Showing just whose side he’s on, Pres. Obama’s chief diplomatic representative to the PA threatened a full cut-off of U.S. aid unless the Palestinians dropped next month’s bid for statehood in the UN. The diplomat said:
“If the Palestinian Authority insists on going to the Security Council, the U.S. will use the veto,” he told Erekat during a meeting in the West Bank city of Jericho, according to a statement issued by Erekat’s office.
“And in case the Palestinian Authority seeks to upgrade its position at the UN through the General Assembly, the U.S. Congress will take punitive measures against it, including a cut in U.S. aid,” he said.
Good to know who your friends are and aren’t. If you’re Bibi Netanyahu, Obama’s your best friend. If you’re the PA, Obama’s your enemy. So much for a fair, balanced U.S. policy toward the conflict.
The Obama administration is one of the few I can remember which actually will vote at least twice in the UN against policies it specifically supports. Earlier, it vetoed a resolution criticizing Israeli settlements, which it opposes. Next month, it will veto a resolution endorsing Palestinian statehood, which the U.S. supports…supposedly.
It makes you wonder whether the U.S. truly does support Palestinian statehood. Or whether it supports some vague category of statehood solely on Israel’s terms and solely as defined by Israel’s interests. There can be little doubt that current U.S. policy is held captive by Likudist pro-Israel forces in this country. There should be no doubt that U.S. policy is dead as a door nail.
Washington’s threat to pull the small amount of aid they allow the Palestinians is emblematic of Obama’s continuation of the Bush dictatorship and groveling for political points to the Israeli Lobby in America. He is a despicable person and totally unworthy of the Nobel Prize he received for god knows what. He is in lockstep with Netanyahu and his right wing government. America is a rogue nation and its actions will be remembered around the world. There will be blowback.
I could forgive manuvering to capture the political center and more — putting Medicare etc on the block — but this betrayal of any interest in peace is, as you say, despicable and I cannot forgive it in the name of power politics. He has not moral center: Just another politician for hire.
And solely on Israel’s TIME-TABLE! Pie-in the sky bye-and-bye. Do I believe in Palestinian statehood? YOU BETCHA, But no earlier than 2099; get back to me THEN!
Imagine if Palestinians were saying, every day, that they supported and promoted Israeli Statehood, ABSOLUTELY, YOU BETCHA, but not until certain details are worked out — bilaterally, you know, by negotiations — and don’t hold your breath!
“Earlier, it vetoed a resolution criticizing Israeli settlements, which it opposes. […] Or whether it supports some vague category of statehood solely on Israel’s terms and solely as defined by Israel’s interests.”
In my defense: My heresy, expressed in the comment that got me moderated is not singular and neither is it radical as you claimed. Here’s another “radical” leftist opinion that I agree with that similarly uses the “unmentionable” analogy.:
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/lebensraum-as-a-justification-for-israeli-settlements-1.380787
Israel’s terms and interests can be defined as thievery with the exucuse of lebens….well, you know, but at least the Germans didn’t attribute their right to conquer and steal to their Real-estate agent in the sky.
If you think that the Nazis & virtually every conquering nation does not believe that it’s cause is divinely blessed, you’re sorely misreading history. The Germans certainly believed that God sanctioned their sacred cause for lebensraum & every other goal they had.
Sarid’s article is excellent. Ofcourse it’s not just about realstate, it’s also resources and cheap labour.
What irked me though is that he seems to defend the six day war, saying it was about security. In reality, it was always about land. Faith and security came later, not before. Israel is just a little less ashamed of it now.
I have a suggestion for anyone & everyone. Let’s all refer to Obama as “Bibi’s bitch” when discussing the Israel/Palestine conflict.
As in, “Honey, I see in the papers that Bibi’s bitch held a press conference today to describe how firmly opposed he is to his own government’s official policy. Why are the dogs barking? They spent hours out on the balcony just now?”
Seconded.
no go. confusing.
too many bibibitches around in congress.
Obama? The whole US of A is well deserving that title.
Bibi is the tail wagging this bitch.
It is disrespectful beyond measure to refer to the American President as “Bibi’s Bitch” but he has earned it. Obama is fast losing the “liberal” support that made him president. I am only one of many I know who have abandoned this guy, this toady to Israel.
This vote, and America’s veto, is final proof that there will never be any support from the U.S. for Palestinian self-determination. Many of us who have already accepted there will never be a Palestinian state are glad that finally the U.S. and Israel will be exposed as hypocrites so than nobody will ever again believe their empty promises. There will be an increase in support of the single state solution that has been clearly emerging as the only viable option. If Israel were smart they would not fight this upcoming bid for statehood. An organized drive for a single state for all the people is Israel’s worst nightmare, but if they are exposed once and for all as being opposed to two states, then it must be a single state, and it won’t be a Jewish state.
You’re right. It is Israel’s worst nightmare. If they negotiated to create a real viable Palestinian state it would ensure there could be a second Israeli state. There may come a time when they wish they would’ve done that when they still could.
OBAMA WANTS THE UNGA TO VOTE “FOR” A PALESTINIAN STATE. HIS IS A STRATEGY OF DECEPTION TO CONQUER AIPAC AND BIBI’S CONGRESS.
read Sun Tzu
All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.
All war is based on deception.
All war is deception.
All warfare is based on deception.
Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate.
The US and Israel shape fate through indiscriminate power, not silence and cunning. What a peculiar idea — do nothing and it will work out.
The West Bank did not fall into Israeli hands by happenstance: We know for sure that the land was the aim of policy all along. But, think how many American Jews thought, at the time, it was merely the fortunes of war! Many of us have grown up since then.
Interesting new article by Noura Erekat, which reflects my own conclusions. I guess we will all know very soon, as Bibi and Barack are backed into a corner where there won’t be any wiggle room. By using its veto, it seems the U.S. might well be sealing the fate of Israel’s future.
http://www.odsg.org/co/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2369:statehood-blocked-equality-struggle-ahead&catid=27:one-state&Itemid=41