Comments on: Obama running out of Mid-East options http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/24/obama-running-out-of-mid-east-options/ now with extra source Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:41:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ben Aveling http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/24/obama-running-out-of-mid-east-options/#comment-38771 Ben Aveling Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:13:28 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/24/obama-running-out-of-mid-east-options/#comment-38771 My prediction is for more of the same. I can't see a one-state solution happening. The only one-state solution acceptable to anyone is one that they dominate - and to the extent of, how to put this, depopulating the region of everyone but their own people, however defined. But no side is weak enough that it can be forced out of existence, nor is any side in a strong enough position that it can to give up enough to pacify the other sides. Note that there aren't just two sides, there are three, probably more. The Palestinians are not a unified body. They hate each other at least as much as they hate the Israelis, perhaps more so because it's more personal. If there is a solution, I suspect it lines in a three-state solution: Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. My prediction is for more of the same. I can’t see a one-state solution happening. The only one-state solution acceptable to anyone is one that they dominate - and to the extent of, how to put this, depopulating the region of everyone but their own people, however defined.

But no side is weak enough that it can be forced out of existence, nor is any side in a strong enough position that it can to give up enough to pacify the other sides.

Note that there aren’t just two sides, there are three, probably more. The Palestinians are not a unified body. They hate each other at least as much as they hate the Israelis, perhaps more so because it’s more personal.

If there is a solution, I suspect it lines in a three-state solution: Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

]]> By: Stephen Wong http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/24/obama-running-out-of-mid-east-options/#comment-38740 Stephen Wong Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:34:41 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/24/obama-running-out-of-mid-east-options/#comment-38740 Obama is not running out of options, he is running out of political will! Why would Netanyahu negotiate when he continues to get political, military, and financial support from Obama? Also what is there for Abbas to negotiate, more settlements for fewer checkpoints? Jason Koutsoukis is a journist and he can see the picture so clearly, but Kevin Rudd, with his army of advisers and whole foreign affairs department, are blind. Obama is not running out of options, he is running out of political will! Why would Netanyahu negotiate when he continues to get political, military, and financial support from Obama? Also what is there for Abbas to negotiate, more settlements for fewer checkpoints?

Jason Koutsoukis is a journist and he can see the picture so clearly, but Kevin Rudd, with his army of advisers and whole foreign affairs department, are blind.

]]> By: Tom McLoughlin http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/24/obama-running-out-of-mid-east-options/#comment-38690 Tom McLoughlin Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:45:30 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/24/obama-running-out-of-mid-east-options/#comment-38690 I have some Diaspora colleagues and they maybe don't agree with me, but I reckon Australians and Americans have a very big opportunity to influence Israel by confronting our domestic fellow citizens about their blind or willful support for Israeli fascism/aparthied, especially financing from here donated to illegal squatter extremists. How much local successful Diaspora money goes to these squatter religious fruitcakes dragging us into a middle east nuclear standoff? When are the local Diaspora going to take their responsibilities seriously. When are they going to stand against Yigal Amir and his mates who shot down their own peacemaker prime minister? Take that illegal squatter funding out of the picture and we would see the travesty of the Gaza concentration camp end sooner. My advice is follow the money trail from the Diaspora to the corrupt Olmert, and the illegal squatters, including that big corruption scandal in New York recently. I have some Diaspora colleagues and they maybe don’t agree with me, but I reckon Australians and Americans have a very big opportunity to influence Israel by confronting our domestic fellow citizens about their blind or willful support for Israeli fascism/aparthied, especially financing from here donated to illegal squatter extremists.

How much local successful Diaspora money goes to these squatter religious fruitcakes dragging us into a middle east nuclear standoff? When are the local Diaspora going to take their responsibilities seriously. When are they going to stand against Yigal Amir and his mates who shot down their own peacemaker prime minister? Take that illegal squatter funding out of the picture and we would see the travesty of the Gaza concentration camp end sooner.

My advice is follow the money trail from the Diaspora to the corrupt Olmert, and the illegal squatters, including that big corruption scandal in New York recently.

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