Why does Israel continue to dismiss Obama's Mideast peace efforts?
Even if Obama encounters further difficulties during his term, he can still resolve the Mideast conflict.
By Gabi Sheffer Tags: Barack Obama Middle East peace Israel newsMost Israelis, including the heads of the defense establishment and politicians led by the prime minister and the foreign minister, categorically state that U.S. President Barack Obama will never solve the Israeli-Arab conflict. This lack of confidence in and sympathy for Obama have accompanied him, unjustifiably, since the day he began campaigning for the presidency - and has only intensified following his election. The disrespect toward him and his administration is unwarranted; there is no doubt that it is connected to Obama's ethnic background.
In view of the economic crisis that hit the United States and, in its wake, the rest of the world, the accepted wisdom is that the ability of the United States and its president to influence what happens beyond their borders has been diminished. However, that is not where things actually stand. As no other existing power holds such extensive strength and influence, Obama's ability to act in the world in general and the Middle East in particular has not been eliminated. Russia, China and the European Union have not surpassed the United States in terms of their capability.
It must be remembered that American presidents, particularly Democrats such as Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, achieved remarkable accomplishments - brokering peace with Egypt and Jordan - even when they did not enjoy the support of the American public or when they were in political "trouble." In other words, even if Obama encounters further difficulties during his term, he can still work toward a solution to the conflict in the Middle East.
It is also incorrect to claim that Obama has stopped taking an interest in conflicts in which Israel is involved. American interest continues, proof of which can be seen in the endless visits by various U.S. representatives - the vice president, the secretary of state (who also does not have much support here in Israel), the head of the joint chiefs of staff, and senators and congressmen.
It is true that Iran has been a main focus of their discussions, but every one of these officials is also involved in, and discusses, the issues relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Special envoy George Mitchell remains fairly active and, as he proved in Ireland, he has a lot of staying power. At the Americans' initiative, his cooperation with Tony Blair has been stepped up - and this too could lead to steps that do not necessarily correspond with the positions of the Israeli government.
It is also true that the Iranian issue has led to massive involvement on the part of the U.S. administration; and as a result, as was justifiably said in a recent Haaretz editorial ("A friendly warning," February 16), Israel must refrain from any military action there. But there is no possibility of severing this involvement from other issues linked to the entire region - such as open shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf, the security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf emirates, the situation in Lebanon, and Syrian-Turkish-Iranian ties. With respect to all these issues there is, and will be, deep significance for Israel and its relations with the Palestinians and the Syrians.
Above all, the relations between the Obama administration and the Arab states and the Palestinians are not cooling. The appointment of a new U.S. ambassador to Syria as well as the Obama administration's close ties with the kings of Jordan and Saudi Arabia, with the Egyptian president and with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, should arouse the attention of the Israeli authorities who wish to freeze talks on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Like administrations in the past, Obama will still play a role in numerous political and economic affairs that relate to Israel. Instead of eulogizing Obama, ignoring the conflict and investing everything in the Iranian issue, Israel must immediately resume the task of solving the Israeli-Arab-Palestinian conflict.
The writer is a professor of political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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(retry) "Israel didn`t exist in 1920 and there`s no mention of a STATE" BUT there was UNIVERSAL agreement among the POWERS of the day to set up a JEWISH HOMELAND in 1920. And it was APPORVED by the LoN and STILL is RECOGNISED by the UN. Clearly this nut has NEVER read any FACTUAL accounts. "They merely gave the folk living there the right to self determination" And this is stated in Art No# ???? of which document, CJ? "It was Palestine that was carved up..By default folk`re Palestinians" Again, CJ, the Art No# ???? of which document CLEARLY state that there ARE a people called Palestinians?
Thank you Mr.Richard. You are right in saying the facts. The late president of arab naton -Abdelnasser- said. What has been taken by force , must be returned by force -.Thanksalso to prof.Sheffer for her analysis to the situation. Israeli settlers and the Netanyahoooooooooooo government will be the main cause for the great suffering to come in middle east region.
Burak is usually a female name this is why I thought you were a woman, I am sorry for that. Now can you tell me where I insulted your language? In fact your language - Turkish - is my native language too and I would never insult it. Since you care so much about peace why is it that there is still Turkish troops in Cyprus since 1974 against UN calls for removal of them? When are you going to take care of that peace since you take care of peace? I am not belittling you or Turkey just stating facts. Actually it breaks my heart to see what is happening to what used to be a great modern secular republic - Turkey - I only wish that it would turn back to follow Ataturk's path. Burak bey from sunny Antalya. Hadi artik gec oldu orada. iyi geceler.
Israel returned the Sinai to Egypt only after Sadat's army bloodied Israel's nose in the 1973 war. Without that war, Israel would still hold the Sinai.
The assertion that rejection of Obama is based on ethnicity is offensive. There is nothing to back-up this claim. It is irresponsible as well. It has also been a tactic of the Obama election campaign and administration.
Can anyone show us where Obama would be qualified to tell anyone how to run their countrys or how to acheive their freedoms?? Is Job Experience important??
Ur insult in my language shows that u love to insult or belittle people like Ayalon. For the record I am not a lady, i am a straight man. I dont care about turkey`s mediation I only take care about peace. In Turkey matters all constructive mediators are wellcome as long as they help the process. Anyway, UN and EU generally interfere in talks or processes when it is necessary. So u failed again.
No other country has stood by their ally (Israel) like the USA has done. There should eternal gratefullness, apppreciation and respect for US officals and the tax payers of America. Yearly, the money flow is close to to 5% of the Israel's gov't budget. How can you say thank you. All the intangibles that the US gov't has done for Isrel is a long list. Since Obama's Adminstration started 13 months ago, actions like joint military excerises and being anti-goldstone report are two good examples. Remember three more years of the Obama team, if not seven more years, the US is a topic that Bib and the Knesset needs to get a grip upon.
When Egypt attacked Israel they lost the Sinai. Israel gave it back for peace. Of corse peace is a two way street. The fact is Israel is willing to make peace. The proof is in teh traties wirh Egypt and Jordan. If Palestinian Arabs wanted peace with Israel they could have had it by accepting the Clinton parameters.
NOT Israeli, but Sovereign Egyptian territory. "Israel made peace with Jordan." A two way street, read the peace agreement " Israel accepted the Bill Clinton Peace parameters in the Knesset which would have created an Arab Palestinian state in all of Gaza 96% of WB + Israeli land for the 4% .." Impossible. http://wp.me/pDB7k-jA "Israel was ready to make peace with Hafez Assad but a 10 meter stretch of land prevented it." Was it Israel's land?
There is no doubt that Israel should pursue peace and historically Israel did. The proof is in the actions: Israel gave back oil rich Sinai peninsula to Egypt for peace. Israel made peace with Jordan. Israel accepted the Bill Clinton Peace parameters in the Knesset which would have created an Arab Palestinian state in all of Gaza 96% of WB + Israeli land for the 4% with the capital in East Jerusalem but Arabs (Arafat) rejected it. Israel was ready to make peace with Hafez Assad but a 10 meter stretch of land prevented it. Please read the book from Denniss Ross - The Missing Peace. As far as Turkey mediating it: Right now Turkey needs mediation between its government and its military who are in a tough war called Ergenekon farce. Turkey needs mediation to resolve the Cyprus issue with Greeks and the border with Armenia.First get these issues straightened and then start meddling in other nations matters. Hadi sana iyi geceler Burak hanim.
..they will have to be ejected from many of their self imposed places. People around the world realize this and they are prepared to do their part to bring this about. The troops are already on the other side today and disgust with the land thieves & war mongers has never been so high following Gaza....Dutch
The financial inducement to Israel is that they be continuously at war. Otherwise they lose a central revenue stream that ensures Israel's survival. Therefore there isn't a single Israeli politician who would sue for peace, and the resulting financial meltdown that would occur. It is that simple.
Israel is an extension of Americas military power in the Middle East. Why else would America give Israel 30 billion in military aid over a ten year period. A hegemony of world dominance by two aggressive countries. Counties that have no qualms about attacking and threatening war at the drop of a hat against any country of their choosing. Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon citizens suffer because of unlawful military threats and attacks. America and Israel are holding the world hostage using fear promoting propaganda to deceive their true intentions. Sounds like the Lion that speaks like a lamb.
Peace will stop it all simple matter of fact................PEACE NEVER?
a person that has real power. One of these days Obama could decide enough, is enough and change the whole situation in a moment by doing one or more of these: - stop using the veto for Israel - any time a vote on Israel comes up, would be a good time for the US team to go to a long lunch in NYC. - Propose a UNSC resolution defining Israel's borders - it would pass unanimously. Then Israel would have no legal way to keep any of the settlements and would have to deal with economic pressure if it resisted. - Stop funding Israel. I know that supposedly Israel does not need the money, but I notice it does not refuse it (so maybe it really does). It never pays to marginalize a person with real power versus the imaginary power Israel thinks it has. In reality, if the US walks away, Israel is a doomed. And do NOT assume that the US will never walk away - that is a very dangerous assumption to make. If the US has to choose between its future and Israel's, Israel is gone.
Obama shouldnt need to create peace in the middle east. He is president of AMERICA, not of the world or of Israeli or Palestine. His interests ONLY AND ONLY LIE WITH WHATS BEST FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!! If the Israelis want peace (which I personally dont think they do) they need to stop acting like a spoilt brat and sit down and talk to its neighbours by ITSELF. NOT by hiding behind America/Obama's shadow. Lets get this straight, America nor Britain nor any other western nation wants to "destroy" Israel like many of the comments claim here. We are only looking after the benefit of our own country. Why should we have to solve your mess?
AMAZING!!! "..the jewish state was portioned land from the ottoman empire in 1920 .." Israel didn't exist in 1920 and there's no mention of a STATE. Why do you continue to post fallacies ? "the british stole 78% for the arabs in 1924.." Stole from whom? They merely gave the folk living there the right to self determination. "..and the remainder was to be for the jewish state" This is stated in Art No# ???? of which document? "..ther are no palestinians recorded in any land apportionment" It was Palestine that was carved up. What was left after everyone else had their cut is still Palestine, unless it was re-named since being called Palestine. By default folk're Palestinians.
It's sad, but Obama, whom I greatly admire, has not been able to cope with this Israeli government, this bunch of extremist right-wingers, who with their deeds put even the USA's Republicans to shame. Ironically, through Obama's long association with his Jewish head-of-staff (who happens to be left-leaning!), Obama has become super-sensitive to the Jewish nation's defence-needs. This obviously contributes to his hesitancy in dealing with us in the sure-handed definitive manner than we deserve, ultimately for our own good. Needless to say, Bibi et al, play this up to the maximum, even invoking the Holocaust whenever possible...
Prof. Sheffer is asking why not work with Obama to make peace. And the answer is: Israelis prefer by far to escalate the conflict, most recently along religious elements -- see "national heritage sites". The 2nd intifada started with a visit of Sharon to temple mount and the 3rd will start from visit of Israel Beitenu to the pseudo tomb of a Jewish saint. Beware all young Israeli not willing to get killed to protect bones of fictitious saints.
More wishful thinking not based on reality. So here is your reality check. A government in Gaza with a constitution to destroy Israel and a corrupt mafia running the West Bank. Choosing between these guys is like choosing between the Gambino and Columbo mob families. There will only be peace when the Palestinians have honest leadership willing to compromise. Today those conditions do not exist. Wishful thinking will not change the facts
the un did not partition the mandate !!!!! the jewish state was portioned land from the ottoman empire in 1920 at san remo this includes what is now jordan,it had nothing to do with the population at thata time ! the british stole 78% for the arabs in 1924 and the remainder was to be for the jewish state . ther are no palestinians recorded in any land apportionment !
If Israel wanted Peace, Israel could have it. It is not necessary to wait on Obama and the gaggle of globetrotters. Where there is a Will there is a Way. Here there is a Way but no Will.
Perhaps the lack of confidence and sympathy for Obama and his administration was generated by Obama and his administration's attempt, unsuccessfully, to alienate the Israeli public from the Netanyahu government. Furthermore, the Obama administration actively attempted to replace some portions of America's Jewish leadership (including Aipac and the Zionist Organization of America) with fringe groups such as J-Street and the New Israel Fund. This is not what one democratic government attempts against its ally.
Insane and we are witnessing it today. There will never ever be peace and deep inside your hearts and souls you know you robbed Palestine
No negotiation ever works with one party is vastly , qualitatively and qualitatively superior to the other.It is called dictates. If Israel shuns the US why should it accommodate the Palestinians. Only Hezbollah can threaten Israel and that's what the jewish state cannot tolerate.
PEACE!!!! it does not mean israeli concessions !!
You know quite well that large numbers of people in Israel are quite content with the situation as it is. Israel doesn't want an independent Palestinian State in any meaningful sense, it wants an open air prison in the West Bank like that in Gaza. Israel wants exclusive control of everything that goes in or out so it can eventually locate hidden explosives and weapons and disarm the population. And Israel is getting its way. Netanyahu's plan is right on schedule. The only danger Israel faces is that it might push too far and alienate its European supporters, but even then it's unlikely they'll do anything. Look at things like the Gaza war and Europe's response is to increase ties with Israel, not punish it. So why worry?
Sadly, only once has the current administration stood up and made the opposition actually partially carry out a threat. And they folded after that that bluff was called, on December 24, 2009. If the current administration made the opposition actually wear the diapers and shut down the American government as often as they threaten, it would demonstrate resolve. Instead, they demonstrate they can be steamrolled. They should do what Bush/Cheney did and take out a Repub. governor or two for using a credit card imprudently. They should make the Republicans actually wear the diapers and filibuster when they threaten. And, they should do with Executive orders a few of the things they are accused of planning, just to drive home the point. Where are those FEMA Re-Education Camps? If the minority party in the US disses Obama, how can he get respect from Israeli right wingers who hate him and everything he stands for?
there CAN NOT be peace if it is one way street shalit should be home and no tunnels or rucket they and does give back it is one way street
seems to want Israel to adhere to it's obligations under International Law and the UN Charter. Which is of course quite reasonable, but means Israel can no longer gain or keep territory acquired by illegal means.
There will never be peace as long as the 'pals',the hizballah,the hamas and syria have the iranian mullahs sponsorship...The iranian problem needs to be solved first.Then,there is another problem.'palestine' is east of the jordan river.I knew the Secretary of the u.n.,when "palestine" was partitioned.Oswaldo Aranha(a Sepharadi Jew of a very traditional family from Toledo)and his son..At the end of his life in Brazil,he would tell me that the "partition" was a the second betraial perpetrated against the Jewish People by the West,in order to apease the arab Oil moguls...THE FIRST HE ALWAYS SAID,WAS RENEGING THE BALFOUR DECLARATION
To assume that Israel wants peace is to assume that Israel wants to stop settlement expansion and make a significant withdrawal from the settlements. Any peace will include this as a minimum. Of course, Israel does not want this. Israel will never want this as long as it is more profitable to avoid peace than it would be to embrace peace. It is fashionable among some Israelis to imply that Israel wants peace, while avoiding the discussion of "core issues". This is Israeli double talk. There can not be meaningful peace talks without discussing core issues. Until America understands that their government has been hijacked by a foreign power and takes steps to remedy the situation, Israel will continue to stoke the fires of Islamic extremism. Americas lopsided support of Israel makes America an enemy of the Arab world and Islam in general. It makes Americans targets of Israels enemies. This is what Israel really wants.
Israel's resistance to using Obama as a broker in the peace process has nothing to do with his ethnic origin; it's because he's naive, inept, arrogant, cold to Israel, and unwilling to press the Palestinans -- only the Israelis. All these faults coalesced when, early into his term, he demanded that Israel reduce to zero all building in the settlements, and even defined parts of Jerusalem conquered in 1967 as a settlement. If he would have spent even a few hours studying the issue, and if he had advisers brave enough to tell him the truth, he would have known that this approach was not going to move the peace process along, it was going to throw a wrench in the works. Ironically, what he succeeded in doing is hanging Abbas out to dry.
You put yourself out there. You have wrongly claimed the President Obama doesn't know what he's dealing with. Heh. I believe he is one of the smartest US President's in modern times the way he is paying out the rope and letting Bibi own the failure and the coming war. But in any case, you claim to have the answers. What would you do, right now, if you had all the power, what would you do to stop the dreaded "jihadis"? Not some half measure. Not some half-baked idea. Let's here your full and complete solution to the problem. You tell me yours. I'll tell you mine.
with President Obama's ethnic background. No, this is nothing to do with his background, or his demeanor, or his administration. In fact, they've been doing all the right things so far by engaging all parties. It's all to do with the Netanyahu administration not taking the important steps such as continuing the negotiations where they left off. Of course there are other things on the Palestinian side which also complicate the situation. If Hamas accepted the Quartet's conditions, we'd all be ahead of the game.
Another professor, Norman Finkelstein wrote the same comment. Probably, this a professional intellectual twist of reality.
Because a comprehensive peace agreement involves giving up significant amounts of land (even if not as much as Hamas would like). Bibi breaks bread with settlers?and if he turned on them, his coalition would fracture. Connect the dots. It's peace or Bibi. It really is that simple.
"Why does Israel continue to dismiss Obama's Mideast peace efforts?" - Gabi Sheffer Do you want the short answer? Or do you want the long answer? The short answer is that the government of Israel has no interest in peace. The long answer is that the government of Israel would have no reason to exist if there was peace. Bibi Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman want to be in charge of Israel and if peace were to break out they would be history and not in charge of Israel. To them, Peace is the most evil concept in the world, because it would be the end of their ambition.
Obamas has no clue who he is dealing with. There is no practical way to "make peace" with professional victims and terror-loving Jihadists ("palestinians", Syrians, Lebanse Hezbollah supporters) who want you dead and destroyed. No piece of land will mean a hill of means to them.
Not a foreigner but An israeli professor is saying that. Really u should stop killings and begin to act for peace process. it is the right time for Israel. U may begin w/syria. Turkey still says that it is ready for mediation. I know that there will be many objections for turkey`s mediation but this may be turned into an advantage for Israel. Coz in peace-talks, Turkey puts more pressure on Syrian side as It has currently some problems w/ Israel. By declaring a fresh peace process Israel may even change its image which is suffering nowadays. and finally U may pave the way for a solution on Palestine Issue. Is there anyone who can analyze this situation in Israil foreign Ministry? I dunno. As a turk, I know only Lieberman and Ayalon there...
Regardless of Obama'a ethnicity he is a bungling inexperianced nobody. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton were governors and had leadership experiance. Obama's experiance is as an agitator who worked with Acorn to get out the vote. All Obama knows how to do is read his teleprompter and give a good speech. The nuances of politics is over his head or as he would put it above his pay grade. He is the poster boy for the Progressive Movemant, he has no original ideas of his own. That is why he had Nancy Pelosi write the stimulas bill and Harry Reid write the health bill disaster.
The notion that peace can be made in Washington, or even Jerusalem, is absurd. The problem is that the world continues to encourage Palestinian delusions about their power and that they can achieve aims without having to negotiate or compromise. We've all seen the result -- a lot of process and no peace. Obama's only hope is to try an entirely new tactic by explaining to the Arabs that they've been at war with Israel for a century (decades longer than the state's existed). They've lost and should seek the best deal they can get.
Odumba has pressured us and ignored the facts that the Arabs have never done anything for peace and won't because they know that the US, EU, and UN won't pressure them ever.