Citing continued failure and a flawed process the new Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, looks like it will be taking a much different approach in peace negotiations that previous Israeli governments.
According to the Daily Mail: “Liberman said: ‘The historic approach has so far not brought any result or solution.’
He said they would need to find a ‘new approach’.
He added: ‘Past prime ministers were prepared to make wide-ranging concessions and the result of the Olmert-Livni government was the second Lebanon war, the operation in Gaza, severance of relations with Qatar and Mauritania, Gilad Schalit still in captivity and the peace process at a dead end.’
Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials of the new government have spoken at length about the emotional and strategic ties between Israel and the United States, clear differences are emerging over the outlines for an Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Ultra-nationalist Lieberman made waves after after taking office last month, saying the past year of U.S.-led negotiations was no longer relevant and concessions to Palestinians only invite war.”
Looks like Israel will hold the Palestinians accountable for terrorism, as we demand that they acknowledge, officially, that Israel has a right to exist in their own Jewish homeland.
In what she continuously hailed as her great ‘diplomacy’, which basically was turning Israeli security sovereignty over to the UN in southern Lebanon after the last Lebanon war, it now appears that the UN is going to pull out. What hath you say Tzipi Livni? Now what? Let’s see, you pushed for a UN resolution which was nevr enforced and now the supposed peacekeepers are going to leave. That leaves a rearmed Hezbollah sitting on the Israeli border. Great it of diplomacy….Not.
According to the Jpost: “The United Nations force in southern Lebanon is on its way to “disintegrating,” senior defense officials warned on Saturday, after
Poland announced it was withdrawing its troops from the peacekeeping force.Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich announced on Friday during a visit to
Lebanon that the 500 Polish soldiers currently assigned to UNIFIL would return home by the end of the year. “Poland is more and more involved in NATO and EU missions. Thus we are returning from UN missions,” Klich said, adding that “they ceased to play such an important role for the security of
Poland as it has been the case in the past.”
Well the Obama administration want do anything so leave it to victims of missile attacks to sue the North Koreans for damages. According to ynet: “Thirty victims of Hizbullah’s Katyusha rocket attacks on northern Israel during the Second Lebanon War have filed a civil action in the United States District Court for Washington, DC against the North Korean government, which they claim aided the Shiite group. The suit requests more than a $100 million in compensatory damages and an unspecified sum of punitive damages. The complaint also names Hizbullah as a defendant. According to the plaintiffs, all of whom hold US citizenship, Pyongyang provided military training for senior Hizbullah figures – including Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah - and built a network of bunkers in which Katyusha rocket launchers were stored.These underground bunkers, the lawsuit stated, allowed Hizbullah to launch hundreds of rockets toward northern Israel even as Israeli warplanes sought to bomb the launchers.”
I wonder what Hillary and Obama think of this lawsuit? Will it jeopardize their huge foreign policy success?
The record breaking numbers of tourists that visited Israel in 2008 are incredible when you consider the economic crisis that has gripped the world the last few months. The numbers look set to continue in 2009 despite the recent war in Gaza, although some tourist officials in Israel do have doubts because of the media headlines that did cause some damage to the tourist industry.
So, what will tourists coming to Israel get to see in 2009? Apart from the obvious appeal of places like Jerusalem (including the amazing Old City), the Dead Sea, Tel Aviv, Eilat and all the other delights that make up the Holy Land, there are another three things that we’ve singled out which are set to take place in 2009:
Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit in May. Quite possibly wearing his little papal red shoes, this should keep Israel in the news headlines, and for the right reasons.
Tel Aviv celebrates its centenary. The City That Never Sleeps is 100 and is set to party throughout the year. We’ll keep you updated with the best of the events.
Depeche Mode are scheduled to perform in May. After their last minute cancellation in 2006, thanks to the Second Lebanon War, the lads from Basildon are set to open their world tour in the Holy Land. This show has already sold out - some 50,000 tickets!
So, 2009 has a lot to offer. I’m sure as the year rolls along, there’ll be plenty of other great events scheduled, including some other great musicians/bands. We hope you make it over here to enjoy some of it too!
Ashley is the man behind the content that is the site http://www.igoogledisrael.com For more information about the ultimate destination that is Israel, come and visit the site!
