Netanyahu: ‘Don’t Be So Skeptical…We Can Perform Miracles’
EmailIn his first interview since a day filled with smiles and handshakes at the White House, the Israeli Prime Minister outlined for the first time some of the "concrete steps" promised to President Obama to advance the peace process.
“There are more things we are prepared to do..There are things like additional easing of movements, some questions of economic projects,” Benjamin Netanyahu said. “There are quite a few. The point is we are prepared to do them.”
Netanyahu did not specifically include extending the freeze on the settlement construction set to expire in September, but suggested he was open to that possibility if progress is made in the peace talks.
“I think once we get there realities may change, but I think the most important reality is that we don’t stick on…all sorts of requirements and grievances, “ he said.
Netanyahu told me he wants to put aside all preconditions, excuses and grievances and just start negotiating.
“We want President Abbas to grasp my hand, get into a room, shake it, sit down and negotiate a final settlement of peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” he said.
The Israeli leader said he appreciated yesterday’s warm reception and dismissed the chill in U.S.-Israeli relations, saying it is "natural" for allies to have disagreements.
Netanyahu told me he is confident that he can bring a peace agreement to the region that a majority of Israelis support.
“Don’t be so skeptical,” he said. “Raise your hopes. It’s summer time and we can perform miracles if we set our sights to them.”
Watch the interview here:
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The Israelis will say anything to keep the $ flowing from the USA. I think our patience with Israel should be wearing thin. One would think that a people abused as they have been in the past, would be more compassionate towards another people…even an enemy.
Posted by: Ed Reynolds | July 7, 2010, 9:56 am 9:56 am
The Empire Strikes Back.
Compassionate towards the Palestinians?
Or compassionate towards the poor Americans?
The money which flows out of the US is only spent on American weapons manufacturers.
Posted by: William Bradford | July 7, 2010, 10:03 am 10:03 am
It takes two to tango, and the Palestinians aren’t dancing.
It isn’t a matter of being skeptical…..it is a matter of past history being the best predictor of future behavior.
The Palestinians have no interest (zero), in making peace. They just want the world to keep supporting their war against Israel, with “relief aid”.
Israel, on the other hand, keeps their “aid” coming, by continuing to “play the game”, when they know perfectly well, that the Palestinians will never make peace.
It is all just a matter of people with their hands out.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | July 7, 2010, 10:06 am 10:06 am
Oh brother….miracles eh? They can sure make settlement expansions happen. The Israelis have no interest in peace.
Posted by: Huh | July 7, 2010, 10:10 am 10:10 am
Netanyahu clung to Obama’s hand, pulled it toward himself and deliberately shook it vigorously to falsify US feelings toward this duplicitous leader of a covetous nation. The claim of “no pre-conditions” is itself a “pre-condition”. Israel covets all of Palestine and the Palestinians know it. U.S. politicians have been bought by Israel’s agent AIPAC. U.S. taxes are paying for the decimation of the Palestinians.
Posted by: Manning | July 7, 2010, 11:22 am 11:22 am
Pay attention to U.S. Senate races.
Posted by: kayjay | July 7, 2010, 11:29 am 11:29 am
The interview with Netanyahu was such a waste of time, It was nothing more than the usual propaganda and filibuster. He offered nothing concrete as to what the Israelis would do to foster peace. He ignored providing answers to specific questions posed to him. Also, he was so rude by trying to connsume the full time period with his previously prepared position. I am not anti-Israeli. In fact I am strongly pro-Israeli but the commentary by Netanyahu this a.m. has me firmly convinced there will never be peace, full peace, between the Jews and Arabs/Palestinians.
Posted by: Kenyon L Pollison | July 7, 2010, 11:35 am 11:35 am
All for public consumption.
Posted by: LongT | July 7, 2010, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
George is yelling at the Prime Minister of Israel – very disrespectful. And of course, as always, no one seems to be looking for any basic concessions from Abbas – such as condemning terrorism and murder or at least agreeing to stop teaching children to murder on the state run television programs. And further, we aren’t discussing Hamas in Gaza. Time to start expecting peace proposals from the other side for a change.
Posted by: drubin | July 7, 2010, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
Why is it always the Israelis that are expected to give something up for peace? This double standard is sickening! What have the Palestinians ever done to bring about peace? Nothing! That’s because they don’t want peace. They want the destruction of Israel. There is no real peace partner for Israel, that is why I have serious doubts about the two-state solution.
Posted by: Jack Shepherd | July 7, 2010, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm
miracles, his words don’t make things happen…real estate problems..
Posted by: Jesse | July 7, 2010, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
This morning’s interview with the Prime Minister of Israel was seriously flawed. Why ask what is Israel going to do? How can anyone expect the Israelis to ‘negotiate peace’ with a people whose charter (still) calls for the destruction of the State of Israel? The questions that should have been asked: How can you, even consider negotiating with the Palestinians? Are you not being irresponsible? Have you not learned from recent history? How do you deal with the ongoing missiles that are being shot at you from land that you exchanged for “peace”? Let’s all remember that Jordan was created as a Palestinian State….
Posted by: Bonnie | July 7, 2010, 2:09 pm 2:09 pm
Sincere words of a True Leader.
thanks.
Posted by: david l. bayard | July 7, 2010, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm
Talk is cheap Netanyahu. I wonder how many Americans would agree to give their land back to the indians after only four hundred years. Tired of their lies and supporting Israel with our taxes. Time to cut the ties.
Posted by: Paul Haines | July 7, 2010, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
Well the only chance of peace was when Bill Clinton made an attempt. Ehus Barak & Arafat was very close. They should have made peace then. The way I see it the Arabs sooner or later will have Nuclear bomb and soon the Palestenians will destroy themselves attempting to use it.
Posted by: Kazi | July 7, 2010, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
Before the Palestinian Mandate that resulted in the current state of Israel the Jews in the land were called Palestinians and the Arabs were simply called Arabs.
Didn’t the same Mandate establish Jordan? And what else?
Posted by: Ed Taylor | July 7, 2010, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
I always thought that anyone who threw rocks at a tank were a few fries short of a happy meal..
Posted by: LongT | July 7, 2010, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
Jack Shepherd Said: “Why is it always the Israelis that are expected to give something up for peace? This double standard is sickening! What have the Palestinians ever done to bring about peace? Nothing!”
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LOL…. have you ever even been to Israel or Jordan, “Jack”? A few questions for you “Jack”:
1. Have you ever seen the Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan?
2. Have you ever seen the vegetable and fruit trucks waiting for Israeli inspections at the border crossings from Jordan into the West Bank, that have sat for so long (sometimes 3 or 4 days) that all the fruits and vegetables have rotted?
3. Have you ever seen the Israeli West Bank wall that has encircled the city of Bethlehem, cutting off agricultural areas and water sources from the West Bank, areas where the Palestinians have farmed for generations?
4. Have you ever had Israeli troops show up at your door step, and selecting your home as their “camp site” for 3, 4, 5 days?… for absolutely no reason at all?
Your ignorance of such things is pathetic!
Posted by: GeorgieBushie | July 7, 2010, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
George was very disrespectful to the PM no matter in the end he had the last word that said Bibi knew what George was up to. The Palestinians are never held responsible for their actions. They must unite as one ot how will Israel know who the talks should be with. What good is an agreement with Fatah if Hamas is not in on it. Nothing will change for Israel
Posted by: Karla | July 7, 2010, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
We, the American taxpayers, send $3 Billion per year to Israel…. and they are of no value at all, strategically to the U.S.A. Could we use them in the first Gulf War? Or the Iraq War? No, because any use of Israel in any war in the middle east would offend our other, very important, allies… Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc. …. so basically, the $3 Billion we send to Israel each year serves what purpose?
Posted by: GeorgieBushie | July 7, 2010, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
calls for peace have been coming from war-mongering nations…..
Posted by: Jesse | July 7, 2010, 9:12 pm 9:12 pm
George, your tone while interviewing Netanyaho was out of order. Please remember you are just part of the news and a host for GMA…nothing more, get over yourself.
Posted by: Marj | July 7, 2010, 9:15 pm 9:15 pm
correction; power struggles…..
Posted by: Jesse | July 7, 2010, 9:19 pm 9:19 pm
Netanyahu = NutInButAYahoo . . This guy has a long history or talking bull, and doing whatever he can to AVOID a peace agreement. Don’t expect to see a peace agreement while this lier is in office.
Posted by: Shawn Irwin | July 7, 2010, 10:34 pm 10:34 pm
I’ve read the comments and I find it amazing that people bash Netanyahu for “not wanting peace” or “playing games” when he is calling in no uncertain terms for direct talks for a final agreement, with no delays or preconditions.
If anyone suggests that direct peace talks are not a step forward and thinks they should not happen, then they are the ones retarding the peace process, not Netanyahu.
And just so we’re clear, al the US aid to Israel goes right back into the US economy in the form of weapon sales. I hope everyone wishing to “sever the ties” is ok with another percent of unemployment.
Show some sense, people. If someone is making a step in the right direction and you bash them, that doesn’t encourage them to make concessions. And it shows a very poor concern for the Palestinians themselves, who would most benefit from a permanent agreement and would suffer the most from any delays – including insistence on preconditions.
Posted by: Neil | July 8, 2010, 3:43 am 3:43 am
Neil Said: “And just so we’re clear, al the US aid to Israel goes right back into the US economy in the form of weapon sales. I hope everyone wishing to “sever the ties” is ok with another percent of unemployment.”
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LOL …. “Wrong!”…. Read up on Foreign Military Sales/and the U.S. Security Assistance program. Of all the countries that we provide foreign aide to, Israel is the ONLY country that is not required to account for how that money is spent. Yes, they do a lot of contracts on U.S. military equipment, but for you to think that all of that funding goes right back to those U.S. contracts is completely inaccurate.
Posted by: GeorgieBushie | July 8, 2010, 5:09 am 5:09 am
Article 24 of the PLO charter addressed to UN, which stipulates: Palestinian muslims do not claim Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and Gaza their territories”.
Posted by: Mark Bernadiner | July 8, 2010, 8:10 am 8:10 am
For those who concern with aid to Israel, you must know that Obama’s administration provides billions of dollars to PA and PLO also these organizations killed hundreds of Americans and to Hamas in violation of Material Support Law 18 U.S.C. § 2339B “Providing material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations”.
Posted by: Mark Bernadiner | July 8, 2010, 8:21 am 8:21 am
People are missing the point here by blaming Israel. Israel is not the problem folks. The problem is jihad and Islamic supremacist ideology which seeks to advance Islamic sharia law in Israel and across the world. Hamas’s charter calls for the destruction of Israel. Abbas wrote a paper denying that the Holocaust exists. No action by Israel(short of their total destruction and/or adoption of sharia law) can bring peace to the region(and even then the push for sharia law wouldn’t end—in fact the push would continue in Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere and would be encouraged and strengthened by the destruction of Israel). Too many people are ignorant about certain aspects of Islam, jihad ideology, and Islamic supremacist ideology. “Peace talks” also don’t have the same meaning in Islam as they do in the West(according to the Quran “truces”(i.e. “peace talks”) are designed not to finally end conflicts between Muslims and non Muslims but rather are designed solely to give Muslims ample and sufficient time to rebuild their military capabilities to continue the conflict at a later date when the Muslim armies are stronger). And the media has pushed Palestinian propaganda for years. This “outreach” by Obama to Netanyahu is designed solely for PR political reasons to try to boost Obama’s standing amongst Jews in preparation for the Fall elections.
Posted by: ConstantXI | July 8, 2010, 9:26 am 9:26 am
The $3 billion in military aid the US
gives to Israel doesn’t come from the US taxpayer.It comes from the Central Bank of China which the US borrows.The US taxpayer is broke.The $3 billion for
Israel and the $2 billion for Egypt is part of the Peace Treaty signed by President Carter and ratified by the US
Senate.Saudi Arabia is hardly a reliable ally of the US.Remember 9/11,
Duh?
Posted by: joker | July 8, 2010, 10:04 am 10:04 am
For both the Palestinians and Israelis, it is time to realize that the so called one state solution (controlled by one side or the other is a (NO-GO) is synonymous with NO state solution.
Therefore the ONLY solution is 2 states.
The rest is politics and mass media BS.
Posted by: Steven L | July 9, 2010, 5:37 pm 5:37 pm
Hail to Netanyahu !!!
He really does not care what the Americans and the rest of the world is thinking!! Thank G-d!! His believes in G-d and not in the US dollar!!!
Have no fear, he will not bend to the pressures of the world even if he smiles to the cameras.
Posted by: Karen | July 16, 2010, 1:49 am 1:49 am
Yes, there could be peace but…
The Muslims in the Arab countries do not want peace,
they want Israel’s death.
How do you make peace with people that allow their kids to blow themselves up for a year’s salary?
Liberalism is a mental disorder.
Impeach Obama
Posted by: Bruce987 | July 16, 2010, 11:05 am 11:05 am