“Obama’s Defining Moment on Israel”: The Response

Yesterday, the RP published a provocative piece here and at The Huffington Post, urging President Obama to firmly and strongly object to unilateral U.N. action on a two-state solution, giving the President a two-part message:

Obama has a simple, fair, and logical message to share:  First, each party to the problem must have ownership of the solution: imposing borders unilaterally is not in the spirit of the U.N.’s mission.  And second, if Palestine merits formal global recognition, then Israel too — finally — deserves its full acceptance as a Jewish state by Palestine and all of its neighbors, an integral element of any compromise solution.

Of course, President Obama listened to the RP and immediately complied by delivering a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. (OK, just maybe it was planned in advance of the RP’s article.):

Now, I know that many are frustrated by the lack of progress.  I assure you, so am I.  But the question isn’t the goal that we seek — the question is how do we reach that goal.  And I am convinced that there is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades.  Peace is hard work.  Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations — if it were that easy, it would have been accomplished by now.  Ultimately, it is the Israelis and the Palestinians who must live side by side.  Ultimately, it is the Israelis and the Palestinians — not us –- who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them:  on borders and on security, on refugees and Jerusalem.

Ultimately, peace depends upon compromise among people who must live together long after our speeches are over, long after our votes have been tallied…We seek a future where Palestinians live in a sovereign state of their own, with no limit to what they can achieve.  There’s no question that the Palestinians have seen that vision delayed for too long.  It is precisely because we believe so strongly in the aspirations of the Palestinian people that America has invested so much time and so much effort in the building of a Palestinian state, and the negotiations that can deliver a Palestinian state.

But understand this as well:  America’s commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable.  Our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring.  And so we believe that any lasting peace must acknowledge the very real security concerns that Israel faces every single day.

Let us be honest with ourselves:  Israel is surrounded by neighbors that have waged repeated wars against it. Israel’s citizens have been killed by rockets fired at their houses and suicide bombs on their buses.  Israel’s children come of age knowing that throughout the region, other children are taught to hate them.  Israel, a small country of less than eight million people, look out at a world where leaders of much larger nations threaten to wipe it off of the map.  The Jewish people carry the burden of centuries of exile and persecution, and fresh memories of knowing that six million people were killed simply because of who they are.  Those are facts.  They cannot be denied.

The Jewish people have forged a successful state in their historic homeland.  Israel deserves recognition.  It deserves normal relations with its neighbors.  And friends of the Palestinians do them no favors by ignoring this truth, just as friends of Israel must recognize the need to pursue a two-state solution with a secure Israel next to an independent Palestine.

Click here for the full text of the President’s address.

The RP Nation had its say as well.  The RP’s article unleashed a torrent of comments here, at The Huffington Post, on Facebook, and via email. 

One consistent thread from all sides of the ideological debate:  The ROP screwed up when he stated the Yom Kippur War occurred in 1974.  It was 1973.  We are confident that the RP will seek absolution for this mistake on Yom Kippur, this year, 2009.

Here is a representative sample, protecting the identities of the innocent:

One of the complaints we’ve had for 63 years, since partition, has been the infantile behavior of the Palestinians and their fundamentalist agitators. Seeking membership in the U.N. is tantamount to shedding the short-pants of childhood and donning the long-pants of being adult. Now that Palestine is pursuing membership in the U.N. the 2-state solution can and may become reality.  Defensible borders and implementation of the 2-state solution by both sides of this conflict equals peace in our time.

There are still issues to be resolved:  West Bank and the settlements, fully defensible borders, the size of, and security for, Gaza, the Golan, Jordan and water and reducing the impact of Likud (like we must deal with republican’ts).

“Next year in Jerusalem … ” is now more than a slogan and a goal.  Think about it! … strolling the streets of Jerusalem without being armed or escorted.

Huh?

The Yom Kippur War was in 1973 and Netanyahu reneged on deal with the Turkish President to appologize. (Read Tom Friedman’s article or The Economist.)  Additionally, Netanyahu stabbed Obamba in the back by letting more settlements
be built.  Don’t forget, 50%+ of the people in Israel think these settlements are NOT OK. It’s only Netanyahu’s need to keep his coalition together that has caused him to do really dumb things–and put the Obama administration in a bad
spot.

Obama will veto the resolution–as he should–but Netanyahu’s bumbling has done Israel incalculable damage.

Hi. Good article. Disagree that his instinct is with Jewish state or people. Too much evidence to the contrary. Unfortunately the left has turned its back on Israel.

Don't be a naïve child. Obama does not want ISRAEL and has caused all current problems with palestinians. Grow up!

If the tragedy at the Munich Olympics was your "seminal" moment then I would would say that your life needs a drastic paradigm shift.  I pulled a favorite quote that I keep from Deepok Chopra, in part it reads "….ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.  The past is closed and limited; the future is open and free."

This issue I am sure is a lot closer to your heart than mine but to me it is a very sad day that Israel, after some 70 years of conflict, wants to continue to fight against giving the Palestinians the recognition that they deserve.  Since I now read most of my news on my iPad, and I assume they track what I read, I am boycotting all news from the Middle East.  There are so many great things going on in the world yet the world news, according to the major newspaper editors, is dominated by who was murdered in the Middle East.  Despite my boycott, I saw that AIPAC hauled 81 congressman to Israel.  This is an unbelievable disgrace.  Of all the things that those congressman could have learned about the world but instead they think listening to the Israeli/Arab bickering is where they should spend their time.  Those Congressman need a better briefing of what positive things are going on in the world and how they might affect the promotion of such activities. I would suggest you be a “pioneer of the future” rather than continue this insane, ad nauseam fight.  Framing your argument about what happened in Munich 40 years ago his hardly being a pioneer.

Thank you for your e-mail.  Having spent time in Israel and in Egypt I very much appreciate the terrible security situation that Israel is facing. I am to be mild and appropriate "disgusted" with Obama's ham handed approach to Israel and
lack of true support. Spin as he may, his true feelings have been revealed through his actions. He is no friend of Israel and the only Jewish interest he supports are those of the Upper East Side that support his political fundraising.

Don’t even get me started about this guy…..

I am not a Fox news fan, but I am reminded of their "fair and balanced" slogan (which of course is never fair and balanced - thanks R. Murdock).  I did vote for Obama, but his approach to be fair and balanced toward Israel is wrong.  When Israel does not initiate actions against Palestinians, bur rather has a restrained response, the US wants both sides to use restraint.  The world, including the US, ignores the fact Egyptians have a shared border with the Palestinians.  Yet the world, including the US, only looks at Israel as the
stumbling block.  Recall Arafat, who was offered more than he could hope for, turned down the offer.  The famous saying Arafat never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

I am reminded of the book by Ayaan Hirsii Ali, Infidel.  She said when the air conditioning broke, they blamed it on the Jews.  They had never seen a Jew, but blamed them never-the-less.

We are perennial scapegoats.  This is the albatross we wear around our necks. It bothers me when several prominent US leaders, including military, blame Israel for intransigence.  Do they really think all the problems of the world will be resolved by Israel living on land the size of a postage stamp?

And there is always Durbin III.  Usually the sequels are worse than the originals, but in this case they all stink. But this is the UN at its (UN)finest.

I believe the UN has written more resolutions against Israel than any other country. Some people say the US is the only real friend of Israel.  Canada had been a strong friend of Israel, for which I am thankful.

One last thought.  I remember the Iran/Iraq war.  It was a nasty war, with gas being used, child soldiers, etc.  I recall vividly one Iraqi soldier, missing his legs, in a hospital being interviewed.  In the interview, he said the real enemy is Israel.  If that doesn’t sum it up, nothing will.