President Obama’s Speech on the Middle East Goes too Far
Beyond UCF, COMMENTARY, Editorials — By Brian Kirsch on May 20, 2011 at 6:22 pm TweetEditorial
On Thursday, President Obama gave what was dubbed a “major” speech on the Middle East. However, the big focus towards the second half of the speech was the peace situation between Israel and the Palestinians. Some pundits are calling the speech a “major change” in U.S. policy.
I am calling it a disgrace.
President Obama today called for the Palestinians and Israelis to come back to the table and start moving rapidly towards a peace deal. Unfortunately for the Israelis, the President is calling for them to move their borders back to what is called the 1967 borders, with minor swaps.
Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, who is scheduled to visit the White House on Friday, came out with a statement against that idea right after the Speech. The Prime Minister called the 1967 borders “indefensible.”
He also said, it would “leave major Israeli population centers in Judea and Samaria beyond those lines.”
Throughout its history, Israel has had to defend itself against neighbors who have said that the Israelis have no right to exist. Netanyahu also said today that peace will never come until all claims against Israel have been resolved.
If Israel were to go back to the 1967 borders there would be major changes. First, Israel would be forced to give up the strategic region located in the north, the Golan Heights. This region is considered vital to Israel’s security. Israelis say that if they were to lose the region, there would be a significant increase in the potential for attacks from Syria and Lebanon.
The second region would be Jerusalem. Back before 1967 when the Palestinians controlled Jerusalem, there were restrictions on Jews even being able to visit the Western Wall. As the holiest site in the world to members of the Jewish Faith, it would be morally heartbreaking, and emotionally painstaking. However, Obama did mention that he would like to see land swaps, without going into detail on those plans.
As a Jewish person who recently visited Israel, I cannot imagine the country without them.
With this major shift in policy, Obama is putting an additional speed bump to a dialogue that is already in a stalemate. It is unthinkable to me that a sitting American President would call on our biggest ally in the Middle East to give up such strategically, and religiously important areas.
President Obama should be ashamed of himself. And the Jews, who voted for him, should seriously reconsider their views on this President when he comes up for reelection next year.
What you need to realize is that what the President did today was not just talk; he physically changed the U.S. approach to the entire situation. It will be interesting to see if there is a statement made tomorrow by either leader, after they meet at the White House.
The President today also called on Syria to cease all action being taken on demonstrators in their country. He also praised the additional uprisings around the region. He also questioned how the Iranian regime could congratulate the demonstrators of other countries while at the same time denouncing and firing on its own demonstrators.
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9 Comments
I think Helen Thomas remarked that the Jews in Israel should go back to Poland, Russia, and Germany from whence they came.
The 80 year old lady had a backbone to speakout about the Jewish thugs but lost her job because of the Jewish lobby in D.C. (AIPAC)
When will the Gentiles get a backbone and speak up?
Netyinyahu speaks before the Congress and all the congressmen kiss his rump.
Its about time we change the name of this paper to the UCF Jewish Voice
i think its funny that Knight news is at the AIPAC conference, as is our SGA president… mhmmm…
President Obama should go back to his room and study the word of God(bible) or call upon the true men of God in US to interprete the statement that ‘sword shall not seize in the david’s house’. Obama should remember that this statement of his shall bring destruction to US because no nation or tribe can fight with nation of GOD, Israel is the apple of God’s eye and God’s choosen nation. Peace can never be in the world and the Arab’s country should stop the thretening of destroying isral because they wanted to fight with God and they shall all be destroyed. Isreal move on and be bold, surely you shall overcome all your enemies including OBAMA.
Chelsea,
You are a selfish manipulator and it is disgusting how you try to label people who point out the obvious. Clearly it is you who are ignorant and trashy, not myself or Ryan. Your logic that we do not care about people is childish and stupid. You only care about jewish people. I care about all people, jewish, arab, and everyone else. Israel has killed and displace countless palestinians and you are too selfish and greedy to care. Your lack of compassion is a disgrace and is probably fueled by racism towards arabs. I am white and have not prejudices against jews or arabs. They both need to stop killing eachother and israel needs to make a deal. As an american I see how stupid it is for us to give money and aid to israel when they have plenty of there own money and do nothing for us. The money would be better spent creating jobs and taking care of the poor at home. You are a selfish, greedy, manipulating, racist, and cruel person who does not care about the plight of suffering palestinian refugees. You are low class scum and you need to look in the mirror.
Jeremy and Ryan,
You need to do some research before you go make accusations about 911 and jewish americans and israel. you are a bunch of ignorant ass holes who clearly do not care about any other human being but yourselves. israel, the tiny country it is, deserves to be left alone. Not only do jews view jerusalem as the holiest city in the world, but so do Christians and Muslims. This border change would effect the entire world, and not because of jewish americans. the innocent people and families who live their should not need to move from their homes because Obama wants to make peace. I agree peace needs to be made, but not like this. people like YOU, arrogant and stubborn, are the reason war and hate exists in this world. so open your eyes, shut your mouth, and leave the innocent Jewish Americans and Israelis ALONE!
Ryan–
Yes you are correct, this has always been a policy of the United States, however, Obama is the first President to make it a starting point in the peace negotiations.
As someone who has been to Israel, I can assure you there are no restrictions on Muslims visiting the old city. Of course I would say security is definitely tighter when it comes to Muslims being there, but could blame Israel for that?
Also, I would definitely not call Israel occupiers. They constantly live in fear of their neighbors. The lands have been won fairly in war.
Calling Israel an ally is misleading. They are a parasite. They do nothing for us. We do much for them. They lobby for massive amounts of aid every year and the aid is spent on weapons that they use to piss off other countries which in turn hate us and turn a blind eye when terrorists plot against us. The same terrorists who are mad at our aid to Israel. Jews vote for a politician who is pro-israel and that is why politicians are scared to offend Israel or cut off the free money we give them, they do not want american jews to vote against them. Had Israel given back the land it occupied years ago 911 wouldnt have happened. They are so caught up in being religious fanatics that they do not care how many people die for their “holy land”. They are greedy leeches who spend all of their time asking us for money when they have plenty of their own and we have tons of homeless people in our own country.
lol this author has got to be kidding.
There is NO policy shift on Obama’s part. In fact, this is the same old policy that even President Bush had.
If Israel would stop occupying territories from its neighboring countries, you wouldn’t HAVE to cry over losing what’s been stolen in the first place.
Restrictions on the Western Wall? Try restrictions on the Palestinians who are trying to visit THEIR holy places in Jerusalem. Besides, at this point you’re just making stuff up because the President did not say ANYTHING about transferring power of Jerusalem to Palestinian hands. It is in the Democratic Party Platform that Jerusalem will remain in Israel.