ISRAEL

Politics Takes a Right Turn in Jerusalem

Israel's prime minister-elect talks to Newsweek's Lally Weymouth

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  • Posted By: toby ziegler @ 05/19/2009 8:47:20 AM

    Just read Netanyahu's plan on how to attack Iran: www.olivetreenews.com

  • Posted By: kraznet @ 03/07/2009 9:29:04 PM

    As the Wall Street Journal wrote on May 6th,
    "For reasons both telling and mysterious, Israel has become unpopular among that segment of public opinion that calls itself progressive. This is the same progressive segment that believes in women's rights, gay rights, the rights to a fair trial and to appeal, freedom of speech and conscience, judicial checks on parliamentary authority. These are rights that exist in Israel and nowhere else in the Middle East. So why is it that the country that is most sympathetic to progressive values gets the least of progressive sympathies?"

    it is therefore very strange that, because of their rabid anti Israel views, these progressives have turned into apologists for Islamic fundamentalists (such as hamas and hezbollah) who loath and despise every progressive belief that these folks hold dear.

    if peace were ever to exist, palestine or even worse the "one state solution" (which would result in the demographic destruction of the state of israel) would be just another arab cesspool, where women are despised and oppressed, other religions disrespected (and forbidden) and gay people murdered.

    in Israel gay marriage is already recognized and NOW,
    Overseas adoptions by gay couples get OK from Israel
    United Press International (4/25)

    To support the Palestinian Cause is to be anti women, anti gay and anti democracy.

    Finally, To focus so much attention on the Palestinians at the expense of the genocide in Darfur (Muslim killing Muslim), the Muslim on Muslim violence in Iraq, the executions of Muslim gay teens in Iran, the violence towards women in Iran--(just for showing their hair), the sentences of stoning or beatings for rape victims in both Nigeria and Saudi Arabia (where woman are also forbidden to drive), The burning to death of young girls in a school in Saudi Arabia, as the religious police would not allow male fireman to save them, because the girls were not wearing their burkahs, the epidemic of honor killings by brothers and fathers of young girls in both Britain, Canada and Turkey is not only morally reprehensible but indefensible.

  • Posted By: isaythis @ 02/28/2009 1:46:56 PM

    One consistent problem with Israel and the Middle Eastern peace process is the unwillingness of Israel to see the entire process from the side of Palestinians. Look back to 1948 when the state of Israel was founded. The land that is now Israel was virtually confiscated from the Palestinians. They were not compensated and no one asked them how they felt about having lands they had owned, held and occupied for 2,000 years taken from them to form the state of Israel. Further, Israel has consistently refused to concede anything for the sake of peace. Any concessions must always come from others. It's time for the US to stop being a Big Brother to Israel and let her stand on her own and learn to get along with neighboring countries all on her own. It's also time for the US to stop all financial aid to Israel. We can no longer afford to be giving Israel $6.5 million A DAY ($2,800,000,000 in 2008 alone). The US is in a serious financial crisis and we need this money for our own country and for our own peolple. Israel shows no gratitude for all that we have done since 1948 and only asks for more. We get nothing in return, so it's time to cut her loose. NO MORE FINANCIAL AID TO ISRAEL!

    • Posted By: dawg1 @ 02/28/2009 5:44:51 PM

      Is that any different than the entire country of judea being taken from the Jews by the Romans without asking or compensation? Or is only ok for the world to continue to treat Jews as something less than everyone else? Since 1948 israel has held out an Olive Branch to all it's Arab neighbors and only the courage of Saddat brought any change on the part of any Arab nation, and for that he was killed! Get real. If you want peace than act peaceful. One only needs to look to Ghandi to see what protest by peaceful means can acheive.

      • Posted By: newtral @ 03/07/2009 12:25:16 AM

        No! Its not OK for the world to threat the Jews as a low class people and is not also OK for the world to threat the palestinians by the jews as lower class. Israelis are doing what the Germans did to them during the holocaust to the palestinians.

      • Posted By: emanuellombard @ 02/28/2009 6:42:50 PM

        All these arguments about justice to the Jews or the Palestinians fail to take in the big pictur eand include: What Sadat was a great thing (he was grateful for all Israel's intelligence about plots against him); Rabin was a great man (like Sadat he paid with his life as did Ghandi). But these presentations of facts usually fail to acknowledge: a significant number of Palestinians only arrived as a League strategy after 1902 from Syria and Egypt and after 1917 as workers during the British Mandate. Also sorely neglected and ultimately central is the fact of the one million Arab Jews expelled from ten Arab countries after the creation of the State of Israel. Surely they must be compensated too.

        • Posted By: froy1100 @ 03/05/2009 4:20:01 AM

          That is absolute zionist propaganda. Palestine was populated by Arabs for centuries

      • Posted By: emanuellombard @ 02/28/2009 6:38:47 PM

        All these arguments about justice to the Jews or the Palestinians fail to take in the big pictur eand include: What Sadat was a great thing (he was grateful for all Israel's intelligence about plots against him); Rabin was a great man (like Sadat he paid with his life as did Ghandi). But these presentations of facts usually fail to acknowledge: a significant number of Palestinians only arrived as a League strategy after 1902 from Syria and Egypt and after 1917 as workers during the British Mandate. Also sorely neglected and ultimately central is the fact of the one million Arab Jews expelled from ten Arab countries after the creation of the State of Israel. Surely they must be compensated too.

  • Posted By: penfriend @ 03/06/2009 7:00:52 AM

    Peace is not just a means of international diplomacy, but should be an international "principle". Every individual living in the world should internalize this simple rule; so do states. As for states, It sounds much more difficult and complex to agree with this; but at least each and every state must take a step forward to achieve this most humanitarian goal. We, as today's people, should fill in the history books of the future with what we have done for peace; not with what battles we have made. That means, we should also change the language of our official history.

    Let's do something for peace wherever we are. RIP_ Rest In Peace_; we want to live in peace "LIP"....

  • Posted By: Daphne Kenward @ 03/05/2009 8:00:44 AM

    Netanyahu or any of the other Parties in Israel have ever been interested inpeace what they want to do and continue to do is expansion into to Gaza and the West Bank.

    Infact the Israelis have continued to find reasons not to settle their difference, the idea that what is claimed by the Israelis that Iran said about them being off the may is a lie and propaganda. The conflict is not with Iran it's with the Palestinians who want peace, and just ask for them to comply with the 1967 agreement.

    The fact that there is rocket attacks is because the Palestinians is firing rockets in what should be their own Land, that the Israelis has built on illegally since 1967, so in fact they are firing on their own Land. The settlements built on Palestinian land they are firing on their own land that the Israelis is occuping and they should move from there and stop the attacks against the Palestinian people.

    The Americans should stop providing WMD to these Israelis once and for all, many of us would like peace in the world and as long as this continues it is causing worldwide problems in was of extended Terrorism world wide. These illegal behaviours is becoming a way of demanding what people want from their governments who fail to do what is right and just for the people they claim to govern, as a result is spreading into peacefull societies.

    This is not a problem that started yesterday it has beeen on going for the last 60 years, by the Zionist and the Nazis, which started befor the 2nd world war. The jewish people who were put in the camps were gathered to geather to send to Israel to form the state of Israel, by a group of Rich Bankers in America and Hitler was only carring out orders because many did not want to leave Germany. It would be an idea to( Google Jim Condit Hitler and the Jews).

  • Posted By: Tan Boon Tee @ 03/05/2009 12:47:17 AM

    Politics in Israel has unmistakably inclined more towards the right after the election, widening the already near irreparable conflict gap.

    One would have long suspected that nothing revolutionary about the Israel-Palestine relationship could come out from Mrs Clinton???s first visit to the Middle-East. She regurgitated what had been said by most of her predecessors, not in their exact words but in the similar context. The rest is history.

    Most probably rightist Netanyahu (who often tends to be more rapacious than his fellow lawmakers) will clinch the premiership soon. By then, what has transpired between him and Clinton could turn obsolete. Yet another round of endless deliberations among the parties concerned shall begin.
    (Tan Boon Tee)

  • Posted By: arab little @ 03/03/2009 10:08:29 PM

    http://www.coaxialkid.web.officelive.com and www.youtube.com/roiler02

  • Posted By: ashkosh18 @ 03/03/2009 7:38:41 PM

    Sadly, what happened in Gaza is an example of what happens when democracy is twisted. Until the Palistineans are willing to elect a government thet is more interested in helping its own people then in attacking Israelis, there will be now end to the conflict. Israel has every right to protect itself, and should continue to do so against terrorist attacks. The response that the international community has to any Israeli action is an abomination. If Mexico was shooting rockets at Texas, I don't think the US would restrain itself for 8 years before responding, and world opinion would be on their side. Israel has the same right to defend her people, and the actions they have taken are fully justified.

  • Posted By: Getitout @ 03/03/2009 7:18:36 PM

    I think that that noboby in that area to include Israel knows how to solve their problems. If Hamas throw few rockets, Israel retaliate, the last one backfire again against the Israelis. If its not Hamas and the Palestinians, Jerusalem is the topic. Then it's about the muslims, and the jews, and the christian get caught right in the middle of it. It's a big mess, they know it, and the only way I see the problem can be resolved is that everyone start from the beginning. Let a big war solve that problem.

  • Posted By: gene4655 @ 03/03/2009 10:33:25 AM

    What a bunch of softball questions the reporter threw up. What about the constantly enllarged settlements? What about the embargo on anything coming in and out of Gaza? What about the discrimination against Israeli Arabs? What about some hard questions?

  • Posted By: Zig Zag @ 03/02/2009 9:09:38 PM

    I think the Israel people have made a mistake. I supported the Israel actions in Gaza because I firmly believed they had a right to defend themselves against Hamas.

    But I don't see how a hard-lined stance towards the Palestinian people ias a whole s going to make the situation better. Despite its many failings, I think the previous Israeli Government, with Tzipi Livni taking a lead role, had the right approach. Demostrate to the Palestinians the benefits that come from negotiation and rational discussion. That is what has been happening with Abbas and Fatah - and conditions have improved for the Palestinians on the West Bank. The progress has been slow, but there has been progress. If that progress can be continued, then I think more and more Palestinian people will see the way to peace is through Fatah, not Hamas. That is how you topple Hamas - you are never going to be able to do it from the outside.

    I am glad Tzipi Livni refused to join a unity government. It's good to know that she will be there to pick up the pieces when the current path that Israel is headed down proves to be a failure.

  • Posted By: dorf @ 03/02/2009 10:35:01 AM

    "My way or the highway". Recycled Zionism. Too bad. Israel had a real chance to change course here in synch with Obama.

    He will not even try to work out a solution. And Israel will be morally and politically bankrupt because of this.

    Bibi does not want peace. He is an imperialist - wanting to take over as much land as possible, and willing to kill anyone who gets in his way. He intentionally feeds fear, anger, and xenophobes (sound like our prior administration?) to control a people who tend that way anyway. This type of leadership drains a people of their optimism and faith in their neighbors. Divide and conquer remains alive and well in the Israeli right wing.

    But then - the Israelis voted for the right. They must be more invested in having everything their way than in bringing peace to the region. This lessens my faith in their nation as a whole. They lack leaders with a vision as part of the world community.

    • Posted By: bojack27 @ 03/02/2009 5:27:43 PM

      Spoken like someon who looks forward to the destruction of all Jews......

  • Posted By: bojack27 @ 03/02/2009 5:20:59 PM

    I'm glad that Netanyahu came into power to counter this Obamation that is presently a wolf in sheeps clothes. Notice that no one dared talked about his Muslim connection and then the first interview he gives is to their television station. Now he proudly displays his muslim background and connections while sypathizing with those who bomb innocent children. If he doesn't care about the unborn he will most definately not care about those innocence in Israel.....Selah!

  • Posted By: Lee Holmes @ 03/02/2009 3:58:55 PM

    ''Bibi The Imperialist''

    Heh. Imperialism -on-the-half-shell for trying to ''grab''land that wouldn't make a decent WAL-MART parking lot here.
    It's all of a piece anyway. Dimbulb American and Euro leftwingers who moan over ''illegal wars'' cheering on illegal wars because it is their guys doing all of the shooting [or rocket-lobbing]. Say this much for the Jews. While everyone else talks the deal to death while allowing the dictators to do their own thing with impunity,Israel acts.
    Turned out the Syrians were after a bomb after all. [IAEA Feb 21,2009] That they won't get it is because the IDF turned their ''industrial factory'' into an ash-heap. This will insure that Assad keeps his head down for the time being. Nor should the Iranians get too cocky,as one cannot live too well on a nation made into a sheet of glass,which is what Israels nuclear alchemy would accomplish if Ahmedinjezad gets his bomb and wants to try it out on Tel Aviv.
    Better ,all the way around,to wait for events and see which HAMAS bagmen end up with the 900 million that we are cranking out to them.

  • Posted By: jstepp590 @ 03/02/2009 10:04:11 AM

    Sorry, do not trust him.

    "This has failed time and again because of the lack of a partner on the Palestinian side that can deliver the minimal concessions needed by the Israeli government. "

    Let's just forget about the destructive practices of Israel to make sure that Palestine has no effective government. Let's just forget about the fact of the illegal settlements springing up on Palestinian land. Let's just forget about all the land seized in violation of international law and human decency. Let's instead focus on the conditions created artificially that we can hold up as an excuse to keep stealing more land in pursuit of a Greater Israel.

    Yeah right. Until the definition of Zionism is changed to mean that Jews, Muslims, Christians and eveyone else has equal access to that historic part of the middle east, I see that as the defining goal of their government is to keep it all for themselves. It explains why the Christians in the area back the Palestinians and not the Israeli's.

    The worst part is this. We give Israel roughly $4 billion dollars a year, which is how they can afford this massive military for such a small country. Then they take part of the money we gave them and turn some of it around to Washington for influence. We basically pay them to corrupt our political process. We end up paying for Israel's military adventures, their influence in our political process, and all the enemies they make that become ours due to our support for Israel's illegal actions.

    We'll be lucky to only lose a couple buildings next time if this keeps up.

    • Posted By: chefyoni @ 03/02/2009 10:50:22 AM

      Your logic on both of your posts could only come from someone who is so anti-Semitic that he/she is blind to the reality staring him/her in the face. You speak of human decency, yet you apparently have no clue of what that means. And just for your information, the majority of the Christian population in the Middle-East is pro-Israel. It would behoove you to check your facts, before you post them.

      • Posted By: Iconoblaster @ 03/02/2009 2:34:58 PM

        The majority of the Christian population of the Middle East is Arab. And jstepp's post is factually correct and logically sound... the knee-jerk response of calling him an anti-Semite, rather than making a reasoned rebuttal, is just childish.

        • Posted By: JoanR @ 03/02/2009 3:52:34 PM

          Knee jerk reactions are to be avoided, however having read his tedious polemics in this thread, particularly wherein he tries to persuade that this country should be condemning the Israelis for defending themselves so that the global Muslim terrorist organizations will leave us alone, convinces me that calling this poster an anti-Semite is neither childish nor inaccurate

      • Posted By: jstepp590 @ 03/02/2009 3:04:15 PM

        Sorry sir, I'm not. I just feel that, since Israeli's always hold up the Holocaust as a historic example of mistreatment then it obligates them to uphold a higher standard for their country. They have not done so, therefore I'm sick of all their hypocrisy.

        Besides, what does that have to do with following the law? Everyone has to follow the law or it is not the law. We cannot say that international law is for everyone except our allies or we will soon have no international law. Until Israel follows international law I will be opposed to our support for her. Guess what? If she followed international law they wouldn't be in this mess. If you disagree then feel free to write back and I'll be more than happy to educate you on how I came to my opinions.

        • Posted By: amoriah @ 03/02/2009 3:23:19 PM

          What law are the Israelis not following? Last I looked suicide was illegal.

      • Posted By: jstepp590 @ 03/02/2009 3:16:10 PM

        The Christians back the Israeli's? Really!
        http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article16111.htm

  • Posted By: JoanR @ 03/02/2009 3:20:12 PM

    It seems to me that the most direct consequence of Netanyahu assuming power is that in the age of the Iranian Bomb,Israel will be the most secure state in the middle east. President Imawhackjob and the Mullah's may scream that they will exterminate the Zionist entity if its the last thing they do.Now, they will have no doubt that attacking Israel with their new toy will, indeed, be the last thing they do.

  • Posted By: reddogthepit @ 03/02/2009 1:53:55 AM

    Israel needs to wipe the Palestinians off the face of the earth. Then the rockets will stop. While they are at it, a couple of nukes into Iran would'nt hurt either. Maybe our great messiah Pres can appoint Farrakan as the new mid-east ambassador. What a loser. JG

    • Posted By: Iconoblaster @ 03/02/2009 2:40:43 PM

      Here's another voice for genocide. But one point, reddogthepit, how did that approach work out for the Nazis?

  • Posted By: deansalleh @ 03/02/2009 8:26:51 AM

    I have been a strong opponent of Bibi Netanyahu's. Reading the above excerpt, however, i cannot help but agree with his answers. But how much of it is true and truely intended? Is there a way to remove Hamas without also hurting the innocent Palestinians? I would imagine that Israel and the very well co-ordinated Mossad could - if it chose to go about the correct way - to carry out specific and targetted, and precise hits on Hamas, without shedding the blood of innocent Palestinians and in that process enraging the international community, and earning the wrath of the Arabs and Muslims. Why not engage in covert operations to remove Hamas? Until Israel, as the greater nation, shed its mentality of one hundred eyes for one eye, it seriously cannot hope to endear itself to the international community. As someone that seriously believes in peace, I would ask Israel to examine its own terrorists, as much as it does those from the Palestinian side, and seek ways to de-terrorist them.

    • Posted By: Iconoblaster @ 03/02/2009 2:39:33 PM

      Thats some movement for democracy... murder the democratically elected government of the Palestinians.

      By the way, thats what Israel has BEEN doing all along....raids and "targetted assasinations", arresting or murdering elected Hamas officials. That and the siege were the reasons the rockets started flying from Gaza again.

  • Posted By: Iconoblaster @ 03/02/2009 2:29:31 PM

    What else does one expect from Netanyahu.... who would accept a "Palestinian State", so long as it was small, helpless and obedient to Israel's will..and of course, conducive to its own population being the eternal "gatherers of wood and drawers of water" for Israel. "Hamas" is not a "partner for peace" he says, and Iran is "committed to wiping Israel off the face of the map". Right. Sure it is. How?

    Netanyahu and his political admirers want all the land between the Med and the Jordan River, with as few (and subservient) Arabs as possible. They have already made a two-state solution practically impossible, with a quarter million Israeli "settlers" squatting on the West Bank, and with such destruction and deprivation from the perpetual siege of Gaza that it would take Gazans generations to recover, even were the siege lifted. And it won't be.

  • Posted By: SNOWDAD39 @ 03/01/2009 11:24:28 PM

    u must be quickly before it get too late...attack all of major country !!..they have poor used air froce ..isrels is good with air froce can strike all major country....used large missle..i get sick of middle east keep attack jewish people...time to going attack and be ZERO CIVILATAZTION !!

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