ZioNation Progressive Zionism-Israel Web Log

Israel must learn from its diplomatic successes

Few may realize it, but Israel, and in particular Benjamin Netanyahu, scored a diplomatic success this week. Maybe not a home run, but at least a double. French FM Bernard Kouchner greeted Netanyahu's visit with dark mutterings claiming that Israel does not seem to want peace. We have become used to French diplomats making bizarre remarks about our "shitty little country," and praising Iran as a force for stability in the Middle East. Nonetheless, Kouchner's visit portended a frosty reception. But Netanyahu stole the show by offering to meet with Syrian President Hafez Assad in order to make peace. This elicited the predictable Syrian reaction, and earned Bibi the following priceless headline, in Al Jazeera, no less, Syria rejects Israel talks. That headline may have been worth the whole trip. Israel proposes peace talks, an Arab country refuses.

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Ami Isseroff on 11.15.09 @ 02:28 AM CST [link] [2 Comments]

Thursday, October 29th

Rabin - 14 Years later

Today Israel marks the 14th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, the quintessential Zionist. Rabin was a tireless servant of his people as a soldier and diplomat. He was one of the greatest Jewish military leaders in our 3,000 year history, defender and liberator of Jerusalem, as well as an international hero of peace. He was, regrettably, one of the last of a generation of leaders who displayed unbending rectitude and personal integrity. He resigned his post as Prime Minister over a $3,000 bank account and lived modestly.

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Ami Isseroff on 10.29.09 @ 10:39 PM CST [link] [3 Comments]

Wednesday, October 28th

Amnesty's Palestinian water shortage hoax

The problem of divvying up the scarce water resources of the land between the river and the sea, home of Israel and the Palestinians, has been the subject of serious study, agreements, and propaganda. It is complicated by the fact that aquifers in the West Bank have always served the coastal areas that are part of Israel, by drought, by increasing water needs, burgeoning population. Above all, it is complicated by political squabbles that prevent rational allocation and development of water resources.

Amnesty International added to the propaganda pile recently with a sensational report claiming that Israel is stealing Palestinian water and rationing Palestinians to a trickle of water. Among other things, the report showed pools at Israeli settlements.

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Ami Isseroff on 10.28.09 @ 08:30 PM CST [link] [1 Comment]

Wednesday, October 21st

J Street and Michael Oren: It's about legitimacy, stupid

Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, has been invited to address the J Street conference that begins October 25. Evidently, he is not attending. Israeli President Shimon Peres declined the invitation but is sending a written message.

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Ami Isseroff on 10.21.09 @ 03:32 PM CST [link] [3 Comments]

Monday, October 5th

Goldstone and investigating the Gaza war

I am probably going to raise the ire of a good number of readers by insisting that there must be an Israeli investigation of Operation Cast Lead (AKA the 2008 Gaza War) as the Goldstone mission report insists. The rest of you may be confused when I claim that no Israeli investigation can counter the charges of the Goldstone report, or undo the damage that Goldstone has done to Israel and to international war crimes law. The investigation must be done for Israel's sake, not for Goldstone's sake.

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Ami Isseroff on 10.05.09 @ 07:00 PM CST [link] [7 Comments]

Sunday, October 4th

Shalit video on demand

Kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit has become an industry; the Gilad Shalit brand probably accounts for a significant part of the Israeli GDP.

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Ami Isseroff on 10.04.09 @ 02:22 PM CST [link] [1 Comment]

Wednesday, September 30th

Support the President: open letter to J Street and all peace loving Americans

Dear J-Street,
President Barack Obama has laid it on the line at the UN regarding Iranian violations of its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations. The Iranian nuclear program clearly constitutes a threat to world peace and to peace in the Middle East, and President Obama has rightly called on Iran to comply with the relevant Security Council Resolutions and to immediately (not according to a time table) open its clandestine Qom facility to IAEA inspections.

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Ami Isseroff on 09.30.09 @ 02:08 PM CST [link] [4 Comments]