Israel should thank Obama for acting like a friend

Only thing to add is BHO will bash/support Israel OR US only as it props up the demonic forces at work at the UN and 1worldgov. As the Jews say, "God built Jerusalem."Looks like He'll have the final say soon enough

source is not hemingway but john donne, english poet of 17 century, but of course after red pioneer - re pavlik morozov - education what can you know.

There has always been a lot of diverse thinking by the Jewish people about the diaspora and the future, etc. All I am saying is: try to adopt the most realistic and humane solution to the problem that guarantees your security and fulfills to a good degree (not perfectly, but to a good degree) your aspirations. Are you not living happily now? Are you saying that the aspirations of the Jewish people remain unfulfilled today and that you remain unhappy and frustrated until the kingdoms of Judah and Israel of 2700 years ago are restored?

g. levy is leftwing looney with may be 5000 followers in all israel. there is no silent mayority as this shmuck describe it. more than 50% of israeli electorat support bibi~s position and no more than 1% of jewish israelis support levy~s position. for this reason bibi is PM and levy is moral masturbator. please, all israeli bashers, respect israeli voters as we respect your fools. note that israelis are nation with highest IQ and highest intellectual accivements - and with huge difference with the followers.

To: Claude Sternberg: Why don't you want a second Palestinian state? You are already living next to Palestinian state #1, Jordan, with which you are peace. Now you live next to Palestinian state #2 with which you are at peace. I realize the pull of history (the ancient kingdoms of Judah and Israel, 2700 years ago) but we have to live in the now and ensure that people that living now have a decent life.

Excellent op-ed....I hope that Mr Netanyahu takes notice. I suspect he will not.

Thank you Gideon you got it right

So, imagine that Obama and Levy had never been born. Then you would need enemies? Nu.

If Obama is truly a "friend", then why is he demanding that: 1) Israel not construct housing in its Capital? 2) Israel stop ongoing construction within communities like Gush Etzion, Arial, Maale A'Dumin, Efrat, etc. 3) Israel release still more terrorists from its jails 4) Israel accept Palestinian "refugees" 5) Fail to demand concessions from the Palestinains, like - ceasing invitement to violence, cancel the commeration of a suicide bomber who killed 32 Israelia, reduce the world wide activism trying to de-legitimize Israel, ACCEPT THE EXISTENCE OF THE JEWISH STATE OF ISRAEL Yes, let see some balance before Haaretz claims that Obama is a friend of Israel and tell him to stop stating that there would peace in the middle ease if only there is a resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict Lets see Haaretz address these comments honestly.

Whether or not Indians want Manhattan or Italian want cities they built it's up to them. I don't speak for them. Jews left their lands not by their own will, they were forcefully exiled from their land and for all 2000 years of exile they knew they would be back. Arabs settled on the Jewish lands without having any rights for this. Besides this, how come they made no slightest attempt to establish a state before 1967? Anyone thought about it? Anyway, I don't care what UN says about it- Jerusalem does not belong to UN and they have no rights to dispose it. Agreeing on building freeze in Jerusalem would mean accepting the notion that a part of Jerusalem is a settlement.

Netanyahu must take a firm stand- Israel has tried to negotiate peace deals with the Palestinians for more than 60 years without success.Israel has had a history spanning 3700 years. Palestinian history does not exist!If Obama has his way there will be no state of Israel- What we will have is "The Late Great State of Israel." Thank you BiBi for standing firm!

Dear Aleem, I never mentioned to transfer people from one place to an other... I just say that a Palestinian State exist already a long time ago. It is called Jordan and the capital is Amman. I do not want a second Palestinian State!! The Arab people may live in Israel if they want to, like they are doing it right now but they have to know that they are living in a Democratic Jewish State... If they want to live in a Muslim Palestinian State, they will have to go to Jordan...

Jews that are the enemies of all that's Jewish is nothing new. They always existed. Within or without the Jewish community. But they are needed, as one needs more than one opinion. They help to see things also from another perspective, or, at least to check it. No matter if they are wrong.

Gidone Levy...one sick individual!

Obama is a friend to Israel; bush was its worst enemy.

To Claude Sternberg: It's what some Israelis want. But they can't have it because it hurts other human beings. They should stop being so greedy and selfish and think of other human beings. Let's all face reality. The Jewish people in Israel are there to stay and the Palestinians are there to say. They're not going anywhere (to Jordan for instance). Even if it was going to happen, do you really want your grand children to face the world with the accusation that their grandparents drove out "x" million people from their homes. The shame should be on the greedy and selfish of today but instead they will have to bear the shame.

"What on earth do you actually want", is Obama asking to the Israeli people...? The moment of truth..? I will tell you what the Israeli people want: A Jewish State called Israel, included Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem as their capital and a Palestinian State called Jordan with Amman as their capital" This is what we want Mr. President and this is what will happen soon or later..!!

When one looks back, it is clearly seen that the greater the "friendship" of a US President to Israel (meaning that he applies less pressure on Israel to pursue peace), the less is accomplished. Our greatest "friends" were Clinton and G. Dubya Bush. Clinton did everything Barak asked him to do, including in Camp David. The result: no peace, only Intifada II. Dubya Bush came up with the Roadmap, a plan but no pressure on Israel. Nothing useful resulted. Looking back at the "bad" presidents, Nixon helped Israel with military equipment in Yom Kippur, but then prevented Israel from vanquishing the Egyptian Third Army. He preserved Egypt's honor, and peace became possible. Carter was even insulting in his pressure on Begin. But he ended up godfathering the Peace Agreement with Sadat. Papa Bush was publicly pushing Shamir, even causing his regime to fall, This resulted in the Madrid Conference which led to Oslo. It is now Obama's turn to do some good. If Netanyahu is unable to freeze construction in Jerusalem while peace talks detrmine what should belong to each side (thus eating the pizza while discussing how to divide it), let him fall. We don't need zealous nuts as Prime Ministers.

Excellent & very well written article! It is so refreshing and a tad hopeful that there are people as the writer who can see clearly. Shame we don?t have many more. History one day will judge Obama and you can bet whatever you want when that day comes ..it will be done in a positive light. Israel on the other hand, heaven knows what will happen?.. the world is watching

He might be totally true; Jerusalem will not be ?divided? it will be shared. That is a totally different thing! There are Christians, Muslims and Jews living in Jerusalem. Hopefully there will not be a Berlin wall dividing the city. I think that would be an abomination on a holy site.

Dear Eddie: I don't see what settlements have to with security. Populating a buffer zone defeats the purpose of a buffer zone. There is no one that wants a Jewish holocaust, not even Ahmedinajad or Hamas. The latter have often talked about a permanent truce. Once there is peace, Hamas raison d'etre disappears. They deny the holocaust but they don't want one. Similarly, Muslims need to realize that there is no conspiracy by the US or West to undermine Muslims. When the Saudi Arabian poetess was interviewed by BBC, at the end she made a special point to say "I know the world is a small village. From my heart I wish peace and love for everybody."

If you think the President of any country in the world is an altruistic human being then I have a bridge to sell you and I expect you would buy it. Although, the United states has been a great ally the basis of this relationship is not one sided nor is it a Big brother-little brother relationship. It was a strategic relationship before Obama and let's hope it will continue. Therefore, President Obama is approaching The "piece process" from the point of view of what is best for the U.S. as should be expected. a Thank you should go to our PM Nentanyahu for upholding and standing up for the best interests of Israel. If this is too hard to believe I only have one last question, when are you buying the bridge?!

Thank Obama? Is this a joke? Maybe the Leftists think Hussien is a god.

I do hope you will rethink your position, Obama already has, he did a 180 degree flipflop from when, as a candidate, he clearly stated Jerusalem is Israel's capitol and should NEVER be divided. You just don't see the truth about this man, he is a phony. He sat in a church for 20 years as his pastor ranted and raved about 'the Jews'. He is NO friend to Israel, believe me. Many in the US have removed our rose colored glasses, he will bamboozle us no longer, it's time for you to do the same. Wake up Israel.

"...including halting all construction in all settlements, everywhere, for all time, and begin evacuating them instead." Why is it OK for Arabs to live in Israel but not for Jews to live in Palestine? And if you say that it is because the Arabs are bloodthirsty murderers who will slaughter the settlers, who is there to make "peace" with?

"After 43 years of a vicious occupation, these, too, are minimal demands." I where born in Israel but I always wonder how Israeli who see things the way you do can stay in Israel. Is it all worth it?

Stage 1- Ideologically rejection of Obama's demands. Israel keeps settling and moves congress against Obama. Stage 2- tactical rejection, till the last moment. Bibi should transform the minimum request of freezing building in Jerusalem into a major case. However, in the last moement Bibi will have to reshuffle its gabinet, accept American requests and begin a "faked" peace process after building is stalled. The beneffits of such a tactical move are obvious. the ball jumps into the Pals courtyard. Plas are incapable of respond to any American demand. Bibi should "play the card" and fail palestinians. It sounds obvious.

as a decent man, rendering Gideon decent too. You can be clear on that these words of friendship will travel to the ear of the president, because Gideon is one of the most cited journalists in the West.

You have turned the Jewish State into the equivalent of an abused wife, who constantly legitimises the attacks on her by her abuser(s). You and your kind are plagued with guilt when Israel dares to hit back or stand up for herself, and the only "normative" situation for you and your ilk is one of subdued acceptance of the will of others imposed upon your nation. Shame on you, and G-d help a nation so filled with people like you.

Yes, yes, yes! Thank you Gideon!

THANK YOU GIDEON LEVY PEOPLE LIKE U MAKE WORLD BETTER PLACE

When they ethnic cleansed the Jews out of Jerusalem etc with the combined invading Arab armies and Arab 'irregulars"

dear Alleem Aziz You have a good point. I believe there is room for negotiated settlement (no pun intended). But it cannot be forced. And tryign to force a solution will elad to a war , like in 48. And you are also correct about Hamas. Left wingers like Obama and Gidlevy do not understand Hamas, and think they will come to their senses once statehood is achieved. But there are many arab victim of hamas, that is why moderate Arab states do not want them around. Same goes for Ahmadinejad. This answers your question of why Israelis want it all - they don't they just want security. Jews have had more than one holocaust, so when a new group threatens another ,most Jews take the threat seriously.

There already is a two state solution in place. Jordan is the Palestinian state. Jordan's land is stolen from the land Britain promised to be the Jewish State. And the overwhelming majority of Jordan's population is already palestinian. What should Israel do? Annex the entire "west bank", with all of the residents made citizens and then do what EVERY country does--Enforce their national identity. Make Hebrew the only official language. Make ALL students take mandatory courses in civics, that teaches them LOVE of Israel. And most important, make ALL citizens (get it?) of appropriate age serve in the IDF. Those who don?t like it will vote with their feet. The Palestinians would have their own state within weeks. Problem solved.

Gideon Levy writes: "Obama is merely acting the way a friend should act." Well, he does. He acts as a friend of Netanyahu, and the Israeli policy of repression and occupation of Palestinians. This policy is only possible with American support and money, which Obama continues to give, no strings attached. But the myth of the benevolent Obama is indestructible. No matter what his policies actually are, his fans will continue to see him as the "great humanitarian". An empty, meaningless diplomatic "row" is enough to convince them that from now on, everything will change. In reality nothing will change, and the Americans will continue to finance and support the siege of Gaza, and the repression of Palestinians.

The bell should be a wake-up call. Or it will "toll for thee", according to Hemmingway's funeral analogy. The choice is up to Israel.

Mike writes: "Obama does not have your country`s best interest at heart" "he only wants a peaceful middle east solution just to make himself look good" Hello Mike. May you please exaplain what is Israel best interest if not a Middle east peaceful solution?

As a Muslim and American I say categorically that I support the existence and flourishing of Israel at 1967 borders give or take the current facts on the ground (obviously all settlements can't be dismantled). But I think some Israelis need to step up to the future. Why do some of you want everything for yourselves and care nothing for the life and livelihood of the Arabs. Last year 4,577 Palestinians in Jerusalem were stripped of residency rights. And in Gaza IDF soldiers deliberately killed families waving white flags. Yet the only trial I have seen is of soldiers asking a boy to open a bag. Come on, prosecute the soldiers who did the really bad things. I agree with Gideon Levy's article, except for one point. All Hamas people who have had a role in killing innocent civilians are fair game wherever they are, Dubai or elsewhere. Some in the US (nutters in my opinion) think that the current Middle East situation is going to spark Armageddon. Let's prove them wrong.

Hello Boruch! I'm wondering if you know how many european cities had been founded by the Romans... So according to you, we the Italians are free to go to London and to demolish english people's houses to build ours? Who founded Jerusalem is irrilevant for the International Law. What matters is its status now: and right now East Jerusalem is considered occupied. One more thing: you want to reach peace, don't you? So where is the problem in stopping building for a while? What should be clear is that Jerusalem final status is still to be decided; the temporary settlement freeze is just a little step to start a talk with the Pals... Aren't you willing to take a little step to reach peace?

The world modern society has been built on fallacy because the understanding of the Bible has been forbidden by the "strong in ponctuations" (Gen. 30 and 31). Those people have turned the Elohim's good advices into a "fictive literature", adding to the text a thick wall of marks (and that wall is built in the minds of those who read it that way), to be like a helm leading the understanding to nowhere, taking us apart from the roots of the words where are the interesting answers. Free yourself from the wall. Don't let anyone to tell you how to understand the Bible. In the roots of the words are the connection to God's wise advices. The roots can make you see (aren't carrots good for the eyes?). Or maybe, most people prefer staying slaves in the pyramid of the dominants/dominated?

call a spade a spade with courage and humanity. Thank, you my friend.

Not in 67. Psm is right, for once. Where he goes wrong is in claiming Israel has the right to change those armistice lines as it sees fit mby use of force.

gained through war. "FRENCH READER UNSCR 242 Says 1967 is NOT the border"psm ""Knowing as I did the unsatisfactory nature of the 1967 line, I wasn?t prepared to use wording in the Resolution that would have made that line permanent. Nonetheless, it is necessary to say again that the overwhelming principle was the ?inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war? and that meant that there could be no justification for the annexation of territory on the Arab side of the 1967 line merely because it had been conquered in the 1967 war."Lord Caradon So tell us where 242 says one party can decide where the border "IS" by forceably nibbling away at those territories and chaning facts"borders" on the ground. Do you have even the slighest idea just how utterly rediculous your arguments are.

And you Mr Levy deserve the World peace Medal and our thanks as palestinians for your courageous standpoints. The time will come soon , when the majority of Israel's population raise up against their extremist leaders and force them to withdrow from all occupied palestinian territories, including Al-Quds-

thank you so much..God surely will reward you for telling the truth. i respect you man so much..and i wish if there are more people wise like you in isreal then we could live happly in peace..once again thank you as always you have been very right

all very colourful and embroidered.

And thank you Amos Shoken for allowing Gideon Levy to express the thoughts of an important 'minority'.. who with more press support - will ecome a majority

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act". So it is with Levy. He is merely stating the obvious, that building in East Jerusalem is contradictory to a peaceful, two-state solution, and yet listen to the howls of contempt from the ideological right. Everyone on this post who declares against Obama, please state for the record that you are against a two state solution with the Palestinians (and if you're especially honest, tell us what you would have instead).

Masochistic's Culture of the left.

If you do not like the current state of affairs you might like to read the Arab league resolution of Khartoum.There were no settlements till the Arabs en masse decided there would be no recognition of Israel etc

The Israeli Arabs are assaulting Jewish farmers regularly. (Glick, JP today) The Palestinian Arabs are demanding 100% of the West Bank of the Jordan River. (The East Bank was lost before 1948) Gaza is already in enemy hands with no sign of any peace talks under any circumstances. Hebron was given up by a previous Netanyahu administration. What is left? We are surrounded by enemy forces. They are trying to take land without a war so that they can launch the final solution. (again) Ignorance is no excuse this time. We can not survive unless we have a military advantage on the ground. Otherwise they'll just drive a nuke across the border into Judea or Samaria and blow it up with no delivery system, destroying Tel Aviv. Come on you people. Return to sanity and make a future for our children. These people don't want peace. They want Israel.

First of all well done again to Gideon Levy; a brave and honourable man indeed. McQueen is just one of many posters who regularly ask for the Palestinians to make concessions. What useful concession can they realistically make? Here, Israel, because you have stolen already a lot of our land feel free to have some more? Or, Fine we are happy to stay imprisoned, impoverished, and living with limited legal status in an apartheid like state for longer, because we see it suits Israel. The assumed concessions they will need to make for there to be peace; are to accept Israel certainly within its 1967 borders, and probably with some give and take besides. These logically they will make in negotiations. They are not the party in breach of what are deemed to be the final status conditions. Give up Shalit they should do; even here they have made it clear what would gain his release, and Israel has baulked.

israel elected their pm themselves,so you get what you asked for.i am not sure the obama is such a good friend of israel but he suffers the same fate as all who disagree with israel. they call him an aniti-semite and then do all the stupid thing they always did in the past.

Ever heard about international law and only legal bprder that of 1967 ? If West Bank including East Jlem belongs to Israël, Manhattan should be given back to the Indians.

just how much of a friend Obama is.If he speaks directly to the Israeli people and tries to win them over and stops hiding behind the immense gravitas of the U.S. Presidency well then maybe he is indeed a friend. But the hard and painful truth is that he doesn't need Israel to be a friend to implement his detente with the Arab and Muslim world. Quite the contrary! Seeing that Obama is a Machiavellian pursuer of interests first and foremost, (could an American President be more tepid in support of the Iranian opposition?), I don't think the proposition that Obama is acting like a friend really captures this moment. Rather he is acting more like the Boy's Vice Principal at my old high school imposing discipline and correct behavior on unruly adolescents. Expelling Israel from his academy of nations is not in the cards; keeping Israel close to his office for measured, continuous correction is what this Professor is about. Friend? I don't think so,

The Palestinians are willing to live with the Israeli pre-67 conquests. That is a huge concession. Name one from Netanyahu, just one that is not already a Palestinian RIGHT by virtue of Geneva IV or Oslo or the UN Charter. Just one.

I pray for you Isreal, for my freedoms are slowly being taken away by this so called friend. Beware

I was terrified that Obama would bow to the intense pressures of Washington. For the first year, he appeared headed in that direction. After brutal attacks from the US and Israeli right wings, Obama has admitted he may not receive a second term. I envy the man. I hope he is able to finally bring a touch of social justice to the conflict.

that is not the act of a friend of Israel or any other democracy.

with a friend like him we need no enemies

i hope the people of palestine can move the leaders to a reform policy in the sense of a true non violence. which should be applied to internal affairs first. redistributing the burdens, justice in taxation, and solving the refugee problems. germany and japan had abandoned their militarism and bitter aggressions. palestinian leaders must do the same while leaving islam to a sphere of modest privacy pruned of its aggressive interpreters. only after that can we pay attention to the sweet gideon.

ged but challenged by OIC-Arab League and non aligned group .

The fact that an op ed like Gideon's can even be imagined in Israel, much less published, is a testimony to how completely disconnected from reality Israelis are. Did Obama humilliate Israel is analogous to asking if Saudi Arabia is offended because some diplomat suggested women should be allowed to drive cars. Who on Earth can possibly believe that the tepid nudging of the Obama administration is an affront? Who on Earth can still believe the Settlements are not criminal? I used to think that Netanyahu was a nightmare come true; now I see he is exactly the leader Israelis deserve.

Gideon , did you ever hear the quote: God save me from my friends from my enemies I'll protect myself

Once again u right but it is really sad that it did not recieved well in Isreal. Obama is saving Isreal from self destructive behavior.

These are the great negotiations that Levy envisions for Israel. What a complete idiot

if he were an enemy

to your own question: "If the silent majority" "If Israel had a real peace camp" Talk about looking in the mirror -How about the truth- Does not happen - Why?- Because most Jews in Israel and around the world understand reality, not your double standard fantasy supported by the aspirations of those who use it as perverse moral shield to hide their own hatred. This is why Netanyahu is well supported and Obama is widely disliked. How about looking in the mirror and accepting that!

The logic of this article is crystal clear. I'm sure the talkbacks that follow won't see it that way, and that is truly a shame.

Obama is not Israel's friend. He learned hs lessons in the madrassa, he has been o the extreme left fringe of Chicago politics. Obama's unpopularity amongst the US electorate is so high that he could not possibly win the Us presidency, if elections were today. It is the American people who are Israel's friend.

From an American who was pleased to see Israel get a state, please listen to the author of this piece before it is too late. You must be happy with only what was given to you by the world...you know, the Green Line tells you where. If you continue your arrogance, hubris, obfuscation and re-writing of history, the world will force you to do what is right. Now is the time to change your tune.

Otherwise, they're coming to take you away.... again!

Gideon Levy, you are a credit to Israel. Keep up your inspiring work.

Mr. levy-If you think that obama is for israel,then you are greatly mistaken.Obama does not have your country's best interest at heart.He is a poster boy for those who want a one world government,and those people's only interest in israel,is subjecting it for their own benefit.Like some of the past washington politicians,he only wants a peaceful middle east solution just to make himself look good.He doesn't really give a flip about israel itself.

Finally, someone with a clear and accurate perspective. I get sick and tired of all the evangelicals and Zionists crying that Netanyahu was insulted by Obama and not treated as a foreign dignitary. Obama is doing Israel a favor by making them face the hard facts that what they have been doing for the past 43 years is self-destructive. Thank you once again, Gideon!

If Israel ever wants to be part of the civilized world, then it should forget the deluded idea of occupation and colonialism based on religious nonsense. For years appeasement has led the theocracy to believe it can do whatever it wants, but at last the US has a government thats joined the chorus of world states that find occupation and settlements totally unacceptable - It's Israel's choice of whether to be a Pariah State or join the real world.

Gideon, let's suppose you are right about Obama. Let us suppose that this government(or the next) agrees, and Israel moves back to the 1967 borders. If and when they are attacked, rocketed, exploded, knifed and invaded, what would be the proper response from Israel? Turn the other cheek, or reoccupy the West Bank?

I'm grateful to Mr. Levy for this insightful and knowing essay that cuts through and exposes for what it is so much blather and defensive (and offensive) rationalizing about this American president who is indeed Israel's real friend if it as a nation only realized it. This is the time for a change of government in Israel--to a government that could capitalize on the insights in Mr. Levy's essay here.

Obama demands what no US president ever demanded- stopping construction in Israeli capital. (While previous presidents might talk about Jerusalem, it was just a lip serivce). In all core issues Obama accepts Arabs position, particularly Arab rights for Jerusalem which was Jewish capital thousands years before Arabs came to this area. Freezing contruction in Jerusalem for Obama is the first step in future dividing of Jerusalem which was united in 1967. Bibi has to hold up for three more years and then hopefully Obama goes home.

The rarest of all gifts is a free "do over" after you have made a terrible decision. Netanyahus entire reputation and legacy with depend on the choices he makes over the next couple of weeks. Personally, I think he will blow it. I hope I am wrong.

A 'silent majority' that wants to destroy Israel by allowing Millions of refugees Into Israel and giving away our only holy sites to blood-thirsty inciters to violence, there is no such majority in Israel! Don't you know that Israel annexed Jerusalem years ago?

Fantastic article!

You are a beacon of reason on a sea of irrationality. Unfortunately, it appears that there is no reasoning with these Zionist fanatics who seemingly are willing to gamble on a course of action that could well result in the end of Israel as a Jewish state.