Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 11/09 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 30. Juni – 13. Juli 2009 1. Die Zukunft der Siedlungen commitment to the withdrawal's border. The new American-Israeli deal must be simple - outposts for Seitdem US-Präsident Obama einen Stopp des blocs, i.e. evacuating the illegal outposts in Siedlungsbaus gefordert hat, wird in Israel die exchange for recognition of the large settlement Zukunft der jüdischen Siedlungen im blocs. […] Westjordanland diskutiert. Während die US- If Benjamin Netanyahu insists on keeping the illegal Regierung energischer denn je auf einem völligen outposts, he will be defending a criminal act of Baustopp beharrt, beruft sich Israel auf „natürliches settlement as well as harming Israel's interests.” Wachstum“, um bestehende Siedlungen, in denen Ari Shavit, HAA 09.07.07 etwa 300 000 Israelis in dem seit 1967 besetzten Gebiet (ohne Ost-Jerusalem) leben, zu erweitern. Gegenseitige Forderungen Außerdem gibt die israelische Regierung an, “Es gibt absolut keinen Grund, warum wir diejenigen mündliche Garantien der Bush-Administration sein sollen, auf deren Kosten der amerikanische erhalten zu haben. Demnach sei der Ausbau bereits Präsident einen Erfolg verbucht, der die kolossalen bestehender Siedlungen erlaubt, solange kein Misserfolge seiner abenteuerlichen Außenpolitik weiteres Land enteignet werde. Washington vertuschen soll. […] bestreitet dies jedoch. Israelische Beamte deuteten Die USA haben zurzeit nichts anzubieten – nicht für indes an, ein befristeter Baustopp könne veranlasst die Palästinenser, die alle großzügigen werden, müsse jedoch im Rahmen von Friedens- Friedensinitiativen von Netanjahu zurückgewiesen gesprächen mit der arabischen Seite stattfinden. haben, und nicht für Israel, das nur von Obamas Dass dies nicht genug ist, wurde deutlich, als auch groben Maßnahmen verletzt wurde. […] der palästinensische Chefunterhändler Sajib Erekat Der Verteidigungsminister muss bei seinen Treffen einen sofortigen Siedlungsstopp als Voraussetzung erklären, dass Israel nicht tatenlos dasitzen wird, für Verhandlungen mit Israel forderte. während die US-Regierung unverantwortliche Experiments in der Außenpolitik durchführt, und Outposts for blocs dass Israel nicht nur in ganz Judäa und Samaria “The uncontrolled construction of mini-settlements in weiterbauen wird, sondern auch den Iran angreifen the last decade has fundamentally damaged wird […], falls es sich bedroht fühlt.“ national security. Instead of defining its just borders, Assaf Golan, HZO 07.07.09 Israel has entangled itself in a delusional and criminal settlement act. Consequently, even Israel's Give substance to the vision greatest friends have lost their patience. The illegal “Like it or not […] the world's only superpower outposts robbing the Palestinians' lands are also appears to have decided that Israel's best interests robbing Israel of its legitimacy. […] require it to freeze construction beyond the Green The sweeping American demand shows that after Line. years of Israeli conniving and scheming, Like it or not, the Obama administration - unmoved Washington has simply had enough. by Israel's entreaties and even by voices at home Thus, to avoid a head-on clash with its ally, Israel suggesting it is subverting its own interests in must change its ways immediately. […] Israel must obsessing over a settlement freeze - appears provide proof that the withdrawal is really beginning, convinced that this is the way to extract meaningful and America must provide a preliminary 1 steps toward normalization from a recalcitrant Arab Give us an inch, we’ll settle a mile world. […] “There's no need anymore to discuss whether we're So if, as he now declares, the prime minister has a going to hold onto the large settlement blocs, vision, let him urgently transform its sketched including the ‘new’ neighborhoods of Jerusalem, in parameters into substance. […] Let him take the any final peace agreement. This is territory we've challenge that previous governments have ducked insisted on in the ‘land swaps’ we've been for 42 years, and reconcile Israel's conflicting negotiating with the Palestinians since Camp David. desires for normalization of ties and for retention of […] So why is Barack Obama and his team telling territory. Puncture the confusion; prioritize, allocate Israel to stop all settlement construction, even in the and relocate. Tell the residents of [the settlements] settlements everyone understands we're going to whether they sustain or undermine the Zionist keep, and why does the peace camp say Obama is enterprise. Tell them unequivocally, and tell the right? world, too. Set out our true needs, clearly and Because the peace camp knows, like Obama comprehensibly. […] knows, like everyone in the world knows, that on the For if we don't make up our minds, if the prime matter of settlements, if you give this country an minister doesn't make up his mind, the signs are inch, it will take a mile. […] multiplying that others are bent on making our minds I know that in practice, we will not respect any […] up for us.” limits in building over the Green Line. Even if the David Horowitz, JPO 09.07.09 Netanyahu government wanted to curtail settlement construction, which it doesn't, the settlers would flout Dealing with Obama the government's will as they always have and keep „The right of Jews to live in Judea and Samaria is a on building here, there, everywhere. basic principle not subject to negotiations. There is So Obama should hang tough. The sad thing is that more at stake here than mere rights to natural even if he doesn't give us an inch on the settlement growth. […] freeze, we'll probably end up taking a mile anyway. Succumbing to the pressure that is being applied on If he caves in and agrees to give us that inch, we'll the settlement issue will only result in additional take two miles.” pressure on other issues, and before long Israel's Larry Derfner, JPO 08.07.09 position on matters of principle and substance will begin to crumble. America’s double standard This is not going to be easy, but Israel's staunch “Jews have a right to live in Judea and Samaria […]. supporters in the U.S. will stand by it. It will be a test Anyone acquainted with the Bible or familiar with for the American Jewish leadership - and for the history knows that. Nevertheless, it is pointless to people of Israel.” ignore the fact that over a million Palestinians Moshe Arens, HAA 30.06.09 currently live in these same territories and for decades have viewed the area as their home. It Obama will not give in would also be senseless to disregard more than a “President Obama will not give in to Israel when it quarter of a million Jews that live there and feel just comes to settlements. Both he, Secretary Clinton as strongly. and Special Envoy Mitchell have made it abundantly As a peace facilitator, there is logic behind the clear: ‘not one more brick.’ Israel’s refusal of this American demand to refrain from building new demand could potentially lead to a level of tensions settlements that may jeopardize the final border to between Washington and Jerusalem that we have be drawn between Israel and its neighbors. But an not seen in a long while. Israel should propose an honest broker would make that demand from both alternative that will not only make the administration sides. If Jews are asked to stop building, Arabs happy, but will also make real progress toward should be asked to do the same. […] ending the Israeli-Arab conflict. This compromise is Over the years Israel has made substantial the ‘Compensation Law.’ Instead of freezing concessions - many feel too many concessions - settlements, Israel would open the way for settlers including unilateral withdrawals and displacement of who wish to move back into Israel to do so, for the Israeli citizens. The Palestinians have done first time in over 40 years.” nothing.“ Micky Bergman, JED 07.07.09 Ophir Falk, JED 05.07.09 2 2. Außenminister Avigdor Lieberman presented the clearest and sharpest Lieberman platform. […] Hundreds of thousands of […] Israelis were drawn by Lieberman. In fact, Lieberman won Der israelische Außenminister Avigdor Lieberman ist so many Knesset seats to the point of removing any in Europa kein gern gesehener Verhandlungs- doubt that the people, or rather, these sections of partner. Dies wurde besonders deutlich, als der the population that enjoy less media coverage französische Präsident Nicolas Sarkozy usually, want to see Lieberman granted a very Premierminister Netanjahu bei einem privaten senior leadership position here in Israel. Gespräch empfahl, Lieberman „loszuwerden“ und […] There is no intention here in Israel to dismiss stattdessen die Oppositionsführerin Livni in die Lieberman from his post as foreign minister.” Regierung zu holen. Hanuch Daum, JED 05.07.09 Auch in den USA stößt der für seine anti-arabischen Aussprüche bekannte Vorsitzende der Sarkozy’s sideshow rechtsgerichteten Partei Israel Beitenu auf wenig “Netanyahu appointed a foreign minister with a not- Gegenliebe. Im Gegensatz zu anderen führenden undeserved image problem. […] israelischen Politikern war er nicht zu einem [But] for all his bombast and past demagoguery, Gespräch mit Präsident Obama eingeladen worden. Lieberman is a pragmatic politician. Den diplomatischen Verhandlungen über die Having made the appointment, Netanyahu ought to Zukunft der Siedlungen auf palästinensischem be emphatic that Lieberman is a ‘fact on the ground’ Gebiet entzog Lieberman sich indes selbst. Als - and he made a good beginning on this before the Bewohner einer solchen Siedlung gebe es einen European ambassadorial delegation to Israel on Interessenkonflikt – dementsprechend übernimmt Tuesday. […] Verteidigungsminister Barak die Gespräche zu dem Israelis’ splenetic reaction to Sarkozy's meddling is sensiblen Thema. understandable. Let it not distract us, however, from far more serious challenges. Sarkozy is right – Lieberman must go We need decisive, coherent foreign policy “French President Nicolas Sarkozy's request of leadership at a time of acute sensitivity in the vital Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he replace relationship between the US and Israel.