Gideon Levy / Why Netanyahu speech gives us cause for joy

[oberliner]

Excerpt:

But let's leave the toddlers aside for the moment; although this was a small step, it was a large one for Netanyahu, it must be admitted. Also, it was a good speech.

It lacked the pathos and the typical fear-mongering. Netanyahu's "we want peace" was pronounced just like his classic "they are afraid" line, another sign of a change in rhetoric that cannot be ignored.

A Palestinian state did not come into being Sunday and if the Israeli society continues with its blindness and timidity, it will not arise in another two generations. But neither did Netanyahu scuttle the possibility, nor did he miss an opportunity, and at least didn't close the door entirely.

American threats are more real to Netanyahu than the threats posed by right-wing leader Yaakov Katz, and this is a good thing.

Barack Obama can put his feet up on the table and be satisfied. Look what can happen in a matter of weeks: Mr. Iran can become, for a moment, Mr. Palestine.

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1093076.html

[MarjorieG]

1. Pleez. Undivided Jerusalem, Palestine completely disarms but Israel has nuke, settlements continue,

and still conditionally about Iran. Admits there needs to be a two-state solution, which isn't new, and we cheer?

Hope this is just positioning and an opening hand.

[Lakrosse]

2. Israel has had to defend itself from destruction

from day one. The Jews settled in Ottoman and British Palestine peacefully, bought land from absentee landlords, and made something of the land, which numerous people like Mark Twain, MPs from many countries described as pretty barren. Then, after WWI, the Palestinian violence against the Jews began under Al-Husseini. He massacred Jews long before there was an Irgun/Lehi. Then Husseini sided with Hitler, killed more Jews, and the Palestinian Arabs even got a 2 state deal in 1938 and 1948, both of which they turned down. They and the Arab countries started a war against the new Jewish State. Israel has always defended itself, and against Soviet proxy states. It has a right to have nukes. It's Jews were WWII soldiers, Cold War allies, and allies in the struggle against Radical Islam. The Palestinians have continued to try to destroy Israel, instead of accepting it or living in peace with it. The Palestinian leadership knows that, which is why Arafat didn't object to demilitarization in 2000. Arafat turned it down because Israel wanted to maintain its own immigration laws.

About Jerusalem, I think a compromise can be hammered out, and it is an opening solution. I think tho, that Palestine must be demilitarized. I don't want Hamas in charge of a military, and a new Islamic Republic of Hamastan with weapons courtesy of Ahmad.