US Warns Israel Over Apparent Distortion Of John Kerry Statements

[Purveyor]

Source: Guardian

The US hit back at Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday after the Israeli prime minister warned that calls for boycotts of Israel to pressure it over settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are "immoral and unjustified" and would not achieve their goal.

In a public spat that reflected tensions over slow-moving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, the state department rebuked Netanyahu for apparently misrepresenting the words of the US secretary of state, John Kerry. Another senior rightwing minister accused Kerry of serving as a "mouthpiece" for antisemitic views.

Speaking on the record at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, the Israeli prime minister said that the growing international boycott movement would only "push peace further away" by encouraging Palestinian intransigence.

"No pressure will force me to give up the vital interests of the state of Israel, above all the security of the citizens of Israel," Netanyahu stated.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/02/us-rebukes-binyamin-netanyahu-misrepresentation-john-kerry-comments

[ForgoTheConsequence]

1. Must be hard for the "Israel at any cost" crowd.

Why are mommy and daddy fighting?

[sulphurdunn]

2. Once upon a time

an anti-Semite was a bigot who didn't like Jews. Now, an anti-Semite appears to be anyone who opposes the imperialist foreign policy of the Israeli state and isn't afraid to say so.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

3. They want it both ways.

If you criticize Israel you're an anti Semitic Jew hater. But when it comes to the Israeli lobby they're the first to say Israel doesn't equal Jewish and that Israel is a secular state.

[okaawhatever]

10. Oh yeah, except now they're demanding that the Palestinians acknowledge Israel not just as an

official state, but as the official Jewish state. Kinda funny when AIPAC went ballistic over Chuck Hagel having called them the Jewish Lobby as opposed to the Israel lobby.

[yurbud]

21. for a long time I missed that distinction about acknowledging Israel versus "a Jewish state"

A lot of Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, & some others I can't think of would be hesitant to negotiate anything that required they say the US is a "Christian state."

[elleng]

8. Thanks

[blm]

4. Bibi and his GOP puppet have relied on the distortion tactic for decades.

Bibi figures it works for Republicans so well with US media that he should keep it up and even double down.

It's been apparent to anyone who has watched Bibi's manipulations of the US congress and the corporate press since the 80s and, especially the 90s. Boy, did he have Gingrich wrapped around his finger.

[blkmusclmachine]

5. Israel making up sh!t ???

NAH!

[defacto7]

6. I won't pretend I know the intricacies of Israeli politics

but from my generalized point of view, the problem is Netanyahu at this stage. Other right wing factions add to the stalemate but Netanyahu is point center and has lied through his teeth too many times to count. Though some would think lying is an acceptable part of the political process, I do not. To me it speaks for his character. I am only observing and have no vested interests that prejudice my opinions, at least I don't think. It just seems the observations hold true.

[Scootaloo]

7. If talks fall through, Israel deserves international sanctions

More than deserves, honestly, but whatever. it's become clear that the Palestinians are negotiating in good faith with a government that would make Blackbeard blush with its piracy. If the talks fail under the current situation - even if it's the Palestinians walking out - the reason is clear that it is Israel's increasing demands for territory and unreasonable concessions.

But why punish the people of Israel? you might ask.

Well... Israel is a democracy. Its government is elected by the people of the state. Of course not all those people agree with the government in power, but that's just how democracy is. If we are comfortable with imposing crippling sanctions on populations that have little or no say in the governance of their nations - and our impositions against autocratic states like iraq and North Korea clearly show we have no problems with doing so - then a nation with a strong democracy whose government still commits sanctionable offenses should surely not be immune to such a response.

[former9thward]

15. Palestinians negotiating in good faith???

Not even close. And who exactly represents the Palestinians? Hamas hates the Palestinian Authority and vice versa. Maybe they should figure that out first.

[Scootaloo]

16. Keep trying, former9thward

1) Yes, the Palestinians are negotiating in good faith. They make no claims in contravention of law and are currently offering very generous positions. In response Israel is making some frankly ludicrous demands - annexation of the Jordan Valley, prolonging the occupation by another 15 years, keeping 75% of the illegal colonists in the west bank as Israeli nationals, etc. Yet the Palestinians remain at the negotiating table.

2) The Palestinian Authority is the recognized government of Palestine. That the two major parties within the PA are having trouble does not invalidate this. The PA is the recognized representative of the Palestinian territories and the people therein. This was resolved in 1988 and recognized by both the US and Israel in 1993.

Maybe you should figure some things out, before demanding others do so.

[former9thward]

18. The PA has no role in Gaza and you know it.

It is not recognized there and its adherents have been murdered by Hamas. Maybe you should figure that out. The PA position in the talks, whatever it may be, will not be recognized in Gaza and there are no means to enforce it.

[Demenace]

19. So, why not negotiate in good faith with those that have chosen to come to that table?

Why not talk with honesty with those that at the table and forget about those not at the said table because again, you Israelis insist them should not be there in the first place. Your divide and conquer tactics have become very tired tricks, just like the manipulations have become very transparent today!

Note to you Israelis, there is a train coming, you just do not see it!

[1000words]

9. Big shift occuring in U.S./Israeli relations

This could get very interesting ...

[Scootaloo]

12. And there's a reason; a better regional ally may be appearing on the US' horizons n/t

[quakerboy]

14. Who?

Honestly, Im not sure theres much of anyone in that area I'd like my country to be allied too.

[Scootaloo]

17. Iran

I have a big ol' post somewhere on DU about it which I can't find, and I'm not sure I can give a short version - I'm a little strapped for time today, seahawks and all that.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

11. Hey Netanyahu, you want security for your citizens? pulling all the illegal settlers out from their

illegal settlements would be a great start.

Now that obviously won't happen but a person can dream


unrelated sidenote: not sure if the 75%(or thereabout) of settlers would/could remain in the current peace deal framework has been declared true or false yet but that argument(on the assumption that its true) by Israel amuses me a lot.

Mainly because the argument kind of seems to be: You people have no right to return to the land you owned before the war/conflict started...but the vast majority of our people who are staying in illegal settlements are going to stay where they are

[iandhr]

13. Israel seems to find new ways to shoot themselves in the foot.

[another_liberal]

20. In the next edition of Websters Dicionary . . .

The comments by Netanyahu and his minister should be used as the definition of hubris.

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! We should cut off our aid to those arrogant bastards' government for a year or two, then we'll see what kind of a tune they're singing about us.

[yurbud]

22. as the military option becomes less viable in the Middle East, Israel will suddenly find the US less

and less cooperative with their expansionist agenda.

We can't afford a pit bull in that neighborhood anymore since we don't want to use them biting the neighborhood kids as an excuse to shoot the parents and take over their house.

We need a golden retriever, and they better figure that out or they will quickly be a stray.