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Israel turns an old argument on its head (finally)

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  • Israel turns an old argument on its head (finally)

    I look forward to all future talks about conflict in the Middle East referring to ownership of Mecca and Medina as "final status issues".

    From Haaretz:

    Israel has launched a new and controversial diplomatic initiative aimed at placing the plight of Jews in Arab countries on an equal footing with that of Palestinian refugees, insisting that the resolution of both problems is a prerequisite to Middle East peace.

    Speaking at special conference convened on Friday at UN headquarters in New York, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said “We will not arrive at peace without solving the refugee problem – but that includes the Jewish refugees. Justice does not lie on just one side and equal measures must be applied to both.”

    The first-of-its-kind conference, which was convened over the objections of Arab representatives to the UN, attracted several hundred participants, including Israeli diplomats, senior Jewish organizational leaders, New York State and city politicians and a modest number of other countries’ ambassadors to the UN (8) as well as lower ranking representatives (17). The conference heard Israeli and Jewish officials – as well as eyewitness accounts by Jews whose families had been persecuted and expelled from Arab countries.

    Delivering an impassioned speech, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor lambasted Arab leaders who “launched a war of terror, incitement, and expulsion to decimate and destroy their Jewish communities. Their effort was systematic. It was deliberate. It was planned.”

    Prosor cited Arab statements inciting to violence as well as official decrees depriving them of their rights. He said that “billions of dollars of their property and assets were seized” and that “the total area of land confiscated from Jews in Arab countries amounts to nearly 40,000 square miles. That is five times the size of Israel.”
    And from the comments, one particular winner:

    No reply from State? Probably because Hilary and Obama knew nothing about it beforehand. If only Obama had had a chance to meet with Netanyahu when he was in New York a week and a half ago Netenyahu could have briefed him on it.

    Oh, wait.
    "Nature abhors a moron." - H.L. Mencken

  • #2
    From wiki:

    In the three years following the 1948 Palestine war, about 700,000 Jews immigrated to Israel, residing mainly along the borders and in former Arab lands. Jews from Arab and Muslim countries amounted for 56% of the total immigration to the newly founded State of Israel.... From the 1948 Arab–Israeli War until the early 1970s, 800,000–1,000,000 Jews left, fled, or were expelled from their homes in Arab countries; 260,000 of them reached Israel between 1948 and 1951; and 600,000 by 1972.
    Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

    Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

    Comment


    • #3
      This coming week, Obama will meet with both Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi and Libya’s new Prime Minister Mustafa Abushugar in New York. On Tuesday (perhaps to celebrate Yom Kipper?) Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will address the UN General Assembly. The White House however, has denied an Israeli request for Mr. Obama to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu who will also be in New York to address the UN General Assembly. A similar request by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak was also turned down. The White House cited "scheduling conflicts". Despite the crushing time crunch however, the White House did somehow manage to find the time for Obama to appear on the New York set of the David Letterman Show.

      From the Sarcasm Department: I can sorta understand. Yuks are definitely not Bibi's strong suit
      sigpic

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      • #4
        that's what happens when Bibi tries to interfere with our political system. he wants to play politics? then let him suffer the consequences.
        There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "My ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."- Isaac Asimov

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Genosaurer View Post
          I look forward to all future talks about conflict in the Middle East referring to ownership of Mecca and Medina as "final status issues".
          :
          Having heard some of the stories of the Iraqi Jews I've been wondering for years why Israel didn't make this claim.
          In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

          Leibniz

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by astralis View Post
            that's what happens when Bibi tries to interfere with our political system. he wants to play politics? then let him suffer the consequences.
            I said the other day that I don't think Netanyahu understands the US electorate Asty, but I also don't think the 'snub' matters to him.
            In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

            Leibniz

            Comment


            • #7
              pari,

              I said the other day that I don't think Netanyahu understands the US electorate Asty, but I also don't think the 'snub' matters to him.
              i'm sure getting snubbed by a man Bibi doesn't much like personally is no biggie. however, to the extent that it weakens him politically-- and the other israeli parties are screeching at him for this-- it does.

              frankly the political blowback that Bibi is eating now is worse than what Obama got.
              There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "My ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."- Isaac Asimov

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Minskaya View Post
                From the Sarcasm Department: I can sorta understand. Yuks are definitely not Bibi's strong suit
                Captain, I do believe it is time you join the illustrious ranks of WAB military professionals. The entrance requirements is that you are required to post in this thread.

                http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/fie...4-stories.html

                Read it through, you get the idea.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Good idea, Colonel!
                  Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

                  Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by bigross86 View Post
                    From wiki:
                    2 wrongs do not make a right.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I never said that. I only provided numbers to put it into context. Bit of a guilty conscience there?
                      Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

                      Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by bigross86 View Post
                        I never said that. I only provided numbers to put it into context. Bit of a guilty conscience there?
                        Not at all, but i've heard the argument before. Because other Arab states expelled Jews becuase Israel expelled Palestinians, Israel gets to expel more Palestinians. You also know its a non-issue. Every Arab state could announce they accepted the right of Jewish return to both those expelled and their decedents and would return all the missing property or pay for it with Interest if Israel would do the same and Israel would refuse.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by zraver View Post
                          You also know its a non-issue. Every Arab state could announce they accepted the right of Jewish return to both those expelled and their decedents and would return all the missing property or pay for it with Interest if Israel would do the same and Israel would refuse.
                          And understandably so. If the land-mass/population statistics were inverted, then the Arabs would also understandably refuse such a quid-pro-quo.
                          sigpic

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by zraver View Post
                            2 wrongs do not make a right.
                            But three rights make a left.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Minskaya View Post
                              And understandably so. If the land-mass/population statistics were inverted, then the Arabs would also understandably refuse such a quid-pro-quo.
                              Not exactly, the Arabs lead by Suadi Arabia have offered a qui pro quo along the 67 borders and a Palestinian state in trade for the Arab world recognizing Israel's right to exist and live in peace and Israel refused it.

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