At the end of a day in which international organizations in Europe severely rebuked Israel, and the French were poised to submit a joint resolution with the Jordanians and Palestinians to the UN Security Council calling for a Palestinian state in two years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a “spirit of appeasement” is blowing through Europe.
Speaking Wednesday evening at a reception for foreign journalists, Netanyahu cited three decisions – the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg’s taking Hamas off the EU’s terrorist list, the European Parliament’s resolution backing Palestinian statehood, and the call at a meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to investigate Israel for supposed violations of that convention – as indicating Europe’s interest in appeasing the “very forces that threaten Europe itself.”
“Too many in Europe are calling on Israel to make concessions that would endanger not only the security of Israel, but also – paradoxically – the security of Europe,” he said.
“Because Israel is the forward position of European civilization.
Israel is the bulwark of European values. Israel is the pluralist, vibrant, multi-party democracy.”
Israel, he said, “is an embattled democracy in a region plagued by totalitarianism, tyranny, and Islamist terrorism.”
The prime minister said Israel is forced to defend itself against terrorists who committed “double war crimes,” firing indiscriminately on Israeli civilians while using their own people as human shields.
Yet the focus at the meeting in Geneva, he said, was that Israel must be investigated for war crimes.
Israel, along with the US, Canada, Australia, and Rwanda, boycotted the meeting that said the Jewish state’s settlement policies in the West Bank and Jerusalem conflict with its responsibilities as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The declaration at the end of the meeting said that “serious violations of international humanitarian law must be investigated and that all those responsible should be brought to justice.”
Netanyahu said of the meeting, “What hypocrisy, what a travesty. I ask, where is elementary European integrity?” Referring to the argument that the current wave of diplomatic rebukes coming from Europe is the result of deep frustration on the continent regarding the situation in the Middle East, Netanyahu said that Israel, too, is frustrated with the situation in the Middle East.
“We are frustrated that our Palestinian neighbors refuse to recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own,” he said. “We are frustrated that our Palestinian neighbors continue to incite against Jews and the Jewish state, creating a climate of hatred and violence. We are frustrated that they refuse to negotiate seriously about our legitimate security concerns.
And in this part of the world, there can be no genuine peace without security, for peace will not last if it cannot be defended.”
The simple truth, he said, was that “half of Palestinian society has been taken over by Islamic extremists who openly call for Israel’s destruction, while the other half refuses to confront the first half.
So when the Europeans say, ‘We are frustrated,’ we say, ‘Join the club.’” But frustration, he said, must not be an excuse for “wrong policy.”
Israeli officials said that one manifestation of this “wrong policy” is the French UN Security Council resolution that is under discussion in the corridors of the United Nations and that might be merged with a Jordanian resolution.
While the US has made clear that it would veto the Palestinian resolution, which calls for a full Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines within two years, it is not clear how Washington would respond to a more moderate French/Palestinian resolution.
It is also unclear when that resolution would be tabled, with Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour telling reporters Wednesday that the Palestinians hoped to have a resolution “in blue” by the end of the day – meaning they hoped to present the draft to the Security Council for a vote 24 hours later.
“And I think it will happen,” he added.
One leaked draft of the resolution calls for an agreement within two years based on the following parameters:
• Borders based on the pre-1967 lines with “mutually agreed limited equivalent land swaps”
• Security agreements that respect the sovereignty of a non-militarized state of Palestine, “including through a full-phased withdrawal of Israeli security forces that will end the occupation that began in 1967 over an agreed transition period in a reasonable time frame.”
• An “agreed, just, fair, and realistic solution to the refugee question, including a viable mechanism to provide for reparation, resettlement, compensation, and other agreed measures for a conclusive resolution”
• Jerusalem as the shared capital of the two states, such that it fulfills the aspirations of both parties and protects freedom of worship
• An agreed settlement of other outstanding issues, including water The resolution skirts the contentious issue of Palestinian recognition of Israel as the Jewish state, citing UN General Assembly resolution 181 from November 29, 1947, which called for the partition of British-ruled Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states.
The draft resolution also says the Security Council “looks forward to welcoming Palestine as a full member of the United Nations” – a phrase that both European and Israeli diplomats have interpreted to mean that if an agreement is not reached within two years, the UN will give full statehood recognition to “Palestine.”
While not referring specifically to this resolution, Netanyahu said that when EU member states called for the recognition of a Palestinian state, “why should the Palestinian leadership demonstrate responsible behavior? Why should the Palestinian leadership jettison its maximalist and extreme positions? Why should it abandon its call to flood Israel with millions of Palestinians? Why should the PA do any of this if its extremist and irresponsible behavior is rewarded time and again by European parliaments?” The prime minister said that declarations of recognizing “Palestine” reinforced Palestinian intransigence, “pushing peace further away.”
“There is a simple truth that cannot be ignored,” he said. “Peace will only come when the Palestinians are willing to confront their own extremists. Instead of embracing the militants, the PA should fight them; instead of rewarding Palestinian intransigence, the European democracies should support the one and only democracy in the Middle East.”
In a related development, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman has rejected requests to meet with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström when she visits Jerusalem next month, because of the way Sweden went about recognizing “Palestine.”
In October, the Swedish government became the first major European country to recognize the state of “Palestine,” unleashing a wave of calls for similar moves in numerous parliaments across the continent.
Diplomatic officials said Sweden had made this move without informing Israel in advance or heeding any of its arguments. The decision to snub the Swedish foreign minister, one official said, was meant to “send a message.”
Maya Shwayder contributed to this report from New York.
@ Goldi:
Lack of criticism implies agreement.
Obama will try to dethrone BB no matter what we do. That could also backfire and keep BB in power.
Re: educating the young??? Long term even generational project, necessary but can’t influence today only tomorrow.
For Want of a Nail
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
De. (positively formulated) “Diz ?agent uns die wî?en, ein nagel behalt ein î?en, ein î?en ein ros, ein ros ein man, ein man ein burc, der ?trîten kan”; The wise tell us that a nail keeps a shoe, a shoe (keeps) a horse, a horse (keeps) a knight (or man), a knight, who can fight, (keeps) a castle (c. 1230 Freidank Bescheidenheit)
I take the liberty to warn those who criticize Netanyahu.
Not because I think that he and all preceding Israeli leaders have not been— and still continue to be – committed to national suicide. But because such criticism is playing into Obama’s hands to eliminate him, and bring into power his beloved crony — Livni and her ilk.
Instead, we, selfless supporters (in the Diaspora) of the survival of Israel must think and act positively. We must think of — and support — candidates who will stand up for our Legal Rights as well as our historical and biblical rights.
We must think of educating Israelis about the imperative of why the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people.
We must educate our youth before we lose them entirely to the liars. We must counter the lies taught at UNRWA and other Palestinian schools by expanding the curriculum in Israeli schools. And we must enlighten the uninformed – worldwide –about our biblical, historical and even more importantly about our legal rights.
Why not support Feiglin, whom I equate with Menachem Begin? A true idealist, fearless, bold and courageous. He keeps growing in stature since the day I met him, as manifested in his Bar Ilan message showing unwavering idealism, and statesmanship.
Contrary to BB believe, the EU, except for a few countries (Germany, Poland), does not care about the forward position of Israel in the Western civilization. They can afford to hate Jews all day long without the fear of any retaliation. They care about oil, gas and their economy. IL is a minor league for the EU. They fear the Muslims big time. For the EU, Jews are a nuisance more than anything else. On top of which, IL reminds them of the Holocaust!
Procrastination is dangerous because it allows the enemy to take the lead at the expense of Israel. Why is BB trying to temporize? He hopes the world will become reasonable!!!!! He hopes the IL left will become reasonable! He is allowing fanatic Arabs to put more pressure on the coward West. This results in increased pressure on him and IL. The Israelis know that no amount of concessions will bring them home free.
yamit82 Said:
so you are voting for likud and not jewish home? Bennett has to go in with BB and would unlikely be or want PM; but if he gets an increase in votes perhaps he can get more influence for the right on nationalist issues. If Bennett can draw more of the right and BB more of the center that would be more for their combined strength. I dont understand the popularity of kachlon who turns out to be for land for peace. ON the other hand he can draw more of the center and join with likud.
yamit82 Said:
How do they do it right now?
@ bernard ross:
We have too many serious problems internally and externally for any novice to use the office of PM as on the job training. With BB for good or bad we know what we got and wht to expect or not. This by no means is a plug for BB but we need someone with a proven track record we can hang our hats on. We are not America. As bad as BB is he is light years above Obama. We can’t afford an Israeli version of Obama. Notice when pressed Bennett said his annexation plan is long term first to get most of the West to accept the concept but he never goes into details as to how he would accomplish it. He minimizing Arab Demographics in Area C is hollow unless he can also explain how he will keep hundreds of thousands of Arabs moving from areas A&B to C.
yamit82 Said:
in govs made up of many competing parties these figures are good for BB. His percentage is higher than the percentage for likud which is less than 20% and which is still the highest single party and probably higher than labor hatnua at about 20% of seats. In fact it also means that 47% are not AGAINST BB as PM again actually BB got a percentage much higher than any party got. these polls are so misleading and this was obviously meant as a left wing manipulationn poll from haaretz 😛
yamit82 Said:
I prefer Bennetts clarity on annexing C more but then even he said that being PM is a hundred times more than being in the cabinet. Perhaps he will also change if he gets there. BB is too identified now with the TSS, swapping Israel for parts of C,etc. that paradigm needs shifting. I still believe that something was fishy in BB appt of Livni for Justice AND Negotiations, some say the americans demanded that appt. Perhaps it was him looking to blame his policies on her.
Israelis Want Netanyahu Out But See No Better Option
Nothing to boast about or be proud about. European values resulted in a 2000 year stalking and vendetta against the Jewish people which still goes on today. The so called euro values which are good came from the Jews, as for “civilization” didn’t we just see that show about 75 years ago?
What an ingratiating bit of whiny rubbish; they will accept the praise as if it were true and then declare that those who slaughter Jewish children are NOT terrorists. No pride, no dignity, only cap in hand and a begging bowl hoping for crumbs from the masters table.
@ bernard ross:
Netanyahu is a bad representative, arguably the worst we could possibly elect, save Livni and Peres but not by much. He was, is and will be a coward, betrayer, underhanded creep. Basically a face making nothing.
NOW. If that is the only item that can possibly be elected, that says all that need to be said about all of us. DRAFTING Caroline Glick and or a number of others would do it. Offering ourselves to form an alternative system is also a way.
I for one will not any longer waste time with Netanyahu.
@ bernard ross:
Our sad problem is that there in none better who is electable right now.
All policies are faulty and you can’t ever control desirable outcomes. Best to work with ad-Hoc micro steps that can to a degree be controlled.
bernard ross Said:
BB is starting to sound like a begging, whiny little girl
He is not starting he always talked like that. He whines and grovels and always capitulates.
@ NormanF:
Classic case of “Bradbury Butterfly Effect” and sine-Gordonequation
NormanF Said:
good points
why should Israel give a damn about european security. In fact, if europe was overun by jihadis and sank into civil war that would be the best for Israel and the Jews. BB is starting to sound like a begging, whiny little girl. Its time he developed plans for combatting these filty euros that take into account the fact that they are enemies of the Jews, that they fund and give every moral support to Jew killers and that the only thing they haven’t gotten back to is killing the Jeews themselves. BB needs to stop whining, it is unattractive and embarrassing. He is showing that he cannot be a decisive leader in the face of the betrayal of the European enemy.
instead of whining about it and continuing the same course of action, change the paradigm and come up with new plans for a future where europe will likely become a cold war enemy of Israel pushing sanctions. BB looks too weak and whiny for such a threatening scenario. DUH, what’s his plan B now that he knows that they are all going to screw Israel? Is he going to whine and complain about it forever? Israel is moving into a cold war with europe, deal with it! Weak and whiny brings no positive results.
this is a good beginning but a lot more needs doing. Israel should start to ban euros, diplomats, orgs from the west bank and gaza. Israel should ignore all future requests for discussion of pal issues by the euros and state that they will only be willing to deal directly with the enemy with no mediators. Israel should state that all negotiations will be put on hold for 2 years while Israel studies new paradigms. Israel should state that pressure will result in inertia. Israel should make sure that any negative moves are clearly seen to injure their pets and themselves. Freeze the situation in gaza, tell the euros that nothing will move forward on their pet project unless they reverse their decisions. BB’s whining is starting to sound like he has no idea of how to deal with the threats of the euros, been in office and gov all this time but has no plan B.
Isn’t this wringing of hands by BB a case of Pot-Kettle-Black???
Israel has been appeasing Europe American the Israeli Arabs but most of all the PA and their terrorism against us.
Why do we expect Europe or anyone else to be holier than our own Pope er PM????
@ Yidvocate:
The original pretend allocation to us of a so called state, was just a temporary stopgap until the incomplete Holocaust would be a vague memory.
After drafting Islam as their proxy to complete that, in Oslo as a starting point, the present setting was all but assured.
And indeed we have no option but to rid ourselves of the 5th columns, Islamic and unJewish.
The alternative is all too clear to see.
The world is leaving us little choice. Since the weight of world condemnation is heading our way no matter what, what was once considered an intolerable price for the inevitable and necessary action Israel has to take to rid itself of its 5th column enemy population, now frees up Israel to take this action which no longer has a price to pay!
First things is we take the bomb out of the basement and make it clear that any resistance by third party actors will be dealt with severely and then do it quickly. Sure sanctions will follow but they will no matter what and at least it won’t be a death of a thousand cuts anymore and we will have solved the problem that has plagued Israel since well before it’s third incarnation.
So the whole world is against the Jews! Where is the news? It’s never about what the world thinks. It’s about what the Jews do. So what are the Jews going to do? World condemnation and sanctions are on their way no matter what the Jews do, short of national suicide. So the old song resonates….”if you can’t please everyone, please yourself”. And by that I mean solve the problem once and for all and return the favour the Arabs imposed on us and complete the population transfer that began in 1948 with the Jews of Arab lands to Israel and the Arabs of Israel to Arab lands. THE ONLY SOLUTION!
Netanyahu agreed to a Palestinian Arab state BEFORE knowing if the Arabs would pay the price for its establishment. Guess what – not only are the Arabs not willing to pay Israel’s asking price, they intend to go ahead with world backing to impose it on Israel without respecting Israel’s interests. Netanyahu got taken at the shouk by the Arabs, but he’s not man enough to admit his Bar Illan speech was a political and diplomatic disaster for Israel.
I tried among many to warn about electing TV faces to govern. Netanyahu is a total disaster among even worse ones around him passing a perennial “candidates”.
The whole state is at extreme danger, led by a loser, cowardly, pompous jackass.
Iran is home free, the pestilent police attacks Jews, the military is unable to defeat primitive Islamic beasts.
Is that what we post as leadership?
Elohim Tahazor lanu, bebakashah!