Former UN envoy: Israel's international status at all-time low
Discussing Palestinians' expected declaration of statehood, Gabriela Shalev says Israel has 'no chance' of dealing with the move in the General Assembly.
By Jonathan Lis Tags: Israel news Middle East peaceIsrael's current status at the United Nations is at an all-time low, Israel's former UN ambassador, Prof. Gabriela Shalev, said yesterday at a session of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Also speaking at the meeting, former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy said that peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians are currently impossible.
"Israel has no chance of dealing with the Palestinian move in the General Assembly," Shalev said, discussing the Palestinians' expected declaration of statehood after a UN vote this September. "The United States is not interested in vetoing the UN's recognition of a Palestinian state." Shalev added that the UN is today the foremost place for activity against Israel.
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Gabriela Shalev speaking to Knesset members, May 16, 2011. |
| Photo by: Emil Salman |
Former Mossad chief Halevy said Israel's "maneuvering space is growing narrower," while the ability of the Quartet - the U.S., Russia, UN and European Union - to "affect the peace talks is diminishing.
"The existing situation is a non-starter," he added, saying that what Israel has wanted for the last two years can't now come to fruition: "We can't reach a permanent peace deal because the person who would sign the deal is not the same person who would need to carry it out," Halevy said.
Committee chairman MK Shaul Mofaz warned that Sunday's Nakba Day clashes are a precursor to the events expected in September, when the Palestinian Authority intends to unilaterally declare a state in the UN.
"Israel's government is hiding its head in the sand," Mofaz said. "Without a peace initiative, events like the one on the Syrian border will recur in September.
"The changes here are tectonic," he added. "The events are a precursor to the September events, which could come in waves against Israel's population."
Mofaz said Israel should not have waited for Sunday's clashes to understand that the reality in the Middle East has changed.
"The present government, headed by Netanyahu, isn't initiating anything," Mofaz said, adding that the Israeli government must be prepared for any situation come September.
Former head of the Military Intelligence Maj. Gen. Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash said "the government will negotiate with any government that adheres to the two-states-for-two-peoples principle. The Quartet's principles must be applied to the continued process, building an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation." He said the Palestinians also must accept the principle of one law, one authority, and one army.
The committee said it will ask Defense Minister Ehud Barak and top defense officials to attend a meeting to "explain" the army's failure in dealing with the Palestinians who crossed the Syrian border into Israel on Sunday.
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Go figure?!
On the contrary ! It has never been higher in my opinion ! Rest is propaganda !
the pa taking its cue from Obama has upped the ante in effect announcing the need to destroy Israel, The UN move is to impose the saudi plan, then impose a no fly zone and a blockade of Israel. They are demanding a one state solution and Israel is not the state
the pa taking its cue from Obama has upped the ante in effect announcing the need to destroy Israel, The UN move is to impose the saudi plan, then impose a no fly zone and a blockade of Israel. They are demanding a one state solution and Israel is not the state
Yes, Israel will face the expected hate-fest at the UN and be made to appear as the guilty, intransigent negotiator, but do any one of you really believe that the Palestinians are now sincerely willing to accept a peaceful State of theirs alongside Israel in lands that they once had back on June 4th, 1967, but with which they were then utterly dissatisfied with as they didn't include all of Israel? If so, then you are living in disingenuous denial. Perhaps Israel in its defense at the UN GA should quote from the living Hamas Charter & press the Palestinian reps (Hamas & Fatah) in public to either confirm or deny this document, and then their facade of peace will start to unravel very quickly and in a very embarrassing manner.
the malady of many.
this beloved nation of occupation, annexation, wall-building, settlement-building, semi-apartheid, blockade, collective punishment, rejection of peace, rejection of law etc How could anyone possibly hate israel?
Everybody should love Israel and its wicked rulers because it would be anti-semitic to do otherwise... :P
The future is written in the book of the past. Only the winner writes history; so that we weak minded modern humans can feel that "true" justice prevails ALWAYS! What ever happened to the Cathars? The Jewish Semitic Tribes of (Saudi) Arabia? The Turkish Armenians? The European 'old school' Jews? The Cambodians? and The Tutsis of Rawanda? etc. etc. etc. History is filled with surprises and various types of floods, plagues, famine, etc. etc. etc.
Doesn't change the facts.
"We can't reach a permanent peace deal because the person who would sign the deal is not the same person who would need to carry it out," Cuts both ways. Netanyahoo refused to resume negotiations where Olmert left off.
Bravo to you ينصر دينك
The left had their moment in 2008 but with debt, immigration, lisbon treaty look at recent elections. Europe is moving right. France could have a far right leader next year who will be israel's best friend. Canada PM just got a majority. Every election is moving right. Just wait the leftists out there are running out of time that is why they are pouncing on september. Leftism is out. Look at europe the leftist leaders poll numbers are way down. bibi will have many many friends in a few years.
And in fact, most European countries have had right-wing governments for the last few years (Merkel, Sarkozy, Berlusconi, Rutte, Cameron, Tusk, ...). Not sure if these are the kind of politicians you're happy with, but for Europe to move even further to the right seems pretty unlikely.
get real
So "right" is pro-Israel, "left" is pro-Palestinian? I shall spare my time to explain, just state that the world is a bit more complex than that.
Europeans carry the anti-semitic gene? How convenient for Israeli hasbarists. All criticism of Israel is anti-semitic, and couldn't possibly be due to the fact that Europeans are less racist than Israelis, and therefore opposed to their racist state. The Left at least. The xenophobic ultra-right loves Israel because of their common islamophobic goal: To remove/keep out Muslims.
I am utterly amazed by the slowth of the 'Israeli collective thinking and acting to the 'tectonic' changes happening within and around her borders, whatever those may be... The inaptitude mat stem from couple of ingrained inner and outer attitudes: 1- Chutzpah: Soon to be reduced dramatically. Israel has the military power to do what it so pleases and act accordingly, even if this means to disregard completely other human’s basic needs. It still lives in the past when their military might 'solve' all the problems. 2- The thought to be 'superior' to the gentiles and especially their closest neighbours... Israel is in love with the collective thought to be 'the' 'Chosen". 3- Lack of courage for honest collective self-introspection. Those few who dare are first ostracised then vilified and banned from their own society. 4- The global shift. The world og yesterday has gone and the world of today is history by tomorrow. Israel still lives by the thought that 'their' US will remain 'their' life-saver.. Problem: The more the US loose power and influence, the more the J-lobby needs to uses more overtly its weapons. Hence, the more public becomes its meddling. At one point, 'American public opinion' will wake up to that fact and revolt. Result: See past Jewish and world history... However. Life remains bright. History would be bleak if there were not alternatives: These are as simple as cheap: 1- Honest and genuine respect for the gentile neighbours. 2- Admitting the wrongs done to others and offering sincere apologies. 3- Really honestly engaging in problem-solving behaviours. 4- Make plans to make practical peace with neighbours as meticulously elaborated and detailed as those plans Israel has already to 'bomb the neighbours back to the dark ages". Just in case... Good luck, bur forgive me to remain a little sceptic as to the implementation of these simple friendly advices. For the unyielding love I have for Israel and the nice 'theoretical' (??) principles it sometimes pledges to stand for: Please prove me wrong...
To the people of Israel. Don't be afraid, Then the state of Palestine is created you will be protected by the world. If something happening you will beeeee protected. the world will help you. Don't be afraid.
Yes, sign on the dotted line...make the covenant. Peace. Peace.
Israel has a serious emergency that people point out, but that's as far as it goes. Like a speeding driver saying "we are driving fast at that tree. It is getting closer. We are going to hit it. *poof*" Israel has to put all its resources into a diplomatic relationship with the new Palestinian state, and it must take apparent military risks (like getting past the nonsense about a demilitarized Palestine). There either has to be a big step soon or the situation will decline past the point of salvage. The current leadership of Israel is utterly blinded and has no sense of history.
Bibi is not a diplomat or a leader. He is a BS artist who thinks he is smarter than everyone else, so he thinks he can fool others. Hey Bibi -you're not that bright
Bibi is irrelevant. It is time for him to take sabbatical till September and resign after that when Palestine in 1967 borders is recognized by UN.
All the military power in the world doesn't make something just. You can't disenfranchise millions of people on their own land in the modern world because everyone is watching.
Give it up, and you will still have a state next year. Kick and scream like a spoilt child, and the State of Israel will be take away from you by the World Powers who gave it to you in the first place. (don't think it can happen? Czechsolovakia was given away to Hitler, Georgia was left on it's own to Russia, South Vietnam was abandoned to a Communist Wave, believe me that America can give up the only state in the ME with no oil)
The only thing most Israelis want is to live in peace in their existing Jewish state of Israel.And the only thing most diaspora Jews want for Israel is to continue to exist and thrive as the Jewish state,the expression of the Jews' national aspirations and the only place where the diaspora Jews will be able to live should any new pogroms and persecutions are re-enacted by some crazy antisemite leader in the countries they actually live.It wasn't the "World Powers" that gave the Jews their state as it wasn't they that "gave away" Czechoslovakia.And finally,Mr.McKalum,if this newly created and declared "state of Palestine" attacks Israel,will you be able to admit that Israel has the right to dened itself?
He intends to sit like a rabbit caught in the headlights and out stare that 40 Ton truck speeding toward him at 80mph. And he will remain Prime Minister every last second that he can (which is all that matters to him) until that truck metaphorically hits him and Israel.
Only you forgot to mention the look on his face will not be one of paralyzed fear - he's not smart enough for that - but rather one of arrogant defiance...and he'll have his arms crossed.