Rahm Emanuel: ‘Moment of Opportunity’ to make Mid East Peace
EmailIn an EXCLUSIVE interview with Jake Tapper on ‘This Week’, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said this is the “moment of opportunity” to make peace in the Middle East. He also announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be visiting the White House on July 6th and said Netanyahu is the kind of leader who is willing to take big risks to make peace.
“The President has offered the date of July 6 where the Prime Minister, Netanyahu, will be coming back to the White House for a rescheduled [visit],” Emanuel said. “That will be the fifth visit by the prime minister to the White House…to work on a series of issues that are from the peace process to the security of the State of Israel, to also dealing with other issues in and around the region.”
Asked by Tapper whether Netanyahu was “the kind of leader who is willing to take big risks to make peace,” Emanuel was straightforward.
“Yes,” he said. “But it’s not important what Rahm believes. I mean he has been clear about what he intends to do, what he needs to do. And the President has been clear what we need to do to seize this moment of opportunity here in the region to finally make peace,” Emanuel said.
“Peace where Israel feels secure and peace that is in balance with the Palestinians aspirations for sovereignty. That is possible,” he said. “It is now the time, given where we are, to basically find that proper balance.”
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Both the ruling parties in Israel and in Palestine are to weak right now to make the necessary steps toward peace. Emanuel is either willfully ignorant or purposefully disingenuous.
Only a solution imposed from the outside is going to work, and that has to include the threat of removing aid to either party if they refuse the 1967 borders, and removing aid to Israel if they do not agree to sign the nuclear NPT.
Posted by: Flash Override | June 20, 2010, 11:36 am 11:36 am
There will be no peace until Israel complies with international law and its previous commitments by withdrawing from all Palestinian and other Arab lands it invaded and occupied during the war it launched on 5 June 1967 and as stipulated in the Arab League’s 2002 Beirut Peace Initiative, cooperate in finding a “just” solution to the Palestinian refugee crisis. Israel will still retain 78% of Palestine.
Posted by: David | June 20, 2010, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
Nothing more can produce a solution to this protracted problem than pressure from outside, forcing both parties to accept the 242 and 338 UN rsolutions.This is the only way available for Israel to understand world language and for the Pals to stop launching their rocket toys against Israel, if there is any left to be launched.
Posted by: walldizo | June 20, 2010, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm
I agree with those who are asking the administration to finally take action and pressure both parties to accept the two state solution. Israel must withdraw from Arab land and end its occupation in return for peace for all.
Posted by: Jim | June 20, 2010, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
If there is peace, will Israel still receive billions of dollars from the USA? Will American politicians no longer help make their careers off the backs of the Palestinian people? What would happen to AIPAC? Without an outside threat, how would Israel be able to manage all of its internal contradictions and myths?
Posted by: Steven Sallie | June 20, 2010, 2:16 pm 2:16 pm
Ha! It is well documented that Israel does not want peace, but only chaos. I find it even more funny that Rahm Emanuel is the one stating peace. For those that don’t know, his father was a member of IRGUN, A Zionist paramilitary terrorist group that sought a greater Israel through murder and ethnic cleansing!
Posted by: Just The Truth | June 20, 2010, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
The above posts contain so many misstatements and inaccuracies about Israel and its intentions, along with its past actions, that it is is no wonder peace has yet to be achieved in the region.
Posted by: Bob | June 20, 2010, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
Correction: The BELOW posts contain so many misstatements and inaccuracies about Israel and its intentions, along with its past actions, that it is is no wonder peace has yet to be achieved in the region.
Posted by: Bob | June 20, 2010, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
Palestinians are living a sham believing that a 2 state solution is possible. This is an endless and will never happen. What Palestinians will eventually do is ask for a 1 state solution with where everybody is allowed a vote. I guarantee that current Israeli actions will end result in this and then what happens? How will Israel use the US Government to continue to mask this apartheid.
Posted by: Just The Truth | June 20, 2010, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
Bob: The world is finally waking up to Israel’s crimes and this is just the beginning. I must say, I can not remember a time where US news organizations have started to question our govenment’s need for a “special relationship” with a territory that shares nothing that we value, commits crimes against humanity, spies on us, kills US citizens, discriminates against its own population, murders international aid workers, imprisons a people based on their ethnicity and on and on and on… Israel is entering a troubling time.
Posted by: Just The Truth | June 20, 2010, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
There will never be a two state solution. The settlers would rebel killing Palestinians in the West Bank, and killing Israelis. There would be a mutiny in the army. It would be a civil war. No Israeli government is willing to push towards a civil war. Rabin was assassinated, and he wasn’t close to peace. The radicals in Israel will never allow a two state solution. It will become apartheid, and then who knows? Ethnic cleansing, genocide?
Posted by: emily | June 20, 2010, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
strange reading how bad Israel is. Yet the fact is that the Arabs in Israel have more freedom and rights than in any Arab country. Israel has never threatened to destroy any Arab country. Did you forget that Iran said they would annihilate Israel and that Israel has no right to exist. Don’t the writers read the newspapers?
Posted by: dmmd | June 20, 2010, 7:25 pm 7:25 pm
Emily and Just the Truth: Israel shares all of the US’s and the rest of the free world’s precious values: it’s people like the 9/11 terrorists and their sponsors, along with all the other suicide bombers and their supporters, who are the criminals you refer to. It’s a terrible tragedy how you fail to recognize the truth, distort and twist the truth in the name of truth, and have it all backwards. Some day, hopefully, you will come to understand the beauty of Israel and appreciate its tremendous value, and we can work together to solve rather than exacerbate the world’s many problems.
Posted by: Bob | June 20, 2010, 8:59 pm 8:59 pm
The infamous mis-qoute from the Iranian president was that “Israel would be erased from the pages of history” and NOT that they would destroy it. The true meaning is that Israel is not sustainable as it stands right now. Reading biased newspapers with clear agendas must be independently verified. Oh BTW, I believe it is Israel that is threatening war with all its neighbors and Israel that instigates wrong doing in the Middle East. Israel treats its Arab population as second class citizens and ask the other 6 million jailed Arabs how they are treated.
Posted by: Just The Truth | June 20, 2010, 9:55 pm 9:55 pm
Real chance for peace only will come if Israel wants peace, killing Turkish citizens was a big mistake and they do not even say we are sorry how can you make peace with a leaders who are so arrogant and telling every one they control US congress and US itself, only way to peace is to vote every incumbent out of office and stop AIPAC, and this man himself is a JEW who is influencing White house, lets get real here, Jews are right they do control US
Posted by: mark | June 20, 2010, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm
I am disgusted with all this bias reporting by journalist in democratic countries against Israel.Why are they doing this?Are they in the pay of Arab Governments or Terrorist?
Also these individuals who write unashamedly against Israel.They should live in Arab countries and look at their human rights and Jails.Also compare little Israel’s great achievements and contributions to the world.COMPARE and that alone will astound you despite of the threats and wars by these jealous countries.This goes for the United evil in the United Nations that pass resolutions against Israel.G-D watches over her beloved Israel and people.Israel will go from srenth to strenth economically,Scientifically,militarily culturally, and spiritually.G-D will ensure this and throw hot coals in the eyes of Israel’s enemies.This I believe.
Posted by: sam. solomon | June 20, 2010, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
“It is now the time, given where we are, to basically find that proper balance.” – Rahm
Maybe Rahm knows something we don’t. like Hamas is now willing to accept the continued existence of Israel and they no longer want to wipe it off the face of the earth. Now that would be something that would make “Now is the Time” a realistic statement otherwise it’s empty rhetoric.
Posted by: Noz | June 21, 2010, 11:27 am 11:27 am
“and that has to include the threat of removing aid to either party if they refuse the 1967 borders” – Flash Override
Post War or Pre War?
Remember Flash, no do overs allowed.
Posted by: Noz | June 21, 2010, 11:29 am 11:29 am
Monkey with Israel and watch for natural(?) distasters!
Posted by: Ed Taylor | June 21, 2010, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm
Asked to respond to Palin, White House spokesman Bill Burton noted:
“We’re satisfied that we’re doing everything we can to take care of the folks in the Gulf region,” Burton added, “and if she doesn’t want to own Congressman Barton’s comments, that doesn’t surprise me.”
Posted by: Rahmlies | June 21, 2010, 5:27 pm 5:27 pm