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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Makovsky: Netanyahu's position on final status has evolved

Makovsky:  " Netanyahu's position on final status  [issues leading to 2 state solution]  has evolved .  And he doesn't get credit for that very often."
"Great speech today.  His visit ended on a high note." 
 
 
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Monday, May 23, 2011

Link to Netanyahu's AIPAC speech 2011

 
 
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Sunday, May 22, 2011

@jtanews: AIPAC likes Obama's clarification on '67 lines http://bit.ly/lpyEgQ


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Text of the president's speech at AIPAC

 
 

Obama elaborates on '67 lines

President Obama is telling AIPAC at the moment that he expected the controversy over his comments Thursday on the 1967 lines, and elaborates:

[S]ince my position has been misrepresented several times, let me reaffirm what "1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps" means.

By definition, it means that the parties themselves – Israelis and Palestinians – will negotiate a border that is different than the one that existed on June 4, 1967. It is a well known formula to all who have worked on this issue for a generation. It allows the parties themselves to account for the changes that have taken place over the last forty-four years, including the new demographic realities on the ground and the needs of both sides. The ultimate goal is two states for two peoples. Israel as a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people, and the state of Palestine as the homeland for the Palestinian people; each state enjoying self-determination, mutual recognition, and peace.

If there's a controversy, then, it's not based in substance. What I did on Thursday was to say publicly what has long been acknowledged privately. I have done so because we cannot afford to wait another decade, or another two decades, or another three decades, to achieve peace. The world is moving too fast. The extraordinary challenges facing Israel would only grow. Delay will undermine Israel's security and the peace that the Israeli people deserve.

The tension here is that while Obama advanced the new framework out of "urgency" -- and while perhaps, in the medium term, that will be borne out -- there's no accompanying action, no plan or institutional move to restart the peace process and make it real.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Video of  at press conference today at WH  

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Key Points from Obama's Speech from TIP

Key Points from Obama's Speech

  • Two-state solution should be based on pre 1967 borders with mutually agreed land swaps
  • Empty Palestinian efforts to delegitimize Israel in UN are misguided and destined to fail
  • The agreement between Fatah and Hamas raises "profound and legitimate questions" for Israel
  • The Palestinian people should have the right to self-government in a "sovereign and contiguous" state.
  • The policy of the United States is to promote reform across the Middle East and to support transitions to democracy there.
  • Syrian President Bashar Assad can either lead genuine transition to political reform or step down
Washington, May 19 – In a wide-ranging speech about the Middle East, President Obama called on Israelis and Palestinians to return immediately to negotiations for a two-state solution along pre-1967 borders with land swaps, called on Palestinians to recognize Israel and warned Palestinians that their efforts to circumvent negotiations by going to the United Nations would not succeed in getting them a state of their own.

"For the Palestinians, efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure," Obama said. "Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won't create an independent state. Palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection. And Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist."

The President criticized the ongoing rocket attacks and other terrorist acts by Hamas and its allies and the long-standing Palestinian culture of hate.
 
 

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

#Netanyahu calls Abbas op-ed 'callous falsification of fact'.. http://bit.ly/ki62RW (@JerusalemPost)


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Monday, May 16, 2011

Ben-David: Invasion of Israeli territory on May 15 aided by terror agents

"All of the Nakba [Day] cases [on May 15, 2011] involved the illegal invasions of Israeli territory or areas under Israeli sovereignty.  Hamas was behind the attack at the Erez Crossing from Gaza, the Syrian government organized the recruitment and busing of hundreds of Syrian-Palestinians to Majdal Shams on the Golan Heights, and Hizbullah paid for and organized the assault at Maroun al Rus. These were not cases of a lost shepherd or tourist accidently crossing the border.  The IDF had every right to respond to the invasions with force."   And the UN peacekeeping forces. in Lebanon, were nowhere to be seen
"
 
  Syrian border
 
 
The sign above the assault's staging area in Maroun al Ras [ Lebanon]  bears Iran's symbol and the words "Iran's Garden."   

 

Shrage: an assault on Israel's borders and on peace

An Assault on Israel’s Borders and an Assault on Peace                                                    [by Barry Shrage, President, Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston]

Less than two hours before Palestinians broke through the Syrian border into the Golan Heights, President Shimon Peres called for the Palestinian Authority to return to direct negotiations and expressed Israel’s strong desire for a two state solution and peace.

“The United Nations made a decision in 1947 to establish two states, one Jewish and one Arab,” said Peres. “We accepted the decision. The Arabs rejected the decision and attacked us. The Nakba began then. If the Arabs had accepted, the situation would be different and we would live today in peace.” 

It is the very birth of Israel, its very existence, that some who hope for its elimination refer to as the “Nakba” – the “catastrophe.”

During the last 63 years, those who continue to reject Israel's right to exist have subjected it to various forms of assault, from invasions to rocket attacks to suicide bombings to economic boycotts to de-legitimatization campaigns.  Yesterday's assaults on Israel's borders are a continuation of this effort.  Their purpose was summed up by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, now a partner in the Palestinian Authority. The actions, he said, “will eventually lead to the end of the Zionist enterprise and the victory of the Islamic nation.” That the Palestinian Authority has chosen to form a partnership with a group that continues to reject Israel’s right to exist, ought to be extremely troubling to all those who care about an end to this conflict and those who pray for peace. 

Effort after effort by numerous different Israeli governments – left, center and right – to make peace has been rejected.  Two-state solutions have been spurned. Even the unilateral evacuation of Israelis from Gaza was met not by peace, but by thousands of rockets launched at Israeli civilians. Direct talks between the parties have been abandoned by the Palestinians. A unilateral, 10-month settlement freeze implemented by the Israeli government at considerable domestic political cost has been ignored. Repeated calls to return to the negotiating table have been disregarded.

The challenges to the peace in the region are greater than ever. Yesterday's new form of assault on Israel is nothing less than a new assault on the peace process itself.

We support the State of Israel in its repeated, and continuing, efforts to bring about an end to this painful and tragic conflict. And we call upon those who have persisted in making peace impossible to have a change of heart so that the work of negotiating a two-state solution in good faith can commence.

It is clear that what happened yesterday in Gaza and Lebanon was coordinated with Hamas and Hezbollah, both terrorist organizations; according to the New York Times, there were “signs of official support in Lebanon and Syria, where analysts said leaders were using the Palestinian cause to deflect attention from internal problems.”  We mourn the loss of human life on Israel’s borders. And we condemn those enemies of Israel who are responsible for that loss of life. 

As friends of Israel, we must not be silent.

 Yesterday’s violence is only one symptom of an ongoing campaign against the Jewish State. Israel faces threats now as it rarely has in the past, whether on its borders, on college campuses or in the media. It is up to us to spread the word about Israel’s often all too one-sided quest for peace.

You will read in coming days how Facebook has been used to organize Israel’s enemies.  It can also, however, be a powerful tool for its supporters. Post comments and link to articles, photos and videos that show the true nature of Israel – and of Israel’s enemies.

Twitter users - join the thousands of voices supporting Israel by using the hashtag “#proIsrael” and weigh in on Nakba violence using “#Israel”.

If you don’t use social media, email 10 of your friends and ask them to circulate this message and your own.

It is critical that we who love Israel defend its right to exist in peace in the face of extraordinary challenges.

Barry Signature
Barry Shrage
President, CJP

 

Saturday, May 14, 2011

A UN panel issues a draft that finds Israel's maritime blockade on Gaza does not breach international law. Turkey infuriated.
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Thursday, May 12, 2011

#Arabs stripped 800,000 #Jews of residency rights over the period of 4 years, 1948-52. http://bit.ly/l8g5Gk #nakba #Israel


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NYC Mayor Bloomberg discusses the arrest of 2 men suspected of planning an attack on a Manhattan synagogue. Live: http://on.cnn.com/cnndcl3
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Monday, May 9, 2011

Fatah official: "No one in either Fatah or Hamas recognizes Israel"

[Readers of this blog are encouraged to join http://facebook.com/jewishcurrentevents ]

 

Senior Palestinian MP: Fatah, Hamas Share Stance on Not Recognizing Israel

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Palestinian legislator and member of the Fatah Movement underlined on Monday that Fatah and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) share the same view on the Zionist regime's entity as neither one recognizes the Israeli regime as a state.



"No one in Fatah and Hamas movements recognizes Israel," Abdullah Abdullah told FNA, asked if the so-called Fatah-Israel peace talks would continue, given Hamas's opposition to the process.

The Fatah official further stressed Israel should realize that it cannot rule the peace process while having Palestinian territories under occupation.

"Palestinians who are a nation under occupation have and will resist against the occupiers and we witness Palestinian resistance and conflicts with the Zionist regime in most regions," he said.

The official underlined that Fatah would never attend any negotiation with the Israeli regime if such talks are not based on the international rules, and stated, "If Israel withdraws from the Palestinian and Arab lands, it might be possible to enter peace negotiations."

"If Tel Aviv does not withdraw from the Palestinian territories, all Palestinian groups will resist against this occupation along with the Palestinian people," Abdullah underlined.

The comments by the Palestinian lawmaker came days after Thirteen Palestinian groups including, Fatah and Hamas, signed a landmark unity deal ending their long-running division.

Prior to the agreement, the Islamic movement Hamas was at loggerheads with Fatah, headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, since Hamas won the parliamentary elections in January of 2006. After winning the elections, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip ending months of bloody conflict with Fatah allied security forces. Egypt and other Arab countries' attempts of reaching a reconciliation deal between the two largest Palestinian factions had earlier failed.

According to internal sources, the agreement will include formation of a caretaker government until elections take place in both the West Bank and Gaza.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi welcomed the Palestinian reconciliation agreement, and called it a positive move towards materializing Palestinian people's goals and rights.


 
 
 
 

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Israel observes Remembrance Day

Peres: Israel's fallen paved the way to peace

Israel observes one minute of silence in memory of fallen soldiers, terror victims.
 In Western Wall Remembrance Day ceremony President Shimon Peres says Israel
 stronger than ever, IDF chief Benny Gantz discusses threats on all fronts
Yair Altman
Published: 05.08.11, 21:07 / Israel News

Israelis observed a moment of silence on Sunday in memory of 22,867 fallen soldiers and victims 
of terrorism. President Shimon Peres, Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz and representatives of the bereaved
 families attended a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Remember the fallen (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
 
"Israel today is stronger than ever," Peres said. He opened his speech by addressing the Six Day War.
He stressed that Israel will not waive the chance to secure real peace adding that "should one opportunity fail, we shall seek another one."
 
"An Arab voice is being heard in our region calling for liberation and democracy and we wish them success."
 
The president further added: "One day hostility will end and we shall live as neighbors. One day we shall know that they (the fallen) not only defended our lives but were the ones who paved the way to peace. They are both heroes of war and bearers of peace. We cherish the IDF, our beloved army with its soldiers, and fallen (men and women).

Memorial Day ceremony at Western Wall (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
  
"We shall not rest until all our captive and missing soldiers will return home. We shall not rest until we see Gilad Shalit safe and sound here with us."
 

'Highest moral standards'

IDF chief Gantz discussed the repeated attempts to besmirch Israeli soldiers' morals. "We have proven to the world in dozens of operations that our soldiers and commanders hold dear the values of purity of arms and the highest moral standards. These operational and moral norms were set by commanders and soldiers who decided to make persistence the primary value and devoted themselves to upholding the norms."
 
A
Gantz also addressed unrest in the Middle East. "The events which erupted out of repression and desperation raise signs of hope but also undermine stability and add possible threats to the State of Israel. The IDF must therefore be ready to address a growing variety of challenges in every front and possibly all fronts."
 
He mentioned warriors who showed exemplary courage and fortitude. "Such were Golani soldiers who boldly stormed the Beaufort in the 1982 Lebanon War."
 




http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4066336,00.html

Monday, May 2, 2011

May 23: A Balanced Presentation about the Arab-Israeli Conflict

The Troublesome History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict:
                            A Balanced Presentation
                                 

 With  Dr. Arthur Pitz, professor and historian                                      

                              Blackhawk College, St Ambrose University, Augustana College in the Quad Cities

                                                       Monday, May 23, 2011    

                                                                             6:30 pm8:00 pm  

                                  at the Des Moines Public Library, Central Branch, 1000 Grand Avenue, Des Moines

 

Dr. Pitz will provide a balanced presentation of the Arab-Israeli Conflict.  He has traveled many times to Israel and the Palestinian territories.  In 2010 he spent a month in the region where he was briefed by Israel's Foreign Ministry, traveled to the Israeli towns adjacent to Gaza, and visited the West Bank and a Palestinian refugee camp.

 

The program is free of charge and open to the public    No reservations required. 

 

 Sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Commission of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines and the JFed Forum.    For additional information, contact jcrc@dmjfed.org