America has lost her way, and I sit here in Israel aghast at what I'm seeing. From the beginning of his candidacy it was clear that Obama was going to be bad news. But I confess that I never imagined quite how bad it would be. I never imagined that a turn-around -- from what America had been to what it now is -- was possible so quickly. The president of the United States grovels before tyrants and makes it possible for enemies of the free world to garner strength. He speaks without dignity as an American and courts Muslims who wish the Western world ill.
Incrementally, I've been writing about this -- about the demeaning bow to the king of Saudi Arabia, for example; the diminishing of requirements placed on Iran if there are to be face-to-face negotiations, so that the US is now to the left (!) of Europe; the patent foolishness of speaking of "moderate" Taliban with whom the US soldiers might connect. It goes on and on.
Not only would Obama diminish US stature in the world, he would reduce America's defensive capability, as he is in favor of cutting the US nuclear arsenal and reducing the American missile defense system. Could it possibly be that he imagines that US enemies, facing a kinder, gentler America, would opt to follow suit?
Can it possibly be that the US electorate will continue to sit still for this? According to commentator Caroline Glick, ultimately there will be a turn-around and the issue is one of preventing damage until that happens.
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From the perspective here, there are serious concerns about US positions that are not in Israel's best interest. That goes for pressure for a "two-state solution" and efforts to discourage or block Israel from attacking Iranian nuclear facilities. (There are many analysts who link the two issues.)
The ability of the Netanyahu government to stand strong right now -- and to make the best possible decisions for Israel -- is incredibly important.
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Today PM Netanyahu held the first of what will be a series of policy review forums on Israeli-Palestinian issues, in order to formulate policy before he meets with President Obama in a month. In attendance were Defense Minister Barak, Foreign Minister Lieberman, Uzi Arad – head of the National Security Council and the prime minister's national security advisor, and Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's Security-Diplomatic Bureau.
What made news from that meeting was that Barak was pushing for an development of an Israeli peace plan based on the Arab "Peace Initiative" that would lead to a Palestinian state, but that would meet all Israeli demands for security and recognition as a Jewish state.
To put matters baldly, I don't know what the hell this man is talking about. For it is an impossibility to fashion a "peace plan" that meets legitimate Israeli demands and is also based on the Arab initiative -- which is a plan for Israeli destruction.
But -- even though I don't know what Netanyahu and the others said in response to this suggestion, and I am mindful that this is the press take on matters -- I begin to feel unease in the pit of my stomach.
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In response to a Netanyahu demand that the PA recognize Israel as a Jewish state, has come a resounding -- and not unexpected -- refusal to do so. Azzam al-Ahmed, a confidant of Abbas and senior Fatah official, declared yesterday that "We reject Netanyahu's demand to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. This demand illustrates the racist nature of its government..."
The Palestinians come out swinging every time, and expect the world to swallow their statements. But it behooves me to point out that the sanctimonious charges made here are from a representative of a political entity that wants to establish a state, based on Islam, that is totally Judenrein. Exactly who is racist?
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Netanyahu has clarified his position on the matter. Despite press claims to the contrary, he says, he never refused to talk to the Palestinians before they recognize us as a Jewish state, rather, what he says is that any progress in talks will be dependent upon this. This felt to me like a back-tracking, but I checked it and indeed he seems to be telling it straight.
The simple fact of the matter is that our prime minister is enduring incredible pressures. He is trying to walk a path that is in Israel's best interest without being so "in your face" that he incurs unnecessary international hostility.
What I implore Israelis reading this to do, then, is to contact Netanyahu, praise him for his positions, and let him know that the nation is behind him Please, also encourage others in Israel to do the same.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu:
Telephone: 02-640-8456 Fax: 02-649-6659 E-mail: bnetanyahu@knesset.gov.il
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And I urge all US citizens reading this to contact elected representatives there.
Those who should be contacted:
Howard Berman (D-CA 28th), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
Phone: (202) 225-4695 Fax: (202) 225-3196
E-mail restricted to constituents at http://www.house.gov/berman/contact/
Congressman Berman is a straight-talking man.
Ileana Ros-Lehtenin (FL 18th), Ranking Republican on House Foreign Affairs Committee
Phone: 202-225-3931 Fax: 202-225-5620
Unfortunately, her website is down as I write this and I cannot access e-mail contact information. You might try to secure this at: http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/
Ileana is one of the best friends we have in the House. She gets it and should hear that we appreciate her.
John Kerry (D-MA), Chair, Foreign Relations Committee
Phone: (202) 224-2742 Fax: (202) 224-8525
E-mail: http://kerry.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
Let us say that Senator Kerry is not one of Israel's better friends.
Richard Lugar (IN), Ranking Republican on Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Phone: (202) 224-4814 Fax: (202) 228-0360
E-mail: http://lugar.senate.gov/contact/
Neither is Senator Lugar where we might hope he would be.
Your own Congressperson, found at: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
Your own Senator, found at: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
The message is simple (please, stated in your own words as possible). Do not allow pressure to be placed on Israel with regard to a two-state solution. Such a solution is not even viable as there is no one partner with which Israel can negotiate, and the current situation represents a threat to Israeli security. What is more, Israel must be supported in her right to self-defense with regard to Iran.
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One of the priorities listed by Likud as the new government was being formed was education. And we now have the first good news on that front. Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar has appointed Dr. Shimshon Shoshani to be Director-General of the Ministry. Shoshani has just announced a new program that will require all elementary and high school students in the country to visit Jerusalem and learn about the capital.
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The Durban 2 Forum begins in Geneva tomorrow. Along with Israel, Canada, the US, Italy, and now Australia and Holland, have decided not to participate. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, saying that this is a "hypocrisy forum," has called on more states to refuse to attend. "The fact that a racist like Ahmadinejad is the main speaker proves the true aim and nature of the conference."
According to YNet, it appears Germany may not attend, and other EU nations may stay away as well.
Over the last two days NGOs have been gearing up with anti-Israel activities preliminary to the main Forum. Yesterday, the Israel Review Conference, a coalition of anti-Israel NGOs, met. Today the global Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel held workshops.
Included was discussion of a European resistance movement, based on the concept "We are all Hezbollah, we are all Hamas. The world stopped Nazism, the world stopped Apartheid, we will stop Zionism."
This gives you an idea of precisely how obscene and hateful -- and terrorist-embracing -- this gathering is. Maybe some nations still considering their options will get the message.
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see my website www.ArlenefromIsrael.info
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