Israeli Official To Obama: ‘Leave Us Alone’
From CBS News. Surprise, surprise!
WASHINGTON (CBS News/CBSDC/AP) — A top Israeli official wants President Barack Obama to stop meddling with the Jewish state during its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Speaking to Israel’s Army Radio, Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel criticized Obama telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that there should be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
“Leave us alone,” Ariel told Army Radio, directing his words at Obama. “Go focus on Syria.”
Obama spoke with Netanyahu Sunday about the rising number of Palestinian deaths in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian crisis.
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“Building on Secretary Kerry’s efforts, the President made clear the strategic imperative of instituting an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire that ends hostilities now and leads to a permanent cessation of hostilities based on the November 2012 ceasefire agreement,” the White House said in a statement, adding that the president reiterated that Israel has a right to defend itself from rocket attacks from Hamas.
Ariel told Army Radio that Israel’s offensive should be more aggressive.
“It was obvious that international pressure would mount eventually,” Ariel stated. “We should have acted faster, harder and with more determination. The rocket threat needs to be tackled. The tunnel threat is being addressed, but it is not enough.”
Ariel claimed that the pressure from the White House for an immediate ceasefire was “outrageous” and would “help Hamas,” according to Breitbart News.
“[W]e never thought it would be the Americans who would lead the pressure,” Ariel told Army Radio.
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The Obama administration pushed back Monday against a torrent of Israeli criticism over Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest bid to secure a cease-fire with Hamas, accusing some in Israel of launching a “misinformation campaign” against the top American diplomat.
“It’s simply not the way partners and allies treat each other,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
Her comments were echoed by the White House, where officials said they were disappointed by Israeli reports that cast Kerry’s efforts to negotiate a cease-fire as more favorable to Hamas.
Israel had accepted an Egyptian call for an unconditional cease-fire early in its Gaza campaign, but Hamas rejected the idea.
Netanyahu said Monday that Israel won’t end its offensive until Hamas’ network of tunnels under the Gaza-Israel border has been neutralized. “We need to be ready for a prolonged campaign,” he said. “We will continue to act aggressively and responsibly until the mission is completed to protect our citizens, soldiers and children.”
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri responded defiantly. “His threats do not scare Hamas or the Palestinian people, and the occupation will pay the price for the massacres against civilians and children,” he said.
Israel’s last major Gaza invasion ended in January 2009 after 23 days, one-third of that time with troops on the ground. Already, the current ground operation, which began 11 days ago, has lasted longer than the one in 2009.
In recent days, Israeli leaders have debated whether to withdraw from Gaza after the tunnels are demolished, or to expand the ground operation to deliver a more painful blow against Hamas. Those in favor of an escalation have argued that unless Hamas is toppled and disarmed, a new round of Israel-Gaza fighting is inevitable. Opponents say attempting to reoccupy densely populated Gaza, even if for a short period, could quickly entangle Israel politically and militarily and drive up the number of dead.
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In his remarks Monday, Netanyahu didn’t let on which way he is leaning. However, he insisted that “preventing the arming of terror groups and demilitarizing Gaza must be part of any solution,” indicating that Israel’s aims are broader than initially stated.
For now, ground forces have largely operated on the edges of Gaza.
The Israeli military has said it has located 31 tunnels, is aware of the existence of 10 more and has so far demolished close to 20.
Gaza militants have repeatedly used the tunnels to sneak into Israel, including on Monday when several infiltrated into southern Israel.
The army said five Israeli soldiers and one Hamas militant coming through a tunnel were killed in a firefight, but that searches in the area were continuing, the Reuters news agency reports.
The Hamas military wing said nine of its fighters infiltrated and attacked an army post.
After three weeks of battle, “our fighters still have a lot of surprises in store for the leaders of the occupation and their elite soldiers,” the group said in a statement.
The blast at the Gaza park occurred within minutes of a separate strike Monday afternoon on nearby Shifa Hospital, Gaza City’s largest medical facility. Several people were wounded in the blast near one of the hospital’s outpatient clinics, Hamas health officials said.
Lerner, the army spokesman, denied Israel was involved in the two attacks. “This incident was carried out by Gaza terrorists whose rockets fell short and hit the Shifa Hospital and the Beach (Shati) camp,” he said, adding that the military had identified 200 “failed launchings” so far.
Early Tuesday, the military released aerial photographs that it said showed the paths of two misfired Hamas rockets it said hit the park and Shifa Hospital. It said the rockets were detected by Israeli military radar and sensors.
Gaza’s police operations room and civil defense department blamed the attacks on Israeli airstrikes.
Gaza’s Interior Ministry spokesman Eyad al-Bozum said he believes that shrapnel found in the dead and wounded is evidence of Israel’s role in the incident.
More than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict, along with 53 Israeli soldiers. Two Israeli citizens were also killed from Hamas rockets.
+1 Rev.
Would you agree Reverend that there is blame on both sides?
I will blamed it on US and UK. You can not blame Arabs since they did/do not have choice. If another nation is air lifted to occupy your land and kill your people, are you going to choose submission?
I don’t even blame Israel since they are backed into a corner too.
Agreed Lawrence.
And I would like some people to keep an open mind and consider the following:
When Nazi Germany invaded several countries in Europe, here and there, there were groups of resistance fighters (more or less organized/structured).
These resistance fighters, as fighters, had to do thing that were not things that angels do (blow up trains, convoys, bridges, make ambushes, kill enemy soldiers, execute civilians which collaborated with the ennemy etc…).
They did all this to resist, fight the invader, the aggressor, in order to, ultimately, free their own country, their own land and live as free men again with their families. They chose fighting for their freedom over being coward into submission.
To this date, World Word II resistance fighters in Europe are honored and respected – and rightly so. Younger generations of Europeans owe them an immeasurable debt.
I therefore fail to understand why Palestinians fighting occupation on their occupied land are considered with contempt and viewed with horror by many in North America, by the same North American who cherish their freedom so dearly.
The questions are in my view quite simple:
* If Palestinians had their own state, would they have to fight for it ?
* If there weren’t hundreds of military Israeli checkpoints in occupied Palestinian territories, would there be a reason for Palestinian to fight this occupier ?
* If there weren’t hundreds of thousands of now illegal settlers in occupied Palestinian territories, would there be fight and people killed within those occupied territories ?
I guess the answers to these 3 questions are quite obvious, aren’t they?
Whoever pretend to cherish freedom needs to keep an honest, open mind on the matter and what is going on in the occupied Palestinian territories.
People of good will and good heart, please do clear your mind from all your prejudices, and answer yourself in all honesty this simple question to yourself: if this was your land, if this happened to you and your family, what would you do? Would you be a coward and do nothing ? Or would you fight for your rights (which you don’t have), for your country (which you don’t have), for the freedom of your children, and your children’s children ?
What is happening in occupied Palestinian territories with the use of phosphorus bombs by the Israeli army, the poisoning of water wells with chemicals which reduce fertility of Palestinian women, the indiscriminate bombing of civilian population has nothing to do with religion. It is a slow, steady, regular ethnic cleansing. Nothing else.
Best to all,
LPG
Al,
I truly respect your moderation in many circumstances.
Recently, on the Israel-Palestine conflict, I heard something that I thought was very spot on:
“When there is a fight between an elephant and a mouse, whoever chooses to be neutral is in fact siding with the elephant”.
To meditate I guess.
Best as always,
LPG
Some really important points LPG – thanks.
Yes Al. But any sane person must deplore the disproportionality. 15 more killed (mostly children) in a further Israel attack on a school in N.Gaza. I’m sick to my stomach. The Gazans are treated with the same contempt as the Jews of Jesus’ day showed towards the Samaritans, and the Samaritans were Jews!!!!
Besides Al ‘for evil to flourish good men need only say nothing’ or at the very least come out with nebulous comments.
Jesus was a Jew as well.
Rev, thanks for bringing Mr. Peled’s book to my attention. The only way this situation will resolve itself is when both sides get serious and sit down and talk. The aggressions from both sides has to stop. Israel and Hamas both know that this battle will continue until somebody gets wiped out completely from the face of the earth. Do I want that? No. Not for a second do I wish that type of harm to anybody. I just hope cooler heads prevail, which is unlikely at this time but who knows. I am just tired of seeing all this senseless killing.
Yes Chris – one dead Israeli is one too many.
When you write “fanning the flames of antisemitism” that is an admission that a pre-existing bias exists against Israel that has nothing whatsoever to do with the Gaza troubles and it totally discredits your argument. Your racial bias is showing through, Reverend.
You’re a sad sad man BM.
Please learn your terminology. I not think you understand the meaning of antisemitism nor do you appreciate how using the word as you have distracts from the point you are trying to make. The current war is one that has been undertaken by an elected government. It is not a religious government nor is this a religious war and it has nothing to do with Judaism nor Semitism (which is primarily a racial term). Perhaps you did not know that the Palestinians are also Semitic or that their language is Semitic by root. Think about that for a second. I encourage you to study more on the topic.
No lectures from you BM. I’m done with your patronising as are others.
This is not patronizing. I am challenging your lack of knowledge on a topic which you post about frequently.
Bird, I don’t doubt you are absolutely correct, I for one don’t doubt your knowledge,I also know you are not patronizing, except Rev is not anti semetic, he is anti killing, no matter who is doing it.
The information your refering to is beyond requirments for he discussion.
‘
This country exists as the fulfillment of a promise made by God Himself. It would be ridiculous to ask it to account for its legitimacy.”
— Golda Meir, Le Monde, 15 October 1971
For example, I think believing the genocide Moses committed is “ok” according to “god” is as insane as Golda Meirs comment, I think genocide is evil, and that’s what the Isrealis have ben and are continueing to do today. As Nuts as Golda Meir.
But who cares? Nobody, information beyond requirments, its just stop the freaking killing. That’s all Andrews point is. I think that’s it anyway.
Thanks bb. BM should know that anti-Semitic is a pejorative generic term for being anti-Jew. Of course the name ‘Semite’ refers to all races Arab as well Jew. The trouble is, as some know to their cost BM is a shit-stirrer who uses his partial knowledge to formulate endless arguments without ever really coming to the truth about anything! Nor does he ever once see the need to apologise.
Oh and by the way wait for his response because he always has to have the last word!! lol
Best, A
I appreciate your effort today to get your terminology in order. As far as knowledge goes I think I am qualified to speak with more authority than you for I did make my home in Israel at one time and have spent many years in the Middle East and North Africa. That allows a better perspective than you will get as a tourist.
BB, I also support an end to hostilities. The caveat is that I do not think that is possible until the radicals are disarmed, the missile sites and equipment seized and the dozens of tunnels destroyed. Notwithstanding all the historical debate and what transpired in the past the current issue is an outcome of repeated surprise attacks, smuggling of arms and missile launchers and associated weaponry etc. Historical arguments can be addressed after the fact but these current threats must be dealt with first.
Im certain your perspective gives you much more information about the situation.
I agree that hostilities need to stop before progress can be made.
Here is the thing, “not possible until the radicals are disarmed”,
just my opinion, but believing “god” gave them the land and therefore the right to treat people as “beasts” sound pretty radical to me.
So, perspective is paramount, which is why I posted the quotes of Isreali leaders, it shows their attitude, more than an attempt to deal with historicl issues.
The only thing I can personaly do, is not do any business with anything from Isreal.
Which is why I began with, Im gonna boycott Isreal, and I am not anti jew semite or anti anything other than being anti child abuse.
I am not anti american either, but I no longer go, I see them as facist, I am extreme maybe, but I don’t fly either, I view those searches on children as child abuse.
I feel that teaches children to submit to people in uniform, that’s abuse.
Most parents would tell their kids not to allow people to touch them all over, unless their in uniform, is what kids are being taught. Just how I see it.
And I am not anti airplane.
And here I was just about to ask if you were anti-airplane!
There will never be peace.
Sadat’s assassination was many years ago now.
Hamas will use any means to prolong the battle and Israeli’swill protect themselves.
It’s a shame the Rothschild’s never bought some other place to launder their money but I guess the ultimate game is the power of Jerusalem.
I have to agree with you Matt.
US should give what Israel wants – leave them alone. Stop arm support and financial support. Stop messing with that region. Let Israel and arab countries to fight it out.
The problem was created by US and UK and it is insolvable now unless one side is wiped out. Regardless which side wins, problem is solved..
Lawrence……..Your second sentence is spot on…….IMO….The state of Israel would “NOT” exist today if the ZIONESTS, Who control the US , & the city of London had not funded the creation of a country in the middle of a desert , & who still support it today . Every country surrounding it would like to wipe it of the face of the planet , but they know it would be suicide to go up against the people who control the US..UK…& most of Europe……..On judgment day the Zionist’s will have a lot to answer for………..
Amen and amen Irish Tony, Best, A
It once was a desert Tony but that is hardly the case anymore. Look at a satellite image and the country is the only green speck surrounded by barren lands that are not cared for by anybody.
Thanks for agreeing with me. As an oriental I don’t carry preconceived opinion about a religion and an ethnic group which never conflict with the nation I came from. However, I do have ultimate respect for hardworking and intelligent Jewish people. I am sympathetic to what they have suffered through and understand their obsession with Zionism, even I don’t agree with it. Unfortunately they end up in a place where they have no way out. It is so unnatural which unlikely to happen by itself. Now, both Arabs and Israel are between a rock and a hard place. There is no way for Muslims to give up their land and allow people with a different race and religion to force their will upon them. They want to kill their enemy off. I am pretty sure even the moderate Arabs want to wipe out Israel physically. To survive, Israel has to result in massive killing. Otherwise, how can a few million people fight a billion? I look back to the history, when two groups of same ethnicity and race are in conflict, the result is not that bad since one group wins and the other group surrenders. However, when you put two groups of different culture, religion and race to fight for the same land, the result is mostly tragic. Unfortunately, there is really no practical solution. Either Israelis give up current territory and move back to the west as refugees or the fighting continues. The longer the war drags on, the more hatred there is. Most American cannot understand why there are so many terrorists in the Middle East and why they attack Americans. If you put yourself in their shoes, it is very easy to understand. As a supposed by-stander, I cannot stop myself from siding with the desires of Arabs. Israel is used by the west to represent their interest in this natural resource rich region and the west should do something to come up with a solution such as settling Israelis in the west. But I don’t think it can happen.
Come on Lawrence. I think the Arab world has enough land already. Maybe instead ask yourself why Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and innumerable other Muslim states do not accept Palestinians as either refugees or immigrants. You think maybe they are playing a political strategy card there perhaps? Could it be because of the experience of Jordan and Lebanon before them? What about all that good Islamic brotherly love and helping your neighbor in distress? The point is that nobody, especially not the Muslim states adjoining, wants to help the Palestinians even though the whole Gaza strip could easily be absorbed by the neighboring countries.
It is quite a twisted logic. Why blame the victims? If your land is occupied, is your instinct just to flee? I think most men will try to fight back. If muslim are true brothers, their only choice is to join the battle.
If both your parents are Russian but you are born in Australia do you have a right to the land of your parents? Do you have a right to vote in Russian elections, to own lands and enjoy the benefits of citizenship? So by that logic then do the offspring of Palestinians who abandoned Palestine have rights to return to Israel and claim it as their own land? Maybe Gaza should be a country.
I will add another comment since there seems to be so much misinformation and lack of knowledge on this topic. At this time, more than 20% of the Israeli population is in fact Palestinian. That is to say that they are passport holding Israelis or registered citizens. Not all Palestinians live in the Gaza strip and West Bank. The largest number of Palestinians actually live in Jordan where they account for an estimated half of the eight million people.
Jordan has been at peace with Israel for many years now and it has land, air and water border crossings with Israel. In general it is not difficult for Jordanian Palestinians to cross into Israel or visit family or vice versa. By the same virtue Egypt also has borders open between the two states.
So when I read comments on this thread about anybody wiping anybody else off the map I have to roll my eyes and wonder about their complete lack of understanding of the region. A few of you ought to go there in person as CFS has done and you will surely come away with a different opinion than you currently have.
The whole point here is that extreme elements within that society have broken a difficult peace that was in place for many years. Over the years thousands upon thousands of missiles have been rained down over Israel and it is intolerable to everyone who lives there. Were the same thing happening in the US with Mexicans bombing Texas the repercussions would be severe and probably quite a bit more final.
While it is hard for some of you to appreciate the complexity of the region it should be clear that Israel has been exercising surprising restraint for many years now even as random attacks, bombings, missiles strikes, kidnappings and murders have been part of the assault against Israel from its borders. Enough is enough.
When peace does not work then war is the only result. I will reiterate it is the responsibility of the Palestinians themselves to purge the extreme elements from within their society or lasting peace cannot have a chance.
Some here may not realize how damaging the attacks have been to Palestinians themselves. At one time not so long ago there were open borders between Gaza and Israel and thousands of Palestinians traveled daily to work and ply their trades within the country. They worked in tourism, drove the cabs, tended farms and made up a large proportion of the workforce.
It was only as a result of relentless attacks that the border was effectively closed. I think there was no other option but let us not ever say that Israel was not tolerant and cooperative with its neighbors. So Palestinians in Gaza are paying a heavy price for allowing unstable elements to gain a foothold in their area while those extremist play political games with the livelihoods and hopes of the people who live there.
I would encourage all of you to not add to the difficulty by expressing views that are not helpful.
No, once they were defeated and fled, they lost the land. That is why Palestinians try hard to defend their land. History is just history, especially for what happened several thousand years ago and nobody can verify the truth. A land may have many owners, if the old owner has the right to the land, where does the new owner go? That is why Han Chinese won’t give the land back to Huns and American will not return the land to Indians. If Israel can defend the land and hold it until Arabs give up, the land is theirs. It is US and UK who get involved in an affair which has nothing to do with them and resulted in millions of death and potentially a lot more. I said I understand Israelis but blame Americans.
Many of the Palestinians left Israel voluntarily as a result of calls by their leadership that they should go out and arm themselves before conducting war. Furthermore, their leaders wanted the field cleared in preparation for a major battle and Palestinians fearing serious disruption or even loss of life fled by the hundreds of thousands as word spread.
Bear in mind that this happened in 1948 and not long after the end of the Second World War so fear was heightened given all that had happened until then. The Palestinians felt they were a superior force at that time and were supported by almost all the surrounding countries and their respective armies. They had little doubt they would soon return to their homes once the Jews had been vanquished and driven out.
And so they departed by the tens of thousands into Jordan, Sinai, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Syria and elsewhere with the majority landing in neighboring Jordan. It was reported that of those who did not depart voluntarily that they were exiled and forced out although the record is hardly conclusive on that issue. Those who refused to leave were never evicted and to this day a fifth of Israels population is Palestinian. Furthermore, shortly after the war ended Israel granted 100,000 Palestinians the right to return home and resettle which was rebuffed.
After the war was lost and Israel came into Statehood in 1948 those that fought the war against Israel were not permitted to return. Lands that had not until then been owned outright by the new state of Israel and its citizens (the majority of the land in question) were annexed to create a single country.
Interesting article from the UK’s Independent newspaper – a must read on the topic, IMHO.
This thread reads like it was written in bizzarro world. Almost every post is crazy.
This whole conversation carries interesting intellectual shortcuts… as always.
People have their land occupied, they fight to free it. Such a bad idea….. !
Occupiers don’t want to leave the land they occupy (ask the hundred of thousands of illegal settlers and all the Israeli army posts in occupied territories).
When I read some posts, I understand Palestinians living under occupation are the bad guys because they want to live on their land, free, without occupation. Rightt…Brilliant logic.
I also understand that claiming the land which was stolen to your parents is not normal. It seems it cannot be done…
But can I then ask a question: are there not Jews organizations who asked for compensation for the gold/arts/assets which were confiscated from their relatives during WW2 ?
If claiming compensation is “ok”, why is it not “ok” for Palestinians to claim their stolen land ???
Please let us not forget something: Palestine is not recognized. These people, so far have no country as such. Until now, what they have, is bit of land with hundreds of Israeli checkpoints on which impair their movements as well as hundred of thousands of illegal settlers (encouraged by Israeli governments overtime).
THIS is the reality: the rest is bla bla bla and mental shortcuts with political agendas (hidden or not).
Let’s all keep a cool head, stick to the facts, ignore the mass media and western governments relative silence on all these children and civilian killed. And let’s not fall into hatred between ourselves for ethnics or religious grounds, as this is what some elites want.
There are Jews who, in Israel and outside Israel condemn what their government is currently doing. These “dissidents” who dare to stand up and are a minority deserve our utmost respect as it always easy to bend over to the majority’s will. Resistants across Europe during WW2 were a minority at the beginning, yet their cause was just, and at the end they prevailed. It is just a matter of time for Palestine too. But it seems that the land cannot be free without a fight being pulled. At the end, Palestinians have nothing to lose as they have nothing.
Best to all.
LPG
Agree. What a mess!
Number of Palestinians dead rising to 1200 at the time of writing.
I trust I’m not alone on this site when saying how pissing awful it is to be called anti-Israeli or pro-Palestinians or even anti-Semitic when voicing an opinion deploring the Gazan holocaust. Recently I got called such names on Greg Hunter’s blog before he GH denied me further access to his site. He too quite erroneously called me pro Hamas, which I am not. To his great credit in yesterday’s interview Gerald Celente lays into Hunter playing (to use his own phrase) ‘devil’s advocate’ in support of Israel.
The tragedy is what Israel is doing to itself. With 90% of Israelis expressing their support over what the military is doing in Gaza, this only relegates Israel into pariah status in the eyes of the world, while fanning the flames of anti-Semitism.
Right now I’m reading ‘The General’s Son’ by Miko Peled. this is the fascinating account of how Peled’s father, an acclaimed general in the war of ’67 and avowed Zionist recognised how the making of peace with the Palestinians was the only way forward. Even back in the 70’s Peled was denounced by his fellow Jews for being an ‘Arab lover’. So nothing’s changed.
Miko Peled, recently arrested by the IDF can be seen on the Keiser blog by scrolling down to the ‘Israel uses Twitter’ feed.
http://www.maxkeiser.com/page/2/