# 116 – A Few Hours Later

June 14, 2009

OK – I gotta write this. (I’m off on another trip in a few hours – taxi’s picking us up at 4.30 am – and that’s a reminder of what the political status is doing to Israeli life – 70% of flights in and out of this country are at godawful times).

First reaction to my pre-Netanyahu speech letter criticised me for ignoring the elections in Iran. Well, what’s there to say? Many of ‘us’ naively thought the opposition had a chance. And, according to what’s-is-name on Sky, Tim Marshall, once the Supreme Leader endorses the Ahmad victory, the door is closed. Forget it.

And it’s the same left-wing naivety that has been gripping so many and expecting Obama’s speech to knock’em all over, exposing the word ‘peace’ written across the bare stomachs of …’those who oppose Israel’. Me being unkind? I’M ONE OF THEM!! I still am.

We just got a call from an Israeli lady living in the USA, so pleased that Netanyahu has ‘stuck to his guns’. She is in deadly fear of Obama’s words and threatened deeds. And here’s me, saying that so many negotiated deals started with the naïve Left, the ones that today are being so criticized here in Israel.

I think he could have been a little more diplomatic about his words on the settlements. There was hint of compromise, but not enough. Netanyahu should have connected the subject with that of the refugees. They want the right of return, conveniently forgetting a) that they gave up that right by continuously attacking Israel in the face of UN resolutions, and b) the ones that did stay in Israel ARE ‘at home’.

They also forget that a far greater number of refugees did settle and are ‘happy’ (Jews), whether they are in Israel, USA, Europe or elsewhere. If they can do it, and if the host nations could accept them, then so can the Palestinians.

They also forget that the UN gave them a land to settle and this is called Palestine. (It should have been bigger, but the Jordanians stole that big bit, but life ain’t so bad there for the Palestinians, who make up almost 65% of the population). If there can be a Jewish state with a minority of Arabs, why not a Palestinian state with a minority of Israelis? Where’s the British fair play in international society?

Jerusalem? Where did that come from? Need they be reminded again that this is a modern demand, created out of today’s politics, not history.

1. Gaza.

2. Southern Lebanon.

3. No, not yet. As I have written before, there is nothing wrong in asking that the Palestinians now need to prove that they deserve a state.

Yes, I wanted Netanyahu to be a little more daring – in the knowledge that the worst that could come from ‘offering just a little more’ would be further rejection and intransigence from the Palestinians and their supporters. Obama’s ‘presence’ just might have persuaded them to reduce their rejectionary stance.

Yes, I think Netanyahu has missed a chance. It was worth the gamble. And he’s fuelled the Palestinian propaganda machine which knows the World will listen.

Does it make any difference? We shall never know.

Stephen