Region in stasis as Israel puts its house in order: Guardian »
Posted By gamahuche 10 months, 3 weeks ago in NewsIsrael's complex electoral arithmetic often produces knotty results and until the near dead-heat between Tzipi Livni and Binyamin Netanyahu can be untangled, efforts to revive peace talks with the Palestinians – or do anything else that matters – will be effectively paralysed.
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gamahuche
"I would rather be a square peg than fit in a pigeon hole" -
an essay which won me the "Lamb Essay Prize" at the Religious ...
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gamahuche10 months, 3 weeks ago
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There is an "Old Jewish Saying" that when you get 2 Jews in a room you'll get 3 opinions.
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Is this why, in what seems like a crucial election. 35% of eligible voters didn't succeed in deciding for whom to vote? [Not an especially high figure in Israel elections].
The most dangerous result for the world will undoubtedly be if the despicable extreme ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, led by Avigdor Lieberman, succeeds in obtaining a very high price for its support, which would presumably go to Netanyahu, who has already proved a dismal failure once.
There does not seem any likelihood of an outcome which will help to heal the deep divisions in Israel OR to create any initiative to seek a realistic and honourable solution to the Gaza crisis.
Most controversial sidelbar is Lieberman's proposed "demand that Israel's 1.5 million Arab citizens take a "loyalty oath" or leave the Jewish state".
If there is one grain of comfort in any of this its the humiliation of Ehud Barak, the instigator of "Operation Cast Lead", whose Labour Party finished up with a lowly 13 seats.
As far as the US response is concerned, in place of attempting to exercise any even-handed effective leverage - or even dialogue - as it would just about anywhere else on the planet, it will inevitably rubber-stamp whatever status quo is reached, acting through non-action.-
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Thinker2210 months, 3 weeks ago
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> There does not seem any likelihood of an outcome which will help to heal the deep divisions in Israel OR to create any initiative to seek a realistic and honourable solution to the Gaza crisis.
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The only possible initiative to seek a realistic and honourable solution to the Gaza crisis will come from Gaza, not from Israel, and it will be a Palestinian declaration of its readiness to recognize Israel, end the hostilities and negotiate a peaceful, realistic and honorable agreement. Until it happens there will be no progress in this direction no matter who and how will form the next Israeli government.
> Most controversial sidelbar is Lieberman's proposed "demand that Israel's 1.5 million Arab citizens take a "loyalty oath" or leave the Jewish state".
I agree, it's a pretty racist demand. A much better one would be to ask ALL Israeli citizens to take such "loyalty oath".
> If there is one grain of comfort in any of this its the humiliation of Ehud Barak...
One should not forget that Barak went more than anyone else towards the Palestinians in the "land for peace" initiative. His Camp David and Taba offers (that were rejected by Palestinians) made it painfully obvious that trying to purchase peace from the Palestinians was futile. The coming Israeli government will, most probably, take a differrent approach which will be based on reciprocity. It will, hopefully, offer the Palestinians PEACE (and nothing else) in exchange for peace. Only when peace (end of hostilities) will be achieved it will become possible to negotiate other things.
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gamahuche10 months, 3 weeks ago
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And already "an official" of Tipi Levi's Kadima Party is welcoming the potential support of the ultra-nationalist Lieberman, whose opinions and policies should make him a political pariah:
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http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304... -
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Endoscopy10 months, 3 weeks ago
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There was reference to Israels mess with Gaza as a reason that the right wing people rose in power. Israelis are sick of the constant attacks from the terrorists. The reason the terrorists give is that since Islam once conquered the area it should be under Sharia law. Therefore they have to destroy Israel and kill the Jews. The surrounding Muslim countries have the same belief.
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How do you get peace with people who only want you dead?-
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Thinker2210 months, 3 weeks ago
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>How do you get peace with people who only want you dead?
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Basically, you try to convince them to change their minds. The most (and, apparently, the only) effective way to do it is to BEAT THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF THEM until they ask for peace or until there is no one left to ask for peace.
The entire history of humanity on this planet is full of examples how this way to get peace worked.
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