It’s hard to see Netanyahu making difficult compromises, Obama tells NY Times

[Jefferson23]

The question is not whether Israel will survive, the question is how it will survive, Obama tells Thomas Friedman.

By Haaretz | Aug. 9, 2014 | 7:42 AM |

In order for Israel to maintain its democratic and civic traditions, it must find a way to live side by side in peace with Palestinians, said U.S. president Barack Obama, interviewed by Thomas Friedman for the New York Times, expressing doubt as to the ability of current leadership on both sides to move in such a direction.

"Because Israel is so capable militarily, I don’t worry about Israel’s survival… I think the question really is how does Israel survive," Obama told Friedman in a filmed interview, the complete version of which will be published later this weekend.

Asked about his role in pressing forward negotiations for a two-state solution, Obama said prospects for progress rest primarily on local leadership. Netanyahu’s “poll numbers are a lot higher than mine,” said Obama, and “were greatly boosted by the war in Gaza… And so if he doesn’t feel some internal pressure, then it’s hard to see him being able to make some very difficult compromises, including taking on the settler movement. That’s a tough thing to do. With respect to [Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas], it’s a slightly different problem. In some ways, Bibi is too strong [and] in some ways [Abbas] is too weak to bring them together and make the kinds of bold decisions that Sadat or Begin or Rabin were willing to make. It’s going to require leadership among both the Palestinians and the Israelis to look beyond tomorrow. [...] And that’s the hardest thing for politicians to do is to take the long view on things," said Obama.

The interview covered a wide range of aspects of U.S. foreign policy, touching, among other things, on the conflict in Syria, China's role in the world economy, the rising tensions vis-a-vis Russia, and the American military's role abroad.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.609669

[oberliner]

1. Wise words

Obama has a very good read on things there.

[Jefferson23]

2. He chose his words very carefully, I think. I am interested to hear the reaction to it from

Israel and the US.

Netanyahu’s “poll numbers are a lot higher than mine,” said Obama, and “were greatly boosted by the war in Gaza… And so if he doesn’t feel some internal pressure, then it’s hard to see him being able to make some very difficult compromises, including taking on the settler movement.

[oberliner]

3. He always does

It's good that Obama has a sense of humor about how low his poll numbers supposedly are these days.

[Jefferson23]

4. He mentioned that fact as it is in relation to the support Bibi had for Operation

Defensive Edge...but I think you knew that. Or maybe you just thought that my highlight
of it had a different meaning.

[oberliner]

5. 58 percent to 37 percent satisfaction with Netanyahu

If Knesset elections were held today, the poll showed, Likud would receive 23 projected seats – an increase of 4 seats to the faction’s current 19 seats. Naftali Bennet’s Bayit Yehudi Party is in second place with 15 seats, Labor Party with 14 seats and Liberman’s Yisrael Beteynu with 12 projected seats. Overall, the right-wing/Religious parties would get a majority of 65 out of 120 Knesset seats, the left-Arab coalition 32, and the center a combined 23 seats.

Depressing for sure.

But I also think Obama was making a little dig at himself.

[Jefferson23]

6. He may have, but the greater point he associated was Bibi's support for

what he ordered to happen in Gaza.

[oberliner]

7. Want to know what's really scary?

Among the percentage of people who are dissatisfied with Netanyahu over Gaza - there is, I am sure, a very sizable group whose dissatisfaction comes over Netanyahu being too gentle.

[Jefferson23]

8. I agree, when you read the support for some of the monstrous ideas coming from Moshe Feiglin

it is disturbing. No country gets to this place overnight, and it is worrisome..the right brings with it
a great deal of fear mongering and racism to achieve their goals.

[oberliner]

9. Notice the results of that poll

The guy who finishes 2nd (Bennett) is more right-wing than Netanyahu (and even, I dare say, Feiglin).

[Jefferson23]

10. Disturbing and these people do not represent how Jews are notoriously strongly liberal minded

in all aspects of political/social/economic policies, overall. I say, Jews, as opposed to
exclusively Israeli Jews because a great deal of support comes from the US..so there
is a significant disconnect when it comes to Israel.

[oberliner]

12. Not Orthodox Jews

They are very conservative, generally speaking.

And they have much higher birthrates than the secular counterparts.

[Jefferson23]

13. Yes, I know..I am speaking in general..overall. n/t

[oberliner]

14. I think it may be an outdated generalization

With the demographic shift, those assumptions may soon be invalid.

[Jefferson23]

15. That I can't say and that does not change the support they receive from the US..it is an

odd combination of support.

[oberliner]

16. Have you noticed that a lot of otherwise liberal Jewish folks have hawkish views on Israel?

Especially among the older generations.

[Jefferson23]

17. Yes, that is what I mean about the disconnect and from what polls can tell you, accurate

to a degree..the younger generation are not giving their support on the level
the older generation have given and that will continue to decline, I think.

[Jefferson23]

11. Leftist Knesset member blames Netanyahu for Gaza war

August 6, 2014

“I know it’s a terrible thing to say, but not a single drop of blood spilled in Gaza really brought us any closer to something better,” says Knesset member Dov Khenin from the Hadash Party in summarizing Israel's Operation Protective Edge. Though an absolute majority of Israelis supported the recent conflict in the Gaza Strip, Khenin sees it as just another round of futile bloodshed. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Khenin refuses to be impressed by the solidarity shown by civil society in Israel during Operation Protective Edge. He is bothered more than ever by manifestations of racism, by efforts to suspend Haneen Zoabi from the Knesset and by Finance Minister Yair Lapid’s attack on Haaretz journalist Gideon Levy.

Excerpts from the interview follow:

Al-Monitor: Both the right and the left praised the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] for his responsible management of the campaign in Gaza. Even the Labor Party backed him up. Do you share in complimenting him?

Khenin: Netanyahu is responsible for this war in every imaginable way. People have to realize that it didn’t come out of nowhere. It happened because of a situation in which everything was stuck in place, and there was no diplomatic opportunity on the horizon. It was sort of an impossible status quo. Things may have been normal in Israel, but half the Palestinian population was living under occupation in the West Bank, while the other half was living in an enclosure called Gaza. The situation was destined for trouble, and the bubble did, in fact, burst. I said all that before the war broke out, so as far as I am concerned, this tragedy did not occur out of divine force. It is the result of certain steps and of a certain policy. In my opinion, the opposition should continue to be an alternative during wartime, and that’s what we were. We demonstrated against what was happening in Gaza. We made sure that the sane voice of normalcy was heard.

Al-Monitor: And the other side isn’t at fault? Israel didn’t instigate this war.

Khenin: I have no sympathy for Hamas. It is an extremist organization with extreme politics and strategies. In my opinion, the question is what Israel does under those circumstances. It is obvious that what happened in Gaza only intensified the hatred and strengthened Hamas, which entered this war at a low point in terms of public support, internally and internationally. It is coming out of this war stronger, because wars reinforce extremism.


Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/08/dov-khenin-israeli-left-anti-war-demonstration-hamas-gaza.html#ixzz39ubFPuwL