Benjamin Netanyahu Makes a Stand
Ron Ross
Bridges for Peace News
Email: ronrossbfp@hotmail.com
June,2009
For too many weeks the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been silent about the Middle East peace process. Many others have presented opinions, analysis and ideas but the key figure in the drama, kept his powder dry. That is until Sunday.
Netanyahu took to the podium at the Bar Ilan University. In a mere 30-minutes he pleased some and infuriated others.
Immediately after the address US Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced. “The President (Obama) welcomes the important step forward in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech.” He was referring to Bibi acknowledging approval for ‘a Palestinian State,’ a phrase Gibbs and others suggest would not have made the cut without US presidential pressure
In fact Gibbs said, “The President is committed to two states, a Jewish state of Israel and an independent Palestine, in the historic homeland of both peoples.” (Apparently that should complete the discussion!)
But Netanyahu had other ideas. He insisted any “Palestine” should be a demilitarized state and it would need to respect the existence of ‘a Jewish state’.
The reaction from Ramallah was swift. Spokesmen for the Palestinian Authority accused Netanyahu of ‘burying the peace process.’
An aide of Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas told the Jerusalem Post, “Netanyahu’s speech is a blow to Obama before it’s a blow to the Palestinians and Arabs. It’s obvious, in the aftermath of this speech, that we are headed toward another round of violence and bloodshed.”We can merely surmise whether he meant the PA would revert to the former Arafat methods of negotiating with suicide bombers and missile attacks, a return to intifada.
The PA office of Abbas issued an official statement: “The speech has destroyed all initiatives and expectations. It has also placed restrictions on all efforts to achieve peace and constitutes a clear challenge to the Palestinian, Arab and American positions.”
(Note: There will be a vote for a new leadership in the Fatah faction next August. As yet, there is no certainty Abbas will hang on. What then if more violent leaders gain control?)
No Freeze on Settlers
Netanyahu confronted PA and American expectations when he addressed the issue of the settlements. He defiantly announced his intentions to apply no freeze on natural growth.
“The territorial question will be discussed as part of the final peace agreement. In the meantime, we have no intention of building new settlements or of expropriating additional land for existing settlements,” he said.
In a conversation with an Israel Ynet reporter, a senior member of the Netanyahu team was asked about how concerned he might be with the response from Washington. “It’s their problem!” came the reply. “If they cannot understand that we can’t hurt communities (settlements). They are our brothers, our flesh and blood.”
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Three years ago he joined Bridges for Peace in Jerusalem to establish international radio news and an audio service webcast at www.bridgesforpeace.com Ron was Sports Editor of WINTV for 20 years before joining the full-time missions. You can contact Ron at : ronrossbfp@hotmail.com |
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