Netanyahu: Israel wants peace, but Palestinians don't seem ready

"We all know what hypocrites the ero's are " cipora "Tell us all about it ..." CJ As if you don't know ! Indeed ! Most of the European countries had local Nazis who collaborated with Germany during WWII including the Vaticans. Perhaps, with the exception of Bulgaria, Holand & the Dannish. None of the other European countries tried to help the Jews either for humanitarian reasons or any other reason. Nearly all Arab Countries were very supportive with Hitler mainly when the Italian & German almost entered Egypt in North Africa. The then Soviet Union have its own share in badly treated the Jews. Jews are persecuted in atheist & none atheist countries in Europe and in the other four continents; just because they are Jews !

Nobody, aside from the actual participants "WITNESSED CAST LEAD" If they had, they would have seen the sequence of rocket attacks, lasting 8 years, that led up to Israel's launching Cast Lead They would also witnessed Israel's repeated warnings to Hamas to cease and desist, which Hamas saw fit to ignore You only witnessed that portion that you wished to see, turning a blind eye to tht which displeased you to see The World ignored the Holocaust, Israel will prevent another one taking place

Azerbeijan does not control all of its territory but it is a sovereign state. It looks like Full control over one`s territories is NOT a pre-requisite for a declaration of sovereignty (Azerbeijan and Armenia have a conflict on Ngorno Karabakh area and some Azeri land is occupied by Armenia)

"the aid from the usa is strictly in fighter aircraft.that suits the americans who get a powerful player on the middle east chessboard from one of the best tactical airforces in the world" Uh huh. Has Israel ever actually used this on behalf of the USA?

"the swiss have just voted to make minarets illegal but dino wants us to believe that they care about the palestinians" Uh? The Palestinians are not all Muslims. "..we all know what hypocrites the euro`s are" Tell us all about it!

someone has always been in control of Palestinian territory. It is invalid, illegal impossible to declare sovereignty while another entity controls a part of your territory. Full control over one's territories is a pre-requisite for a declaration of sovereignty. The Jewish Peoples Council could not declare sovereignty until AFTER the British Mandate ended. Same as East Timor. Indonesia had to end it's occupation. The Palestinians have NEVER been able to declare a sovereign state.

Scared of having to commit to peace without getting all the sacred Waqf? Dar Al Islam? Not getting the refugees into Israel as promised by the Arabs for generations? Hoping to get more because "time is on their side".?

Nor when the Arabs announced their 3 NO's of Kahartoum viz:- NO Peace NO Negotiations NO recognition of Israel Nor when Arafat refused the Clinton Plan!

Israel future depends on absolute SECURITY & the palestinians to grow up & have care & sense for their future & the future of their children. The present palestinian leadership are no material for peace & security. All they want to have a palestinian state to enter history from the wrong door. what future their people will have is the last in their minds. Israel can't play the game alone. two to tango no where true than in this conflict. israel can't make a plan without the palestinians agree to it & what the palestinian wants is the destruction of israel, which is NOT a plan ! Israel is defending itself for 60 years & more. Those who spent their lives defending themselves have no time to think much about their future & have one thing to occupy them; keep making themselves strong. building settlements is just like israel have or not have the nuclear. everything israel is doing for its security. unless the palestinians understand israel security; this conflict is cat & mouse game.

reiterated the acceptance & recognition of a state of Palestine! Hamas the government of Palestine keeps changeing their story. They tell the truth in their state controlled media. ALL Israel is theirs.!

"nsm israel has now a gdp of 200 billion dollars.we are no longer in thrall to other nations." Wonderful, that's great. Does that mean that you are going to pay us back the billions we "lent" you? Or will the next due "loan" be forgiven as have all the others. And I guess you don't need the preferential duty status you enjoy on the US$20.8 billion worth of merchandise exported to the US either. Of this amount, only 2.4 percent (US$57.6 million) was subject to duty. Duties collected on these products were US$5.4 million. I wonder what that costs me every year?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH You guys kill me. Keep the jokes coming.

Germany attacked Russia with the goal of exterminating the Slavs and replacing them with Germans. It was a war of racist hate. Russia defended itself and conquered Germany instead. The Russians could have annihilated the German race in their sector. They did not. Israel is like Russia. They defended themselves from Muslim enemies waging racist wars of extermination and won. Israel could have expelled or exterminated all of the "Palestinians," Egyptians, Lebanese, Iraqis, Saudis, Jordanians, Syrians, etc., who lived in the lands conquered by Israel in the various defensive wars. Israel did not. Those people still want to exterminate Israel. Jordan is the "Palestinian" state.

If Ms. Kohn knew my nationality, would she refrain from irrationally accusing me of hypocrisy? My denunciations of oppression, which have taken place in a host of public forums, have never been rooted in a selective moral consciousness. On another note, Ms. Kohn seems oblivious of the fact that Israel is, per definitionem, the state of the Jewish people. Last, but not least, in order to avoid embellishing the past, Ms. Kohn might benefit from carefully studying the works of the so-called new Israeli historians, which works have been nourished by official documents made public by the State of Israel.

obviously, alex can say whatever he wants, and i can point out the foly of his ways. he had made blanket comments about israel which are unacceptable because they are false and totally a-historical. now, you seem to say that no one can criticise a country that gives some aid to israel. you do precisely that of which you accuse me. although i did not criticise, only mentioned u.s. history, you seem all flustered. as for the euro's, during the war of 1973, when the u.s. did decide to send arms to aid israel when she was at risk of being wiped out, no european country would give overflight rights to american supply planes. hence, my opinion of europe is based on long historical knowledge.

This evening: "Netanyahu okays construction of 25 housing units in West Bank (Ch. 10)

Past negotiations have failed largely due to Israel's continued settlement expansion. So, the new precondition (freeze settlement expansion) is designed to address the failure of past negotiations. Netanyahu knows this...he is quite dishonest.

Israel has been the aggressor and has established its military and economic power over Palestine. Palestine is a land of contained, oppressed people that have very little negotiating power. Israel and Palestine could be effective economic partners, but that must be achieved in an atmosphere of equality and autonomy. The Saudi 2002 Plan provides the basis for negotiations. The first steps in the process to build trust would be for Israel to reduce checkpoints significantly, open settlements and Israeli highways for Palestinians, allow family reunification. Palestinians have a fear of Israel not being just, and they have no powerful sponsor. As a result, there is the risk of being given an ungovernable state doomed to failure. Palestine needs a strengthened position to negotiate effectively. It would be well for Israel to demonstrate efforts to repair years of occupation, and to have a sponsor step forward to assist Palestine. The USA can make that happen.

"The Pals would have to lose a lot of their land - at least a dozen large settlement blocs, some of them miles away from the Green Line." Cummings, when did you sell the Palestinians that land you claim is theirs?

Palestine neither Palistine or Jordan existed before Israel. It is rather confusing don't you think? what was once a part of Israel and given to Jordan to be returned in 1967 to it's rightful owner Israel. Trans Jordan was never Palestine. It was Trans Jordan. The Jordanians should give up most of their Palestinian occupied country. Don't you think so?

Hahahaha, Netanyahu is funny.

That's a lot!!

Israel certainly was aided by the US during the 1973 war,in a big,big way.But don't thank Kissinger for that.If the State Department had had its way,Israel would have been supplied only enough to survive after defeat in the Sinai,to force Israel into an unjust peace. It was RICHARD NIXON,himself who ordered the massive,immediate airlift of supplies to Israel,going over the heads of the State Department.I suggest that you read Abba Eban For all his faults,Nixon had an acute grasp on foreign affairs,and it was that action of his that led to the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

thank you for replying. anyone can make a claim for ownership. the hard question is what you intend to do with the 3.5 million non jews in these jewish lands? are they to become full citizens of israel with voting rights? no one on months of posting has had the courage to answer this question. perhaps you can. if you don't have an answer than you should work with president obama to divide the holy land and save the jewish state.

... because it will be refused. Only by giving the Pals all of what they want will peace be achieved. And what do the Pals want? All of Israel. Both Fatah and Hamas. The only difference is that Abbas has learned to talk sweeter in English in order to keep his palm greased by the West.

Israel is acting towards peace. Its time for the PA to reciprocate and live up to some of their obligations under the Road Map and Oslo, not just security, but primarily about stopping the incitement and revisionist history they teach. This is an absolute requirement for any posibility of peace.

ibm intel and others have been buying israeli tech companies at an astonishing rate.ibm just paid 228 million dollars for a software company involved in software security.

now what did we do for the usa? 1 syria attacked jordan in 1970.america asked us to stop syria.we did. 2 more recently we have been exporting unmanned aircraft to the united states.they have been rather useful in afghanistan. 3 explosive devices(ieds) that resulted in large american losses in iraq.the united states received help from israel in dealing with these. 4 america has received help from us on intelligence gathering in the arab world. your military are frequent visitors to our armed forces.they are here to pick our minds.

Yesterday was the Muslim holiday Id al-Adha when a ram is slaughtered by every Muslim household who can afford it. In Istanbul the beautiful azure color of the Bosphorus has turned to red from the blood that spilled due to the inhumane practices of incompetent butchers murdering the poor animals in the streets of Istanbul. See: http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/13057791.asp?gid=229 Bigger numbers of similar incidents happened in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Islamic world. The great animal rights activist that you claim to be, shouldn't you be commenting in the Turkish, Arabic, Muslim newspapers and protesting this awful and inhumane practice today? Or in your kind of humanity is only Jews and Israel that is to be questioned while Arab and Islamic world are free to commit these atrocities to animals? I guess you don?t give a hoot.

that michael was operation "nickel grass".it is certainly true we needed replacement for our losses.as did egypt.the fault was in our planning.we had three divisions in sinai facing twelve egyptian divisions.our military made a major error. yet the times of london called the result a masssive israeli victory of historic proportions. we were surprised by the attack.we won.the third army based on the east of the canal was surrounded.it was saved by kissinger.

Correct me if I am wrong but was it not from the socialist left that the Nazi party emerged? Got to agree with flyingdoc57 #78. Why do the Left always seem to get it wrong?

which of the 500 resolutions most of which contradict each other and international law are you referring to jens ???

many questions michael mixed with your unfriendly remark 1 sinai and the west bank.the sinai was a buffer zone.there is no buffer zone between us and the west bank.for those who do agree that this is jewish land then they may accept our need for a buffer zone.and they may not. 2 re the population of judea and samaria.since we know this is jewish land the fact that others live here is not an argument for us leaving.

Are you talking about the justice for the Jews who's properties were confiscated when they were kicked out of Arab states like Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan and yes even West bank towns? How about my family whose propertioes were stolen from them in 1941 Varlik Vergisi In the so calles secular Turkey? How about Justice for the Greeks and Turks who went through a hard population exchange in 1920 or the Hindu's and Pakistani's? You see Kelly History is full of cruelties and usually in th ecomplexities of events there is no one victim and one aggressor. However in this day and age there must be a middle ground to accomodate the realities of the current times. This calls for a Jewist state - Israel - side by side living in peace wirh the Arab palestinian state. To achieve it both sides must stop conterproductive accusations, accept the realities of today, compromise and make peace.

"This is just a joke. NO people anywhere would accept this as `a state`, it`s just a colony by any other name." I think you lost your temper. It is no "joke" and it is no "colony". I would prefer "insult"and "Palestinian reserve". The rest or your writings is as always 100% correct,

of course the west bank belongs to the jews. why are there settlers on jewish land? why is it not annexed? what will you do with the 3.5 million arab itizens you will inherit with this greater israel? why did arab armies march into when israel had the sianai and the golan heights for security? who saved he 1973 war with emmergency airlifted armanents? is jordan and parts of iraq jewish land? read your bible to confirm. your brilliant mind will be able to answer these questions. if not then i have to call you a coward.

Clearly, barak and netanyahu decided on what to do that would seem like they were doing something when in reality they would be doing very little indeed. Too many exclusionary clauses to the freeze. But they can use their ruse to throw the ball in the other court aand say: "see! they are doing nothing even after we make a big big concession. They can't want peace like we do." Notice also the constant mention by netanyahu of "economic advantages" for the Palestinians. If one looks closer one will see that this is the exact thing that in the '70s sharon tried with his concept of "village leagues". Issrael does not want to see a two state solution and anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves. They will only act under concernted and unified international pressure which should now be applied.

The conflict is revolving around israels refusal to comply with UN resolutions. Once israel is in full compliance with UN resolutions we can adress the problem of will be representing the palestinian people.

"Cipora, not THE Swiss, "only" 57 %. of them...:) And even for those 57 % who voted with "yes" it had very little (or rather nothing) to do with the Palestinians, but a whole lot with the economical crisis..." Nonsense, as always. The majority of Swiss are finally waking up (albeit too late) to the fact that Islam seeks to infiltrate the world (Europe first), and ultimately exclude all else. "And by the way, those 57 % got lots of applause yesterday from the extreme right fringe of the European political landscape, the same extreme right, that has become the biggest supporter of (right-wing) Israels policies today...and exactly the same extreme right that used to persecute the Jews just a few decades ago." Wrong again. The extreme right of "a few decades ago" is the "extreme left" of today. It it the extreme left (like YOU) who, today, seeks to vilify Jews, and pacify all those who want to kill them (us). You fool no one!

State solution. I would love to see the tone of their posts when the new State of Palisrael is declared and the Zionist entity is cast into the bin of History. Wont be able to watch Kohn soil her underwear or watch Akram offer us his excuses as why the Palestinians shouldn,t send all those jonny come latelies back to whence they came. I feel cheated in a way---not being able to enjoy that supreme pleasure but knowing it will happen and, with their indomnitable assistance it is of some satisfaction. Roll on.

that you repeat "occupation" changes very little.that you do not agree with us is your right.we certainly do not agree with you.

nsm israel has now a gdp of 200 billion dollars.we are no longer in thrall to other nations. the aid from the usa is strictly in fighter aircraft.that suits the americans who get a powerful player on the middle east chessboard from one of the best tactical airforces in the world.

When you wrote in posting #36, ..."the palestinians have been ofered peace on numerous occassions and refused the offer." My Friend, Remember Olso....Rabin was killed...conservatives took over and Bibi had his first opportuniy to turn his back on peace. Americans don't know all the details of Oslo, but many of us know there was a peace treaty 15 years ago...What happened?

Secondly, you say to Dino "we all know what hypocrites the euro`s are. what they care about is oil and gas." REALLY?!?!?! You just generalized not a whole population but A WHOLE CONTINENT and put them all in 1 category and that they're after 1 thing! If a generalized statement about Jews was said I wonder how you'd react. If this is not a clear indication of your contempt and indifference towards pretty much everyone who is not Israeli (ironically a very Nazi-like thing to do), then I dont know what is.

"Gaza is larger than Hong Kong ! And the other palestine, jordan is waiting.Removing half a million jew from the wb is the same as moving palestinians to jordan." Not really Akram. Because the palestinians' ancestors have lived on that land for millennia. Very few of the settlers' ancestors lived anywhere near the West Bank. "Recreating the past after more than 60 years is impossible." Well that's a gem from a Zionist! You can't recreate the past after 60 years, but with the recreation of Israel, you CAN recreate the past after 1600 years. You wouldn't say your comments sounds just a tiny, little bit hypocritical and self-serving, would you?

1) For the last 5 generations...as is well documented...schoolbooks in the Palestinian public education system teaches a hatred towards Jews as a people and Israel. 2) The government, public schools, media(print,radio,TV) all glorify the killing of Jews and support it. 3) Hamas was elected to high government office on a platform of NOT recognizing Israels "right to exist". 4) Attacks against Israel have never ceased and even now are currently in progress. The Palestinians have been unable to stop attacks against Israel for even 6 weeks let alone 6 months. 5) Falsely making settlements the issue even though if they stopped tomorrow the attacks would continue. We know this to be true because prior to 67 there were NO settlements and the Pals still attacked Israel, and before Israel was reborn 1920's-30's Arabs still killed Jews.

It will provide you with the answer. "SPEAR Why have the Pals not had a state for 60 years??"psm BTW-I believe his name is John---but ignorant PSM missed his social skills lessons. The Likud Charter. "The 'Peace & Security' chapter of the 1999 Likud Party platform ?flatly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state west of the Jordan river.? The chapter continued: ?The Palestinians can run their lives freely in the framework of self-rule, but not as an independent and sovereign state.?[8]" And Shamir some decades earlier. ""Shamir has said Israel must keep the territories in order to accommodate the immigrants. "A great aliyah [immigration]," he said, "requires a Greater Israel."(5) He has insisted that, although Soviet Jews are not being directed to the territories, any Jew has the right to live anywhere in the land of Israel, which for most Israelis includes the territories."

Even Americans when polled, didn't think Israel was very enthusiastic about peace, and I notice that the uber-Zionists on this site are more interested in attacking the Palestinians than loudly proclaiming 'Yes, Israel wants peace!' Bibi's announcement of a settlement freeze is not seen as the generous first move of a government enthusiastically embracing peace negotations and compromise. It is seen, for obvious reasons, as a minor concession extorted by huge US pressure and it is widely believed that the Israeli government has been determined to minimise its impact on the settlers by accelerating building approvals beforehand and, no doubt, turning a blind eye, once the freeze is theorerically in effect. Bibi, you're talking but nobody's buying.

1st you say to Alex "it is interesting that you do not look in your own backyard, and accuse israel of brutality, when your own country has been waging wars against others since its creation" Its also the country thats been helping Israel to fight its battles for decades. Where would Israel be without all that military aid? and besides all that, are you telling Alex that he cant express anything because his country has done this and that in the past, all of which out of his control? somehow thats the responder's fault? so basically in your logic everyone should shut up and love you unconditionally, because Israel is always right no matter what it does or how it does it, its immune from criticism. If their crimes were bad but happened anyways, does that give Israel the right to commit atrocities because 'others have done it'? Cipora you are always quick to point out the bads of other countries but NEVER see the ones from your country. Thats not hypocrisy?

The Pals would have to lose a lot of their land - at least a dozen large settlement blocs, some of them miles away from the Green Line. They'd lose their capital and largest city, E J'sem. They'd lose the Jordan Valley, which Israel spuriously claims is necessary for 'defence'. It wouldn't be contiguous, because it would be split in two by Israel cementing its land seizures in Jerusalem-E1-Ma'ale Adumim-Jordan Valley. It would still be split into dozens of islands, as Israel wants its network of controlled roads and military bases. The Pals would not have sovereignty of their air space or air waves - or even army, as Israel wants to control its numbers and equipment. This is just a joke. NO people anywhere would accept this as 'a state', it's just a colony by any other name.

the hashemites want israel to have control of judea and samaria.they particularly want us to stay in the jordan valley.they quake at the of a border with palestinians. they of course would not be quite so frank in public.

And even for those 57 % who voted with "yes" it had very little (or rather nothing) to do with the Palestinians, but a whole lot with the economical crisis, Mr. Ghadaffis strange behaviour, and a certain fear that Swiss (Christian) values could be threatened by radical Islam one day.... And by the way, those 57 % got lots of applause yesterday from the extreme right fringe of the European political landscape, the same extreme right, that has become the biggest supporter of (right-wing) Israels policies today..... ....and exactly the same extreme right that used to persecute the Jews just a few decades ago.

... and it can't give land to an enemy whose charter to destroy it. The palestinians had their chance & left it for too long. Recreating the past after more than 60 years is impossible. Don't blame Netanyahu or any one. If there is any blame, the palestinians must blame themselves and their arab brothers. Besides, not any peace, 2-states or whatever will ever last. It will only creat a problem that will never be solved. If the palestinians can't understand that, too bad. The world's big powers must understand that; unless it is their strategy to have a middle east in an eternal turmoil. Gaza is larger than Hong Kong ! And the other palestine, jordan is waiting. Removing half a million jew from the wb is the same as moving palestinians to jordan. nearer to a million jew was thrown out of arab countries. Removing people these days is not something special ! And anyway, all this is for the safety of both, palestinians & jews.

the swiss have just voted to make minarets illegal but dino wants us to believe that they care about the palestinians. we all know what hypocrites the euro's are. what they care about is oil and gas.

the state of israel is not the protector of jews living in other countries. the state of israel offers the right for all jews to make aliyah and become israeli citizens. however, for jews who live abroad, their protection is the obligation of their own governments. nor is israel, as you say, "a latter-day colonial power." israel is a sovereign state which is the result of the right of the jewish people to self-determination. it is interesting that you do not look in your own backyard, and accuse israel of brutality, when your own country has been waging wars against others since its creation. your hypocrisy is quite astounding, including your accusation of "infantilized" palestinians when in fact, they had been offered a state on numerous occasions and refused the offer.

After 1967? After the Clinton plan? No need to shout your answer. PS where the cries for a Pal state on the West Bank and Gaza when they were ruled by jordan and Egypt?

it of course cost them nothing.what do obama and germany care about israel?

the distance between the old 1967 lines and the heart of the dan region is a trifle. all this talk of giving away the west bank does not stand up to simple logic.it defies all military thinking. just as we found ourselves unready when we met hizballah in july 2006 we will again be in the exact position.the enemy can march into our heartlands in minutes. giving up the west bank is not an option.

he is scared of obama.obviously israel cannot defy the united states in everything but we must stand by our convictions.

This is why going to Oslo was so wrong. Arafat's plan was to slice pieces away from Israel and then force a wedge between Israel and its only friend, the USA. Arafat's plan was always to eventually go to the UN and unilaterally declare an independent state, leaving the UN to do its dirty work and a job on Israel. The thing the Palestinians still do not understand is that even if the UN comes in to "handle things", there is still going to be the need for direct negotiations. The interlocutor will pass messages between sides and we will land up in the same place as we are now because there are essential security and Jewish issues that have to be met, and everyone understands this. So Palestinians, why not just negotiate directly. Your long term interest will be better served working with the Jews than working as puppets for Islamic extremism.

Zionist mythology at its best.... too bad it is now WIDELY KNOWN THE ZIONISTS DO NOT WANT PEACE because they believe to be invincible.... and they want also the East Bank, the US billions, the Golan, Lebanon, the Sinai (which Golda did no want returned), etc.........

....but unfortunately Israel continues to insist on a "master and servant" peace. However, that kind of "stuff" is no longer very popular in the world of the 21th century.... ....as I said before, Israels establishment came 100 years too late, in the 19th century nobody in Europe and elsewhere would have given a hoot about Israels treatment of the Palestinians. A classic case of "bad timing", so to speak..:)

... why doesn't it have any magical effect on sane listeners...? ... maybe because the beleaguered Pals see their own meagre hozizon encroached upon daily by the voracious settlers...?

In Northern Island the crimes committed by the IRA, the Loyalists and British Army were unspeakable; the aspirations of the parties were unreconcilable; there was no end in sight. But with maturity (and despite active IRA support from the US) a resolution was achieved with an undivided state. In South Africa the crimes committed by the ANC and the South African government were unspeakable; the aspirations were unreconcilable, there was no end in sight. But with maturity (and despite passive, if not active, support of the Apartheid government by the US) a resolution was achieved with an undivided state. In the Israel/Palestine conflict the situation is identical to both Northern Island and South Africa, and the active support of Israel by the US is prolonging the conflict. Both sides need to realise that a single undivided state is not only achievable, but essential to peace and security. This would require maturity (which neither side has exhibited) and the US 'butting out'.

I'm sure that after 42 years the Palestinians still rather live under 'enlightened Israeli occupation' What an idiotic statement! They are just not ready for the kind of non-peace, non-state that Israel is prepared to offer.

... that no sane Pal could ever accept it... ... so Bibi is quite safe bandying it around, even while the settlers shout their habitual gevalt...

I wish Netanyahu would "get a grip."

Israeli PM's go, and the Palestinians always stay. Netanyahu may talk for a little while, but he will eventually shut up.

If peace means military occupation, continued settlements, no sovereign Palestnian state, no contiguous Palestinian state, then this no peace for the Pals. More lies and spin by Bibi when he says he is willing to sacrifice. He is in power because of support from the party of the settler/thug Lieberman whose party is absolutely unwilling to exchange land for peace. Israel's version of peace will never lead to a lasting. Wonder why? Read post !

Totl: "Well,they`re not..peace would cut off their welfare payments." Just to point out that the Palestinians are a people under occupation, and the occupying power is the IDF. Which means that their welfare is the responsibility of...... the occupying power. So the "wefare payments" should actually be coming from Israel, and not from anyone else. When *is* Israel going to start pulling its weight, sunshine, and not simply carpet-bagging anything and everything that takes its fancy?

Netanyahu has always had a way with words, certainly as a speaker of English and, I presume, of his native tongue. I am sure that at least one or two former Presidents of the United States would wish to speak English half as well as Israel's current Prime Minister. Be that as it may, a trained sophist can be quite eloquent. Netanyahu would have us believe that "the Palestinians" (every single one of them? Has he talked to them all?) are not ready for peace. A subjugated, stateless people, which has been brutally bombarded, humiliated and infantilized by a latter-day colonial power, is according to the Prime Minister's at once hubristic and twisted logic wishing for more of the same. With "protectors" such as Netanyahu, do we Jews need enemies?

well said. the rhetoric does go on and on. i dont care whether its a palestinian leader or an israeli leader, but all it would take is one brave man or woman to stand up and make a change. i cant speak for palestinians, so i put more emphasis on israel doing all it can, but if i were palestinian i would put the emphasis on my own leaders. israel has a case and palestine has a case. when a leader comes about who doesn't want to make a case for his/her country, but rather wants to make peace, peace will happen. as it stands, i think bibi only froze construction to make a case for wanting peace, and i think abbas only sets preconditions because he knows they will not be met and wants a case for israel being the bad guy. time to get a real leader.

Israel's or the Palestinians' ?

More and more land in occupied Palestine is being stolen. More and more Israeli Jews settle in illegal settlements including in the Palestinian part of Jerusalem. Claiming that Palestinians aren't ready for peace is the usual Israeli BS. Sooner or later, justice will prevail.

Bibi is living in a dream world. Israel is NOT doing everything to start peace negotiations. It's simple, Bibi ... freeze ALL settlements and stop building and stealing homes in East Jerusalem!!! Duh!!!

If you keep killing Palestinians and their children, somehow, they may not be ready for peace.

The earth is a flat disc. 2 plus 2 is 5. President Obama was the founder of ancient Egypt. Mars is situated just left behind North Corea. Water always flows upstream. Israel wants peace.

a document that Israel has signed and has yet to be in compliance with. Perhaps Bibi means to say, "The Palestinians are an obstacle to peace because they continue to remind us that we are non-compliant to previously negotiated peace arrangements."

Obviously, many, otherwise he would not even dare to make such a ludicrous statement. What Bibi does not realize (or does he?) is that Palestinians are ready for justice which is denied them, and certainly not ready for Israel's version of peace. Bibi wants to keep the Palestinians exactly where they are...under the foot of their oppressors but of course that is the unspoken sentiment.

No matter how often a lie is repeated, it won't become truth, mr N. It's not peace your government wants, but capitulation of the other side.

He's really very funny. But not in like a funny 'haha' kind of way...

If neither side is sincere about peace how does one explain Yitzhak Rabin's dying for it versus the countless images of palastinian children dressed in suicide bomb belts or holding guns that can been seen in google images? The Israelis do not see their children as bullets or shields. No. You are not going to spin this as Israel equally at fault with the palestinians. Not without a fight.

...that Netanyahu most likely is succeding in convincing the world that this is in fact the case. What will happen next is that the Moldavian Bouncer is telling us that the Palestinians never has been sincere about peace with Israel and that they want to throw the Jews in the Mediterranean. And this guy too most likely is going to succeed.

If there were peace would the Palestinians get back all the lands that Israel has taken over since 1967? Would Israel stop throwing Palestinians out of their East Jerusalem homes so that Jewish settlers can move in? Would Israel return the water resources to the Palestinians? Would Israel dismantle the apartheid wall and compensate Palestinians for their losses? Would Israel remove the militant armed settlers from their trailer camps? I doubt that any of this would happen but this is the only way to peace. That is, if Israel truly wants peace. Otherwise it seems that peace would give nothing to the Palestinians only a continued domination by Israel.

Who are the lies for him or us? The Pals cant come to the table without a full freeze in contruction and well he knows the truth as does the world .

to NOT take a lie detector test to determine if they received large sums of money to condemn Israel falsely.

were ready. Never have been, and unless they change their attitude they never will. They are NOT the victums here, how can they call themselves the victums when they are the ones who are shooting the ROCKETS at Israel without provocation.

He even makes speeches full of it, "they don,t want peace and finishes with more construction and expansion".....it confuses some ..but it should disgust the world at his arrogant chauvanist attitude towards the Palestinans and the world with his Orwellian use of words such as "freeze" and "preconditions". How Goebbels like!......PEACE EVER?

or so I thought. Naysayers on Haaretz continue to complain of Israel's hold on Gaza. Well sorry folks....as small a step that the Palestinian leadership says it was to pull out of Gaza... it still was a concession by Israel. There was no positive move by the Palestinians to reciprocate. Remember folks in ALL peace agreements there is always give and take. A trust grows from small steps. But it has to be from both sides and the Pals have not made that step. Unless you call firing rockets now closer to Israel as a positive step.

After a successful robbery, the criminal wants to be left alone. He doesn't want the victim chasing him or the police hounding him. In other words, the robber wants peace. Not so the victim. He wants his property back, he wants the criminal punished. He wants justice first. Return Palestinian land, farms, villages and cities, Mr. Netanyahu, and you shall have peace.

Israel has made the supreme sacrifice allowing the Wakf to maintain control of the Temple MOunt, the holy of Holies. When Israel liberated Jerusalem they didnt have to do this. This is the holiest site in Judaism for 2,500 years. Israel has sacrified everytime. Israel settled for less than 20% of the land for peace. Jewish refugees from the land are 850,000 and instead of Israel demanding the Arabs compensate them, they accepted these refugees. israel left Gaza. Remember, Jews lived in Gaza and Judea and Samaria before Jordan and Egypt illegally seized them. Jews are the native Palestinians, until Arabs stole the name in the 60s as part of their warped revisionist history...but none of it matters. Israel has acted in Peace. The Arab world has acted against peace. When the Arabs decide to make peace, real peace it will happen almost instantaneously, but they have said no for 100 years. Good news Jews and Israel are patient and not going away.

PA refuses to live up to its part of the Olso, Road map, anything. Fatah still has charter calling for destruction of Israel. PA still puts out textbooks against jews and Israel. PA is doing everything it can to destroy the peace process and doesnt want another Arab Palestinian state. time to say no. PA is Over. Palestine is dead. Cancel Palestine. create peace. 2 states, Israel and Jordan Palestine. If Arabs dont want peace, stop offering it them and wait for them to work for peace. The Arab world is a house of cards that will eventually collapse. Jews and Israel have been around a very long time and we are very patient. I dont think the Arab world has that much time.

never changed despite the world pre-paying arch terrorist Arafat with a nobel prize. The goal of Palis is the elimination of Israel. Until they changer this main goal, peace is impossible.

netanyahu got it wrong. The palestinian people are always ready for peace. their politicians do not want peace because they will have to give up their rights to grafting from the donated monies because they will lose their status as poor refugees.

And hoping that the Americans believe you.... Err, they don't seem to be as impressed as you thought they would be....

Bibi is an embarrassment. His lies are so obvious, his settlement freeze so transparently phony that I can only wonder who he thinks his audience is. The Pals and the entire rest of world are quite clear- settlements are an impediment to peace. The PA has kept its side of the road map at this point and gone a long way toward abandoning violence. Its Israel that hasn't given them squat for their efforts. Is there anyone on this forum - preferably a supporter of Bibi and the right who can tell me what their plan is for Israel. Where are they trying to steer this country? If its a 2 state solution - what are they doing to advance it? If it isn't, what is the alternative - a single state leading to demographic suicide, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, the status quo forever, endless war? Is there a any plan at all or is it all short term politics? Bibi seems to say one thing but his actions imply another agenda . What in the world is that agenda though? He's certainly not public about it

think of the sacrifice-withdrawing from israel,evacuating towns and settlements and villages,redeploying their massive army,delimiting an international border which no other state is required to do,completely having israel at their mercy-they would have to be crazy to give all that up,and you wouldn't either.

... that he is offering the Pals... ... a peace that requires them to relinquish a huge chunk of their own land... ... and not get much in return...

This is as absurd as it gets! I really think this guy is the devil. Who does he think is fooled by this deceitful rhetoric? He is not helping his cause one bit talking about his and obama's work to con the IAEA in dealing with Iran. It just proves the IAEA's decisions are politically motivated and in turn obsolete. 

when the Arabs actually say that Jews ARE indeed indigenous to the Middle East, when the Arabs and Muslims DO say that jews are entitltled to their one teensy TINY Middle Eastern state where their ancient nation began and where they claim as their own. (Of course the Jew-hating masses will keep screaming "Zionist entity" and so on). Peace MAY come if there is a BIG change in Islam, and if there is a BIG change in world view. In other words: YES folks. Jews DID begin in the Middle East. And yes, Jew ARE native to the Middle East. And they claim a TINY part of it. Like it or not!

Israel let the clock run out. Negotiations are over now.

The Israeli version: Areas of the West Bank thickly settled with Jews annexed to Israel. Maybe some land swaps. All of Jerusalem. Control of WB air space. Maybe some Israeli posts on the Jordan river. The Palastinian version: Most Jews settled in the West Bank to be deported back behind the green line. Palastinian control of E. Jerusalem maybe with some Jewish rights around the Jewish Quarter, but otherwise no extraterritorial rights. Palastinian extraterritorial rights between Gaza and the West Bank. Right of Palastinian refugees in Lebanaon et. al. to emigrate to pre-'67 Israel to attempt a Palastinian majority inside the Green Line. Lots of money. Neither plan is acceptable to the other, and neither side talks up the Geneva Accords which is a middle ground between the two. If there were cooperative mass movements inside the West Bank and Israel in support of the Geneva Accords as a basis for negotiation, it would make headway. And if pigs could fly . . . .

the pals want peace... just not those who are leading them... The PLO needs the maintain the occupation so they can maintain their power over the poor pals... Millions upon millions of dollars are taken by the corrupt leadership in the PLO... If the pals really wanted peace they would kick thier leaders to the curb and elect representatives who actually offer a peace deal that Israel can accept... All offers by the PLO have been made because they knew israel would not accept them... No other governtment in Israel has done so much to try to get peace... We simply require the pals to stand up against the status quo and accept it...

Bibi wants a peace where Israel can continue to build on stolen land, to break international law, to disregard UN resolutions, to demolish Palistinian homes and leave the tenants on the pavement, to continue the inhumane and criminal collective punishment of the populatian of Gaza, to maintain the illegal occupation of East Jerusalem - a peace where the Palistinians shall accept to give away even more of their land. But then again, the Palistinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity for peace, do they?

Your attitiude is the same as the Palestinians. Instead of responding, ok we will sit down and discuss how we can reach peace without any preconditions, you say, oh please, this is too much. What does that achieve?

Anyone who wants to say Jew are wrong must of course see the VERY SiMPLE ODDS that BY MAJORITY VIEW Jews MUST be wrong in order foe Christianity and Islam MUST be right. GOT IT? Math odds. Very plain and simple. It is soooo easy, yet sooooo many can't or won't see it. Simply because Jews and Judaism and Israel contradicts sooooo many of the faiths who simply CANNOT reconcile Jews or their one TINY state, as it contradicts the faith o SO VERY many others. GOT IT, folks?????? Very. very easy math, so I HOPE SO!

That's right. Bomb people into eternity, steal their olive trees, their houses, their rights -- and then claim they don't want peace. Absurd.Even your most loyal followers question you.

Sometimes I wonder if the PM isn't delusional. It's he who has set the major pre-condition that ultimately will block a peace that results in a Palestinian state: the refusal to admit any legitimacy to Palestinian claims to E. Jerusalem as a future capital. He bemoans the Palestinian ulitmate support of the Goldstone report conveniently forgetting that Obama had convinced them not to support its moving forward. His actions immediatly after the helpful steps by Abbas and Obama, led the Palestinians to reverse their position. The encouragement of more Israeli settlement in the west bank will make any 2 state solution that much harder to implement--such settlement expansion, natural growth or whatever you call it, will prevent the implementation of a final agreement. What Israeli government will have the power to insist that these settlers returned to the defined borders of Israel?

It's not ME...It's YOU. It's not YOU it's ME. Bibi is like the persistent whining wife that doesn't want to separate unless she's able to keep the house and the Porsche while the husband sleeps out in the rain

Pals do not want peace Israel is not serious about peace Pals, "Israel is not being honest" Israel " Pals do not want to give up violence and so the rhetoric goes on and on and on. It has become so nauseating listening to both sides that I just want to ignore it all. The only problem is that whatever happens there could so drastically affect all of us so we hang in there hopeing that some day serious partners will emerge who can look forward and see what is in the best interest of their children, their mothers , their wives their fathers, their country. Who has the courage to forgive, who has the courage to set a new agenda, who has the courage to seriously comprimise. No one has arisen that has this vision....yet

Oh please .... this is too much!

Things were bad enough before Obama,but it was his ineptness that delivered the coup de grace to the peace process.When Obama started making unreasonable,impossible demands of Israel,he just encouraged the PA into believing that all they had to do was remain inflexible and intransigent and Obama would deliver all their demands on a plate. In the end,Obama made a fool of himself and boxed the PA into a corner that they cannot back out from. Save us from fools!! THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

Somehow, I knew it was going to come to this, that Natanyahu give the PA the best offer he could considering the coalition partners. Of course, it was unacceptable, but it was the best he could offer. He had a feeling, too that the PA might not accept it either, but gambled that maybe they wouldn't. And if they did, well . . . At this point, he can step back, tell his old buddy Ehud to back down,and tell him that its business as usual in Judea and Samaria. The other thing is something that was waiting in the wings--a whole lot of Palestinians are discovering what it is to live without the money they be gettin' from Dubai cuz' that source of credit's gone down the tubes. By now most Europeans are tired to throwing money cuz' it usually goes down the toilet. And the Americans and the NGOs have had enough the Palestinian shell shock So . . . no money, no sympathy, whachagonna do when you have succeeded in destroying your chances of building your nation all by your lonesome.

Stop the bull. Bibi, it's you and your shaky and fanatical majority which is scared to death to face serious peace talks. In the last 40 years Israel got used to take everything it needed with no care about the others. It's time for responsability, not impossible frenzy dreams of further expansion. Time to give not to take.

And for those that would contend that the "Security Fence" is what has secured safety for Israel, I invite you to just visit Highway 4460 about 300 meters down the road from the Israeli security checkpoint in Ni'lin and see all the Pal's running under cover of forest and dark to Israel for work. It makes the checkpoints and "Security Fence" laughable. Israel's borders with the West Bank will always be porous and this is just an economic fact. No different than the USA/Mexico border.

More comical remarks from this loser! If he thinks Palestinians and indeed the rest of the world who witnessed Cast Lead will let Israel off the hook, then he is seriously deluded. What is done is done and Israel will have to face the consequences. His remarks are symptomatic of a complete policy failure and indeed the very nature of Israeli political direction which is destined to implode, unless of course Israel becomes 'the light unto the nations'. Unlikely.

Mr. Netanyahu would like the world to believe that it is the Israeli's who have made progress on the "roadmap to peace" and that now the Pal's are presenting unprecedented roadblocks. However, the roadmap called for 2 key initial steps: For the Pal's to provide security apparatus so that Israeli citizens would be free from acts of terrorism and that the Israeli's would cease settlement expansion/activity. - inclusive of East Jerusalem. I sincerely believe the Pal's have delivered on there part to self-police and put security apparatus in place to prevent these acts. But it is the Israeli's, and specifically the conservatives and ultra-orthodox parties, that have continued to 1)expand the settlements and form new ones and 2) to unilaterally declare all of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. I think a close examination of the actions of the parties shows that Israel's government speaks for peace but acts towards deepening the conflict.

waxes zionist generosity. One truly has to hand it to this guy for Chutzpah. He actually believes that his so called settlement freeze is being bought off by the US admin and the rest of the planet. Get real Netandyahoo---you are not fooling anyone. We only need to read the Likud charter to knbow who it is that is the non partner in peace. It has always been that way--since Shamir claimed that Jews must take over all the West Bank.

Yes! Netanyahu is right. Palestinians do not want a dictated peace. If Netanyahu continues to dictact the terms and boundries of peace and, of course, the Palestinians will continue to reject his dictates, we will not see peace in the Middle East for a long time. How can peace work when the poor and unarmed Palestinians have to negotiate with one of the strongest and richest country in the world that is fully supported buy the US? The international community must impose a fair peace plan on both Israelis and Palestinians because 30 years of negotiations have proven beyond doubt the failure and futility of negotiations. The international community must first recognize a Palestinian State and then give the contenders 6-12 months to negotiate their differences. Any issue that is not resolved by the contenders must be imposed by an international court within 3 or 4 months. If my kids continue to fight and could not negotiate peace, I, a conserned parent, must step in and impose a solution.

either they are too weak like abbas, fueled by terror dollars from muslims like fatah and hamas or disinterested like hamas. Peace cannot occur without the desire.

We have been ready for this elusive peace for more than 18 years now. What do we see in return?? More and more settlements and a people like Netanyahu being elected as leaders of Israel( forget about Liberman etc). A person who was responsible for the fiery speeches that eventually put a bullet in a peacemaker like Rabin. I thought the Israeli electorate was an educated one. What a pity. Blame everything on the Palestinians-that's the motto of stupid nationalist like Mr Natanyahu dragging both Israelis and Palestinian towards the abyss.

"It is clear today, to anyone willing to check the facts, that Israel wants peace - Actually, Israel under Bibi wants to play the usual "charade of peace".The world is tired of watching this old game. David

It looks Natanyahu is speaking with himself. The World opinion appears to be different than the hypothetical views of PM of Israel.

On one hand Netanyahu comes up with a ludicrous proposal to temporarily halt settlement buildings, knowing full well that this is a non-starter for the Palestinians, and then has the Chutzpah to say the Palestinians are not serious about peace? Let's face it. Both sides fear making political decisions for fear of losing power and elections, not for the betterment of their respective societies. The hypocrisy is outrageous. Were it not for the fact Iran is going to give $20 Million to terrorist groups, I say the US ought to reduce its donations and sponsorship for both Israel and the PA.

Abiding by the law is not a concession. The Palestinians want their rights.

The Jewish people are famous for producing great comedians; perhaps Netanyahu will be the greatest of them all. His pronouncement that Israel wants peace but the Palestinians are not ready has to be one of the greatest jokes of all time.Israel will only be ready for peace when there are no Palestinians left in what used to be Palestine. Very funny.