Tel-Chai Nation

Barack Obama has called for the two-state solution while traveling to Turkey, which is moving back to Islamic fundamentalism. Minister Gilad Erdan has responded to this:

"Israel does not take orders from [US President Barack] Obama," Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) said on Monday, responding to the US president's earlier reaffirmation of his administration's commitment to all previous understandings between Israel and the Palestinians, including the process launched at Annapolis in 2007.

Erdan, who is in charge of coordinating between the Knesset and the cabinet, also praised Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who only last week said that Israel was not bound by the Annapolis talks.

"In voting for [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu the citizens of Israel have decided that they will not become the fifty first US state," said Erdan, who was representing the coalition in a Knesset deliberation of Lieberman's controversial statements. He added, however, that "Obama is a friend of Israel and the United States is an important ally, and everything between us will be decided through communication."

Erdan is absolutely correct to remind of the electorate, which has every right to decide the destiny of its country and its future.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu's office released a statement affirming Israel's "appreciation" of Obama's "commitment to Israel's security and to the pursuit of peace." According to the statement, "The Government of Israel is committed to both of these goals and will formulate its policies in the near future so as to work closely with the United States towards achieving these common objectives."

Addressing the Turkish parliament on Monday afternoon, Obama had said, "Let me be clear, the United States strongly supports the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. That is a goal shared by Palestinians, Israelis, and people of good will around the world. That is a goal that the parties agreed to in the road map and at Annapolis. And that is a goal that I will actively pursue as president."

I think there are times when being specific would pay off much more: it is Obama's administration that supports the two-state propaganda, not the whole US and its citizenry. To put it the way he does is to insult those citizens who know why such notions only yield negative results.

The US president emphasized the need for both sides to take confidence-building measures while living up to "the commitments they have made." Both Israel and the Palestinians, he said "must overcome longstanding passions and the politics of the moment to make progress toward a secure and lasting peace."

The US president said that Turkey, "like the United States, could help Israel and the Palestinians." Ankara, he added, "has been a friend and partner in Israel's quest for security. And like the United States, you seek a future of opportunity and statehood for the Palestinians.

I see his statements here as just more moral equivalence, without acknowledging that the PLO has refused to cooperate all these years.

"Now," Obama continued "we must not give into pessimism and mistrust. We must pursue every opportunity for progress, as you have done by supporting negotiations between Syria and Israel. We must extend a hand to those Palestinians who are in need, while helping them strengthen institutions. And we must reject the use of terror, and recognize that Israel's security concerns are legitimate."

Obama claimed that regional peace would also be furthered along by Iran cooperating with the international community and forgoing "any nuclear weapons ambitions."

"I have made it clear to the people and leaders of the Islamic Republic that the United States seeks engagement based upon mutual interests and mutual respect," Obama said. "We want Iran to play its rightful role in the community of nations, with the economic and political integration that brings prosperity and security. Now, Iran's leaders must choose whether they will try to build a weapon or build a better future for their people."

Earlier, the US president said that he stood by his 2008 assertion that Ottoman Turks carried out widespread killings of Armenians early in the 20th century, finessing the sensitive issue by stopping short of repeating the word "genocide."

That's why I wouldn't trust him on the issue, and he's already suggested he doesn't intend to remain true to it.

"Well, my views are on the record and I have not changed views," Obama said, standing alongside Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

Obama went on to say that he was looking toward ally Turkey to help bridge the divide between Muslim nations and the West, and that he wanted to build on "what is already a strong foundation" with Turkey.

He said relations between the two countries had for too long been defined on mostly military and national security terms but that they must also work together on the global economic crisis.

Obama said he and Gul had been "very clear that terrorism is not acceptable under any circumstances." He also said Turkey and the United States could build a "model partnership" between a predominantly Christian nation and a predominantly Muslim nation.

I'm afraid even that's becoming less possible every day now.

Here's an interesting question: is Obama good for America any more than he is for Israel?

He's also told the Turks that the US is not at war with Islam:

ANKARA, Turkey – Barack Obama, making his first visit to a Muslim nation as president, declared Monday the United States "is not and will never be at war with Islam."

Urging a greater partnership with the Islamic world in an address to the Turkish parliament, Obama called the country an important ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism. He devoted much of his speech to urging a greater bond between Americans and Muslims, portraying terrorist groups such as al-Qaida as extremists who do not represent the vast majority of Muslims.

"Let me say this as clearly as I can," Obama said. "The United States is not and will never be at war with Islam. In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical ... in rolling back the violent ideologies that people of all faiths reject."

The U.S. president is trying to mend fences with a Muslim world that felt it had been blamed by America for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

This is what's really objectionable about this AP article - they pull the victimology card for Islam. And not only that:

At a news conference earlier with President Abdullah Gul, Obama dealt gingerly with the issue of alleged genocide committed by Turks against Armenians during World War I. He urged Turks and Armenians to continue a process "that works through the past in a way that is honest, open and constructive."

Seems like Obama is using a similar approach to Armenia as he is to Israel. Let's not think that Armenia isn't vulnerable to all this "peace process" propaganda. Also note how the AP cannot hide the bias they doubtless have against Armenians when they put in the word "alleged".

Labels: Armenia, islam, Israel, terrorism, turkey, United States