June 15th, 2009 | 
Author: With rare exceptions, the speech that Natanyahu gave last night won widespread approval.
The White House issued the following statement from Press Secretary Robert Gibbs in response to Sunday’s speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
"The President welcomes the important step forward in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech. The President is committed to two states, a Jewish state of Israel and an independent Palestine, in the historic homeland of both peoples. He believes this solution can and must ensure both Israel’s security and the fulfillment of the Palestinians’ legitimate aspirations for a viable state, and he welcomes Prime Minister Netanyahu’s endorsement of that goal. The President will continue working with all parties – Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Arab states, and our Quartet partners – to see that they fulfill their obligations and responsibilities necessary to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a comprehensive regional peace".
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country holds the EU presidency, said Monday that while Netanyahu’s comments on Sunday needed more analysis "the acceptance of a Palestinian state is there".
Even the Huffington Post which is not known for pro-Israeli sentiment, had good things to say, and I did have a link to their article, but had to remove it because they don’t keep their links up to date.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed a Palestinian state beside Israel for the first time on Sunday, reversing himself under US pressure but attaching conditions such as having no army that the Palestinians …”
The Palestinians however condemned the speech almost before Natanyahu had finished it.
Palestinian Reactions;
PA: Speech dealt deadly blow to peace process / Ali Waked
Palestinian officials say "Netanyahu’s speech backs settlers while Hamas says it is racist and extremist".
Abbas aide urges world to shun Netanyahu over speech;
‘International community should confront this policy, through which Netanyahu wants to kill off any chance for peace,’ Yasser Abed Rabbo
World powers should isolate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he unveiled tough terms for a Middle East peace accord, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday.
So what did most of the world like that the Paliestinians found so "racist and extremist", and "killing off any chance for peace"?
Natanyahu stressed sevral conditions that would have to be accepted before Israel would agree to a Palistinian state in its backyard and the major five were;
1) Palestinians must accept Israel as a Jewish state.
2) Any Palestinian state must be demilitarized, without an air force, full-fledged army or heavy weapons.
3) Arabs that were displaced in 1948 will not be allowed to return to Israel proper.
3) Palestinians may not sign treaties with powers hostile to Israel.
4) Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel with continued religious freedom for all faiths.
So what exactly are the problems that the Palestinians have with the above?
1) Do they have a problem accepting a Jewish state?
Abbas showed schoolkids just three weeks ago a map of a future Palestine and it covered all of Israel. He told the kids that he would NEVER accept a Jewish state.
2) Why would a future Palestinian state need a fully fleged army, an air force or heavy weapons? Who would attack it?
3) This has been known and accepted by everyone involved in negotiatons from the outset, and the PA has never expected more than a token number of low thousands to be allowed into Israel and to be given Israeli citizenship.
4) Every country in the world would endorse that.
5) Might been seen as a possible sticking point, but Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran, and Israel is offering "continued religious freedom for all faiths".
Netanyahu basically said what the whole would knew, but hesitated to say.
Perhaps this blog, "It didn’t take long for the hounds of hate to sound ..
Explains the near panic, and disarray that the Palestinians are exhibiting today.
The Palestinians refuse a Palestinian state every time they’re offered one, suggesting that they really want something else instead.
Bibi’s speech was brave and honest in the extreme, and it leaves the PA and Hamas, unmasked, exposed and naked.
They have no answer to his speech, and now the US, the EU and the rest of the world will watch them flounder and wonder why no one spoke the truth before.
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