"Top House Republican Undermines Peace Talks During Visit To Jerusalem"

[applegrove]

Top House Republican Undermines Peace Talks During Visit To Jerusalem

By Ben Armbruster at Think Progress

http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/08/16/2481701/cantor-undermines-peace-talks/

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House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) during a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday claimed that there will be no peace between the Israelis and Palestinians unless the Palestinians undergo a “cultural mind shift” and accept Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

When asked if he agreed with Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent comments that the U.S. views Israeli settlements in the West Bank as “illegitimate,” (the majority of the international community views the settlements as “illegal“) Cantor — who is in Israel leading a group of Republican congressmen on a tour sponsored by the American Israel Education Foundation — said that the “discussion of territory, lines, towns and settlements is predicated upon the Palestinians first agreeing” that Israel has the legitimate right to exist as a Jewish state.

Since becoming Prime Minister in 2009, Benjamin Netanyahu has elevated Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish State to a central Israeli demand. But he has also insisted that such recognition is not a precondition for talks on other issues, as Cantor did. The U.S. House majority leader has thus staked out a more extreme position on peace talks than the Israeli Prime Minister.

“The Palestinians came to the table despite a staggering surge in settlement construction. Yet Cantor arrogantly proclaimed that peace would never come without a ‘cultural mind-shift’ among Palestinians and throughout the Arab world,” said pro-Israel group J Street in an email to supporters. “A mind-shift is surely needed, most of all by Eric Cantor and others who seem to be itching to sabotage the best opportunity we’ve had for years to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace.”


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[Warpy]

1. Trying to scuttle international negotiations is a big deal

I honestly think charges need to be filed but they won't be because Cantor is a darling of the Randorrhoid right.

[applegrove]

2. Something happened to allow some wiggle room in negotiations. Something changed. Don't know what.

Neither does Cantor but you can bet he's doing all he can to shut it down.

[branford]

3. Charges? For what, exactly?

You do realize that American citizens, no less the duly elected majority leader of a major political party, are allowed to publicly and vocally oppose the administration, both under our Constitution and under Israeli law.

Your are certainly free to disagree with Cantor, but there is absolutely nothing even remotely illegal about his actions.

Did you feel the same way when Bush was in office and Democrats vocally opposed his policies?

I generally disagree with most Republican and conservative policies and opinions. However, advocating such positions, even when they make life extremely difficult for my President and Party, is not, and should never be, illegal. America does not elect kings, and freedom of speech concerning political matters is sacrosanct.