Obama said this.
Netanyahu said that.
Both are politicians and most politicians are not known for truthfulness, especially when bashing an opponent.
Netanyahu allegedly said before the elections that if he was re-elected there would be NO "two-state" solution to the Israel-PA conundrum.
This was reported - headlined - in most media - liberal and conservative.
UNFORTUNATELY, it was taken out of context.
In context, Netanyahu said that as long as things remain as they are then there can be no two-state solution. The partner, Abu Mazen and Friends - must meet certain apparently unrealistic conditions before two-state talks can resume. Abu Mazen must
- Cease his government's official anti-Israel hate speeches
- Stop honoring murders of Israelis - Jews and non-Jews alike; stop naming streets and sports venues after the killers
- Remove inflammatory statements in textbooks used by PA students in all grades
- Remove racists cartoons and other propaganda from PA television
So far, that's been too much to ask.
And that doesn't even include Hamas in Gaza over which Abu Mazen only thinks he has control. Nor does it include paying off the PA's electric bill, or even lifting the boycott on Israeli products.
Israel is not demanding that Abu Mazen give up his plan to make the PA "juden frei" (Hitler tried that if anyone recalls recent history; the popes also tried it a few centuries earlier. It didn't work for either.)
Netanyahu "clarified" his taken-out-of-context statement by stating there could be a two-state solution once the PA becomes a civilized partner in negotiations.
Netanyahu said that he expected Israeli Arabs to turn out in "droves" to vote for any party other than Likud. That, the liberal media exclaimed, is racist.
For the first time the several Arab parties in Israel were united and Israeli Arabs DID turn out in record numbers. But because the words came from Netanyahu's mouth the statement was racist.
Are tv talking heads racists when they report that voters of this or that party in the U.S. turned out ion "droves?" Hardly. Heck, in the U.S. people sometimes "swarm" to the polls; they "mass" at the polling place's doors to be first in line.
Are those words racists? Only in the minds of an easily offended liberal who knows his - or her - party cannot generate the same turnout.
Here, in the U.S., the (not "our," please) always-ready-to-condemn Israel president jumped on the out-of-context Netanyahu quote and ranted that the U.S. would have to rethink its relationship with Israel. RETHINK? Who is he kidding. Since taking office he has repeatedly shown disrespect for the country's prime minister and generally worked against the nation. (He hasn't done any good for America's image abroad, either, but that's a problem the U.S. can fix after the not-born-in-America* president is history.)
Truth be told, I am NOT a fan of Netanyahu; he certainly is NOT my choice for prime minister - or for any ministerial position save for perhaps hasberah (PR) to the English-speaking nations; he speaks well.
I think there is much that can be done to improve the Knesset and Israeli Arab participation, starting with integrating Israeli Arabs into the "Jewish" political parties - there certainly are enough political parties in Israel. (Interesting that they don't "flock"- is that racist?? - to the liberal parties.)
* Yes, I know a birth certificate was "discovered" two years AFTER he took office the first time. I also know that no one investigated, certainly not more than superficially, the voracity of the document, despite much skepticism.
