Biden's Israel visit is a year too late

You ask is the USA no better than Turkey? But when Turkey got insulted enough they objected. They did not just make excuses for Israel and then wait to get humiliated some more. Clearly Turkey is better than the USA.

Please, would anybody tell me what Israel really wants?? Every single day out of 365 days a year Israel changes its mind. Attacking the US even BEFORE Vice president Biden arrived in Israel? best idea ever?. It is utmost confusing. Maybe Israel just wants to confuse the world. I cannot see ANY sense behind all those actions - except one: Israel is kean to remain as everlasting victim. Care for yourself, Israel. The world is bored by jewish irrational behaviour.

SDHD, double your dose and move to Israel. You clearly dislike American (where you reside) and love Israel. Are you a dual? Make a choice. You can't any longer have it both ways. Take your angry delusions with you when you move.

To Ari, you are mistaken. Many Americans are very concerned about Israel and consider the Jewish State to be our best friend. PM Netanyahuh is recognized here as a forceful, dynamic leader, 180 degrees from the grand talker now in the White House. Wait for Obama's time to end. Many will still be your friends.

Please, would anybody tell me what Israel really wants?? Every single day out of 365 days a year Israel changes its mind. Attacking the US even BEFORE Vice president arrived in Israel? best idea ever?. It is utmost confusing. Maybe Israel just wants to confuse the world. I cannot see ANY sense behind all those actions. Care for yourself, Israel. The world is bored by jewish irrational behaviour.

Seems to me that Obama's diplomatic openning would have worked much better but for the Israel doing a partial construction freeze rather than a total freeze. Mr. Benn's analsis presumes that Israel can take what position it wants on settlements, and if Obama does not anticipate them and agree with them, then it's Obama's diplomatic failure. Well, Mr. Benn, that's 10 points for chutzpah but a pretty low score on what the U.S. has to agree to.

to realize the Israelis only care about themselves and no one else -including the Americans. The only thing we are to them is a vast money pit, and enablers to Israels continuing it's hold over the Pals, and occupiers of their land. We're tired of your war.

With Vice President Biden due in Israel, it is an outrageous humiliation to announce new West Bank housing. Does Israel think the US is no better than Turkey and can be humiliated at every turn? BE CAREFUL.

unless he'll be sending his kids to fight. We can't afford to support Israel anymore. We've given too much of our hard-earned tax dollars to Israel with nothing to show for it but a bunch of ingratitude.

You are so good at it, you must have graduated with honors or started the program. You've been outed. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1154654.html Try answering the question. Would he be safe? With posters like you and Hardman and SDHD on the case, and people like Amir on the loose, would he be safe? Oh, especially with your government making security allocations based on political desires of the parties.

Biden is a windbag who will glady blow hard on all the nonsense and silly lies that American Jews and Israelis like to hear about the apartheid state. Obama has better things to do. Bibi & Co. have repeatedly spit in his face. As an American voter, I ask Obama not to waste his valuable time on racist, ugly Israel.

if the president of my country were to go around swearing loyalty to another country. Presidential loyalty must extend solely to the country and people who voted him in power. Last time I checked, Israel and her citizens did not vote Obama into power. Americans did. Going around saying that USA, or Obama owe Israel loyalty is arrogant and downright belligerent. In fact, the best thing Obama can do for Israel and ME is to cut military aid to Israel. That way Israeli government would have no choice but to sit and talk peace seriously.

the israeli leadership is so short-sighted it boggles the mind. they ceaselessly calculate the intentions of american politicians without thinking about anybody else. what are you gonna do when america don't rule the roost anymore? your definition of a "pro-palestinian" president (obama) will look like jabotinsky compared to the chiense guy you're gonna have to deal with. get a clue. you also might notice that the presidents who are "pro-israel" never get anything done because they are so beholden. Carter and Bush1 made most of the progress despite the fact that they were dealing with Likud PM's. Clinton's achievements seem more related to Rabin and Barak's assertiveness. If Obama has failed to do anything, it is that he failed to back up his rhetoric with action against Israel's obstinacy. without even mentioning other areas of conflict, there is absolutely no justification for settlements. Bibi's concessions are a joke.

Aluff Benn: "the credit he's not yet earned for his...settlement construction freeze." What settlement construction freeze??? #8 Stephen L: It is the Arabs that have been doing the inflaming since day one, even before 1948. And the dummy is being sold by the Arabs; whenever pressed, the Saudis call their "Plan" 'only a suggestion'. #13 Ari: Israel does have recognized borders, most of which are recognized by the UN. It is most of the Arabs that don't recognized any or Israel's borders. #16 Ari: Read you newspapers re: opinion polls: Americans do care about Israel. #17 Absolute Sweden: Thank you for recognizing US support of our friends. #18 Maree: You are correct: The Israeli Foreign Minister should be sacked.

What does Israel want more from Obama? 1) Weapons 2) 3 Billion in aid every year 3) Vetoes at the UN 4) unqualified support in its "fight against terrorism", and constant state of war with it`s neighbors. It is quite simple.

I would add however that the current peace initiative is only to prevent Israel from striking Iran in the near future.

ain't that rich. The most eloquent man in the world, president of israel's staunch ally can't make it to israel, so he sends in laughing boy...the court jester... obama goes to egypt and speaks, goes to turkey and speaks, goes to saudi and bows, even goes to copenhagen to beg for, of all things, the olympics, BUT he doesnt have the time to travel to israel, his staunch ally, yet he SAYS he desperately wants peace...instead, he sends in the clown, WHO THEN says, basically, that iran can go nuclear, because we won't stop them, and that the US will help defend israel in a nuclear scenario... now, for one thing, this won't usher in any peaceful era in this region, and for another, the policy of containment will not work for iran..this is NOT russia crica 1960...The words obama said while in campaign mode were, "I will not allow iran to aquire nuclear weapons" ...and? really? well? Obama is rightly despised in israel for being a liar and a muslim apologist. period.

The VPOTUS is known to be a cheerful kind of a guy who will tell the loveless Israeli leaders how wonderful they are and what a great country they run. Then what? As the old saying goes, 'you cannot make a chicken salad out of chiken s--t regardless of how much mayonnaise is added'. If, as Barak is quoted, Iran does not pose an existential threat to Israel, is the VPOTUS going to say it does? Biden's visit is not a year too late- too late for what? It is Israel which is many many years too late to reach an agreement with the Palestinians.

Is there no end to the arrogance of modern Israel? A nation which takes welfare from the US and demands that the USA should do it's bidding, serve it's every whim? The USA saved Israel in 1973, and for that Israel has developed the attitude that the USA is it's slave. This hubris has reached new heights with the second Netanyahu government. This attitude is really annoying and raise the idea that America has to give Israel a dope slap to get it to return to reality.

maree, have you tried studying the history of this region instead of reading media tripe ? start around 1900 and especially since 1920 up till today. it will take around 1 year with inteent study until then remember what my mother said " a still tongue makes a wise head "!

"Obama and his advisers expected the hand that he extended to the Arab world and Iran...would soften the Muslims' and Arabs' residual hostility for America. It didn't work." The reason it didn't work is because it created the expectation of a change in policy and follow-up action, neither of which has materialized. Like people everywhere, including in the U.S., those he reached out to needed to see President Obama translate gestures and charisma into action, which he has yet to do. Instead we've seen tacit American support continue for Middle Eastern autocracies and the Israeli Government of Binyamin Netanyahu ignore or explicity reject nearly every request or mandate by the Obama Administration without consequence.

When we saw him we hid our faces. His form we did not desire. But it was our Global Warming that he carried. And through his low polls we are healed. He submitted himself to a one term Presidency like failed Presidencies; he did not open his mouth to protest. Obama Christ: You have been taught, "'Love America and hate terrorists', but I say to you, 'Love terrorists and free them from Gitmo', for if you love America, what reward is there in that?"

Now its not too early to conclude that President Obama, with his rethoric, deliverance CHARISMA, has been "discovered" to be a great Puppet, mind you celebrity one, like the ilk of the Puppet McDonald. His handlers are so motivated in their agenda to "revolutionise" the societal fabric of the American society, that they couldn't careless about the outside world. Though, mind you, with "cherished" words, and beatiful manipulation of imageriy suggestive, President Obama would like us to believe that He actually believe what he stands for and that he really appreciate the intent and profound meaning of his monologhues. Pretty soon he is going to get the Republicans at his side upon November Mid-Elections, that will allow him to counter the elements in his entourage that at the moment he feels disastrous, but heowes them the CONTENT of his Presidency. Biden, oh Biden, who really care about a guy whose enjoying watching a puppet puppeting on a world stage. He is really no-body,I feel sorry

"Didn`t your mother teach you that you have to earn respect? It is not a normal human reaction to feel respect for your persecutor. " Speaking of "persecution," can you tell us who the persecutor was and who did the persecuting when this whole civil war started? What have the Palestinians done to earn Israel's "respect"? Do you respect that even though Jews have lived throughout the region for thousands of years, and there were Jewish-owned properties in gaza, the West Bank, and especially in E. Jerusalem, they were all kicked out? But they were only kicked out for 19 years. Was that respectful? Is it "respectful" to demand that they hih-tail it out of there again? Do you respect their right to defend one another?

Didn't your mother teach you that you have to earn respect? It is not a normal human reaction to feel respect for your persecutor. And don't get me started on dignity - your buffoon of a foreign minister alone has put paid to any vestige of dignity left in the Israeli government.

yet US troops staioned there are going to be the first victims of North Korea or Russia. There're no US troops in Israel which is capable of defending itself by itself ,if not for people like you trying to incapacitate the country

SDHD, you're delusionnal. The American people do not care an inch about Israel, just like they don't care an inch about anything located beyong American borders. They're interested in jobs and domestic affairs, and bringing GIs home, they could not care less about Israel, especially since most Americans wpould not even be able to locate it on a map. I think you seriously misjudge the evolution of the American opinion, which is focused on domestic matters.

succeed, nor does Obama care, in an election year where he is losing support daily.This is only for election year appearances, as he cannot afford another attempt that appears like a failure.He is only sending Biden to LOOK like an attempt.

"Obama owes loyalty to the American people and no one else. " And the American people choose to support Israel more than Obama does. So, if he is to maintain loyalty to the American people, he should respect their wishes as they pertain to Israel, no?

The USA, vow loyalty and allegiance to Israel???? What did the author of this article drink to write such nonsense? The USA are the biggest power in the world, while Israel is only a tiny country with no recognized borders yet and no peace. Obama owes loyalty to the American people and no one else. And Israel's interests are not always the same as American interests.

how about arabs treating israel with respect and dignity which they have failed to do for the last 62 years ? the phrase "eyes wide shut" seems to fit stephen and his ilk ?

"The USA are sending its VP on a propaganda tour, to soothe their American voters and nothing more but selling Israel out." Look at how the Obama administration has approached the "health care" versus the "jobs," issues. It pretended to hear the American people who want the Obama administration to re-prioritize. It paid lip service to re-prioritizing, but clearly hasn't. The Obama administration tries to re-package it's talking points to suit its audience, but pursues its own self-important priorities. It even does so in direct opposition to the will of the people. How often has Obama cost himself public opinion points whenever he's made unpopular decisions? Has he learned yet? I would expect some sort of candy-coated arm-twisting from the Obama administration followed by face-saving maneuvering when caught with his shorts around his ankles by the American public.

obama does not come to israel because he has an intense dislike for the country. he is planning to go to indonesia despite demonstrations against him.

biden cannot come to israel and not make the obama administration's stand on iran clear. israel's first and primary concern is the very real threat emanating from iran. all other issues, appearances to the contrary, are secondary. as aluf ben rightly states, obama has already wasted a full year with useless diplomatic moves. indeed, it can be said that obama's middle east policy is in shambles/

The author states: "Obama has no choice but to use the tried and true methods of the past: supporting, stroking and promising loyalty." (to Israel presumably). This to "stop the Middle East being set aflame". The author is probably correct, both for Amercian political realities; and because he knows that Israel does most of the inflaming in the area, so best to suck up to them. However some hopes have apparently again been raised with the Arab League- and if they are yet again sold a dummy, then the Middle East may not be a happy place. So Obama has the choice to promise loyalty and security and peace to Israel, while also pointing out the price tag for those things- namely to agree to land swaps, sharing Jerusalem, and treating the Palestinians at least in the West Bank with dignity and respect. Obama personally owes Israel very little- in fact he may just be a little peeved at the regular insults heading his way. So Biden may have a couple of small surprises for Israel.

Loyalty an unknown word for any USA Administration. Israel is not to believe anything from that end! The USA are sending its VP on a propaganda tour, to soothe their American voters and nothing more but selling Israel out.

agreeing on the Fiad plan along with the Europeans on a Pals state, regardless weather agreement is reached or not.

With all the whispering campaign about his birth and his origins and his legitimacy and his religion and his commitment to Israel's security and all the posters of him with a mustache, is it safe for Obama to visit. The anti-Obama campaign is very similar to that run against Rabin, before Amir was convinced to act. And your government already denied security courtesy to one former US President. I'm not convinced Obama would be safe right now if he visited.

a peson who has no past also has no future !

written promises of the preceeding Prez.

and a visit to Abbas? No. And so Abbas and co. are once again on a mission to nowhere. Israel knows that the US will stand by and watch the Palestinians fall .... disappear? The idea of the US being mediator, honest broker is toxic. Why on earth did the Arab League support such a gathering. Do they wish the Palestinians to disappear also?

He's been to Istanbul and Cairo, will soon be heading to a third muslim nation in the east. He chose to address "peaceniks" at a rally in Tel Aviv, while ignoring the rest of the Israeli people, and now he's sending his Vice as opposed to directly addressing the Israeli people himself. Funny how Obama's support by American's has never been lower, and Israel's support by American's has almost never been higher. Maybe if he took a moment to think about that little fact he'd also think twice about doing everything to prevent Israel from attacking Iran, as opposed to doing everything he can to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.