Actually Israelis have lost patience with the E.U. What matters is our perception , not theirs, our security, not theirs and our neck not theirs. They worry that the lack of progress with the peace process may result in the downfall of the PA. So? Let the PA or the Palestinians worry about that, not us. If security chaos results its our neck on the line. Not theirs. So back off. Ted Belman
By: Akiva Eldar for Al-Monitor Israel Pulse Posted on July 4.
Several days before US Secretary of State John Kerry started his fifth round of shuttle diplomacy in the region, Baroness Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, wound up a working visit to Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Israel and the West Bank. In Jerusalem, Ashton met a confused and even frightened Israeli prime minister. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fear of the shock waves going through Egypt and Syria and the instability in Jordan are competing with his anxiety over Iran’s nuclear program, and recently also with concern about Israel becoming a binational state. On the face of it, Netanyahu understands that freezing the diplomatic process will perpetuate the binational reality that already exists between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River. Actually, he refuses to pay the list price for changing this reality, especially given the regional turbulence.
Ashton, like other important European diplomats, believes that the volatile situation in Israel’s immediate surroundings actually makes the need to prevent an additional upheaval in the region especially urgent. They question the assumption — which appears in Shlomi Eldar’s article, too — that the continued stalemate in negotiations will not affect the situation in the occupied territories. In Brussels, the prevailing assumption is that the repercussions of the failed diplomacy for the status of the Palestinian Authority (PA) should be taken into account in the coming months. They warn that the cumulative rage against the occupation and the settlements, the lack of hope for a diplomatic arrangement and the fear of an economic collapse will bring the Arab Spring to the Palestinian arena and result in the toppling of the PA and cause governmental and security chaos.
This fear explains the growing desire on the part of central EU states, led by Britain and France, to increase pressure on Israel to move toward an arrangement with the PA. At the end of an EU foreign ministers’ meeting on June 24, both countries wanted to issue a tough statement condemning construction in the settlements and place the blame on Israel for torpedoing diplomatic negotiations.
Netanyahu told Ashton that such an announcement on the eve of Kerry’s visit to the region would undermine his efforts to breathe life into the diplomatic process. Ashton acceded to his request, thereby adopting the approach of her predecessor, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Javier Solana, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to which the United States conducts the Middle East orchestra and Europe plays second fiddle. Even when the United States loses the diplomatic battle, Europe lets it conduct the unfinished Israeli-Palestinian symphony. The meeting of the EU foreign ministers ended, thus, in a whimper, with another anemic statement. Once again, the European politicians did not stand in the way of the United States as it trod in place.
Barely three days went by and Israel paid back Ashton and Merkel by issuing 40 injunctions to stop work on the erection of tents, hothouses and a water hole for residents of the Palestinian village of Susya in the south Hebron mountain (Area C). Several of those tents were erected with EU funding to provide basic humanitarian services like a clinic, a kindergarten and a makeshift school. Inspectors of Israel’s civil administration in the West Bank accorded similar treatment to a solar energy facility, paid for by German taxpayers. A committee of the civil administration is to decide in the coming days whether to upgrade the work stoppage injunctions and turn them into dismantlement orders. A committee decision to go ahead with destruction of the project would be a slap in the face for Ashton, who announced that she had already called on Israel a year ago to comply with its commitments to stop forced relocations of Palestinians living in Area C as well as the destruction of homes there, to simplify the planning process and ensure access to water and humanitarian needs.
As reflected in remarks made this week by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni on July 1 at the annual conference of accountants in Eilat, the European public is losing patience with Israel. The former foreign minister, who meets often with European politicians and diplomats, warned that the boycott imposed by Europeans against products made in the settlements will be followed by a boycott on all Israeli products. “Their problem is with Israel, which is perceived as a colonialist state,” explained the minister in charge of negotiations with the Palestinians.
In a memorandum published at the end of June by the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), Shimon Stein, Israel’s former ambassador to Germany, wrote things that a minister in Netanyahu’s government cannot say. According to Stein, his talks with European officials reveal striking mistrust and skepticism of Netanyahu’s willingness to advance the two-state solution. The retired senior diplomat warns that a freeze in talks will encourage countries like France, Britain and others to once again express their views openly on various central issues on the agenda. “There are voices calling on the Union — in the event that talks do not result in progress after a time — to toughen its stance toward Israel to the extent of recognizing the Palestinian state.” Stein got the impression that Europe expects real progress in negotiations and will not be satisfied just with a renewal of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
As long as Kerry announces that there’s progress in his talks and promises to return to the region soon, Israel is protected against such European moves. As long as the US wheels keep spinning — even if the motor is idling — Europe will be careful not to be portrayed as a spoke in those wheels. Netanyahu should hope that Kerry keeps running from Jerusalem to Ramallah, enabling the prime minister to float “tents” in the air. On the day US President Barack Obama decides to stop wasting fuel on a “peace process” leading nowhere, the EU will have to decide whether to take the wheel or stay behind all the way as we journey toward an abyss.
Akiva Eldar is a contributing writer for Al-Monitor’s Israel Pulse. He was formerly a senior columnist and editorial writer for Haaretz and also served as the Hebrew daily’s US bureau chief and diplomatic correspondent. His most recent book (with Idith Zertal), Lords of the Land, on the Jewish settlements, was on the best-seller list in Israel and has been translated into English, German and Arabic.
Canadian Otter Said:
You don,t want children vacinated for poliio? Come, spend a week in my body before you give that advice again.!!!!!!!!!!
@ Canadian Otter:
Dear otter,
I REALLY don’t know what to think anymore….
Regarding these vaccines…
Read this link…
http://www.barrychamish.com/newsletters2012/ofra_haza1.html
46% of Jewish Israelis support settler “price tag” terror,
On 03.22.11,
Ynet-Gesher survey of 504 Jewish Israeli adults revealed that 46 percent of Israelis support settler “price tag” terror. Only 33 percent of those polled believed that price tag attacks were “never justified.” A sectoral breakdown shows that a wide majority of religious nationalist and ultra-Orthodox respondents support the attacks: 56 percent of “traditional” types, 70 percent of those identifying as Orthodox, and 71 percent of the religious nationalists declared price tag violence to be justified. The most remarkable finding, in my opinion, is that 36 percent of secular respondents support settler terror. Even though 56 percent are against the practice, this is a remarkably high number for a population segment that lives primarily inside the Green Line. (The poll results and Ynet article detailing its contents are only in Hebrew at the moment).
BB is talking about referendum? 🙂
Fukushima: No End in Sight
@ Canadian Otter:
Tritium samples in sea near No. 1 jump
The density of radioactive tritium in samples of seawater from near the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant doubled over 10 days to hit a record 1,100 becquerels per liter, possibly indicating contaminated groundwater is seeping into the Pacific, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said.
The latest sample was taken June 21 from the sea near a water intake point east of the reactor 1 turbine building.
Dangerous vaccines – Israel is going to start vaccinating southern Israel children with oral polio vaccine – Scientists have been warning parents about the dangers of vaccines, and particularly this oral vaccine. Why is Israel health ministry ignoring all those warnings? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169460#.Udhp0KFraM8
On OPV risks (it’s much worse) – http://voices.yahoo.com/oral-polio-vaccine-versus-inactive-polio-vaccine-risks-578809.html
@ bernard ross:
Hope this works better now. 🙁
http://barrychamish.com/books.htm
Once on his site you could find the ‘bye bye gaza’ button and you could download it. (PDF)
I hope you do read (at least browse) and comment. I ‘d be really interested in reding your (and others) input and comments regarding the MANY allegations against the ‘leaders’.
the phoenix Said:
the link has to be copied and pasted because it is incomplere as hyperlink(.pdf nic)
NEWS from Canada – Train carrying crude oil derails and explodes in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. Town center destroyed.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/massive-explosions-strike-quebec-town-after-train-carrying-oil-derails/article13050578/
@ bernard ross:
I totally agree with you mr Ross. This can NOT be attributed to a misguided optimistic view held by the ‘leaders’ of Israel, or, acting in Israel’s best interests (but it cannot be disclosed yet to the public) for the future ….
Too many acts of blatant treason were committed for it NOT to be , as you say, intentional.
I am sure you will find this link very interesting. Some of what is being reported is a VERY BITTER PILL to swallow, but I am afraid it is factual.
http://www.barrychamish.com/BYE_BYE_GAZA(tc-index).pdf
‘What matters is our perception , not theirs, our security, not theirs and our neck not theirs.”
Right on, Ted. The EU is like the fan outside the ring telling the fighter inside the ring how to fight. Only difference is, in Israel’s case, the EU wants Israel to lose the fight, not win it.
yamit82 Said:
even if he was correct sometimes his arguments are based primarily upon possible negative foreign reaction. Hindsight is good to use in foresight projections, but even a broken clock is correct twice a day. (BTW, I use the term left only in the issue of YS, peace, security because it is simple although no longer appropriate)
Salomon Benzimra Said:
of course you are right. One must wonder why succeeding GOI’s do not even call in ambassadors to dress them down for libeling Israel with accusations of illegal settlement and for reneging on their agreements with Israel(Oslo, san remo,etc.) IN the end it appears to me that the negligent or incompetent main culprit is the state of Israel for not defending Israel and the jews in the diplomatic and legal venues at the very least. When the negligence is so great and repetitive one must consider the possibility that it is intentional.
Let us remember: The EU (with the welcomed exception of the Czech Republic) voted at the UN in support for the recognition of the Palestinian State (Resolution A/67/L28 of Nov. 26, 2012)
This was a flagrant violation of Article 31(7) of the Oslo Accords (Interim Agreement), which the EU signed as witness. If this is the way the EU honors their signature, they should be barred from any role in the so-called “peace process.” And so, Catherine Ashton (EU) and Tony Blair (Quartet) should be asked, politely but firmly, to take a hike and to refrain from hectoring Israel.
It would be very beautiful if Europeans recognize the “Palestinians State” and Israel annexes it.
What kind of fiction are they recognizing anyway?
@ Canadian Otter:
The Reality Of Life For An Israeli Patriot
@ yamit82:
I would appreciate your insights on this.
I have my own guesses too, but then, they’re only guesses from far away.
@ Laura:
Right you are.
@ bernard ross:
The reason and the only reason to not only pay Eldar no attention or read his stuff is not because of his political views but because in hindsight, it is because he has never Ever been correct in his analysis or predictions.
@ Canadian Otter:
I can’t understand either but I can think of some theories.
Livni should go and live with her masters in europe.
Israel needs real leaders. I would like to see a leader who will slap europe back into the last century. If the european holocaust purveyors sanction Israel then Israel should do everything in their power to sabotage the supply of energy to europe. I would like to see europe pay the real price which they have thus far escaped. If I were pm, the moment they implemented sanctions would be the same day I transferred all the arabs, annexed all areas and embarked on an aggressive military and diplomatic policy. Pwer is king and the euros no longer have a military to protect their interests or supplies.
Akiva Elder a leftist writer of no credibility touting the lefts only chance to get back in: that the EU is not happy with us. Livni does the same thing. Gloom and doom foreign agents, living for the approval of the euros and giving them license to sabotage govt policies in Israel. I call that treason. It is from frauds like eldar that the west gets the idea that Israel subscribes to the BS that he and his ilk tout. the foreign MSM always quote the leftist writers as if these fringe leftists have any following of worth.Canadian Otter Said:
I completely agree
And it’s not only the EU –
America and other Western countries too have fallen for warped values – The picture ad on the article linked below was deemed to be too controversial for publication by three major US newspapers.
Since when is the picture of a beautiful baby too controversial? – Since unborn babies were deemed to be non-human and disposable by the cruelest means. http://www.lifenews.com/2013/07/05/major-newspapers-reject-pro-life-ad-image-of-baby-too-controversial/
Europeans now:
Use of Prozac in the UK has soared by 500% in the last few years. The rest of Europe is just as doped up.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2356902/Prozac-Nation-Use-antidepressants-UK-soared-500-past-20-years.html
Junk diets among British children are nutritionally worse than during World War Two.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2354524/British-childrens-junk-food-diets-worse-rationing-blamed-comeback-wartime-diseases-like-scurvy-rickets.html
They are ripe for the taking, but they won’t go down without trying to destroy Israel and the Jews first.
I don’t understand why Israel has given the perpetrators and accomplices of the Holocaust a respectable voice in the fate and security of the only place Jews can truly call home – one that has been Jewish for thousands of years, even when occupied and dominated by waves of invaders.
Instead of showing so much deference to their representatives, Israelis should regard them as the unrepentant killers of Jews they still are – only now they use Arabs to do their dirty and bloody work.
Screw the EU! Israel needs to tell them to mind their own damn business once and for all.
No, the Jews are the indigenous people of Israel. The Europeans are colonialists and should stop projecting their own history onto the Jews.
Akiva Eldar used to work for Israel’s Palestinian daily in Hebrew, Haaretz. He is one of the worst anti-Israel extremists.
He hates the existence of Israel and there has never been an Israeli policy that he liked. This “report” of his should be taken with considerable skeptcism but he’s on the money about how the Jew-hating Europeans wish to stick it to Israel.