Israeli foreign minister: Peace with Palestinians is 'impossible'

The sovereign nations of the world should take a stand and unilaterally accept Palestinian statehood diplomatically, with or without Israeli concurrence. That would effectively end this ridiculous farce once and for all.

Wolfpack, like other posters on this forum, you seem to be blaming Arafat for the failure of negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. I strongly recommend you watch (on YouTube) a discussion between Finkelstein and Schlomo Ben Ami, the latter was very much involved in these peace deals on the Israeli side. You will learn something, and change your views.

Excellent post Wolfpack.

All you need to know about the troubles between Arabs and Israel in the Middle East is perfectly illustrated by the failure of the Oslo Accords. Yaser Arafat - the longtime leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) - was offered a Palestinian state in exchange for ending the never ending terror campaign against Israel. Arafat played the game up to the very end and when it came time to make a decision, he refused the deal. Palestinians could be living in their own country right now but they said "NO!". More than any other event this is the most self-evident proof anyone needs for determining who the real aggressors are in this long running dispute. As Arafat and all of us know, if Arafat would have accepted the creation of the state of Palestine, he would have been killed by his own side.

The Arab states and numerous pan-Arab organizations are holding the Palestinian people hostage and using them as pawns and canon fodder. They keep the Palestinian people in slums when they could accept them into their own countries and help them economically. Instead, they use religious hatred, intimidation, and terrorism as a means to achieve their political goal of eliminating Israel. This is the primary goal - not the establishment of a Palestinian state. We all know this is what is really going on. It's just stupid to pretend otherwise.

How many decades do we need to watch the same negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians before people realize that this is just a never ending charade? The Israeli Foreign Minister is only stating what is obvious to anyone who has been paying attention over the 50 plus years since the United Nations established the state of Israel. The settlements issue is just one of a million excuses for the Palestinian side to be uncooperative. If the Palestinians really wanted peace they would take yes for an answer and accept the Oslo Accords and have their own state. They could then continue to negotiate over the remaining issues with the Israelis in peace.

the settlements are NOT illegal.

According to international law, they are illegal. It seems only Israel and a few misinformed forum posters say otherwise.

Why do you condone Palestinian terror?

If a woman simply goes up to a man and scratches his face, that is obviously wrong. But if while a man is violently raping a woman, the woman scratches the rapist's face, why would people like you complain about the scratching and ignore or even condone the raping? In such a situation, I would find the scratching a perfectly normal response and would try to put an end to the raping, not holding her hands down to prevent her from scratching.

sabiwabi/fruits - the settlements are NOT illegal. However, terrorism IS. Why do you condone Palestinian terror?

Avigdor Lieberman, told a conference of Israeli diplomats that, “It’s not only that it is impossible” to reach an overall agreement, he said. “It is simply forbidden.”

Palestinian Authority spokesman Ghassan Khatib said, "It’s too late now for anything except ending the occupation and allowing for two states on the ‘67 borders,” he said, referring to 1949 truce lines that marked the West Bank until the 1967 Mideast war, when Israel captured the territory.

The Hamas charter demands a return to the borders when the British still controlled the Palestine area. Palestinian governments demand that Israelis leave the area. All of it. Neither of these two items are negotiable.

Reaching a compormise with Israel, on these two issues, has always been FORBIDDEN.

"Hey, who is the one with your boy sabi calling for the Jews to be expelled from the area?"

You want to address Sabi, address Sabi. I disagree with the radical views he has on the issue as well. Now, do you have something you want to say to ME?

Hey what is radical about demanding that the Israelis respect international law and get out of the Occupied Palestinian Territories?

Furthermore, they are not just my views. Practically the entire world population, the International Court of Justice, the UN, the EU foreign affairs council and other qualified groups all say that the land beyond the 1967 borders belongs to the Palestinians and that all "settlements", including in East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said: "The whole world is demanding that Israel withdraw [from occupied Palestinian territories]. I don't think the whole world ... can be wrong."

Peace with the Palestinians is indeed impossible, but if its anyone's fault, its clearly the Israelis' because not only do they refuse to hold on to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, they continue to take more, while demolishing Palestinian homes and uprooting trees from their orchards.

skipthesong: "Oh, and hey man, if you want to accuse me of being racist, bear in mind you support a ma"

Huh? What's a 'ma'? A mother? Yes, I support my mother in all she does? Don't you support yours? Now you know at least ONE person I support. Beyond that, you can do naught but guess whom I support. I support the Jews as well -- so there's another. I just don't support the idea of giving Israel carte blanche to do whatever it wants, including committing atrocities and then saying you're an anti-Semite if you point out that they did it. In other words, I don't support the radical militarism. I don't support the actions of those few Palestinians who lob rockets into Israel, either. Please skip, don't tell me whom I do and don't support!

"Hey, who is the one with your boy sabi calling for the Jews to be expelled from the area?"

You want to address Sabi, address Sabi. I disagree with the radical views he has on the issue as well. Now, do you have something you want to say to ME?

"Smith, you guys on the "new" left do just the same...."

Where have I done that, skip?

"Well, there is one for me on my point about no other choice in response smith and I think religion is like an organism, its gonna go to the extreme to stay alive."

So you're admitting Judaism and Christianity, to name a couple, are equally as extreme or capable of becoming so? Well, at least you're objective in THAT regard... or maybe just equally subjective.

skip: And anyway you missed my original point completely and as usual brought in some weird tangent. My comment to LFRAgain was making fun of the point that whenever a nation accuses the Israeli government/army of using excessive force or saying they shouldn't be expanding settlements, or that they are reviewing funding, the government screams that it's anti-Semitism because that's all they can do -- it's playing the victim card because they cannot justify their actions and want to silence criticism knowing full well suckers will just let the atrocities Israel commits go at that." Smith, you guys on the "new" left do just the same.... I told you you guys are more of a circle than you think. Oh, and hey man, if you want to accuse me of being racist, bear in mind you support a ma""If you really that way, why don't you and your kind leave the Western Hemisphere?" Look up a word that starts with 'r' and ends in 'ism' skip." Hey, who is the one with your boy sabi calling for the Jews to be expelled from the area?

limbo: I think you need to take a step back and really loom at the history of the past 65 years and especially the past few years." right, an award winning presidential journalist clearly states where the jews should go and is defending by everyone on this board.

It has been OK to slam just about everyone except Jews in the last 65 years doing so will automatically get you labeled Anti Semitic and will bring up the Holocaust." I haven't been around for 65 years.. but gee, wasn't there just recently global denial of the Holocaust held in Iran a year or so ago? Have you been to NYC or SF in recent months?

More so in recent years for every Israel slam (not necessarily Jews) their have been at least 10 Muslim slams and probably even more Catholic slams." If it were Jews or Catholic doing whats happening, I'd be saying the same thing.

Also equating Israel with Jews is not correct, seeing that most Jews I know would not live there for the same reasons most Muslims I know would not live in Iran, though Israel started off with the idea of being a Jewish state based on secular law" They were thrown together, and created by the same organization that is down with those that want to destroy them. I've been to the ME and of all the places I think I could live is Israel and I think that holds true for you too... (at least they got some good clubs)

it is now turning into a state where the religious right has more and more power" Well, there is one for me on my point about no other choice in response smith and I think religion is like an organism, its gonna go to the extreme to stay alive.

skip: And anyway you missed my original point completely and as usual brought in some weird tangent. My comment to LFRAgain was making fun of the point that whenever a nation accuses the Israeli government/army of using excessive force or saying they shouldn't be expanding settlements, or that they are reviewing funding, the government screams that it's anti-Semitism because that's all they can do -- it's playing the victim card because they cannot justify their actions and want to silence criticism knowing full well suckers will just let the atrocities Israel commits go at that.

skipthesong: "yeah. Its ok to slam jews in national news outlets, but no one else for that matter. Its ok to chase jewish students at Berkly and Sanford, and not one Hamas supporter (yup, take a look at those Youtubes, they are clearly showing support for Hamas) gets suspended."

It's okay according to whom?

"If you are referring to me, hey, I said I'm down for the fight, not for the laying back and trying to shake hands and had a different group I'd say the same."

And posting on a board where you and others say peace is impossible because of 'the Palestinians', as though Israel were free of all blame for the process failing. For shame! You can't even see the utter hypocrisy, can you?

"If you really that way, why don't you and your kind leave the Western Hemisphere?"

Look up a word that starts with 'r' and ends in 'ism' skip.

"I'd like to believe you, but its not. Peace is impossible. Only way is to fight it out. I'll support the winner after the fact."

Only a sad human being believes war is the only option. And if it happens, and let's say Hamas or the Palestinians destroyed Israel, you're saying you'd support them. Quite the morals, skip.

"What else can you do?"

You can work for peace, and not at the barrel of a gun, as Israel is doing.

I find it amusing that you admit you know nothing about what happened before you were born, but make all these judgements about who's right and wrong on the issue. I really can't believe you say Palestinians and/or Muslims are 'the problem' in this world but you would see all of them dead. Wow.

skipthesong:"yeah. Its ok to slam jews in national news outlets, but no one else for that matter."

I think you need to take a step back and really loom at the history of the past 65 years and especially the past few years.

It has been OK to slam just about everyone except Jews in the last 65 years doing so will automatically get you labeled Anti Semitic and will bring up the Holocaust.

More so in recent years for every Israel slam (not necessarily Jews) their have been at least 10 Muslim slams and probably even more Catholic slams.

Also equating Israel with Jews is not correct, seeing that most Jews I know would not live there for the same reasons most Muslims I know would not live in Iran, though Israel started off with the idea of being a Jewish state based on secular law it is now turning into a state where the religious right has more and more power leading to more laws that have been taking rights away form the secular society, it has not reach anywhere near the point of Iran but as the hard line religious population (orthodox) grows and the secular growth remains stagnant it is looking more and more like a religious controlled state, but I figure any time now I will be called anti Semitic for pointing these facts out.

As opposed to a recent anti-Muslim slant?" yeah. Its ok to slam jews in national news outlets, but no one else for that matter. Its ok to chase jewish students at Berkly and Sanford, and not one Hamas supporter (yup, take a look at those Youtubes, they are clearly showing support for Hamas) gets suspended.

when for quite some time posters on this board have literally said they want all Muslims dead is rather defeating, is it not? " If you are referring to me, hey, I said I'm down for the fight, not for the laying back and trying to shake hands and had a different group I'd say the same.

No peace deal will ever be made as long as BOTH sides are unwilling -- it's not a one way street; especially when that street is being paved and inhabited one way by Israelis." Well, I wasn't born when this 67' (and neither were most of the other posters) thing went down so I can only go by what I read and if the borders are the only issue, the Palestinians need to make that clear. They haven't and besides, if that area was paramount to the issue, why launch a war from it or better yet, why lose it?

If you really that way, why don't you and your kind leave the Western Hemisphere? Ah, thought so. Guess what the Jews got one little tiny tiny bit of land. They are not invading any other countries in any way what so ever.

it's not a one way street" I'd like to believe you, but its not. Peace is impossible. Only way is to fight it out. I'll support the winner after the fact. What else can you do?

manfromamerica: "As long as Palestinians actively support terrorism, they have no standing."

Same can be said of Israel; just because you're on the 'winning side' doesn't make it any less terrorism; it's just 100% US funded is all.

skipthesong: "Either way you look at it, you can't tell me there is not a recent anti-Semite slant happening.. its there."

As opposed to a recent anti-Muslim slant?

"...can't believe you support that."

Talk about posts making you sad! skip, write this down if you need to: I do not support violence of ANY kind, against ANYONE. You know full well that I don't support the death penalty or 'an eye-for-an-eye' mentality, as one single example. I don't support Palestinian terrorism, nor do I support Christian terrorism. To say there's a 'recent slant against Jews' when for quite some time posters on this board have literally said they want all Muslims dead is rather defeating, is it not? What you're saying is tantamount to an extremist saying extremism is extreme and extremists should be shot.

No peace deal will ever be made as long as BOTH sides are unwilling -- it's not a one way street; especially when that street is being paved and inhabited one way by Israelis.

Most, if not all, of the world already does. A number of countries have already officially recognized a Palestinian State within the 1967 borders" You mean the same world and the then league of nations that let millions of Jews die or in many cases were a part of it? Just asking... because its seems from your posts over the years, the only solution is the one the Nazis (and Muslims) tried.

smith: Hahaha... you beat me to it. Of course, you know that arguing against him makes you an anti-Semite, right? That's usually the last resort when Israel supporters can't refute arguments." Man, you so let me down with such a post... where's that quarter million dollar education? Either way you look at it, you can't tell me there is not a recent anti-Semite slant happening.. its there. all you have to do is go to a left leaning school and watch how Jewish kids have to run and duck from mobs.. can't believe you support that.

Where did I say it was okay for what Hamas does (in fact, I hate him).

Israel also does bad things (building illegal settlements in Palestine)....and people wonder why Palestinians hate Israel?

That is one of those things.

I do not agree with the actions that terrorists are doing....but I can understand the anger of another country continuing to build ILLEGAL settlements in a area that is suppose to be OFF LIMITS!

manfromamerica: And as long as Israel continues to defy international law by building ILLEGAL settlements on Palestine....then there will never be peace.

sabiwabi- nice to bring up Anna, perhaps the most corrupt UN Sec Gen in history. :-)

As long as Palestinians actively support terrorism, they have no standing.

the entire world is demanding the Israelis move back to the 1967 borders.

The entire world??? hardly...

Practically the entire world population, the International Court of Justice, the UN, the EU foreign affairs council and other qualified groups all say that the land beyond the 1967 borders belongs to the Palestinians and that all "settlements", including in East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace. The Israelis' actions are THE obstacle to peace, they do not want peace, they never have, and likely never will want peace.

A few years ago, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said: "The whole world is demanding that Israel withdraw [from occupied Palestinian territories]. I don't think the whole world ... can be wrong."

Maybe if Israel stops making illegal settlements in Palestine, then both Israel and Palestine can acquire one step closer to peace.

Of course, that also depends whether Hamas gets out of power or not (which I hope that in the near future, he will be gone).

Bebert, they dont want Israeli citizenship they want their land back and then they want all the Israeli land as well. Not as easy as giving someone a passport. Why is it only "white" nations that need to treat their minorities better shouldnt all nations??

All of the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank deserve Israeli citizenship if they are not going to be given a state of their own. No other supposedly "white" nation would be allowed to treat a minority colony this way.

Peace with Christian, Druze and other non-muslim Palestinians is of course possible. But there is no indication that the muslim majority will ever accept Israels right to exist, so he is just stating the obvious.

Sabiwabi, maybe if the Palestinians stopped the terrorist attacks (Rockets, suicide bombings etc) then they would have more legitimacy. As the article says "The Islamic militant Hamas, which rules Gaza, is at odds with the West Bank Palestinian Authority and rejects negotiations with Israel". If you look up Hamas you will see that their stated goal "calls for the replacement of Israel and the Palestinian Territories with an Islamic Palestinian state". Now why would Israel give the territory back to a people whos sole purpose is to destry Israel.

the entire world is demanding the Israelis move back to the 1967 borders.

The entire world??? hardly...

That Israel does not welcome recognition of a Palestinian state

Israel offered one 10 years ago. the PALESTINIANS did not welcome it, because it would remove the phony justification for Palestinian terrorism.

“It’s too late now for anything except ending the occupation and allowing for two states on the ‘67 borders,”

Indeed, anything short of this is unacceptable; the entire world is demanding the Israelis move back to the 1967 borders.

Israeli Cabinet Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer warned Sunday that if peace talks fail, “the whole world” is likely to recognize a sovereign Palestinian state—a development Israel would not welcome.

“Within a year, we will find ourselves in a situation where the whole world—and I wouldn’t be surprised if even the United States _ would support a Palestinian state,” he said.

Most, if not all, of the world already does. A number of countries have already officially recognized a Palestinian State within the 1967 borders.

That Israel does not welcome recognition of a Palestinian state further confirms that they are intent on completely wiping Palestine off the map.

a peace deal with the Palestinians is impossible

Correct. Palestinians don't want peace, they are the tools of the Arab agenda for the destruction of Israel.

Maybe if Palestinians give up terrorism they can be taken seriously.

LFRAgain: "Does Mr. Lieberman mean the current and continuing condition of Israel stealing and building "settlments" on Palestinian land? Yes, under such circumstances, I could certainly see a peace deal being impossible to broker. Asshat."

Hahaha... you beat me to it. Of course, you know that arguing against him makes you an anti-Semite, right? That's usually the last resort when Israel supporters can't refute arguments.

He's merely speaking from experience. After giving Gaza back they still faced rockets so I guess from that experience they know that it's not going to happen.

"Israel’s foreign minister said Sunday a peace deal with the Palestinians is impossible under current conditions"

Does Mr. Lieberman mean the current and continuing condition of Israel stealing and building "settlments" on Palestinian land? Yes, under such circumstances, I could certainly see a peace deal being impossible to broker. Asshat.