Obama: Israel Must Remain a Jewish State
Posted at 06:27 PM on 12/24/07
Last week, before would-be POTUSes begun speaking only of all things Christmas, Democratic presidential contender Senator Barack Obama held a foreign policy forum. We've just obtained the transcript for his remarks there on Israel:
"I start with the premise that Israel is a stalwart ally of ours and their security cannot be compromised. I also start with the premise that the status quo is unsustainable and that what would be good for Israeli security will be the kind of two-state solution that allows the Palestinians to live and prosper in their own state and allows Israel to maintain the security of its state."
"I think everyone knows what the basic outlines of an agreement would look like. It would mean that the Palestinians would have to reinterpret the notion of right of return in a way that would preserve Israel as a Jewish state. It might involve compensation and other concessions from the Israelis but ultimately Israel is not going to give up its state."
-- Senator Barack Obama, Foreign Policy Forum, Des Moines, Iowa - 12/18/07
"I start with the premise that Israel is a stalwart ally of ours and their security cannot be compromised. I also start with the premise that the status quo is unsustainable and that what would be good for Israeli security will be the kind of two-state solution that allows the Palestinians to live and prosper in their own state and allows Israel to maintain the security of its state."
"I think everyone knows what the basic outlines of an agreement would look like. It would mean that the Palestinians would have to reinterpret the notion of right of return in a way that would preserve Israel as a Jewish state. It might involve compensation and other concessions from the Israelis but ultimately Israel is not going to give up its state."
-- Senator Barack Obama, Foreign Policy Forum, Des Moines, Iowa - 12/18/07
Recent Comments
He was deliberate in staying away from the issue of Jerusalem.
Alden Mamann posted on 12/28 at 02:12 AM.
Why not pursue the idea of a Jewish State (and for that matter, a Palestinian State as well) within one state that comprises biblical Palestine/Israel? From the Israeli perspective, the single state does not maintain a Jewish numerical majority. But why not adopt the view that a Jewish homeland does not depend on a majority, and that a Jewish and Palestinian homeland exists within biblical Israel/Palestine.
Ed Thomson posted on 12/28 at 02:30 AM.
Sen. Obama makes no mention of the fact that the Palestinians live under a brutal, immoral and illegal occupation. They’ve been terrorized for over sixty years, people need to remember the 1930’s terror bombings of the Irgun. The forcible expulsion in 1948, under Ben Gurion’s Plan Dalet, and the theft of the land, homes of 750,000 Palestinians can’t be glossed over by Obama who has no right belittling their right of return. Long live a free State of Palestine!
John S. Hancock posted on 12/28 at 03:06 PM.
Palestinians blame Israelis for being obsessed with the past when the entire Palestinian way of being is associated with the past.
Palestinians want to look for pity to get their state when they should look at the Jewish example. We worked for our state, we didn’t throw a pity party. Learn how politics work and then get back to me.
David Ben-Gurion posted on 12/28 at 10:45 PM.
Since both the media and the presidential candidates have treated the subject of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank with “third rail” deference, I would conclude that Senator Obama’s mere mention of a “two state solution” was courageous. This will probably cause a drop in his Rosner rating by a point or two. Two cheers for straight talk.
MartinBnyc posted on 12/29 at 08:03 AM.
Very simple: Until the Palestinian side unites as a responsible entity(entities if one thinks gaza will become a separate palest. state) there cannot be any peace.
They need to control all the elements within their area (ie. Qassam rockets) before any agreement can be obtained.
As long as the Congress keeps Israel militarily supplied, that’s all that matter for the medium term.
D Ammar posted on 12/30 at 08:21 AM.
You want peace in this area of the world, you have to stop terrorism. Stop blaming Israel for everything and tell these Islamist militants to end their aggression towards the west. Senator Obama can never realisticly bring peace to these people, because he doesn’t want to alianate his constituency of Moslems and Arabs. Whomever wants to really bring peace to this area of the world, has to put severe pressure on the so called allies we have in Saudi and other moslem countries, to stop supporting this extremist groups, and end the terrorism. Why is it that every war in the last 25 years in our little planet has had one side being Moslems. Are they trying to get back to the glory of the Islamic empire of many centuries ago???
nick posted on 01/16 at 06:22 PM.
If Israel continues to define itself
as a Jewish state, then what are
all the Christians and Muslims living
in that state? Second class citizens?
Guests allowed to stay by the grace
of the Zionists?
Mitch posted on 01/17 at 08:38 PM.
I think Israel believes that if you continue breaking down the will of the Palestinian people with blessing from the US, the Palestinian will eventually give up their hopes in the decency of humanity. Let’s face it; Israel will never cease its “occupation”. I think, in order to stop the suffering of the Palestinian, the UN should authorize to NUKE the entire region (Israel and Palestine) to put everyone out of their misery and eventually making the rest of the world more peaceful. It is the most humane thing to do.
DW posted on 02/08 at 12:51 AM.
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