Netanyahu's 'no freeze in Jerusalem' declarations are hollow
Obama realizes PM's Jerusalem rhetoric is necessary in order to keep his coalition together.
By Akiva Eldar Tags: Barack Obama East Jerusalem Israel newsThe prime minister's response Thursday on Channel 2 that "there will be no freeze [in construction] in Jerusalem," is like Bill Clinton's "I did not have sex with that woman."
Benjamin Netanyahu did not insist this time that he will continue construction in Ramat Shlomo, Gilo and Har Homa - something he is leaving for Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to do.
Based on the speeches the two gave on Independence Day, Jerusalem Day came early this year.
The two were aware that the moment they were swearing that "united Jerusalem" would never be divided, Barack Obama's envoys were packing their bags for a visit to the region.
The Israelis knew that special envoy George Mitchell was not being sent to the eternal capital just to hear Netanyahu insist on developing the real estate business in East Jerusalem.
Mitchell put up with a lot on his way to a peace agreement in Northern Ireland and did not come here to nail shut the coffin of the peace process. He does not want to bury Israel's relations with the White House.
The signs were thick Thursday that behind the proclamations of a "unified Jerusalem," a quiet accord was in the works with the Americans. As long as the Jews are not building in Sheikh Jarrah and Ramat Shlomo, Obama and his aides don't care what the Jews say about a construction freeze in Arab parts of the city.
In Washington they realized that if Netanyahu wants to preserve his coalition, he can't allow any doubts about the "integrity of Jerusalem." As far as the Americans are concerned, let Netanyahu run around telling everyone that Jerusalem is no different than Tel Aviv. The key thing is that the Palestinians don't read in the paper that the interior minister approved new construction in the Holy City.
Several months ago Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Defense Minister Ehud Barak that he is willing to do without a public pronouncement on a construction freeze in Jerusalem. He said he was willing to make do with a discreet promise to that effect by the defense minister.
He is still waiting for an answer. If Obama can get Abbas to come down from the tree he climbed up - as Netanyahu likes to say - the prime minister needs to help out with a ladder: a gentleman's agreement that the Israeli government will not publish any more tenders for the construction of Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, at least until the end of the coming round of talks.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. |
| Photo by: (Archive) |
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"Your Obama is term limited and israel will be around long after him. You talk about Obama like he is a king and his family will be in charge forever" Time will tell...let's wait and see.
"obviously you are out of touch with Israel completely" Obviously you are more so, living in an illegal settlement in the West Bank...many Israelis would exchange the settlements for a lasting peace with the Palestinians...
"Jerusalem belongs to Israel, this will not change" It's changing even as we write...
Israel loves the US, but it seems clear that they have a bottom line. If it comes to a choice between Jerusalem and keeping friendship with the U.S., it seems pretty clear that the Israelis are keeping Jerusalem. As for the UN sanctions, etc., if Israelis are willing to forgo their alliance with the US over Jerusalem, I'm sure they could care even less what the Arab-infested UN thinks.
lead to hollow promises. Whatever happened to good faith and trial balloons?
"Meretz is considered to be akin to Hamas in Israel these days and is a near extinct party" "Akin"? There are ups and downs with every Israeli party. But if memory doesn't fail me, Hamas in its best times was never as successful in getting Kneset seats as Meretz in its lowest times. By the way, why won't you make alliyah, Chaim?
You dont live in Israel.Efrat is an illegal squat. So Israeli democracy is of no concern of yours. Got your bags packed Chaim.
I recall another 500 thousand jews booted from Arab countries, can they go back too? and What about the diaspora when the Romans kicked out the jews, can they go back too? and what about the millions displaced as of WW2, can they go back too? What about the native americans? can they go back too? Illegal, shmilegal, U.N. shmu shmen - Jerusalem belongs to Israel, this will not change.
"This whole debate is a joke because govt has no power over private construction" Of course it does, especially if it's illegal construction in "territories occupied". "You can`t freeze 500,000 people.." But 62 years ago, you could boot 700,000 out.. "The market forces move and construction happens. Get a clue. Jews were majority in east jerusalem from 1850 to 1948 " Irrelevant. Israel did not declare sovereignty over ANY of Jerusalem or the West Bank. It has not legally annexed ANY territory. " and israel supposed to give that up because of a cease fire in a war where then jordan destroyed everything jewish in the old city." No, because it is ILLEGAL under the GC's. It ISN'T Israel's to 'give up'.
Its called Democracy Martin and being pro-Arab I guess it's unimportant to you but Bibi is following the majority, the will of the people, the base, Israel and democracy. Meretz is considered to be akin to Hamas in Israel these days and is a near extinct party so obviously you are out of touch with Israel completely.
They may apeak and act like extremists. Sow fear and parania to archieve their objectives. But they know that it finally is America who sets the true margins within they can move. Bibi is indeed counting / gambling on America to dump Obama and for Israel to become daddy's favorite little boy again who's unpleasant behavior is so easy overlooked. In the end the Americans are responsible for Israel's conduct in this perspective. Many say in Europe Americans look at three things before they vote: gas prices, house prices and tax levels, certainly not foreign policy. If this is true, it was good for Israel but not anymore. Contrary to previous times nowadays the Israeli/Pal conflict is influencing all three in a rapidly growing intensity. Astronomical war costs in Iraq/Afghanistan, financially taken hostage by China, Iranians planning attack on dollar as world oil coin amongst other things. Bad experiences with 'friends' end ignorance and illusions about them. But yeah, tea parties...
... in any case, even a limited Pal State could be accepted into the UN... and then it's up to the UN to lend a hand to the nascent State of Palestine... by granting even a mini Pal State, Bibi relinquishes some of the hegemony that allows Israel to rule over the Pals so heavy-handedly...
Netanyahu is betting everything upon the defeat of Obama in 2012. Why should anyone believe that Bibi Netanyahu has any intent to see peace for Israel? We do have any reason to believe him? He clearly is not willing to give the slightest gesture towards peace, or the relationship with America. How can he? Netanyahu has assembled a coalition composed of a guy who's only interest is in destroying Netanyahu (Ehud Barrak), and lunatic extremists who will never settle for peace. Netanyahu not only loathes the idea of peace, he understands that peace would destroy his government.
How can you write about Jerusalem and Bill Clinton's indiscretions in the same sentence? Have you no shame? Really now.
..JEWS ARE FREE ....AT LAST WHY MUST WE ENSLAVE OURSELVES AND GROVEL BEFORE THE OBAMAS...LET THEM DO WHAT INVARIABLE THEY WILL DO ANYWAY...FOR WE WILL DO WHAT WE WILL DO. jACK g
This whole debate is a joke because govt has no power over private construction. What a waste of time. You can't freeze 500,000 people. The market forces move and construction happens. Get a clue. Jews were majority in east jerusalem from 1850 to 1948 and israel supposed to give that up because of a cease fire in a war where then jordan destroyed everything jewish in the old city. Your Obama is term limited and israel will be around long after him. You talk about Obama like he is a king and his family will be in charge forever.
Why should the americans or anyone else care about Bibi's neo-fascist and ultra-orthodox coalition? He created this sickening coalition. And, he can dissolve it. Who says he can't create a new center-left coalition. Why not include Meretz? Why not get rid of Yisrael Beitanu? Why not include Labour (minus Barak)? Why not include Hadash and the arab parties? A truly peace loving Bibi would do exactly that!!