Olmert: Israeli government rejecting peace

Olmert: Israeli government rejecting peace - Israel News, Ynetnews

... The Israeli government, Olmert continued, "rejects peace. It rejects the process and refuses to talk to the moderates on the Palestinian side. It doesn't want an agreement. There's no other way to say it."

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are Olmert's comments valid?

Don't worry, I'm sure this whole Israel-Palestine fight will solve itself.

































/sarcasm.

Here's my take.

Palestine is rejecting peace and the negotiation process, they are calling for preconditions and have ignored Israel while in a hostile fashion to peace saught higher UN recognition.

In retaliation Israel has planned to build more settlements while still being open to peace talks. However, Palestinians are refusing to even talk until their conditions are met.

I disagree with Israel retaliating by trying to expand settlements, there are other ways for them to retaliate. However, I think the bigger fault lies with Palestine and especially with militant groups within Palestine (like Hamas) that commit acts of terror against Israelis.

digsbe said:

Here's my take.

Palestine is rejecting peace and the negotiation process, they are calling for preconditions and have ignored Israel while in a hostile fashion to peace saught higher UN recognition.

In retaliation Israel has planned to build more settlements while still being open to peace talks. However, Palestinians are refusing to even talk until their conditions are met.

I disagree with Israel retaliating by trying to expand settlements, there are other ways for them to retaliate. However, I think the bigger fault lies with Palestine and especially with militant groups within Palestine (like Hamas) that commit acts of terror against Israelis.

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Agreed. The term "moderate Palestinian" seems like an oxymoron when you consider Hamas (and similar groups) that depend for their existence on creating problems for the area.

Diogenes said:

Agreed. The term "moderate Palestinian" seems like an oxymoron when you consider Hamas (and similar groups) that depend for their existence on creating problems for the area.

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but you are taking this off on a tangent
the thread is about a former israeli official insisting: "... The Israeli government, Olmert continued, "rejects peace. It rejects the process and refuses to talk to the moderates on the Palestinian side. It doesn't want an agreement. There's no other way to say it."
it's about israel's government refusal to participate in a legitimate peace process
and the criticism comes from a well placed israeli

justabubba said:

but you are taking this off on a tangent
the thread is about a former israeli official insisting: "... The Israeli government, Olmert continued, "rejects peace. It rejects the process and refuses to talk to the moderates on the Palestinian side. It doesn't want an agreement. There's no other way to say it."
it's about israel's government refusal to participate in a legitimate peace process
and the criticism comes from a well placed israeli

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The topic is null from the start as the government discussed will end its term in 3-4 weeks so yea its obvious this government did nothing in the past 2 years to promote the peace process, but it did try a bit at the first year and the Palestinians didn't cooperate. Hopefully next government will do more, maybe its wishful thinking but I don't think Bibi is dumb enough to continue with this line for another term and the Likud's campaign suggests he'd rather see central parties in his government rather than right wing.

justabubba said:

but you are taking this off on a tangent
the thread is about a former israeli official insisting: "... The Israeli government, Olmert continued, "rejects peace. It rejects the process and refuses to talk to the moderates on the Palestinian side. It doesn't want an agreement. There's no other way to say it."
it's about israel's government refusal to participate in a legitimate peace process
and the criticism comes from a well placed israeli

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In a way, Olmert is correct: The only peace Israel will find with Palestine is the end of the state of Israel, and the Israeli government rejects that approach even if Olmert does not.

Diogenes said:

In a way, Olmert is correct: The only peace Israel will find with Palestine is the end of the state of Israel, and the Israeli government rejects that approach even if Olmert does not.

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I don't believe that is true. Israel and the Palestinians will find peace when Israel stops with the knee-jerk and disproportionate reactions to every minor incident and puts a leash on the IDF and IBP among other things. It wasn't that long ago that a group of Palestinians prevented a few terrorists from firing mortars into Israel. Their reward was to watch Israeli tanks blow their children apart at a playground 30 minutes later and half a mile away. Don't expect them to stop the terrorists next time. Israel also can't expect the Palestinians to accomplish in a matter of hours what they've been unable to do for over 50 years in both the occupied territories and within their own ranks. I'm not convinced that the Israeli leadership wants peace.

I feel the same way as I did 10 months ago: (and probably 20 months before that)

me said:

So, In whose court is the ball?
I think it is in Israel's court despite correctly Netanyahu pointing out:

Netanyahu from the OP said:

NETANYAHU: Because I think the Palestinian society is split into two – those who are openly calling for Israel's destruction like Hamas, and those who are not calling openly for Israel's destruction but refuse to confront those who do. And that's the Palestinian authority. I think they're timid, I think they're afraid to actually stand up to these killers. And I think that they're afraid, maybe for their own sake, for their own political hides (ph), sometimes for their own physical safety. And they don't take that necessary plunge."......"

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Which, as CJ 2.0, and others point out IS a problem.
Pan-Palestinian elections have been called.. finally... by the two Gov'ts of the Palestinians, though it's not all clear even a Unity govt represents the Palestinian populace.

Nevertheless, I would like to see Netanyahu make a peace offer of some kind, at least a Barak-2000 if not the excellent Ohlmert floater, which was basically a full swap for any occupied land, and contiguity.

I am not at all satisfied this Israeli govt wants peace/two states on anything but surrender terms.
Stlll in the state of mind of Piers Morgan that Israel/Netanyahu "should be the big guy here".
Until he does, I am of THIS State of mind, still:
http://www.debatepolitics.com/middle-east/88036-netanyahu-has-rejected-one-u-s-package-too-many.html

A reasonable offer would flush out the Palestinians if, as CJ 2.0 contends, they don't want peace.
And until the last few years I would have agreed.
However, the 'Palestine Papers' revealed Abbas & co Were willing to give away the kitchen sink/so much it was embarrassing to them.
So an offer by Israel would be in order any time, IMO.

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That is, the Palestinians are in bad shape for agreement: Two leaders and a UN encouraging their intransigent Exact 1967 border stance.
While Netanyahu isn't offering anything, but busy and consolidating territory, laughing all the way to the [West] bank.

Napoleon said:

I'm not convinced that the Israeli leadership wants peace.

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And for damn sure the Arab leaders do not want peace...

Diogenes said:

And for damn sure the Arab leaders do not want peace...

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The only people relevant to the discussion are the Palestinians and Israelis. Israel doesn't create the conditions for peace so of course the response is going to be a rejection of the idea that Israeli settlers, the IDF, and IDP can continue to terrorize Palestinians with no recourse for the victims.