Kerry warns of 'apartheid' without Middle East peace

The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, has warned that Israel risks becoming "an apartheid state" if a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians does not emerge soon.

His comments were captured in a recording of a closed-door meeting, the Daily Beast reported.

The current round of direct peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians appear to be at an impasse.

But President Barack Obama has said the US will not abandon its peace efforts.

In a statement to the BBC, the US state department noted that Israeli leaders had used the term "apartheid state" before, to warn of the consequences of the failure of the peace process.

"Secretary Kerry, like Justice Minister [Tzipi] Livni, and previous Israeli Prime Ministers [Ehud] Olmert and [Ehud] Barak, was reiterating why there's no such thing as a one-state solution if you believe, as he does, in the principle of a Jewish state," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

"He was talking about the kind of future Israel wants and the kind of future both Israelis and Palestinians would want to envision. The only way to have two nations and two peoples living side by side in peace and security is through a two-state solution. And without a two-state solution, the level of prosperity and security the Israeli and Palestinian people deserve isn't possible."

Last week, Israel suspended the current round of US-brokered peace talks, which resumed last July after a three-year hiatus, demanding the annulment of a reconciliation agreement between two main Palestinian factions.

Fatah, which is led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas, which governs Gaza, said they planned to form a unity government in the coming weeks.

Hamas rejects Israel's right to exist and is designated a terrorist group by the US, EU, Israel and other countries.

Mr Netanyahu told the BBC that Mr Abbas could "have peace with Israel or a pact with Hamas - he can't have both".

The US expressed "disappointment" over the unity deal, but pushed for the talks to continue.

Last week, Mr Obama said his administration would continue to offer "constructive approaches". But he added that "neither side had political will to make tough decisions" and that there might need to be a pause in the process.


Analysis

The US state department is telling everyone that it's no big deal that John Kerry used the 'A' word to describe the impact on Israel if the two-state solution for the Israel-Palestinian conflict collapses.

A spokeswoman has pointed out that senior Israeli politicians have also referenced apartheid before when talking about the risks to Israel's reputation. This point though is frankly spin. It is one thing for Israeli politicians to use provocative language in their own political arena. When used by the US secretary of state it adds legitimacy to the debate about whether there is an equivalence between the old South African regime and the situation on the West Bank.

Whether the "apartheid" reference was a gaffe or deliberate there is no doubt that Secretary Kerry believes Israel's government is stubbornly ignoring his warnings that a failure to agree a peace deal will feed a campaign trying to delegitimise their state.

Mr Obama has previously rejected the use of the term "apartheid" in discussion of the Middle East peace process, calling it unhelpful and inaccurate.

But in remarks before a group of high-ranking officials from the US, Europe and Japan known as the Trilateral Commission, Mr Kerry used the word.

"A two-state solution will be clearly underscored as the only real alternative," Mr Kerry said, according to the Daily Beast.

"Because a unitary state winds up either being an apartheid state with second-class citizens - or it ends up being a state that destroys the capacity of Israel to be a Jewish state."

Mr Kerry also reportedly suggested a peace deal was more likely to come with a change in Israeli and Palestinian leadership, and strongly criticised Jewish settlement construction on occupied territory.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-27195254

Why balk at saying what is already happening and has been for some time. If America stopped pussyfooting around Israel and told them straight, there then might be a chance of a peaceful solution.

Or the Americans could just mind their own business.

Well, they could do that and take away the billions they pump into Israel each year.

Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II. To date,
the United States has provided Israel $121 billion (current, or non-inflation-adjusted, dollars) in
bilateral assistance. Almost all U.S. bilateral aid to Israel is in the form of military assistance,
although in the past Israel also received significant economic assistance. Strong congressional
support for Israel has resulted in Israel receiving benefits not available to any other countries; for
example, Israel can use some U.S. military assistance both for research and development in the
United States and for military purchases from Israeli manufacturers. In addition, U.S. assistance
earmarked for Israel is generally delivered in the first 30 days of the fiscal year, while most other
recipients normally receive aid in installments, and Israel (as is also the case with Egypt) is
permitted to use cash flow financing for its U.S. arms purchases. In addition to receiving U.S.
State Department-administered foreign assistance, Israel also receives funds from annual defense
appropriations bills for rocket and missile defense programs. Israel pursues some of those
programs jointly with the United States.
In 2007, the Bush Administration and the Israeli government agreed to a 10-year, $30 billion
military aid package for the period from FY2009 to FY2018. During his March 2013 visit to
Israel, President Obama pledged that the United States would continue to provide Israel with
multi-year commitments of military aid subject to the approval of Congress.
The FY2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L
. 113-76) provides the President’s full $3.1
billion request in FMF for Israel. In addition, it provides another $504 million in funding for
research, development, and production of Israel
’s Iron Dome anti-rocket system ($235 million)
and of the joint U.S.-Israel missile defense sy
stems David’s Sling ($149.7 million), the Arrow
improvement program (or Arrow II, $44.3 million), and Arrow III ($74.7 million).
For FY2015, the Administration is requesting $3.1 billion in FMF to Israel and $10 million in
Migration and Refugee Assistance. The Missile Defense Agency’s FY2015 request for joint U.S.-
Israeli programs is $96.8 million. The Administration also is requesting $175.9 million for Iron
Dome.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33222.pdf

Japan pledges $200 million in aid for Palestinians


Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said the first disbursement of the aid — about $62 million — was expected later this month.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.577266


Who has just been to Japan ?

Kerry seems to be building up an election manifesto !

Poor BO

About time someone gave money to the Palestinians, they need it.

Agreed

Most amused it happened just before the first state visit from a US President in twenty years.

The good ol' US of A supports Israel and will do to the death.....

OB strikes again.....

Getcha now lol.

Raggamuffin wrote:Or the Americans could just mind their own business.

and stop funding the Israeli military      

gerber wrote:Japan pledges $200 million in aid for Palestinians


Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said the first disbursement of the aid — about $62 million — was expected later this month.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.577266


Who has just been to Japan ?

Kerry seems to be building up an election manifesto !

Poor BO

huh    he is on his second term, he can't run again anyway   

veya_victaous wrote:

gerber wrote:Japan pledges $200 million in aid for Palestinians


Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said the first disbursement of the aid — about $62 million — was expected later this month.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.577266


Who has just been to Japan ?

Kerry seems to be building up an election manifesto !

Poor BO

huh    he is on his second term, he can't run again anyway   

Thank goodness.

BO just seems to get worse with age. Kerry is vieing for his job, being a Democrat and trying to prove he is a Hawk.....

Interestingly well to me at least Hilary Clinton has been very quite re Ukraine...... Or maybe just because OB is on the loose.

gerber wrote:

veya_victaous wrote:

gerber wrote:Japan pledges $200 million in aid for Palestinians


Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said the first disbursement of the aid — about $62 million — was expected later this month.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.577266


Who has just been to Japan ?

Kerry seems to be building up an election manifesto !

Poor BO

huh    he is on his second term, he can't run again anyway   

Thank goodness.  

BO just seems to get worse with age.  Kerry is vieing for his job, being a Democrat and trying to prove he is a Hawk.....

Interestingly well to me at least Hilary Clinton has been very quite re Ukraine......  Or maybe just because OB is on the loose.

no, second term presidents either do nothing or terrible stuff since they cant get elected a 3rd time under the US constitution, look at Bush second half of second term barely did anything, Obama is now in the same phase.  ::dunno::  it their system, that's they way it works

I don't know why people expect Obama to do stuff about Ukraine, it such a Eurocentic problem, if the EU was actually working together they could deal with it themselves. Russia is in the same position as Europe and needs to Maximise its Economic Block to compete with China and India's 'Billion people economies' it too wants to remain a 'big dog' and not be a vassal state or 3rd world nation.  :-:bravo:-: :-:bravo:-: :-:bravo:-: 

veya_victaous wrote:

gerber wrote:

Thank goodness.  

BO just seems to get worse with age.  Kerry is vieing for his job, being a Democrat and trying to prove he is a Hawk.....

Interestingly well to me at least Hilary Clinton has been very quite re Ukraine......  Or maybe just because OB is on the loose.

no, second term presidents either do nothing or terrible stuff since they cant get elected a 3rd time under the US constitution, look at Bush second half of second term barely did anything, Obama is now in the same phase.  ::dunno::  it their system, that's they way it works

I don't know why people expect Obama to do stuff about Ukraine, it such a Eurocentic problem, if the EU was actually working together they could deal with it themselves. Russia is in the same position as Europe and needs to Maximise its Economic Block to compete with China and India's 'Billion people economies' it too wants to remain a 'big dog' and not be a vassal state or 3rd world nation.  :-:bravo:-: :-:bravo:-: :-:bravo:-: 

I am not expecting nor wanting OB to do anything re Ukraine.

I do have reservations though re his attitude towards Syria.

OB has though intervened in Ukraine's internal policy as has the EU. Maybe it was on the behest of the Eu due to the gas etc who knows, maybe the other way round.

Time for a strong President. Bush was maybe to gungho in the end but got things done.

Bengazzi wouldn't have happened under his watch IMO.

But whatever

Putin still sits watches and waits........................ He has time..... The US Democrats do not nor do many in the EU, an election in May.....

gerber wrote:

veya_victaous wrote:

gerber wrote:

Thank goodness.  

BO just seems to get worse with age.  Kerry is vieing for his job, being a Democrat and trying to prove he is a Hawk.....

Interestingly well to me at least Hilary Clinton has been very quite re Ukraine......  Or maybe just because OB is on the loose.

no, second term presidents either do nothing or terrible stuff since they cant get elected a 3rd time under the US constitution, look at Bush second half of second term barely did anything, Obama is now in the same phase.  ::dunno::  it their system, that's they way it works

I don't know why people expect Obama to do stuff about Ukraine, it such a Eurocentic problem, if the EU was actually working together they could deal with it themselves. Russia is in the same position as Europe and needs to Maximise its Economic Block to compete with China and India's 'Billion people economies' it too wants to remain a 'big dog' and not be a vassal state or 3rd world nation.  :-:bravo:-: :-:bravo:-: :-:bravo:-: 

I am not expecting nor wanting OB to do anything re Ukraine.

I do have reservations though re his attitude towards Syria.

OB has though intervened in Ukraine's internal policy as has the EU.  Maybe it was on the behest of the Eu due to the gas etc who knows, maybe the other way round.

Time for a strong President.  Bush was maybe to gungho in the end but got things done.

Bengazzi wouldn't have happened under his watch IMO.

But whatever

Putin still sits watches and waits........................   He has time.....  The US Democrats do not nor do many in the EU, an election in May.....

no that's right the WORLD TRADE CENTRE did instead      

Bush Got NOTHING done he Started 2 wars and finished neither and never got the mastermind, and allowed the GFC through Inaction caused by focusing on Personal vendetta against Saddam.

veya_victaous wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:Or the Americans could just mind their own business.

and stop funding the Israeli military      

yeah lets just fund the terrorist instead eh???

Palestinians 'give our foreign aid money to convicted terrorists': Cash 'is given to inmates in Israeli prisons'

British aid money given to the Palestinian Authority allows it to make payments to convicted terrorists, it was claimed last night.

Taxpayers’ money has been used by the Department for International Development (DfID) to pay out around £80million a year to the Palestinian Authority.

The authority, in turn, spends money on convicted terrorists locked up in Israeli prisons.

An Israeli group claims the longest serving prisoners receive around £2,075 a month, plus bonuses for their wives and children.

Further payments of tens of thousands of pounds can be made when Palestinian prisoners are released from jail.

Tory MP Sir Gerald Howarth has called for Britain to suspend all aid to the Authority until payments to terrorists cease.

‘The Palestinian Authority is putting two fingers up to the British taxpayer,’ he said. ‘It is not the job of the hardworking British taxpayer to fund payments to terrorists.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2614508/Palestinians-foreign-aid-money-convicted-terrorists-Cash-given-inmates-Israeli-prisons.html#ixzz30HxiBmuh

smelly_bandit wrote:

veya_victaous wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:Or the Americans could just mind their own business.

and stop funding the Israeli military      

yeah lets just fund the terrorist instead eh???

Palestinians 'give our foreign aid money to convicted terrorists': Cash 'is given to inmates in Israeli prisons'

British aid money given to the Palestinian Authority allows it to make payments to convicted terrorists, it was claimed last night.

Taxpayers’ money has been used by the Department for International Development (DfID) to pay out around £80million a year to the Palestinian Authority.

The authority, in turn, spends money on convicted terrorists locked up in Israeli prisons.

An Israeli group claims the longest serving prisoners receive around £2,075 a month, plus bonuses for their wives and children.

Further payments of tens of thousands of pounds can be made when Palestinian prisoners are released from jail.

Tory MP Sir Gerald Howarth has called for Britain to suspend all aid to the Authority until payments to terrorists cease.

‘The Palestinian Authority is putting two fingers up to the British taxpayer,’ he said. ‘It is not the job of the hardworking British taxpayer to fund payments to terrorists.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2614508/Palestinians-foreign-aid-money-convicted-terrorists-Cash-given-inmates-Israeli-prisons.html#ixzz30HxiBmuh

By Giving Israel Money you are funding terrorists