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Trump says he made Golan Heights decision after a quick history lesson

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By Roberta Rampton

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Well it’s not like a bad decision was thought about for a long time.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Why am I not surprised?

20 ( +20 / -0 )

Speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition gathering in Las Vegas, Trump said he made the snap decision during a discussion with his top Middle East peace advisers, including the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

A sitting president making snap decisions does not make me feel warm and fuzzy inside! Quite the opposite!

Oh and Trump advisers? The lot should be fired!

23 ( +23 / -0 )

He was probably thinking about the headlines with his name in them.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

People wanted him to get the peace prize?

17 ( +17 / -0 )

The real collusion.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move not recognized internationally.

Israel started the 67 War when it launched a Pearl Harbor-style attack on the Egyptian air force.

International law makes no distinction between wars of aggression and defensive wars. Occupying powers exercise no legal sovereignty over the territory they occupy, and annexing territory by force is illegal, no matter how the war started.

The idea that Israel needs the Golan Heights for security purposes is hokum. If that were true, how come Israel built a ski resort in the Golan and transferred 20,000 Israeli civilians to colonize the territory.

The real reason Israel wants to hang on to the Golan is for the water, the fertile farmland and the oil underneath.

16 ( +19 / -3 )

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he made the controversial decision to recognize Israel's 1981 annexation

after getting even more millions in 'contributions' from Sheldon Adelson and others?

Trump: for sale to the highest bidder. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/01/politics/sheldon-adelson-trump-donation-campaign-legal-fund/index.html

I thought GoTrumpers claimed Trump was too rich to be bought? But everyone else with even the slightest bit of reasoning power knew all along a predatory capitalist like Trump cared only for getting more money - and having his true-believers lavish praise on him.

17 ( +17 / -0 )

What's the quid pro quo? Another shining Trump Tower on a hill?

11 ( +11 / -0 )

History teacher must have been biased. That is stolen land and should be returned as part of a fair peace agreement acceptable to all parties.

17 ( +17 / -0 )

"Give me a quickie" ?

It sounds like something Trump would say to one of his prostitutes.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

Benyuatu in his upcoming election promises said not only will he annex the Golan Heights, but Jerusalem and half the West Bank.

trump will be the first country to recognize that too.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

"I said, 'Fellows, do me a favor. Give me a little history, quick. Want to go fast. I got a lot of things I'm working on: China, North Korea. Give me a quickie," Trump said to laughter from the Las Vegas crowd.

The words of the President of the United States...who holds the nuclear button...

An idiot, serial liar, and pervert...

What has become of our country...

18 ( +18 / -0 )

in the region and a flourishing democracy 

Unless you are Palestinian.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Benyuatu in his upcoming election promises said not only will he annex the Golan Heights, but Jerusalem and half the West Bank.

Nice anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.

trump will be the first country to recognize that too.

Trump's not a country.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

This is why every strongman in the world licks their lips when Trump is in the room. They know that he is so ignorant and malleable, with a few well-placed words and flattery they can get exactly what they want.

16 ( +16 / -0 )

Even the Reagan administration voted with every other member of the the UN Security Council to condemn Israel's illegal annexation of the Golan Heights, correctly recognizing that letting Israel get away with violating the most fundamental principle of international law -- the acquisition of territory by war is illegal -- would set a terrible precedent, signalling a return to the days of "might makes right" and potentially rendering any territory in the world subject to conquest and annexation by superior military forces.

Trump is a blithering idiot who isn't going to be happy until he starts WW3 with one of his moronic tweets.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

This is why every strongman in the world licks their lips when Trump is in the room. They know that he is so ignorant and malleable, with a few well-placed words and flattery they can get exactly what they want.

BINGO!

10 ( +10 / -0 )

The sad part is that we cannot believe anything Trump says, so we have no idea why he made this snap decision. The man even lies about where his father was born.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

He usually lies about his knowledge with statements like “Nobody knows more about...than me” and his supporters don’t have a problem.

In this case, he admits his lack of basic knowledge and boasts about acting on it. His supporters have been quiet here, but I’m guessing they’ll praise him as a man of action.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

After his quickie on the Golan Heights Trump now knows all about Israel's "oranges".

8 ( +8 / -0 )

In this case, he admits his lack of basic knowledge and boasts about acting on it. His supporters have been quiet here, but I’m guessing they’ll praise him as a man of action.

They're still sleeping off their hangovers.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

This was a wrong decision by Trump. Next he'll recognize Russia's annexation of Ukraine.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

What happens if Israel returns the Golan? Peace will break out all over the Middle East, and Israel can live in peace and security, right?

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

What happens if Israel returns the Golan? Peace will break out all over the Middle East, and Israel can live in peace and security, right?

Not a chance, but throwing petrol on the fire isn’t a good idea, right?

11 ( +11 / -0 )

LOL, Trump wearing his ignorance on his sleeve knowing full well his most devoted supporters wouldn't mind. Trump has revolutionized -as in dumbed down- politics (by far his biggest 'achievement')

11 ( +11 / -0 )

What happens if Israel returns the Golan? Peace will break out all over the Middle East, and Israel can live in peace and security, right?

Not a chance

Probably why Israel insists on keeping it. Much harder to defend northern Israel without the Golan.

That being said, I disagree with Trump on this one.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Probably why Israel insists on keeping it. Much harder to defend northern Israel without the Golan.

Probably much harder to defend Russia without Crimea.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Trump with his hammy populist shtick is a role model for his proudfoolish followers who likewise wear their ignorance boastfully as a badge of honor. Now it's just a question of time before the Israelis deliver another bloody history lesson, but how long before the world community overcomes its fear of being smeared with the ever-ready anti-semitic brush and speaks the long-overdue truth to power?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Trump is nuts.

And deciding such highly controversial mater at a Jewish "party" makes me sick.

Religion should be out of any consideration except if you want another world war.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

in the region and a flourishing democracy

[i.e., Israel]

@Chip Star

Unless you are Palestinian.

Right. Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank live under authoritarian, one-party rule not in democratic entities.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Trump is nuts.

And deciding such highly controversial mater at a Jewish "party" makes me sick.

Why?

Religion should be out of any consideration except if you want another world war.

For the life of me i just don’t understand the one-sided typical perspective on these issues. Take the religious component out of it the Jews would still be considered the enemy and should never be allowed to be anywhere in that region. The hypocrisy from the media on this is absolutely nuts.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

Why?

Yeah, why would Trump making an ignorant, knee-jerk decision bother anyone anymore?

For the life of me i just don’t understand the one-sided typical perspective on these issues. Take the religious component out of it the Jews would still be considered the enemy and should never be allowed to be anywhere in that region. The hypocrisy from the media on this is absolutely nuts.

What?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Right. Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank live under authoritarian, one-party rule not in democratic entities.

And the Palestinians living in Israel? They're treated equally to the non-Arab Israelis, correct?

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Such a desperately sad gullible loser who needs constant attention and is putty in the hands whoever stands in front of him. A classroom fool who gives his lunch money away to stop the other kids picking on him.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

"especially in light of the Holocaust and ongoing anti-Semitism". @reckless. The Holocaust was not just Jews. they only accounted for half the atrocities but Israel makes it seem that the 1.5-4million jews were the only ones. It is used as an excuse to kill and maim Palestinians and steal their land. The rise of anti-semitism is another propaganda ploy. There is a rise in anti-zionism. not anti-semitism. Also there is a rise in people thinking what the Israelis are doing is totally sick, that is also not anti-semitism, it is called compassion.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

The Holocaust was not just Jews. they only accounted for half the atrocities but Israel makes it seem that the 1.5-4million jews were the only ones.

It's nice that you recognize the Holocaust was real, but your numbers are far too low; no credible historian puts the number below 5 million. You're not trying to minimize this by intentionally using low numbers, are you?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Personally I have no problem with Israel existing but all the people of the country and land should also have equal rights and opportunities.

Don’t worry, Israel isn’t going anywhere.

The Palestinians are excluded from that whether they live in Israel proper or on the Gaza or West Bank.

I think if the Palestinians in Gaza would get rid of Hamas peace negotiations would actually work, but as long as they’re in power, it never will.

Benjamin Netanyahu has already dismissed the Two State solution claiming the land of Israel is only for Jews. Hoping he'll be gone come the elections or conclusion of his criminal investigation.

I doubt it.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

You get a history lesson on the Middle East from David Friedman and Jared Kushner and you're only getting half a history lesson. Trump's never heard the other side of the story?

Yeah, Trump's heard Israel is evil. He took it under consideration.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Yeah, Trump's heard Israel is evil. He took it under consideration.

The problem is Rump is a lazy ignoramus who needs to have both sides explained to him in no more than about 140 characters. Fox and Friends clearly aren’t up to the task either. I doubt even Tucker Carlson or Judge Jennie or whatever her name is could keep him engaged long enough.

You disagreed with Trump on this. I’m convinced if you sat down with him and had a conversation on this, he’d dry up after a few sentences.

Having a low-information President is a problem. His tendency to agree with the last person he spoke to on subjects he’s too lazy to learn about has consequences.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I think if the Palestinians in Gaza would get rid of Hamas peace negotiations would actually work, but as long as they’re in power, it never will.

Negotiatiobs barely worked long before Hamas took power.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Trump makes it up as he goes along. Hardly the recipe for a coherent and constructive foreign policy.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

zichi: Netanyahu is not interested in peace, and he's not supported by all Jewish israeli's. Peace for him means giving everything and obtaining nothing.

I agree. From Day 1 he has shown he is interested in capturing more and more land and turning Israel into a fortress to defend it. A peace plan was never an option for him, which is a shame, because up until his hardline policies started taking over, I was 100% on the side of Israel.

Trump's announcement doesn't change the realities on the ground. Israel still control Golan. It's like Bibi can just use Trump as an ATM machine to pull out concessions when he wants.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The problem is Rump is a lazy ignoramus who needs to have both sides explained to him in no more than about 140 characters. Fox and Friends clearly aren’t up to the task either. I doubt even Tucker Carlson or Judge Jennie or whatever her name is could keep him engaged long enough. 

What nonsense and over exaggeration, I think the President knows a lot more given his history in the region, his investments as well as his family or more specifically his daughter married into a strong and powerful Jewish family FNC has nothing to do with it. I understand liberals hate it, which means they’re doing something right, the only thing that gets me about Trump is, he definitely can be a gaffe machine at times, not as bad as Biden or AOC, but nonetheless and the liberal pundits like sour Lemon, Maddow and the rental lawyer Cuomo will pounce on it in a millisecond.

You disagreed with Trump on this. I’m convinced if you sat down with him and had a conversation on this, he’d dry up after a few sentences. 

Yeah, they said that about Reagan and Bush and they wrong as well....

Having a low-information President is a problem. His tendency to agree with the last person he spoke to on subjects he’s too lazy to learn about has consequences.

I don’t think he’s low on information, but I do think he needs to not throw a bone to his liberal piranha rivals that feast on these gaffes.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

he made the snap decision during a discussion with his top Middle East peace advisers, including the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Tell me again what qualifications Jared Kushner has advising POTUS on Middle East diplomacy? The guy is a moron who couldn't get into Harvard on his own steam and has questionable business dealings with some pretty shady ME players in paying off his debts.

And btw, this is not Trump's idea. Trump is too dumb for policy. He and his idiot son-in-law are both being played by bigger fish. Credit casino mobster and Trump patron Sheldon Adelson (in attendance at the speech) for the cash and David Friedman for the ideology.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Tell me again what qualifications Jared Kushner has advising POTUS on Middle East diplomacy? The guy is a moron who couldn't get into Harvard on his own steam and has questionable business dealings with some pretty shady ME players in paying off his debts.

He wouldn’t be the first successful person to not graduate from that overpriced institution. As if going to college by default makes you a smart person. Anyone believing that is a fool. The President has every right to employ anyone he sees fit or feels comfortable with and if some people have a problem with that, oh, well...

And btw, this is not Trump's idea. Trump is too dumb for policy. He and his idiot son-in-law are both being played by bigger fish. Credit casino mobster and Trump patron Sheldon Adelson (in attendance at the speech) for the cash and David Friedman for the ideology.

Well, you can’t prove he did or didn’t say it. I think everyone especially the liberal media should relax and speculate less, this obsession with Trump and what he says and does is not helping liberals, they’re getting caught once again in a trap of their own making. Let’s see where it goes and if the players can come to the table and bring some real solutions to this problem.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

plasticmonkey: Tell me again what qualifications Jared Kushner has advising POTUS on Middle East diplomacy? The guy is a moron who couldn't get into Harvard on his own steam and has questionable business dealings with some pretty shady ME players in paying off his debts.

That's related to the security clearance issue. Kushner made an idiotic real estate deal and now needs financing to bail him out, and he's looking at the Middle East. We are left (once again) hoping that someone in the Trump family won't put his own personal wallet above public policy.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The President has every right to employ anyone he sees fit or feels comfortable with and if some people have a problem with that, oh, well...

You see this a lot when Trump does something dumb, talking about the fact he has the right to do it and not the overall stupidity of the decision. Handing over Israeli intelligence to the Russians? Uh, well, he's the President so there's nothing illegal about it. Giving his daughter and son-in-law security clearances despite the being advised not to because of financial conflicts and the Middle East? Oh, well, uh, that's legal, so.... Moving the embassy? Well, he's the Prez, so it's his call...

As if going to college by default makes you a smart person. Anyone believing that is a fool. 

Did you graduate from college? I'm curious if your opinion is based on your personal experience going through uni or if you're just giving us your perception of it.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

You see this a lot when Trump does something dumb, talking about the fact he has the right to do it and not the overall stupidity of the decision.

Depending on your point of view, many don’t see it as a stupid decision. Remember, there are various opinions in everything we do. Some people thought the Iran deal was good, Israel and SA didn’t.

Handing over Israeli intelligence to the Russians? Uh, well, he's the President so there's nothing illegal about it. Giving his daughter and son-in-law security clearances despite the being advised not to because of financial conflicts and the Middle East? Oh, well, uh, that's legal, so.... Moving the embassy? Well, he's the Prez, so it's his call...

Yup, pretty much.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

You always portray the Jews has victims and the Palestinians has terrorists.

And you guys do the opposite.

Not always the case. I would think in any true democratic society, it's citizen's would have the right to assemble and protest. Palestinians locked into the Gaza strip are locked in and run no better than some style of open prison.

True, so then why doesn’t the government led by Hamas do something about it, the money that they get from Iran and other terrorist groups as well as Humanitarian aid why don’t they take that money and do something constructive like providing their people with clean water, just the basics instead of using it to finance, buy and use weapons against the Israelis? Hamas could do that, but they don’t. So I do have empathy for many Palestinians, but at the same time they voted for Hamas to lead them and they can’t even do that, they need to first and foremost hold their government accountable for their plight .

They go to the border to protest and are shot by the Israeli army. More than 1,000 dead. The shooting of unarmed civilians in any democracy would be unacceptable. Many of those who are shot by the army using explosive bullets which does severe damage to the body of the victim. If they survived they'll end up disabled.

As I said, they need to hold their government accountable for allowing them to live in such deplorable conditions that, as a result would drive them to anger and rage, they’re letting out on the wrong people.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Netanyahu plays race card: Israel is 'Jewish nation'

'The land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf [Holy Possession]

consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgment Day. No one

can renounce it or any part, or abandon it or any part of it.'

(Article 11)

'Palestine is an Islamic land... Since this is the case, the

Liberation of Palestine is an individual duty for every Moslem

wherever he may be.' (Article 13

Dunno, that charter seems very racist to me.

The Israeli prime minister is further stirring ethnic divisions as he tries to get support from far-right parties in his re-election bid.

And our Democrats are promoting socialism to a certain fanbase demographic, and?

.It's the Israeli who blockade the Gaza Strip preventing the import and export of products and raw materials. The blocking of fisherman to put to sea to support their families.

But at the same time with all the money that Hamas gets from various sources, they could’ve done something to improve the peoples lives and they have not, please stop making excuses for the leadership of the people of Gaza.

The drilling to reach the oil fields which belong to the Palestinians. 

And do it or use that revenue for more terrorism, they’ve been in power for quite a while now and they have not tried to improve any of their living conditions of those Palestinians .

There are Palestinians and Jews willing to find a way to live, side by side.

That would be great, I wish that as well, but then again I am a total realist.

The firing of the Hamas rockets into Israel and hitting houses and other civilian targets is the wrong action to take. But no rockets are fired from the West Bank yet the Palestinians continue to suffer there.

Then definitely more than ever both sides need to come together and try to fix the situation.

There are the non Palestinian groups like the Bedouin in the South who suffered at the hands of the Israeli government and they have fired nothing.

*Peace will only be achieved when all the people are equal in rights and opportunities.*

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Why does America see Israel as being so important to it's future ? As Trump is not alone is snuggling up with them ? Other countries, such as the UK are doing so too... what's going on ?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The Hamas are only of the Palestinian political groups and one with a military wing just like the IRA in Ireland

And yet, they give more trouble, are more of a radical and dangerous force that Israel has to deal with on a continuous basis.

Not all of the funds the Hamas receives is used for buying weapons.

Most of it.

It also uses funds for social aid programs.

Yeah? Where specifically and how has that changed and uplifted the Palestinians?

The Hamas are not active on the West Bank but certainly are trying to increase their activities there too.

There you go.

The Palestinians of the West Bank continue to suffer at the hands of the Israeli government including settlements built on Palestinian land. 

As you said, Hamas is exerting more of its influence on the West Bank, the Israelis know this and are not going to allow it and nothing will change that.

Equally, the Palestinians living inside Israel also suffer from inequality.

You can make that argument about every minority race living in a country that holds the interest, cultures, racially and values of the majority.

*Peace can only ever be built on equal rights and freedoms*

That goes for all people in the region.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The dangerous embarrassment continues.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I'd like to know the oranges of his claim.

bass4funk: "Dunno, that charter seems very racist to me."

No trump supporter can purport to know what racism is. Sorry, that includes you.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

No trump supporter can purport to know what racism is. Sorry, that includes you.

Liberals do a pretty good job of it, the difference is, their media surrogates are great defenders in hiding it.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The dangerous embarrassment currently occupying the White House in Washington, DC has emboldened the Jewish State of Israel one more time to the detriment and expense of a negotiated settlement.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

What isn't mentioned in the article and discussed is that a substantial amount of oil and natural gas reserves was discovered on the Golan Heights. That's the real underlying reason Israel wants it and U.S. supports it. Under the current legal condition, oil in the region cannot be commercially extracted and traded on the international market because it would violate UN resolutions . Recognizing Golan as a Israel territory would unlock the legal impasse and oil could be legally traded with the U.S. along with profitability to investors.

So that explains Trump's "snap decision" to recognize Israel's claims on the Golan Heights.

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/454231-golan-heights-oil-recognise/

The politics always boils down to oil and energy and who gains to profit from it, doesn't it?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This whole story is (or should be) about Syria, and the Golan Heights which Israel took from Syria.

Nothing to do with the Palestinians, folks.

If Israel's right to the Golan is recognized, then Turkey too might just have found further justification for their plan for taking over all the Syrian/Kurdish lands in a swathe south of their border, in the name of 'security'.

Ever has it been thus, that the strong prey upon the weak.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Zichi, of course those Palestinians living in Israel are Israeli citizens. Are you talking about Gaza and the west bank?

As I say, this article is about Israel and Syria and intermediate land up there.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Interestingly the Golan has been taken and retaken by one side or the other since almost the beginning of time. In that sense, I can sort of see a larger picture.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Trump in the history books will go down as the US president who made the illegal legal in the blink of an eye.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Trump is a blithering idiot who isn't going to be happy until he starts WW3 with one of his moronic tweets.

Well, that will be coming soon when Trump finally withdraws from NATO and allows the Russians to sweep in the Baltics, and down to the Middle East. Not that I am the LEAST bit religious, but it is described in Revelations. Anyone thinking that this last "emperor" isn't short a few cards, hasn't been paying attention.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The President has every right to employ anyone he sees fit or feels comfortable with and if some people have a problem with that, oh, well...

Actually, he do NOT have that right. He cannot "employ" family in any whitehouse advisory position. There is a law against it. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3110

A public official](https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=5-USC-56987966-1640821361&term_occur=4&term_src=title:5:part:III:subpart:B:chapter:31:subchapter:I:section:3110) may not appoint, employ, promote, advance, or advocate for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement, in or to a civilian position in the agency in which he is serving or over which he exercises jurisdiction or control any individual who is a relative of the [public official.

There is a long list of "relatives" for which this isn't allowed. Daughter and son-in-law ARE on the list.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

All US President & Donald Trump will do all possible for Israel, nothing new.

UN, Humanity, justice all are funny words.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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