Obama Administration Statement on Israel’s East Jerusalem Construction
28 December 2009 2:04 pm by Taylor Marsh
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-white-house-press-secretary-robert-gibbs-construction-east-jerusalem
From the White House:
“The United States opposes new Israeli construction in East Jerusalem. The status of Jerusalem is a permanent status issue that must be resolved by the parties through negotiations and supported by the international community. Neither party should engage in efforts or take actions that could unilaterally pre-empt, or appear to pre-empt, negotiations. Rather, both parties should return to negotiations without preconditions as soon as possible. The United States recognizes that Jerusalem is a deeply important issue for Israelis and Palestinians, and for Jews, Muslims, and Christians. We believe that through good faith negotiations the parties can mutually agree on an outcome that realizes the aspirations of both parties for Jerusalem, and safeguards its status for people around the world.”
This post was submitted by Taylor Marsh.
Tags: Barack Obama, Israel, Middle East, Palestinians, religion
Unless this is coupled with a statement that all funds and aide will be cut off if one more nail is driven into one more board in new settlements this is just chasing a fart in a wind storm with a jar without a lid.
Apropos of nothing re: Israeli settlements, my friend MJ Rosenberg takes down Carter’s apology to Israel.
I know I am to ignorant to have an opinion but I have always thought Carter was correct in his criticism.
I agree with secular on this. Unless there is some meat behind this statement, it is meaningless. Israel has continued to build settlements and blow off anything Obama or the SOS has said on this subject. If we are not ready to put aid money on the line and make the Israeli government make a choice between settlements or aid, then the President is just blowing hot air.
Lake Lady says:
28 December 2009 at 4:48 pm
Stop that, LL. No one who reads what’s written around here is too ignorant to weigh in. You may be new to the topic of foreign policy, but as to ignorant, you are not. Besides, what you said is essentially what MJ is saying.
secularhumanizinevoluter says:
28 December 2009 at 2:11 pm
“Unless this is coupled with a statement that all funds and aide will be cut off if one more nail is driven into one more board in new settlements this is just chasing a fart in a wind storm with a jar without a lid”.
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I can guess at the pros to cutting off funds and aide as leverage, but what are the possible cons to that action?
Sandmann, the one con that comes to mind is, Obama would lose some votes in this country and piss off the Jewish lobby. Outside of that I can’t think of any other cons at this moment.
angels81 says:
28 December 2009 at 6:20 pm
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That’s fine, how would Israel react?
My approach to the whole Israel/Palistinian/Arab question is cut off all aide to EVERYONE. STOP buying their oil and say, we’ll be back in 10 years. We do NOT care what you do to each other, learn to live together or kill each other off, it’s up to you. Just keep it in your own back yard.In the mean time launch another Marshal plan to make this country energy self sufficent. Then even when we re-engage the area tell them to pound sand with their oil.
secularhuman, we mostly agree. Wait, have I stepped onto another blog in an alternate universe……………….No, having hammered a nail into my right temple I appear to still be on earth. There is one little detail about your plan that I’m a bit off put by though. I’m not sure that we can allow them to kill each other off. Sure, the American Christian armageddonists would be estatic at that proposition, but it doesn’t strike me as the most humane way to handle this situation. Then there’s the “STOP buying their oil” part. Do you think it’s a good idea for 300 million American oil junkies to go cold turkey? Peace
The only thing that will make the Israelis stop building settlements is the Israelis. Would you expect our government to succumb to pressure from outsiders about our policies? The Israelis are no different. Until they are willing to do what it takes to make peace, then there really isn’t anything that we can do about it.
FACT. We could start building Hybrid or pure electric cars TOMORROW that used alternate fuel for the hybrids if we had the will to tell the Auto industry if you want to sell any cars they will NOT have a fossil fueled engine and they WILL have a ZERO emisions rating or go out of buisness.
As for humane? I think it’s awfully arrogant and to try and force our western cultural attitudes on them. Sort of like the Prime Directive.
pshycodrew, we’re not telling them anything as far as what they want to do. They just shouldn’t be allowed to use the US taxepayers money to do it with.
Make peace? I honestly don’t give a rats ass at this point in time whether the Israekis and the Palistinians and the other Arabs “make peace”. It seems pretty clear they don’t WANT peace.
the israeli system of govt is liek ours- one of corruption and paralysis. bibi’s own party did NOT win the most seats last election- livini’s did. but bibi was able to craft a coalition of parties anyway and livini is the one not in power. its scary. very. i rarely share my profound views on israel esp in the online community. but israel too is in a great tragedy- the people wanta peace deal yet their govt is so detatched bibi just keeps doing what he wants against the will of most israelis and thw world. sound familiar? obama needs to do much more in israel to boost his credibility like bill clinton did. when bibi losing his govt and livni gets in i have more hope. much more.
bibi is commiting suicide for his own nation. the setlements must stop. israel as a jewish nation will die if they try and hold the wbank. israelis are tired of losing their kids to protect these 200000 settlers. real tired. the setlers are a profound poltical force- well orginized and always vote in a bloc. and yes many pols there fear them. remmeber it was a settler who killed rabin. in the end there is so much america can do. israel needs a better govt and better eladership in tune with the majority.
Pull the money plug. That will force all sides to honestly possibly for the first time EVER come to the negotiating table. But whether they do or not I honestly don’t care. I am tired of footing the bill.
texan4hillary says:
29 December 2009 at 12:06 am
“Israel too is in a great tragedy- the people wanta peace deal yet their govt is so detatched bibi just keeps doing what he wants against the will of most Israelis and thw world. sound familiar?
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Thanks for sharing your heartfelt perspective, very helpful.
I was in Israel in the early-1990’s on a standard military deployment. After we were finished taking care of our training business in the area, our ports of call were Haifa and Tel Aviv. I was really impressed by the friendliness and sense of humor of the people I spoke to (I was only 20, and I had my own preconceived notions about the middle-east).
Long story short, the youth I met were surprisingly Westernized. The youth along with many adults I talked to in those cities would love nothing more than to enjoy their day in peace, provide for their families, etc. It’s interesting to note what t4h said about the “people wanting a peace deal”. IMHO, that reality could be written in stone as a Universal Truth. I think a general population of ANY size just wants to go about their day in peace, to survive another day without having to literally kill someone else to do it.
The people aren’t the problem.
Good point Sandman.
The people are always the problem. They always just mostly sit there and take whatever their leaders dish out. If there weren’t any people, there wouldn’t be any need for leaders. And if there weren’t any leaders we’d have Peace on earth. Is a rather simple circular argument really. Of course we could always keep the people and get rid of the leaders. That might be even more logical. Peace
“Is a rather simple circular argument really.”
Well that would certainly appeal to the most “SIMPLE” (and I’m talkin the OLD World definition of simple here folks) poster it has ever been my misfourtune to read here.
What farkin WORLD do you float around in skippy? Reality is DEF not the name of it. OZ maybe.
Well let Gabriel start tuning up for the last trump, the planets have aligned and Imhotep, Secular and moi are in agreement. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Our cutting off of aide would do much. At the very least it would be a huge water-tower of ice water poured on the Israeli political elites’ heads. We could also pull a few of our cool toys out of the area to put an exclamation mark on the proceedings. The visuals of U.S. Patriot missile batteries being shipped back to their sender would at least make a great visual.
These kind of things do matter. It would transmit the fact that our patience and support for Israel are not limitless.
Bibi rules because he has the support of extreme religious fundamentalists; that’s his base. That is his party’s base. Remind you of a certain U.S. leader and his party?
At only 5% or less, the Jewish vote in the U.S. is less than advertised. The Likudnik outliers of the NeoCons are even smaller grouping. They have been able to hijack MidEast policy because of the support of Christianist Crazy base in the Elephant Party.
The other point of contention is our over-reliance on Israel to forward our foreign policy goals in the region. With the collapse of the Iranian Shah the twin pillars of U.S. Policy have been Saudi Arabia and Israel. Iraq played a useful cats-paw to containing the Shia menace from the Iranian Plateau but W helped to end that.
Ever since the OPEC oil embargo our nation has been joined at the hip to Israel. They have been our vicious junk-yard dog in a particularly bad neighbor hood. Problem is that they have definitely slipped the chain and are causing us grief.
Having watched Obama talk a good game and then fail to deliver, this latest statement on the settlements cuts no mustard with me. To quote the late Clara Peller, “where’s the beef?” Obama needs to freeze the aid until Bibi comes to heal. Maybe J Street can help Obama grow a spine and stand up to Bibi. Still don’t count on it; Bary’s M.O. is to be all show and no go.
Lake Lady
First Off, cool Avatar, love your picture. Secondly, I have always valued your contributions to Ms. Marsh’s little salon. If you own some gray matter between your ears, then you have something to add. It’s a learning experience for us all. I’ve been wrong many times here and will be wrong many more times to come. If you don’t believe me, just ask Secular and Imhotep. During the primaries I thought that Obama had Al Gore’s endorsement in his back pocket. Turns out big Al did not follow John Edwards in a one-two punch to Hillary’s political midsection. DOH!!
As a matter of fact, I double dog-dare you to bring me into line when I go into weeds. How’s that for an invite? Lord knows Ms. Marsh could use the assist. Seriously, add your two cents whenever mood strikes. That goes quadruple for any other lurkers out there. Come on in, the waters fine!
Well the Kumbaya moment between Secular and Imhotep did not last very long did it?
God is in his heaven and all is right with the world. 
“spincitysd says:
29 December 2009 at 7:57 pm”
GREAT summation of our situation and WHY The Israeli lobby has the clout it does. BOTH of our countries are victems of the most superstitious shithouseratcrazy elements in the society. Kinda sucks if you try to approach matters from the reality based universe.
Well, as far as imhopless goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Well Obama’s Statement made a huge impact didn’t it
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/12/20091230151629604631.html
Israel has approved a plan to promote the construction of 14 structures in northern settlement of Kiryat Netafim in the occupied West Bank, the Haaretz newspaper says quoting a radio station.
The defence ministry on Tuesday approved the Kiryat Netafim construction plans to legalise the construction of 14 structures, the paper quoted Army Radio as saying on Wednesday.
Peace Now, a leftist human-rights group, petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice recently against the construction of 14 structures that were illegally built, some of them on Palestinian land without any authorisation.
Snip
We return you to Secular’s regularly scheduled verbal beat-down of Imhotep already in progress.
What, what?! I said even he/she/it’s right twice a day? What?