Trump's U.S. loses role as Mideast peace mediator

Trump says lots of stuff like that.

Exactly, which we call him out on, then you guys complain that we are calling him out for too many of the things he says, like we shouldn't call him out.

Who cares?

We do.

Actions not words.

Actions AND words. Trump is only the latter half of that.

The idea that peace between Israel and the Palestinians is central to 'Mideast Peace' is stupid.

theFuToday  08:38 pm JST

"But the Israeli position has never wavered - Never negotiate from a position of weakness, and never negotiate in good faith from a position of strength."

Perhaps if 6-12M of your people were killed over 7 yrs, you'd behave the same...

Not negotiating in good faith rarely ends well and isn't really something that should be condoned, is it?

...and ensure it never happened again?

Israel hardly needs to act the way it does to ensure that. It's not as if there will ever be another powerful, institutionally racist state that can inflict the same kind of suffering that the Nazis did.

WolfpackToday 10:47 pm JST

"SimondB: You might do well to read your history books. If Israel were trying to claim their own state today in the same way they originally did, they would be declared a terrorist organisation."

Well I know from “the history books” that the U.N. created the state of Israel...

No comment or query about the way Israel originally tried to claim its own state? What would you call the 1946 bombing of the King David Hotel if not a terrorist act?

Within hours Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen attacked to evict all Jews from their new State and to claim the territory for the Palestinians. Rabid anti-Semitism has been clearly evident from the start. Jews have lived in the Middle East for thousands of years. The Jew hating Arabs want them eliminated. That goal have never changed.

This is a distorstion of the facts.

Read Tanya Reinhart or Adam Le Bor on the history of Israel post 1896 and Theodor Herzl's call for zionism.

Arab Christians, Arab Jews and Arab Muslims lived together in relative harmony before the ideolgy of Herzl became mainstream.

If you've ever actually met a Palestinian Arab, you might have a better understanding of the tragedy that unfolds even unto today.

Arafat knew that if he accepted the existence of Israel that he was a dead man.

No, Arafat knew that his people had been hoodwinked again and again by successive Israeli govts and the so-called Palestinian State on offer was an insult to the people.

No, it is obviously a lost cause.

Clearly.

Obama failed to enforce his so-called red line on Syria dropping chemical weapons. 

Obama went to the republican controlled congress with a plan to retaliate to enforce his red line. The republicans said no. You guys screech st the top of your lungs that Obama constantly sidestepped congress, then crucify him when Cogress denied him.

Instead of killing more terrorist than other presidents as some claim, Obama drove waves of terrorists north into Europe. 

Obama did kill more terrorists than any modern president. You don't think it was ISIS driving refugees to Europe? Not all refugees are terrorists, by the way.

One can only marvel baffledly at Obama's anti-American and anti-Western civilization policies.

This is pure inanity.

It's only right that Trump shore up support for Isreal. Since obongo, just like he gave illeagal immigrants, i.e., criminals, a path to citizenship,

The undocumented immigrants you incorrectly claim Obama tried to give a path to citizenship to were taken to the US as children. Should we also issue traffic citations to children in the car when their parents are speeding?

he's give Iran a path to a nuclear bomb with his sunset provisions.

Iran already had a path to a nuclear bomb. Obama put in place a deal that frozd Iran's progress.

Nice working getting your facts straight. You really do need to reconsider your screen name.

President Trump has the huevos to cut funding to terrorists.

I believe that’s “cojones” (balls), not “huevos” (eggs). A victim of Spanish auto-spell?

Anyway, ... ME problem(s) fixed by the posters yet?

Chip StarToday  08:25 pm JST

However, as you will know, most good history books are loaded with pictures and illustrations and, as they say "A picture is worth a thousand words".

So, one could expect that even illiterate numbskulls should be able to underst..... oh, never mind.

Maybe there is hope for them yet in the form of audio books!

Highly unlikely, given that many of them have already confessed to having an extremely short attention span, and a tendency to doze off as soon as they hear anyone speaking intelligently.

Not to mention the difficulty they would have staying awake while listening to verbal descriptions of photos and illustrations.

No, it is obviously a lost cause.

Of course, peace could easily be achieved if we ever wanted such a thing.

”We”? What happened to “they”?

So, the US is actually the arbiter of war and peace?

It is actually part of Israeli soldier training at checkpoints and borders to behave erratically. If you don't know whether passing takes 2 minutes or 3 hrs, hard to make plans.

And also very hard to have any quality of life. Also, very hard to get to school. Also, very hard to get food.

But the Israeli position has never wavered - Never negotiate from a position of weakness, and never negotiate in good faith from a position of strength.

I think the 2nd idea is wrong. s/never/always/

Perhaps if 6-12M of your people were killed over 7 yrs, you'd behave the same and ensure it never happened again?

Israel's actions are logical and reasonable when you look at it from that perspective.

They only act crazy towards Palestinians to keep them off guard and make attacks harder to plan. This keeps those who would use terrorism internal to Israel with many unknowns, which makes it very hard to have timed bombs. You know, the bombs they place on buses with kids.

It is actually part of Israeli soldier training at checkpoints and borders to behave erratically. If you don't know whether passing takes 2 minutes or 3 hrs, hard to make plans.

However, as you will know, most good history books are loaded with pictures and illustrations and, as they say "A picture is worth a thousand words".

So, one could expect that even illiterate numbskulls should be able to underst..... oh, never mind.

Maybe there is hope for them yet in the form of audio books!

Chip StarToday  03:54 pm JST

You might do well to read your history books. 

That's sound advice. However, to read history books, one has to be literate

Good point Chip.

However, as you will know, most good history books are loaded with pictures and illustrations and, as they say "A picture is worth a thousand words".

So, one could expect that even illiterate numbskulls should be able to underst..... oh, never mind.

What do you mean? it gained a lot... they are more focused on the economy now unlike in the past.

Aly RustomToday  09:48 am JST

Trump's U.S. loses role as Mideast peace mediator

Trump really doesn't care with ME heavyweight sellouts like Egypt and Saudi Arabia on his side.

The Israelis have been stalling and obstructing the peace process successfully for 70 years now, all the while building settlements year after year, squeezing the Palestinians into a smaller and smaller pocket.

At least US complicity in this crime is out in the open now and the US isn't pretending to be a "mediator".

First time EVER for me to agree with Burning Bush.

Me Too.

I never thought this day would come.

Never say Never, they say...

WolfpackToday 08:58 am JST There can be no peace dictated on the terms of terrorist organizations

You might do well to read your history books.  If Israel were trying to claim their own state today in the same way they originally did, they would be declared a terrorist organisation.  And given the way they slaughter Palestinians on a regular basis they still are.  I mean, a 16 year old waving his arms in the air is a threat that needs to be killed?

Those who 'have no sympathy for the Palestinians' and are 'totally with Israel 100%' are the soulmates of those who had no sympathy for the Bantus, and were totally with the White State in South Africa.

Now, I don't think anyone these days would argue with labeling the supporters of the second last surviving Apartheid regime and opponents of the ANC as racist.

Can't the Middle East negotiate peace amongst themselves? I don't they don't have a good track record on this, but...

You answered the question yourself.

"Trump's U.S. loses role as Mideast peace mediator"

Can't the Middle East negotiate peace amongst themselves? I don't they don't have a good track record on this, but...

The fact there has been no two state solution lies squarely on Israels shoulders. The bloodshed and terror is also the fault of Israel. Until Israel is held to account there will never be peace in the middle east.

Trump's U.S. loses role as Mideast peace mediator

Not sure how this is going to play out but I think it’s better than doing the same thing over and over with no results. What Einstein said.

As long as Israel is NOT treated as a hostile player nothing will change.

I have no love for the Palestinians or any of the middle eastern countries who support terrorism, 100% support to Israel. President Trump has the huevos to cut funding to terrorists.

President Obama had the intelligence to fund the moderates who oppose terrorism and the huevos, as you so crassly put it, to kill more terrorists than any other president.

The Israelis continue to perpetrate human rights abuses in the Palestinians. Israel commits terrorism every time it allows settlements on Palestinian lands and engages in collective punishment.

Conservatives would understand that the world isn't black and white if they were literate. Unfortunately, conservatives are only interested in universities that focus on agriculture to the exclusion of literacy and critical thinking.

100% support to Israel

Even when they steal land?

Looks like some people still think it’s as simple as the simpleton Trump thought it was.

Bass, Wolfpack, Texas Aggie, et al;

Your fellow Trump supporter Burning Bush said this about Israel;

The Israelis have been stalling and obstructing the peace process successfully for 70 years now, all the while building settlements year after year, squeezing the Palestinians into a smaller and smaller pocket.

At least US complicity in this crime is out in the open now and the US isn't pretending to be a "mediator".

What do you say about that? Is he a Lefty Liberal?

Trump's U.S. loses role as Mideast peace mediators.

Don't think the US ever were 'Mideast peace mediators' tbh. They're the west's PR guys I.e. they face the media, bring $ etc but they know F all about the middle east.

Euros (especially Mediterranean nations), North Africans, Turks, other ME nations and Russians are running the show. The yanks are essentially Israeli's buddies/voice.

Perhaps Russia, China, the EU or even Canada can take the lead and broker a peace deal. As this article points out, we've been trying to assure peace in that region of the world since the late 1970s but to no avail. Time for us to end funding the PLO with our tax $$$. Let someone else have the bragging rights of having their pockets picked.

No big loss.  It is a poison chalice.  Let Russia or whoever take on this burden.

Well could hand Jerusalem over to the Vatican? An impartial entity if ever there was one ;-). Who could begrudge those Swiss pike men in their stripped uniforms. Or USA could totally withdrawal all support cease propping up an Apartheid state that's been grafted into an area that was never even consulted on the issue to begin with. And let nature take its course. After all according to Evangelical thinking it's where Armageddon going to kick off. Give it a kick start. We will see the true face of those involved at least.

I have no love for the Palestinians or any of the middle eastern countries who support terrorism, 100% support to Israel. President Trump has the huevos to cut funding to terrorists.

Agreed!

I have no love for the Palestinians or any of the middle eastern countries who support terrorism, 100% support to Israel. President Trump has the huevos to cut funding to terrorists.

Trump's U.S. loses role as Mideast peace mediator

Trump really doesn't care with ME heavyweight sellouts like Egypt and Saudi Arabia on his side.

The Israelis have been stalling and obstructing the peace process successfully for 70 years now, all the while building settlements year after year, squeezing the Palestinians into a smaller and smaller pocket.

At least US complicity in this crime is out in the open now and the US isn't pretending to be a "mediator".

First time EVER for me to agree with Burning Bush.

Trump is not that kinda person who makes peace between countries. He really doesn't care about other countries peace but rather business to make billions of money for himself. He is still a business man regardless of being president.

The US has never wanted peace. Israel is for all intents and purposes an outpost in our empire, just like Japan or South Korea, not to mention the many sites hosting NATO facilities in Europe. The US doesn't give care any more about these people than they do about our enemies--they simply want strategic bases from which to project their immense power, to keep competitors in check and to access resources and keep markets open to US products. Period. Geopolitics 101. Any other nonsense you see written up in the media (i.e. all of it), any talk of humanitarian this or terrorism that, is 100% bs. Hillary Clinton bloviating about women's rights in Afghanistan is just as nauseating as GOP figures spouting off about the PLO as if Israel isn't running Apartheid 2.0.

Of course, peace could easily be achieved if we ever wanted such a thing. But would we really want a Middle East or NE Asia that isn't divided? Wouldn't that threaten the lingering American century and the venal companies that profit hugely from the status quo? Now, we could have an honest discussion and question whether a Chinese or Russian dominated world would be any better. Pick your hegemon.

Did other presidents claim Middle East peace is not as difficult as people have thought?

Trump says lots of stuff like that. Who cares? Actions not words.

There can be no peace dictated on the terms of terrorist organizations like the PLO, Hezbollah and Hamas. The US has been feckless in treating Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, on equal terms with terrorists for all these years. The Palestinians and most Muslims in the region don’t want to live in peace with Jews - they want them gone.

The Jewish people are incredibly intelligent and successful. As a group they have made incredible contributions to the world in the sciences, arts, and economics well beyond their modest numbers. They simply want to live in peace in their historic homeland. As this article demonstrates, the mask worn by the political Left in the West to conceal their anti-Semitism has been slipping off in recent years.

The idea that the US should be a neutral arbiter between the two sides is ludicrous. Israel is an ally and the PLO is a terrorist organization. The PLO has Europe and many other anti-Semitic countries and organizations on their side. Israel only has the US to balance the scales.

It isn't over until it's over. Obama had 8 years and failed!

And the previous presidents have done so much good...

Did other presidents claim Middle East peace is not as difficult as people have thought?

SuperLibToday  08:20 am JST

Trump has been ineffective on The Middle East.

So, you’re saying that Trump’s decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem, and Trump’s decision to cancel $25 million in aid to the Palestinians, has had no effect on the Middle East?

In the words of John McEnroe “You cannot be serious!!”.

Trump has been ineffective on The Middle East.

And the previous presidents have done so much good...

Trump has been ineffective on The Middle East.

Actually guys... On the Israel-Palestine argument Bush has always been of the anti Israel view. I agree here too

The Israelis have been stalling and obstructing the peace process successfully for 70 years now, all the while building settlements year after year, squeezing the Palestinians into a smaller and smaller pocket.

At least US complicity in this crime is out in the open now and the US isn't pretending to be a "mediator".

That's an interesting and refreshing view from you - and one that is exactly opposite of Trump and his administration which offers unconditional support for Israel.

This bears repeating as it is 100% correct:

The Israelis have been stalling and obstructing the peace process successfully for 70 years now, all the while building settlements year after year, squeezing the Palestinians into a smaller and smaller pocket.

At least US complicity in this crime is out in the open now and the US isn't pretending to be a "mediator".

Notice this factual comment is pointed at Israelis.