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May 22, 2011

Comments

Eli

I read your post and agree and disagree with some of your statements.

First I think Bibi was spot on when it came to his remarks to President Obama. Obama has time after time treated Israel as they are the ones who are holding up the peace process. The only democracy in the middle east and most stable nation in the region has always been open to negotiations but with out preconditions which is something that Obama the first US president to state it publicly. Talking about showing your cards and putting undue pressure on your most trusted ally in the region.

But most of all I think you really can't trust what Obama says when it comes to Israel. It started in 2008 when he first spoke at AIPAC and said Jerusalem is the undivided capital and than the next day backtracked and said it needs to be worked out in final negotiations.

Israel can not let someone else even if it's the US to dictate what is best for them. Israel elected Bibi and it falls upon him to decide that. Just as Olmert, Sharon, Barak, and others before them did it their way.

Bibi does have a plan and it starts with economic prosperity for the Palestinians, which is something that is integral for a new nation to have. You can see this from all the unrest in the Mideast as you have uprisings in Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, etc. all stemming from the economy and the fact that they are poor and destitute because the dictators are not letting them thrive economically.

You mention that fact that we are a startup nation and indeed Israel was one but it has moved past the startup phase and is now a thriving company. Israel should not think like a startup as it had proven its value and worth to the world. It has been threw various wars, which they did not start and came out on top. They have developed lands that were previously undeveloped, they have given religious freedom to all religions and sites. They have supported the Palestinians for years by giving tax money to the PLA.

However, i am saying all this and have not mentioned one thing about the party that sits across the table when it comes to peace negotiations. How can Israel contemplate making peace with a people that invited Hamas to join their government. How can Israel after all these years and concessions they have made from leaving Lebanon, Gaza, etc. negotiate with a Govt. that still teaches hatred of the Jewish people.

Israel needs to think in practical terms and as much as they want to act like a startup they need to temper that with thinking like a Fortune 500 company.

Rachel Barenblat

Here via a friend's Facebook link and wanted to say thank you for this post, which is smart and thoughtful and raises really good points. Kol hakavod.

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