Local Editor Few months before the US presidential elections and at the "AIPAC", President Barack Obama had a speech on Sunday to assure his country's commitment to the Zionist entity.
Obama said that Washington's commitment to Israel's "security" is "ironclad", adding that the “existence” and the “legitimacy” of the Zionist entity are not “matters for debate”.
"You also see our commitment to Israel's security in our steadfast opposition to any attempt to de-legitimize the State of Israel," he said.
Obama was speaking at the annual policy meeting of American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the main pro-Israel lobby in the US.
"As I said at the United Nation's last year, Israel's existence must not be a subject for debate, and efforts to chip away at Israel's legitimacy will only be met by the unshakeable opposition of the United States."
Few days before, Obama for the first time publicly called on Israel to accept a return to territorial lines in place before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, with mutual land swaps with Palestinians, to frame a “secure peace”.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Obama’s call, saying that the 1967 borders were "indefensible".
Israeli media reported that following Obama’s speech tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv are at an all-time high.
Quoting the New York Times, Israeli daily Ynet said the “cold relationship between Obama and Netanyahu seems to have noted a new drop in temperature.”
US SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL “IRONCLAD”
In an attempt to ease tensions with Israel, Obama added on Sunday: "Even while we may at times disagree, as friends sometimes will, the bonds between the United States and Israel are unbreakable, and the commitment of the United States to the security of Israel is ironclad,” Obama also said on Sunday.
As he tried to “clear” his speech, the US President said: “There had been nothing particularly original in" the speech.
"But since questions have been raised, let me repeat what I actually said," he said.
"I said that the United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine.
"The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.”
But he added: "The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, and reach their potential, in a sovereign and contiguous state."
PALESTINIAN UNITY “OBSTICALE TO PEACE”
On the other hand, Obama called the recent unity deal between Fatah and Hamas "an enormous obstacle to peace", and called on Hamas to release Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured five years ago.
"No country can be expected to negotiate with a terrorist organization sworn to its destruction," Obama said.
"We will continue to demand that Hamas accept the basic responsibilities of peace: recognizing Israel's right to exist, rejecting violence, and adhering to all existing agreements."
But he added: "No matter how hard it may be to start meaningful negotiations under the current circumstances, we must acknowledge that a failure to try is not an option. The status quo is unsustainable."
NO VOTE TO CREATE INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE
Obama’s call on Thursday prompted Palestinian officials to say that they would seek recognition for Palestinian statehood in the UN General Assembly in September.
Obama on Sunday rejected Palestinian demands as saying: "No vote at the United Nations will ever create an independent Palestinian state.”
"And the United States will stand up against efforts to single Israel out at the UN or in any international forum. Because Israel's legitimacy is not a matter for debate."
[ 23/05/2011 - 06:41 PM ]
GAZA, (PIC)-- The government in Gaza has reiterated calls to the Palestinian Authority to reconsider political stances and not to count on US political stands as these stands are blindly biased to Israel and can only make matters worse.
Obama has once again proven his support of Israel at the expense of the rights and aspirations of the Palestinians, the Gaza foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.
”Such neglect of the rights of the Palestinians exposes the White House in its continued attempts to deceive the Palestinians and lure them in with attractive words on peace, negotiations, and the establishment of a state,” the statement says.
Obama's speech delivered before the US Jewish lobby (AIPAC) exposed his first speech, as he placed special focus on Israel's security as a priority ahead of all other interests, the statement says. He also confirmed support for Israel as a strong ally without touching on the Palestinian right to establish their independent state or the refugees' right of return.
The speeches will only produce tension and instability in the region and does not promote peace, the statement adds.
Earlier, Jewish settlers expressed rejection of Obama's speech at the AIPAC conference on Sunday that included visions of a Palestinian state being created on 1967 borders.
They asserted that maintaining Israeli control of the Jordan Valley and West Bank heights was the only way to preserve Israel's security.
Settler spokesman Danny Dayan said that borders based on the map in 1967 with corrections and maintaining the settlement blocs would be “indefensible”.
Dayan expressed his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying that if a Palestinian state came about, Muslim territories would stretch from Afghanistan to Kafr Saba, the western-most point of the Palestinian occupied territories.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
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