This is an excellent speech by David Harris, Executive Director of AJA, which I believe is worth reading: Taking Stock of David Harris
Executive Director
American Jewish Committee (AJC)
July 23, 2009
The following is adapted from my remarks to a meeting of the
Thank you for the privilege of speaking once again before this distinguished group.
I represent AJC – the American Jewish Committee. We have been active for decades in supporting
We welcome President Obama’s groundbreaking speech in
We applaud his statement that the bonds between
We praise his principled condemnation of the Holocaust denial that is all too common in Arab and Muslim societies.
We fully embrace his commitment to peace – peace among
And we share his vision of a region where "children grow up without fear."
At the same time, I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t tell this audience that we have some specific areas of concern. This is a caring critique from a friend, and we hope that these issues can quickly be put behind us.
Let me cite three.
First, in his
This was understood by President Harry Truman, who defied the advice of his State Department to recognize the re-establishment of
His favorite Psalm, according to presidential historian Michael Beschloss, was Number 137: "By the rivers of
Why is this important now? Because the Arab world has long challenged
President Clinton encountered this view when his valiant efforts to make peace were rebuffed, as Yasser Arafat outrageously denied the historical Jewish connection to
Indeed, more than any other issue, this gets to the root of the conflict. The
Second, the President juxtaposed the Palestinian condition with that of black Americans and other suffering people "from
Whatever its intent, this seemed to create a regrettable equivalence.
I would not for a minute deny that Palestinians have suffered. I have visited the West Bank and
Yet I also know that the Palestinian condition is, above all, self-inflicted. That is to say that the Palestinian people have been ill-served by their own leaders.
Where are the Martin Luther King and John Lewis, the Vaclav Havel and Lech Walesa, and the Mahatma Gandhi of the Palestinian people – individuals of visionary greatness and deep commitment to non-violence?
According to a senior British official, Palestinians are the world’s largest per capita recipients of foreign aid. Yet corruption and mismanagement have siphoned off too much from the intended recipients.
To suggest that Palestinians are the modern-day version of those who endured inescapable oppression is to give them, and especially their leaders, a free pass. Those leaders should be held accountable for failing to move Palestinian society from victimization to responsibility.
On this front, there are glimmers of hope today in the
And third, the President, in his speech in
The President has said that friendship entails honesty, and that he is being honest with a friend.
Yes, but among all the countries of the region, it was unusual to see our President single out only Israel – our "stalwart democratic ally," in the words of Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) – with such sharp focus.
To be sure, the settlements are an issue. We at AJC have said so more than once.
But they are not the underlying cause of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. They should be addressed in the context of negotiations, not treated as a sine qua non for talks, as Palestinian leaders are doing now.
In fact, Palestinians seem to have interpreted – or misinterpreted – President Obama’s stance as a license to sit back while
In the end,
As the late Abba Eban, an Israeli diplomat and peacemaker par excellence, said, "We have openly said that the map will never again be the same as on June 4, 1967. … The June map is for us equivalent to insecurity and danger."
Distinguished Senators, no nation other than
No other nation in the Middle East has been a more steadfast friend and democratic partner of the
No other nation, victorious in wars thrust upon it, has demonstrated more willingness to make painful concessions to advance peace.
The UN embraced the idea of two states – one Arab, the other Jewish – as early as 1947. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s call for recognition of
An agreement, however difficult, remains possible today. Indeed, four consecutive Israeli prime ministers have called for a two-state accord.
Yet their Palestinian counterparts have not reciprocated, even when Prime Minister Olmert made what the Palestinians themselves acknowledged was an unusually far-reaching offer.
As Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) recently said, "I believe negotiations will be successful only with a renewed commitment from the Palestinians to be a true partner in peace."
In that spirit, why has Saeb Erekat, the PA’s principal negotiator, refused to negotiate with the current Israeli government, while holding talks with the Iranian foreign minister instead? Shouldn’t it be the other way around – spurning the Iranians and meeting the Israelis?
It’s no wonder that many Israelis are skeptical about the chances of achieving a solution. They seek reassurance that the
President Obama has laudably reiterated his deep and abiding friendship for
Perhaps he could soon find an opportunity to pay a visit and speak with Israelis directly. It might do a lot to advance understanding among the Israeli public – and to reaffirm
Thank you.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Taking Stock of U.S. Policy toward Israel
Saturday, July 4, 2009
2nd Round - Bloody and Bloodless Coup
Honduras - where the bloodless coup happened - is expelled from the Organization of American States.
Ahmedinajad - the protagonist of a bloody coup in Iran - invites Obama for negociations.
Interesting what will be Obamas's position. Will he refuse to talk to Ahmedinajad the same way he is refusing to talk to Micheletti because, as Obama said to Micheletti "the takeover of power was not legal".
What do you think?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Bloody and Bloodless Coups
The Bloody Coup:
Iran's regime, ruled by the fanatic clerics, manipulate the ballots, and give the victory to Ahmedinajad. In the ensuing protests, they kill and wound demonstrators against what I call the "white gloves coup". They further arrest demonstrators and close affiliates of the candidate that should have won the election. The international community condemns the event, talks about sanctions....... nothing more than that, and life goes on....
The Bloodless Coup:
After the Supreme Court of Honduras rejects the Zelaya's - President of Honduras - request to have a referendum to change the Constitution (something that they were concerned could be manipulated, given Hugo Chavez's support for this change), Zelaya removes the Chief of the Armed Forces, whom the court ordered to protect the location where the ballots were guarded. Zelaya orders the invasion of that location, in order to proceed with the referendum against the Court's order. This is what led to the coup that removed him from power.
Not one drop of blood. You know why? Because unlike in the case of Iran, the new President has popular support.
How the international community reacts to it? In a much harsher way than in the case of Iran: the EU removes all its ambassadors, so does the Organizations of the American States which is expelling Honduras from the Organization and will boycott the country, and the United States issues a much stronger protest than in the case of Iran, and so it goes.
This is our world.....
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