Gideon Levy: Talking to Israel is a waste of Obama's time

Donald Ian Rankin

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Thu Jun-11-09 12:10 PM
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Gideon Levy: Talking to Israel is a waste of Obama's time

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1092075.html

So let's take a look at what's happening in our country after U.S. President Barack Obama's speech. A historic speech like his was supposed to make waves in Israel, stimulate discussion and spark debate. And here is what has happened: Our own Barak, Defense Minister Ehud, who used to be considered at least as brilliant as Obama, told Etgar Keret in an interview with Haaretz yesterday: "Where does the live? In a cage? A jail? A swimming pool?" And Barak's own answer to this question: "It lives in its country."

After the prime minister's top diplomatic adviser determined that two states is a childish solution, along comes another statesman and determines that we're all children. Stupid children, it must be said, to whom you can sell any bit of nonsense, including all the nonsense in that interview.

The Palestinians, who cannot travel from one village to another without permission from Israel, who have no basic human rights and who have been trampled underfoot, humiliated and imprisoned without any sign of sovereignty, are already living as a free people in their country. If the defense minister really thinks so, then there is grave cause for concern: Mr. Security is deranged and has lost touch with reality. If he doesn't think so, then he's messing with us. Which is worse?

In yesterday's Haaretz there is also an interview by Klil Zisapel with President Shimon Peres. Out of respect for his name and status we will not quote here all the nonsense he had to say about concealing the Nakba - the Palestinians' catastrophe of 1948. We shall only mention that he replied to the question with the sentence: "Nanotechnology existed in the days of Moses." Apparently Obama's speech did make waves. Now Peres, too, is a nano-statesman. Another small businessman, Interior Minister Eli Yishai, is working to change the law so he will be able to revoke Israeli Arabs' citizenship. A representative of the oppressed classes, he also says that millions of shekels should be allocated to settlements in the territories which, he says, have been suffering "discrimination" for many years. Neither Yeruham nor Rahat, neither Bnei Brak nor Sakhnin - Efrat, of all places.

...

Not enough? Someone has murdered an egg-laying she-turtle weighing 60 kilograms because she annoyed his dog. Demonstrations? Only over opening a parking lot on the Sabbath. Serious discussion? Only about value added tax on cucumbers.

The cucumber season is in full swing, despite Obama's challenge. Nevertheless, you have to be happy: The top people are running from Jacob Perry's wedding to the bar mitzvah of businessman Roni Maneh's son. Thus the U.S. president has been told: It's a waste of your time. There's no one to talk to in Israel. Talking isn't going to do it. And let's hang a sign on our door: Please do not disturb - we're busy

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madeline_con

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Thu Jun-11-09 12:13 PM
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1. Can you translate this?

"Where does the live? In a cage? A jail? A swimming pool?" And Barak's own answer to this question: "It lives in its country."

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Donald Ian Rankin

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Thu Jun-11-09 12:20 PM
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2. From another Haaretz article:

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1091712.html

Q: (Barak, are you) pushing for a two-state solution?

A: "Today's entire argument over two states for two peoples began during the election campaign. Kadima demanded that Likud say this, but Likud didn't want to, and I think it was blown out of proportion. The minute a government commits itself to its predecessors' agreements - and those include the road map, and the road map talks about two states - what else can it do? And it's not a bad thing that that's included.

"The road map should be changed now that Hamas is in power. But its foundation remains. So I think part of the reluctance to say this is not a matter of principle. Our nation lives in the State of Israel. Where does the other people live? In a cage? A jail? A swimming pool? I don't think there's a real disagreement here."

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