Act Now: The Greatest Threat to Israel Is Continuing the Status Quo

[oberliner]

When it comes to Middle East peace, I admittedly have a strong bias: I am a lifelong Zionist with a profound love for Israel. It’s precisely that love that drives me to say emphatically that Israel faces a threat not only from those who want to see it destroyed, but also from demographic realities that can accomplish what those enemies can’t.

For me, ahavat Yisrael, the love of Israel, was instilled at an early age — before the birth of modern-day Israel. I remember first hearing the horrifying news of the Nazis’ systematic murder of Europe’s Jews. I remember reading about refugees struggling to get to the Holy Land, of ships turned away, not only from Palestine, but also from my own country.

I remember the thrill and excitement of the founding of Israel, and the knowledge that Jews no longer would be turned away, that we had a refuge and our own homeland, that we Jews now were responsible for our own survival.

It is those memories and love for Israel that motivate me today to do what I can to point out the existential threat of today’s demographic realities, to push for Israel to get back to the peace table, to ensure that people remember the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s words that “separation between Israel and the Palestinians is the best solution for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict” and that, given the choice “between the whole of the land of Israel, which meant a binational state … and a state with less territory, but which would be a Jewish state,” as Rabin declared: “We chose a Jewish state because we are convinced that a binational state with millions of Palestinian Arabs will not be able to fulfill the Jewish role of the State of Israel, which is the state of the Jews.”

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.684957

[COLGATE4]

1. I believe the author of the article is correct. nt

[geek tragedy]

2. The author is correct. Unfortunately, the voters in Israel have rejected his argument

over and over and over again.

They're more interested in rationalizing failure than pursuing success in that regard.

[oberliner]

3. Only some

The second place finisher supports these arguments.

The third place finisher was the Arab Joint list.

If those two parties were more willing to work together and get Yesh Atid, the fourth place finishers, along for the ride, they could really get something going.

Unfortunately, the religious right and their secular allies play dirty and are tough to beat.

[geek tragedy]

4. I think it's safe to say that the people voting for Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett

for PM also rejected these arguments.

Yesh Atid is a vanity project for one of the most vapid political figures, anywhere. Yair Lapid is great at making pompous statements with no substance behind them. Netanyahu already provides that service.

The Israelis are faulting Netanyahu for not being "tough" enough on the Palestinians. The recent spate of terrorist attacks has driven them further right.

[oberliner]

13. They represent 12 percent of the vote

With Likud representing another 23 percent.

All I am saying is - there is hope.

Things looked dark for the US when we had a Republican president and Republicans in control of Congress.

[geek tragedy]

15. From October:

The poll included an open question of which MKs stand out in the area of foreign policy.

Netanyahu comes in first at 21%, followed by Education Minister Naftali Bennett and former foreign minister Avigdor Liberman, tied at 17%. Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid comes in at 12%; Zionist Union MK and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni and opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) are tied at 5%, and Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely and Interior Minister and former foreign minister Silvan Shalom are tied at 4%.

Netanyahu+Bennett+Lieberman=55%; add Hotovely+Shalom=63%
Livni+Herzog+Lapid=22%

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Poll-finds-most-Israelis-dissatisfied-with-governments-foreign-policies-430477

More:

According to the poll, 73 percent of Israelis are dissatisfied with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response to the current wave of terrorism. He came only in third place in answers as to who would fight terrorism best and take care of security problems, with only 15% choosing Netanyahu.

Liberman came in first place, with 22% of the respondents choosing him, and Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Bayit Yehudi) was in second, with 17%. Former IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi got 10%, 5% of those polled chose opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union), and 4% Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid.

Lieberman+Netanyahu+Bennett=54%

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Poll-73-percent-of-Israelis-disapprove-of-Netanyahus-handling-of-security-crisis-421518

There's general agreement that Netanyahu sucks, unfortunately those who think he's too far left outnumber those who think he's too far right when it comes to dealing with the Palestinians.

[shira]

7. So what do u think Israel should realistically do, for now?

I couldn't read the rest of the OP so I'm not sure what was being proposed.

[oberliner]

8. Maybe start with a settlement construction freeze and serious crackdown on price tag violence

End goal should be a two state solution - along the lines of what is outlined in the Geneva Initiative.

[shira]

9. Okay, nice - but then what? Israel would still be in the exact same situation. n/t

[oberliner]

10. The status quo is not sustainable

Painful compromises will have to be made.

Both sides need to realize this.

Hopefully sooner rather than later.

[shira]

11. Israel could do that & it would still be considered status quo.

Ask our opponent friends here whether such an effort would do anything.

I think they have bigger changes in mind.

[oberliner]

12. My support for the Geneva Initiative is unwavering

I honestly believe that it is the best and possibly only path towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

[leftynyc]

5. The status quo is untenable

A single state solution is also untenable. Two states living side by side in peace is the only answer.

[Israeli]

6. From Nov 9th ....

same date as this one ....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1134118360

kind of ironic if you ask me .

[oberliner]

14. Indeed

Israel could not have a more counter-productive government in place than they do now.

[Israeli]

16. Oh but we could oberliner ....nt.

[geek tragedy]

17. this government is only getting warmed up, the worst days are ahead nt

[Little Tich]

18. Israel doesn't want a two-state solution, and thanks to Netanyahu it's not really an option either.

The one-state solution is inevitable, but it's not a threat to Israel...