Obama promises Palestinian state within 2 years

[TruthSeeker]

Obama promised Abbas a Palestinian state within two years

By Haaretz Service

U.S. President Barack Obama told Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas that he was committed to seeing the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state within two years, an Egyptian official told the Arabic-language daily Al-Hayat on Thursday.

Obama promised Abbas that the United States would make great effort to help see that Palestinian goal achieved, the official told the London-based newspaper.

The official also told Al-Hayat that Israel had rejected special U.S. envoy George Mitchell's proposal to withdraw Israel Defense Forces troops from Palestinian-occupied sections of the West Bank, as it did on the eve of the Second Intifada in 2000.

According to the report, Israel told Mitchell that it could not guarantee such a move before beginning direct peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.

In place of withdrawing troops, the official told Al-Hayat, Israel offered other goodwill gestures, such as removing checkpoints and releasing certain Palestinian prisoners.

Last week, Abbas urged the Obama administration to impose a solution to the Middle East conflict that would give his people an independent state, and rejected the idea of creating a state within temporary borders.

"Mr. President [Barack Obama] and members of the American administration, since you believe in this [an independent Palestinian state], it is your duty to take steps toward a solution and to impose this solution," Abbas said in a speech to his Fatah party.

Abbas' appeal to Obama came amid widespread media reports that the U.S. president was considering floating a proposal that would set the contours of a final peace deal.

Report: Obama promised Abbas a Palestinian state within two years - Haaretz - Israel News

 

[Ahmad]

I just hope they can deliver this promise. Bush also said similar things, but we saw everything. The issue of palestine and israel is the mother of most of problems, if that issue is solved i am sure alot of problems will go away.

 

[EjazR]

I think its high time the Palestinian state be declared. According to the 2002 Arab peace plan, most of the contours are already in know.

It will follow the 1967 borders unless were there is a mutual land swap agreement where needed. The capital of the new state will be East Jerusalem and all Arab countries will recognize Israel and resume full ties in return while the refugees in general will give up their right to return with Israel helping out in rebuilding Palestine settlements. Any Jewish settlers can either continue to stay in the new Palestine state or go back to Israel if they don't wish to remain in Palestine.

 

[Meengla]

Obama should never go to Israel! I am certain that he will be targeted with zeal and perhaps with clandestine support of Israeli security agencies. Even in America Israeli tentacles are long in all parts of American society; but in Israel itself it is far easier.
Make no mistake about it: Many, if not most Israelis do no like Obama for his relatively balanced approach. And if Baruch Goldstein (the mosque gunman) is to go by then some zealots wouldn't mind 'sacrificing' his life for the 'cause' of killing Obama.
May Obama be well protected. Because, if he is eliminated, we can be almost certain there is going to be a WW3 in our lifetime where many, many countries will lose, including Israel.

 

[James007]

m very excited about it.if it ends it will reduce half of the worlds tensions

 

[TechLahore]

If this promise is kept under fair terms, then may God bless Obama and his progeny!

 

[zagahaga]

another lie this time not from a white man but from a black man.. oh brother.... i mean every freakin time i see this BS it makes my blood boils almost every president of america said ( I WILL BRING PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST ) BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA... honestely people we should jsut say to them that they love to lie and they should stop lying.. i mean they think 2 years is progress?? that a fail in 2 years watch how many thousand will die by isreal and they ask for peace eh?

 

[TruthSeeker]

another lie this time not from a white man but from a black man.. oh brother..

I fear that you are correct in your analysis. Obama has a need to say what people want to hear, and then, maybe, worry about the consequences later. It is not possible for there to be a Palestinian state in two years unless the USA MAKES Israel accept this. I do not think that Obama, financially beholden to many, many Jewish Americans in the Democratic Party, has the personal guts to make this happen. It is very, very sad, for both my country and the Palestinians, but his "promise" to Abbas is a "lie" as you say. Jewish Americans control US politics on the Palestine issue, plain and simple. To be credible, such a "promise" must come from AIPAC.

 

[Fighter488]

I fear that you are correct in your analysis. Obama has a need to say what people want to hear, and then, maybe, worry about the consequences later. It is not possible for there to be a Palestinian state in two years unless the USA MAKES Israel accept this. I do not think that Obama, financially beholden to many, many Jewish Americans in the Democratic Party, has the personal guts to make this happen. It is very, very sad, for both my country and the Palestinians, but his "promise" to Abbas is a "lie" as you say. Jewish Americans control US politics on the Palestine issue, plain and simple. To be credible, such a "promise" must come from AIPAC.

Absolutely right!
To me, Palistinian state in two years is just another WET-DREAM.
Obama probably trying to justify his NOBLE PRIZE FOR PEACE! Who Knows?!

Fighter

 

[Canaan]

Unfortunately we've heard all of this before, and nothing ever happened.

Several issues arise:

Who will control the Old City? the Jews want to construct the Third Temple in place of the Al Aqsa Mosque as they believe that's what God told them to do. The old city is in East Jerusalem which will be the capital of Palestine.

The majority of Palestinians are refugees outside of Palestine, what is their destiny? International law secures their right of return to their original homes apart from compensation, bypassing this universal law, will only create havoc. Naturalizing them in other countries like Canada and Australia etc, will NOT solve the problem, as most of them, even after 62 years of exile dream of returning to their ancestors home and will never accept, that politicians will decide their destiny, without asking them, that was one of the main reason Arafat declined the proposed Camp David 2 plan, as he had to give up the refugees right of return and he said that he will never do that, as that would mean his sure death.
The majority of Palestinians will never give up their right of return. Why would they? to please Israel and preserve its "Jewishness"? I don't recall Israel ever being concerned about the opposite.

What about security for the Palestinians? Israel want's Palestine to be demilitarized (impossible!) and have control over its borders, resources and airspace (Insane proposal). Palestine will have the right of a defense force like every other country in the world. Simply to trust that a "Peace" plan will keep Israel from attacking and occupying Palestine is the pinnacle of ignorance and stupidity. They can never be trusted, and shouldn't be (hard learned experience)

Free mobility between Gaza and the occupied West bank. A future Palestinian state, will most likely be compromised of two non-connecting territories roughly 30-35 miles apart , How will these be "connected" in practice? and how will the free flow of movement ever be secured?

Call me pessimistic, but it seems that this plan is doomed to fail....

 

[duhastmish]

obama cant do a much. he talk too much with no action i wont read much into it.

israel will never accept it , nomatter what obama says.

they will only see him as a muslim leader not american president - after these comments.

but lets see how the story unfolds. but i can say this much : this president is good for nothing - bush was 100 times more efficient that obama

 

[Patriot]

I doubt he will be reelected..He will most likely loose next elections.

 

[duhastmish]

I doubt he will be reelected..He will most likely loose next elections.

his popularity dropped big time , and we all know reason.

he talk too much work too seldom. his foriegn policy are failure.

all the preelection as expected were just hot air.

he should be out of power americans need a strong leader right now who can pioneer.

 

[SinoIndusFriendship]

his popularity dropped big time , and we all know reason.

he talk too much work too seldom. his foriegn policy are failure.

all the preelection as expected were just hot air.

he should be out of power americans need a strong leader right now who can pioneer.

Politics is tough when people don't listen to you. That's why we need a strong cohesive unified consensus leadership composed of tens of millions of members.... mmMMM??? what can that be?

 

[Canaan]

now we are at it..
Let's assume, hypothetically, that Palestine is a reality in the near future, compromising the territory within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and only a portion of the Palestinian refugees return, so that the population count is 6 million in the future state.
The two territories, Gaza and the West bank, will be connected via either a free passage highway running through Israeli territory, or a partial subterranean corridor, below Israeli territory. Palestine would have access to the Mediterranean sea via Gaza.
Palestine would be connected apart from Israel to Egypt via Gaza, and Jordan via the West bank.

Now the big question, since this is a defence forum, how would the Palestinians secure the existence of Palestine? what kind of alliances would they have to make, with whom? and how would the Palestinian defence forces have to look like?
Please keep this on par with reality, taking into consideration, the geo-political situation today and in the near future.
For instance, the very small area of Palestine, would realistically prevent it from having an effective air force, so what is the solution? The West bank, is a hilly area preventing effective tank warfare but perfect for defensive ambushes etc., what to do? Israel, the main adversary has one of the most technologically advanced armies in the world, how should the Palestinians face them?

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