Doc's Talk: "What if..."

Friday, September 25, 2009

"What if..."

Arlene Kushner

"What if Israel," writes analyst Herb Keinon in today's Jerusalem Post, "tempered by the harsh reality of the 16 years since Oslo, is not exactly in a giving mood any more."

How sweet are those words.

"For Obama," declares Keinon, "the trilateral talks in New York on Tuesday fell far short of his expectations, but for Netanyahu, victory was achieved on multiple fronts." Netanyahu has seen Obama seeming to back down on the settlement issue in frustration, and Abbas meeting with him at the UN even though he said he wouldn't because there was no freeze on settlements, and support coming from all wings of his coalition.

(I am sorry, and frustrated, that I cannot locate a URL for this. Sometimes there is a lag time.)

Even the Arab media outlet Al Jazeera declared that Netanyahu had bested Obama.

And that's before Netanyahu's stunning speech yesterday, which brought him accolades.

Let us pray that strength follows upon strength now, and that our prime minister continues to stand tall on our behalf.

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I now have a URL for the full text of Netanyahu's speech yesterday:

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/benjamin-netanyahu-un-speech-full-text-transcript-sep-24-2009

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You might also like to see a video analysis of Obama's UN speech by John Bolton, former US Ambassador to the UN and a straight-talking man, who offers somber commentary. (Thank you, Barbara O.)

I have just one correction: Bolton refers to the pre-67 "borders" of Israel, but, as I pointed out recently, this was an armistice line, not a border. Even our friends don't always get this right.

http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=H0vlx4vkiMg

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According to Khaled Abu Toameh, not only was Abbas disappointed in the three-way discussion at the UN, he had to endure the annoyance of members of his Fatah party who were not happy that he had met with Netanyahu when settlement activity had not been frozen. In fact, some accused Obama of "humiliating" Abbas by forcing him to attend the meeting when he had said he would not come.

But Obama's control over Abbas was of very brief duration, and in the end -- if the Palestinians have anything to say about it --it will be Obama who will be humiliated because his peace plans aren't working.

As I mentioned very briefly yesterday, Abbas is now balking at going into negotiations with us: This is because of "fundamental disagreements" with Israel regarding what should be on the agenda; he finds that "there is no common ground for discussion" with Netanyahu.

Translation: He wants it all, as the Palestinians have always wanted it all, and Netanyahu's government is not willing to talk to them openly about this, about moving back to the Green Line and dividing Jerusalem and taking in "refugees."

Additionally, Saeb Erekat, PA negotiator, has reiterated that Netanyahu's demand that we be recognized as a Jewish state is "unacceptable." (I will, I hope, return in due course to an examination of why this demand is important.)

Abbas says that he really hates to cause friction with the US government, but...

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Obama has set a deadline of two years for establishment of a Palestinian state. But, he's going no where on this. This fast-track is not only foolish, it's dangerous, because it lifts Palestinians expectations, setting them up for a fall.

Watch: The Palestinians will blame us for being obstinate, and blocking their legitimate rights, and there will be another Intifada, better known as a war. And it will be a more difficult war, because US General Dayton is training PA troops. An idiotic move that will backfire. As I am now doing research on this, I will have a great deal more to say about it.

But better a war than having an Olmert in office who would rush to give Abbas what he wanted. Olmert now brags that no one will offer the PA a better deal than he did. What he forgets is that they wouldn't even take that "best deal." (The Palestinians don't want a 'two-state' solution, they want us gone -- which is actually the short answer to why the demand we be recognized as a Jewish state is important.)

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The IAEA has been informed by Iran that it has a second uranium enrichment plant. Obama plans to accuse Iran of hiding this facility at the start of G-20 talks. But how will this affect US talks with Iran is not known, for apparently Obama is still holding on to his plans in this regard.

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The time before Shabbat is short (and grows shorter as sundown comes earlier). I would like to use this remaining time to touch just a couple of bases, briefly.

I have been asked by a Canadian member of my list to give proper credit to the Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, and I find this a most appropriate request. Harper has demonstrated moral clarity repeatedly and shown himself to be a marvelous friend of Israel. He took the lead in deciding that Canada would boycott Ahmadinejad's speech, and I salute him for this.

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Some days ago, I received a message from Paul Teller, Executive Director of the U.S. House Republican Study Committee (a wonderful House caucus it's good to know about), letting me know that Committee Chair, Congressman Tom Price (R-GA), had sent a letter of support to PM Netanyahu prior to his meetings at the UN this week.

The concluding paragraph was this:

"The United States must address the Middle East peace process with the strongest of support for Israel. We believe that members of the Jewish faith should be able to freely and securely live and work anywhere,
including in all of historic Israel. Allow my to assure you that we will not turn our back on promises the United States has made to assist and defend Israel during such turbulent times. You are a successful
democracy, ally, and unconditional friend, and you have our full support."

It's reassuring to know that we have friends such as this in Congress. If you are inclined to thank Congressman Price (it's important for him to know that his efforts are valued), you can reach him here: http://tom.house.gov/html/contact_form_email.cfm.

Paul Teller can be reached at: Paul.Teller@mail.house.gov.

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see my website www.ArlenefromIsrael.info

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The IDF’s Minorities in Numbers and Pictures

In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.

MUSLIMS:

Muslim Arab Israelis are not required to draft in the IDF, but there are many who volunteer. In 2013, there were over 200 Muslims serving in the IDF and over 300 in the reserves.

Bedouins:

Bedouins are nomadic Muslims who were in Israel when modern borders were set in place and are now considered Israeli citizens. They are not required to draft but a growing number choose to enlist. In 2012, there were over 1,400 Bedouin Muslim soldiers doing regular IDF service and almost 1,500 in the reserves.

Read more:http://www.idfblog.com/2014/02/27/truth-idf-numbers-pictures/#more-34027

Are you aware that in 2013, Middle class taxes go up-significantly?

In January of next year, the federal income tax rate for middle-class taxpayers is scheduled to rise from 25 percent to 28 percent, and the payroll tax is scheduled to rise from 13.3 percent to 15.3 percent… This drives the marginal tax rate based on the aforementioned three taxes to 48.12 percent. Add in state and local property, corporate, excise, and other state and local taxes, and the percentage of each additional dollar that is taxed hovers around 50 percent… When half of each additional dollar earned is taxed away, taxpayers experience a disincentive to start businesses or expand existing ones. This leads to fewer jobs being created.

Why is HAMAS Inside Tampa Schools?

Clare Lopez

Kelly Miliziano, who teaches history classes at Steinbrenner High School in the Tampa, Florida area apparently thinks it’s perfectly OK to invite a senior official of a HAMAS-affiliated organization into her classroom to discuss Islam with her students. According to local media reports, not only has this been going on for years, but in spite of the civil and criminal proceedings that could result from such reckless negligence, the Hillsborough County school superintendent, Mary Ellen Elia, and the chairman of the school board, Candy Olson, also expressed approval for students under their responsibility to be exposed repeatedly to guest speaker, Hassan Shibly, who is the Executive Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the Tampa area.
More...

Did You Know... Ignoring the Call to Islam will Bring Jihad

‘Conquest through Da’wa [proselytizing] that is what we hope for. We will conquer Europe, we will conquer America! Not through sword but through Da’wa.’
-- Yousef al-Qaradawi , Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader The Arabic word ‘Da’wa’ means the “call to Islam.” But do not think that Da’wa is the same thing as an invitation to an optional holiday event. The classical Islamic doctrine of jihad mandates that enemies must be given the opportunity to convert to Islam or pay the jizya tax before it is permissible to attack them.
Clare M. Lopez

Who is being discriminated-facts tell the truth

Religious bias

Hate crimes motivated by religious bias accounted for 1,409 offenses reported by law enforcement. A breakdown of the bias motivation of religious-bias offenses showed:

65.4 percent were anti-Jewish.
13.2 percent were anti-Islamic.
9.5 percent were anti-other religion, i.e., those not specified.
4.3 percent were anti-Catholic.
3.8 percent were anti-multiple religions, group.
3.3 percent were anti-Protestant.
0.5 percent were anti-Atheism/Agnosticism/etc.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2010/narratives/hate-crime-2010-incidents-and-offenses.

On March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview

with PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. Here's what he said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

In March 1977, Zahir Muhsein, a PLO executive, said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism."

"For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

The Arab Apartheid

Ben-Dror Yemini
In 1948, the Arab countries refused to accept the UN partition proposal and they launched a war of annihilation against the State of Israel which had barely been established. All precedents in this matter showed that the party that starts the war - and with a declaration of annihilation, yet - pays a price for it. Between 550,000 and 710,000 Arabs fled because of the war and a larger number of 850,000 Jews were expelled or fled from Arab countries (the "Jewish nakba").
Population exchanges and expulsions were the norm at that time, occurring in dozens of other conflict points and affecting about 52 million people. In all the population exchange precedents that occurred during or at the end of an armed conflict, there was no return of refugees to the previous region, which had turned into a new national state.
Only the Arab states acted completely differently from the rest of the world. Instead of assimilating the refugees, they crushed them despite the fact that they were their coreligionists and members of the Arab nation - instituting a regime of apartheid. So the "nakba" was not caused by the actual dispossession, which had also been experienced by tens of millions of others. The "nakba" is the story of the apartheid, oppression, abuse and denial of rights suffered by the Arab refugees at the hands of the Arab countries. (Maariv)

International Law and Military Operations in Practice - Col. Richard Kemp

"Islamist fighting groups study the international laws of armed conflict carefully and they understand it well. They know that a British or Israeli commander and his men are bound by international law and the rules of engagement that flow from it. They then do their utmost to exploit what they view as one of their enemy's main weaknesses. Their very modus operandi is built on the correct assumption that Western armies will normally abide by the rules, while these insurgents employ a deliberate policy of operating consistently outside international law. "

Lost Historical Moments

What Rabin’s last Knesset speech really said:repudiation of a Palestinian state

Rabin ruled out a fully sovereign Palestinian state :

“We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority.”

Rabin ruled out a total withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and thus a return to the pre-June 1967 borders :

“The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.”

Rabin ruled out withdrawing form the Jordan Valley:

“The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.”

Rabin ruled out uprooting settlement blocs, like the Gush Katif bloc in Gaza (which was subsequently uprooted by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon):

“The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

AND

Rabin ruled out removing any settlement before coming to a full peace agreement with the Palestinians:

“I want to remind you: we committed ourselves, that is, we came to an agreement, and committed ourselves before the Knesset, not to uproot a single settlement in the framework of the interim agreement, and not to hinder building for natural growth.”

Rabin insisted on Israel retaining full security control of the borders with Egypt and Jordan, contrary to Israel’s relinquishment of the Philadelphia Corridor on the border with Egypt:

“The responsibility for external security along the borders with Egypt and Jordan, as well as control over the airspace above all of the territories and Gaza Strip maritime zone, remains in our hands.”

Correcting Oslo Myths-Part 2

3) Kuttab laments that the post-1993 Oslo process resulted in a Palestinian Authority "whose ministers and legislators are not guaranteed passage between Gaza and the West Bank ...."

Before free passage or other perquisites, PA leaders were obligated, among other things, to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, end anti-Israeli, antisemitic incitement in schools, mosques, and communications media, and resolve all outstanding issues through peaceful negotiations. They met none of these commitments, sometimes bolstering terrorism and greatly increasing incitement.

4) Kuttab complains that under Oslo the PA got "lightly armed police ---- but no real sovereignty over the land or contiguity between our communities in Gaza and the West Bank."

Oslo agreements repeatedly were revised, regardless of Palestinian non-compliance, until the authorized number of police grew from 8,000 to 40,000. Though they were to be the only armed forces in the territories, Israeli estimates early in the second intifada put the number of gunmen - police, "security services," terrorists, and armed gangs - at 85,000. Their armament reportedly included not only heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, but also anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

Sovereignty was to be negotiated in the envisioned 1998 "final status" talks - after a five-year period of confidence-building. Palestinian leadership chronically undermined the process. Palestinian terrorism made the 1993 - 1998 Oslo period more deadly for Israelis than the 15 years preceding it.

The United States doesn't have contiguity between the lower 48 states and Alaska and Hawaii; territorial contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza Strip - that is, through the 20 miles of Israeli territory between them - was never promised and would destroy Israeli contiguity.

5) "Palestinians have been made to endure hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank, an eight-foot wall deep in our territories, and tight Israeli control over borders."

The security barrier is not "deep in Palestinian territories," but rather encompasses less than 8 percent of Judea and Samaria, and is mostly a fence, rarely a wall; the land in question is not "our [Palestinian] territories" but disputed territory to which, according to the authors of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, Jews as well as Arabs have claims; and there are no international borders, only the 1949 armistice lines with Jordan. Under 242, borders remain to be negotiated. As for checkpoints - like the security barrier and "tight Israeli control" - Palestinian Arabs precipitated these measures themselves. No terrorism and there would be no fence or tight Israeli control and few checkpoints - like before the first intifada.

Correcting Some Oslo Myths

1) In Oslo "Israeli, Palestinian and other world leaders promised that ... Palestinian sovereignty would be solidified."

No, they didn't. The 1993 Declaration of Principles and subsequent Oslo agreements outlined a process by which final status negotiations about the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be reached. The process required an end to anti-Israel terrorism and incitement and a commitment to peaceful negotiations. The PA, Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and other terrorist groups, sabotaged the process from the start.

2) "The reality is that, in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which states that it is inadmissible to occupy land by force, Palestinian territories are still under foreign military occupation."
Wrong again. Resolution 242 (1967) does note "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war." It also affirms the right of every state in the area "to live in peace with secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force." There were no "Palestinian territories." Jordan occupied the West Bank, Egypt controlled Gaza. Israel did not have "secure and recognized boundaries," so retention of some of those territories was possible under 242. Israel is not a "foreign" military occupier in the West Bank but, pending final negotiations, the lawful military administrator as a result of a successful war of self-defense.

Doc's Talk