Is Israel a Banana Republic with a Banana History? Obama Seems to Think So.
Thorough analysis over at Solomonia looking at the Obama administration’s recent “strategy” in dealing with Israel.
Is Israel a Banana Republic with a Banana History? Obama Seems to Think So.
Could the people who have been complaining about the “timing” of the Israeli announcement of 1600 new Jerusalem apartments — which includes pundits on both left and right — please now adjust their commentary? We’ve now found that the Obama Administration is continuing to hammer the Israelis over, not the timing of the announcement, but the substance of Jews building living space. I supposed there’s something positive in that. It’s illuminating, liberating even. Let’s get down to substance and skip the cosmetics and the diplomatic dance. Good! Unfortunately, what it says about the direction the Obama Administration is taking is nothing good.
And more on this theme from Prof. Barry Rubin:
The Palestinian Authority Walks Out of Talks with a Big Smile on Its Face
In 1994, Israel asserted, and the PLO accepted, that construction would continue on existing Jewish settlements. For the next 15 years, negotiations were never stopped by that building.
In January 2009, the Palestinian Authority (PA) stopped negotiations because Hamas attacked Israel from the Gaza Strip and Israel defended itself. Of course, Hamas is also the PA’s enemy and the PA would be delighted if Israel destroyed that group. But for public relations’ purposes, the PA had to pretend inter-Palestinian solidarity.
Then came President Barack Obama who demanded a stop to all construction on settlements in 2009. Israel finally complied but announced that it would keep building in east Jerusalem. The United States accepted that arrangement and even highly praised Israel’s policy as a major concession.
But the PA refused to return to negotiations. Why, because the construction offended it? No, because the PA’s radical forces don’t want to make a peace deal because they believe they can win total victory and destroy Israel. The more moderate forces are too weak to make a deal because of Hamas and their own radicals, though they also have some problems with mutual compromise.