Arab League chief: A right-wing Israeli gov`t will at least say no to our face

[IndianaGreen]

Last update - 00:53 19/02/2009

Arab League chief: A right-wing Israeli gov`t will at least say no to our face

By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent

Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa on Wednesday said that the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians is on its last legs and that there is no solution on the horizon.

Moussa made his remarks in an interview on Syrian television, and said that there would be no difference between the current government and a government led by Foreign Minister and Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni.

Livni did not advance the peace process at all and she has excelled at foot-dragging without making decisions," said Moussa.

The Arab League chief accused Israel of talking peace, while at the same time actively working to expand settlements and "create new facts on the ground" that ultimately aim to change the region's demographics.

"Perhaps a right-wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu will say 'no' to our face, as opposed to the sophisticated way of refusal the current government, which calls itself left or center-left, employs," said Moussa.

According to Moussa, the Palestinian people also view the peace process with pessimism. "The fact is that there is already talk among some Palestinians of one state for two peoples," said Moussa. "The solution of two states for two people cannot be seen on the horizon."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1065336.html

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. Its based on the false premise that the Arab League cares about Palestinians

which they clearly do not

[iconicgnom]

2. oh right. as if you do, and that you can talk.

Because, of course, you're "hardcore progressive" or "progressive professor". Works for me...

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. SO you think the Arab and Muslim nations care about the Palestinians?

If so, you need to do some reading

[iconicgnom]

4. Does this make you happy? nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Happy? That the Palestinians are used by their Muslim and Arab *brothers* is tragic

[iconicgnom]

6. So you truly care for your Arabic brethren? n/t

[ProgressiveMuslim]

11. US puppet leaders don't give a hoot. I think the average citizen of Arab countries

cares very deeply about Paletsinian brothers and sisters.

[Violet_Crumble]

9. Seeing Palestine is part of the Arab League yr implying that Palestinians dont care about themselves

If only all those Arabs could follow Israel's glowing example of how to show how caring it is to Palestinians ;)

[LeftishBrit]

7. I've heard this stuff before, so often

'Kinnock isn't really a socialist, and at least Thatcher is honest about her beliefs.'

'There is no difference between Bush and Gore.'

Sigh.

[Violet_Crumble]

8. Of course Nutty will be more honest. There won't be any bullshit about peace...

..when there's no intention of it. As for yr comparisons, as we all get reminded constantly, Israeli politics isn't the same as elsewhere, so the LW and RW distinction isn't the same as in the US or the UK. The observations in the OP seem pretty reasonable...

[LeftishBrit]

10. The LW/RW distinction is pretty similar concerning war/peace issues

in all these countries.

True, the LW/RW distinction is not as strongly based on *economics* in Israel as in some other countries. The Likud is economically to the right of Labour; but Shas are actually quite progressive on welfare-state issues; unfortunately they also happen to be extreme religious-right hawks!

However, the fact that the LW/RW distinction emphasizes somewhat different issues in Israel than in some other countries doesn't alter the basic point here. There is little point in electing someone whom one KNOWS is far-right, just because you 'know where they stand'' or in assuming that two imperfect parties are 'just the same'. Except in rare cases, elections are about choosing the lesser evil over the greater evil, not about choosing good over evil. Livni is not as strongly committed to war and the occupation as Netanyahu is. She would be more susceptible to influences in the direction of peace - e.g. from Obama. She is not IMO simply pretending to be for peace when she's really for war. She seems to be, to put it a bit harshly, a weathercock, who could follow prevailing winds in the direction of either war or peace. This at least gives more hope (especially with a Democratic president influencing some of the prevailing winds) than a PM who is simply for war/occupation, whatever happens.

The one counter-argument is that IF Bibi decided to seek peace, he might be able to carry a wider section of the population with him and be more effective than Livni. 'Only Nixon could go to China'; perhaps only Begin could go to Camp David. But I don't think there's enough chance of Nutty even considering a peaceful solution to take that risk.

Livni wouldn't have been my choice, but she's the best of the actual possibilities.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

12. I agree with the author. Better to deal with a refuser than a pretender.