces to Jews, where at least some Jewish communities hung on since 3,500 years ago until the present. 3,500 years goes way back before the advent of Christianity, Islam or the Muslim/Arab conquest of Israel in 635 CE. All Palestinians call themselves Arabs, with 22 states, and 70% of Palestine is in Jordan. Yet they want even more land. Insane. No, not just land. They simply don't want Jews in Israel. Deal with it.

what Mr clinton does not seem to underestand is since the year 2000 many other issues has come to play, why give land to any people when they use it as a platform to fire rockets at you???? what happenned in Gaza??? how many rockets have they fired from gaza??? who is really in control of Gaza???? is it abas or is it hamas???? who is really is israel dealing with abas??? or the terorrist groups hamas and hesboallah ????what is the use of making peace with abas and palestine when Iran and syria are really behind the stage calling the shots??? are we really that dumb or just damn stupid????

Explains everything

Arafat was wrong not to accept the Clinton deal, Netanyahu and his no-peace-ever Likud charter have scuttled any hope of peace in the forseeable future, it makes you wonder how many lives and opportunities (mostly Palestinian) have been wasted since, and how many more will be wasted now.

.Bill Clinton maybe right ,but let's not forget where the two live Bill lives in a country free of middle eastern chaos. Netanyahu lives in a country surrounded by Islamic chaos . Abbas refusing to reconize Israel as a Jewish state and Iran threatning to destroy the Jewish nation.

Occupation has created a monster no Israeli goverment can control.

Netanyahu never has negotiated in good faith in the past. Why is the Obama admin convinced they would now? Netanyahu does not have a coalition that would approve any deal made anyway. They, like Hamas, want it all - free of Palestinians instead of the Hamas free-of-Jews. Likud has never once changed its platform.

The USA is pullin' out the big guns. Hurrah! Obama is Saved!! And so the headcount is now....what, exactly? "Germany has already announced it won't vote yes," Uhhhhhh, OK, that's one (1). You do know you still need another four (4), don't you?

This is the perfect day for Mr Clinton to say this. Another way to say "there is no way forward except through international organizations".